Facts on Silk Printing

Silk printing is the most versatile printing process. The materials used are readily available making it popular with both amateur and professional printers. The quality of the images produced is high and improvements have been made over the years making the process more efficient. This printing method is used in artwork, advertising and other displays.

History

Silk or screen printing was first used in China before 1200 AD. Other Asian countries including Japan adopted this printing method and used it together with block printing, as well as hand applied paints. The printing was introduced to Western Europe in the late 18th century, but it only gained acceptance after silk mesh became more readily available due to trade from the east.

Silk printing was originally used to print linen, silk and other fabrics. It was also used for printing expensive types of wall paper. In the early 1900s, some printers tried experimenting with different chemicals that were photo-reactive, leading to the development of photo-imaged stencils.

Creating Stencils

There are different ways of creating stencils for silk printing. Initially, artists created it by hand, shaping it into the desired design. This was done by cutting out the design on a material that was non-porous and attaching it to the screen bottom. The other method used was to paint a negative image on the screen using a filler material, which was left to dry. Another technique involved the artist painting the image using drawing fluid, and after waiting for it to dry entire screen would be coated with screen filler. Water was then sprayed on the screen after the filler had dried, leaving a stencil all around.

Printing Presses

There are three main types of silk printing presses; the flatbed, the cylinder and the rotary. The rotary is the most widely used press today. The printing press is used to print multiple copies of the design on the material. This is done efficiently and is suitable for both amateur and professional printers. The companies that make the printing presses offer a wide range, from simple to complex presses. Most of the printing presses used are manual. The automatic printers are made for industries and they require minimal labor, which helps to increase production.