DIY From Custom Screen Printing Services

By Ida Dorsey


There are so many ways in having your shirts printed with designs or illustrations on them. But then again, you would want to do it on your own since having it from shops doing it for you might be fast and easy but can come at a price. If you are a person who likes to make your own craft, then this could be very useful for you.

One of the many inexpensive procedures is for silk screen printing. There are many custom screen printing services in Fort Worth TX and other cities which they can do any design that you want without having to be through bulk orders. This is why small scale printing can be done easily, especially just by yourself.

The basic process for this silk screen printing is that a photo emulsion is spread on the screens and then with the cutting out of the design, it uses the print outs from a clear paper. This way the design is sort of imprinted on the photo emulsion and makes the holes of the screens. This is where the paint can be spread over it to print on the shirt.

The materials that you would need for this procedure includes a screen frame or you can also use an old frame that can tightly hold the screens. Next is you need a photo emulsion with sensitizer, and then a bulb which is two hundred fifty watts which can be bought for four dollars, and latex gloves. The room you use should be pitch black.

Other stuff you should have is a squeegee and then a shirt or clothing that you want to be printed with. You should also get a garbage bag or any plastic to spill proof your workstation or desk. What this does is that you have all the freedom to do the designs and whatever you want with the customizations.

First, have the screens set up in the frame evenly and tightly. Apply the emulsion which comes in two parts which is the sensitizer and the and the main emulsion. Lay on a garbage bag below it and then start spreading the mixture using a squeegee. Make sure it is even and it comes in a thin layer.

Leave the screens in a pitch black room for two hours to let it dry. After that, without turning the lights on yet, lay over the design printed out from a transparency sheet over the screens then taping it with a masking tape. This process is like cutting out the image on the screen.

Let it stay there for fifteen minutes and then turn the lamp on and take a peek before peeling it out completely. The cut out should be faint, but if it is not enough, let it stay on longer for a few more minutes. Do not overexpose this or else the image would tend to bleed over the screen.

Clean it with water and let it dry before placing it over the cloth. Make sure it is aligned well and that the cloth has a cardboard behind it. Pour the ink and spread it with the help of the squeegee and press it well and slide it in various directions to level the layer. Carefully take the screen out and let it dry.




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