Silkscreening: how-to and resources
*Certain products used in silkscreening are toxic and/or corrosive

1. Prepare your image by converting it to 100% contrast. This can be done using a photocopier, in Photoshop or using Microsoft Word. 100% contrast means that there is no grayscale in the image…only Black and White. This needs to be done since grayscale images clog the screen during printing.

grayscale                                                           100% contrast

1. Once you have your image, photocopy it onto acetate at the photocopy store or onto thin white paper.

2. Make sure your screen is clean with no emulsion on it. Clean it with ER35 cleaner and use a power-washer to remove old imagery. IF you’re using a new screen, clean it with degreaser/ When cleaning the screen, wear an apron, plastic goggles, gloves and a gas mask.

3. Coat your screen in photosensitive emulsion. This should be done in a completely dark place with a safe light only. Use an emulsion scoop to pull a thin layer of emulsion over the screen. Put one coat on each side. Wear gloves.

4. Let the emulsion dry COMPLETELY by putting a fan in front of the screen and leaving it for an hour…dry it in the dark!!

5. Tape your image on the face-side of the screen using clear tape. On the face-side, all text and imagery should be backwards (illegible). When you flip to the printing-side of the screen, the text and imagery should be legible.

6. Make sure the exposure unit is clean. Place the screen on the exposure unit face side down and put a piece of foam in the screen with a heavy piece of wood of top to flush the image with the exposure unit.

7. For acetates: expose the screen to UV light for 2-2½ minutes. Use plastic goggles to protect your eyes.

8. Rinse out the screen using cold water. Do not use a power washer. Rinse until light shines through completely where the image is. Dry the screen using a fan.

9. Tape all areas of the screen where this is no emulsion and you don’t want ink to come through.

PRINTING (Wear gloves during printing)

***When using water-based inks (which are translucent), printing light-colored inks on dark fabrics or paper will not work. To do this, you need to use silicone-based ink, which is more opaque.

1. Put the screen face-side down on the table on top of the fabric or paper you are printing onto and have someone hold it still. For a two-colored print, hook the screen into clamps and do your first print on acetate taped to the side of the table. Then place the fabric under the acetate to see where the image will fall and move the acetate over.

2. Hold the squeegee at a 45-degree angle and pull a thin layer of ink through the image using a firm and evenly distributed pressure. Rinse the screen out frequently using step 9 to avoid ink drying in the screen.

3. Dry the image on a rack. When it is dry, iron it for 5 minutes on the back-side of the fabric to make it washable.

RESOURCES:

Ste-Emilie Skillshare: make an appointment to use the silkscreen studio. Studio access is by donation (suggested donation $5-10, bring your own fabric or paper to print on). A studio monitor will be there to help you print. There are also sewing machines, a darkroom and zines.
3942, rue Ste-Emilie, near metro Place-St-Henri off rue St-Augustine. Steemilieskillshare.com !!

Centre Design & Impression textile de Montreal. You can wash a screen for $5, burn a screen for $20 and rent printing tables. You can also buy inks, screens and chemicals. 4710, rue St-Ambroise, atelier 326, metro Place-St-Henri. www.designtextile.qc.ca

Detention Studio: You can rent access to the print studios (in the Plateau)
ilovescreenprinting@hotmail.com www.myspace.com/gotodetention

Fabric Stores – a bunch of stores on St-Hubert between Beaubien and Jean-Talon
La Gaillarde, 4019, Notre-Dame Ouest
Dressmaker Suppply: 2186, Ste-Catherine Ouest
Fabricville: 354, Ste-Catherin Ouest (multiple outlets)

Cosmex Graphics: You can buy bulk emulsion, screen cleaner, screens (Ste-Emilie’s exposure table uses Ulano TZ-HY 200B emulsion and ER35 cleaner)
390, rue Deslauriers, Ville-St-Laurent. Delivery is $10 extra 514.745.3446
cosmexgraphics.com