T-Shirt Screen Printing

Screen printing is a popular method for transferring customized designs on fabric. Here are the basic steps involved in the t-shirt screen printing process.

STEP 1: CHOOSING THE SCREEN

There are several kinds of screens available for screen printing. Screens with an aluminum frame are more expensive than those with wooden frames, but typically last longer. Screens also differ on their mesh count. Screens with higher mesh counts allow for finer printing, and are typically used when printing on paper. When printing on fabric, a mesh count of about 110 or 160 is generally used.

STEP 2: BURNING THE DESIGN ONTO THE SCREEN

Next, you have to burn your design onto the screen. This is called a stencil. Every color used in the design requires a different stencil. Once you have the design you want, separate the image based on the different colors used. You can use a number of computer software programs to do this task for you. Next, change the images into black-and-white and print it onto a transparent film.

Once you have the black-and-white image, coat the screen evenly in emulsion and allow the emulsion to dry. Then, place the transparency on top of the emulsion-coated screen. Next, go to a darkroom and expose the screen to light for several minutes. This will allow the emulsion to on the white areas, making sure that no ink passes through. Once the emulsion has hardened, spray the screen with water to remove the soft areas.

STEP 3: TRANSFERRING THE DESIGN ONTO THE SHIRT

Finally, pour ink onto the screen, making sure you are applying even pressure all throughout. Let the ink dry first before printing the next layer, to make sure that the colors do not bleed. Once you’ve printed all the layers, let the ink dry. Now, you’re done!