About Silk Printing

Silk printing also known as screen printing, is a printing method that uses woven mesh and an ink-blocking stencil. The stencil transfers ink or other materials, which are pressed through the mesh. A roller is moved across the screen causing the ink to pass through the mesh into the open sections.

Materials

The printing technique got its name from the fact that traditionally silk was the material used in the process. Today, synthetic threads are more commonly used in silk printing. Polyester is generally the most popular mesh in use. Specially made mesh materials are widely available. They are made from stainless steel and nylon. A non-permeable material is used to block off parts of the screen forming a stencil that creates a negative of the image printed.

Process

Before printing can begin, the screen and frame have to be pre-pressed before ink can be applied to the screen. This involves applying an emulsion across the mesh to burn the emulsion that is not needed. This results in a clean surface on the mesh that is shaped like the desired image. The surface or pallet is coated using a wide tape, which protects it from staining caused by ink leaking through the substrate. Tape is used to line the screen and the frame, blocking out any holes.

Uses

Silk printing is widely used by photographic artists. The process is able to reproduce images that have a high level of detail. It can be re-used to make thousands of copies making it convenient. Most artists find the method efficient, as it is easy to use the black and white images to produce transparent overlays. Artists who use silk printing are able to obtain frames, screens, lights and emulsion as separate entities, or they can buy preassembled kits.

Advantages

Using silk printing is economical as large quantities of print can be produced within a short period of time. New automatic presses are in use today, which can print over 1500 shirts in less than an hour. The printing is more versatile than traditional techniques where pressure is required for the process. It can be used on a wide variety of materials including textiles, glass, and wood, ceramic and metal.