What is screen printing? In a nutshell, it’s a way to print images by squeezing printing paste or ink with a squeegee through a screen block to get the print onto a fabric, leather, T-shirt or paper. The process is also known as serigraphy or mitography. It’s a popular process of screen printing in Edmonton that most printing houses offer since it’s so versatile; any surface, such as plastic, paper, cloth, glass, rubber or leather, will do.
There are three main ways to develop screens for printing. These are detailed below.
Paper Stencil
Paper stencil screen preparation is the transfer of a completed design onto the paper used, while cutting out the image to be printed, or positive areas, of the paper. Then, the prepared stencil is stuck to the stretched screen block with a masking tape. Allowances are made for ink reservoirs and the screen is ready for use.
Candle Wax/Shellac/Lacquer
Candle wax, shellac screen and lacquer preparation for screen printing in Edmonton use the same preparatory processes. The main difference is the material used to line the negative areas of a screen can be molten wax, lacquer or shellac. Once a finished design is transferred over to a stretched screen block, molten wax, thinned shellac or even lacquer is applied to the design’s negative areas. Do a test print to test the screen for pinholes and block any holes. Then, the prepared screen is ready for printing. The simple, bold designs produced by lacquered screens are durable and economical.
Photographic
Photographic screen preparation, used commonly for screen printing in Edmonton, employs light to develop designs onto a screen. The light sources used can either be natural or artificial: solar energy during the day or fluorescent bulbs in a shooting box inside. In both methods, screens must be lined in a darkroom with a photo emulsion solution mixed with sensitizer and placed in a dark room to dry afterward.
Looking for a free quote on your next printing job? LaserScreen/Mero is Western Canada’s leading promotional products, laser printing and trade show displays provider.
