Screen Printing For Cheapos!

I've been experimenting with some surface design stuff, hoping that I can find something new to integrate into my quilts.  I bought some Thermofax screens whilst in the UK, but I don't want to ruin them, until I have an understanding of the printing process.  I've wanted to do silkscreen printing for ages, so decided to give it a go.  There has only been one problem so far, and quite a fundamental one at that, I can't find any silkscreens on sale her in Bangkok!

After taking to You Tube (and of course losing countless hours in the process, don't you just LOVE it), I came up with a few ideas about how to build a screen, what I could use as mesh and importantly, what I could use as a resist on the mesh.

The first idea was to repurpose an old painting.  Not having any that I could do that with, I had to buy a new canvas and strip it off the frame.  I then took the frame and stapled the mesh to it, very tightly.  Old net curtains appears to be the popular method (though I did see old tights/pantyhose used as mesh), but as I didn't have any (of either), I had to use some expensive organza (sob!).

Then the edges were sealed with some duct tape.  The tape was also laid about an inch over the mesh, to form wells for the paint.

Reasoning that I would probably want more than one design, I utilised an even cheaper idea that I had found on You Tube, making the frame out of cardboard!  I had a bit of spare card, so I cut the first frame.  I realised at that point, that I had cut it too small and that it would be a bit too flimsy, so I cut another with a larger frame, and stuck them together.

I covered the whole thing with duct tape.  Well, I have to be honest here, I thought it was duct tape, but it wasn't! It was a sort of paper tape, like a heavy masking tape.  Oh well, she who dares!  I then did as I had with the wooden frame, covering it with my expensive organza and stapling it into place.  I used more of the fake duct tape (it looked like duct tape in the shop) to make the paint wells.

I decided to try the idea of using a stencil underneath the mesh.  I cut a stencil of thorn branches.  I used one of those plastic folders used for storing papers, drew a beautiful design on it with lots of crossing branches etc, and then proceeded to cut it.  

Of course it wasn't long before I worked out that I was about to have the whole design drop out of the middle because of all the crossing branches, and that for a stencil, I needed a simpler design.  I ended up with this one.

I thought I would try printing with some fabric paint. I decided to use opaque paints, as I thought they would make a clearer design.  I knew I needed thick paint, so I didn't water it down.  I think however, that it was just a bit too thick, as the great dollop of paint that I put on my screen, lasted for only one pull.  Instead of using green paint, I thought it would be more interesting to put a dollop of blue and one of yellow and then let the pulling over the screen mix the colours. By the way, for those of you who have never come across it, dollop is a well known technical term for the amount of paint you use in screen printing!                                         

For a first attempt it wasn't too bad.  When I had finished I removed the plastic stencil (which adheres to the screen), laid it on the fabric and pushed down on it using some kitchen towel.  I rather liked the reverse print.  The second print obviously needed more pain, but I could see how you could use this and then lay other colours over the top, using the same method.  I always keep what I call serendipitous cloths around when I fabric paint.  I use them to clean the paint trays, wipe us spills, empty out paint dregs onto etc.  You can end up with the most amazing cloth, or mud, but then, mud is always a good colour for contrasting other more vibrant colours.

After much searching, I managed to locate some screen paints.  The only problem was that the instructions, product information etc, was all in Thai.  I asked an assistant if I could use them for fabric, and she said yes, so I bought the three primary colours.  

Using almost the same stencil (I ripped the other one when I was cleaning it), I attempted a more complex print, using the frame in different directions, overlaying the prints on top of each other.  This time I used red and blue (again not mixed), printing over a piece of my own hand painted fabric that at best, could be described as ugly!

It was a bit more tricky to do this, as each time I moved the frame, I had to cover the print I had just made with some kitchen towel, to avoid dragging paint onto the frame and thus making unwanted marks.  The screen paint was a lot easier to use, but I think I probably used a bit too much, or pulled the ink over the stencil too many times, as it gave a thick image.  I need to practice that.

The paint colours actually mixed very quickly, but there was still a bit of variation,  Again I guess this is down to more judicious placement of the paint, and less running the 'pull' up and down the screen.

Interestingly, this ink went through the fabric (which is a tight weave) and left a secondary print on the fabric underneath.  I think this could be utilised as the background for further printing or stencilling.

I decided to move onto placing the design directly onto the screen, rather than use a stencil.  As I couldn't find a screen, I knew I had little chance of buying some paint resist.  I again took to You Tube and the web.  The most popular method was to use Elmer's glue.  Ah ha, I knew just where to buy some and so I bought 5 bottles, as I didn't want to go back.

I couldn't get a clear photo with the glue because of reflection, but this is the design that I made directly onto the screen.  On this screen Ipainted the design on both the back and front of the screen, using one coat of Elmer's per side.  I left it to dry overnight.

I also made a second, larger screen with a different design, but using two layers of Elmer's per side.

Here are the pulls I took from the first screen (i.e. with one coat of Elmer's), using one paint colour.  Part way into printing, I could see that the Elmer's was starting to erode.  Still, if you only wanted a couple of prints, this method was okay.  The prints were clear and only faded where I hadn't pulled the paint enough.

Using the second screen (that had two coats of Elmer's), I printed this design.  I rather liked this.  If I had used a square to start with, I could have butted the squares up to each other, rotating the block, to give a larger, more interesting design.

 This is the close up of the print.

The two layers of Elmer's held up better on this screen, but was still starting to disintegrate slightly.  It may have been that I was pulling too firmly across the screen.  I think however, that Elmer's is not going to be robust enough to give me a large number of prints from the same screen.

I also noticed that it washed out very easily, so I suspect I have not got the same glue that was being used on the internet.  I have since seen references to Elmer's Blue Gel Glue, which can be used as a resist, but I read multi-purpose glue, which I now have litres of!

Another resist I read about was using metallic craft paint, so I shall try that next.  Luckily I happen to have a bottle of that somewhere, so I will not rush out and buy litres of that!  I think the Elmer's method is good for small projects, but I certainly wouldn't want to trust it for yardage.

Now the downside of all of this.  I spent more time washing the screens than I did printing!  The screens have to be washed (or at least soaked) straight away, else the paint dries and clogs up your screens, thus ruining them.  You have to do this carefully, so as not to tear the screen or stretch it loose.  Both printing and clean up are messy, so you don't want to attempt this in a room with a white carpet!  I spent half the morning cleaning it off the taps, out of the soak bowl etc.

I am also pretty unsure that the screen paints I am using are really for fabric.  I decided to try and heat set the paint with the iron, and the bottom of my iron went red!  I covered the print with some fabric and then ironed it like that.  It still didn't set fully, so maybe this is for paper.  Who knows!!