Screenprinting Process-
Step 1- Photocopy black and white design onto acetate. [Black areas become colour when printing]
Step 2- Expose image onto pre-coated screen.
Step 3- Wash front and back of screen. Wait. Wash screen thoroughly making sure design is see-through.
Step 4- After screen has dried, prepare printing material and register design using acetate.
Step 5- Mix up ink [3tbsp white + Dash of colour] and dollop on to screen before passing the design with squeegee. [2 passes for paper, 4 passes for Calico]
Step 6- Wash screen.
Flock and Foil-
Step 5- Pass glue through screen onto material. [Wait around 20mins to dry]
Step 6- Place glued material and flock/foil into heat press and push down. [Foil facing up, Flock facing down]
Step 7- Wait until tune plays then take out and peel off flock and foil.
Print Experiments-
Test onto paper. Clean print with crisp lines and minimum bleed outside of design.
Print onto thicker paper, again a clean print this time in red which gave a bolder feel.
First print onto calico, a bit messy with some bleeding around the edges. May be better with a larger design, but the thin lines tended to come out blurred.
Second print onto calico. Material wasnt smoothed out well enough so print came out a little sloppy.
Overall, I thought the screen printing process was okay but the prints didn't come out always as planned. The edges were much crisper on the paper prints, but if had used a bolder design it may have come out better on the calico.
However, it is a fairly long winded process considering the results are sometimes hit and miss. I could see it being usefull when printing multiple layers of colours over each other and believe I could create very nice prints but I much prefer the textures of the other print processes. [I feel the screenprinting gives a very flat print, which for me is undesirable]
Flock and Foil
Flocking experiment, I love the texture and feel of the print, but I dont really see a use for it aside from the desire for the texture. It may be useful for one-off special prints but maybe wouldnt be suitable for multiple prints or any random image.
Foiling experiment, really nice sheen to the print especially gold/brass on black paper. Gives a really elegant/ornate feel. Again. maybe wouldn't be desirable for any print and could get a little expensive.
I do like the effect though.
