Screen printing is versatile enough of a process that it can be done on a variety of materials and does not need heat, lighting or other particular process to adhere to a surface. This makes a Screen Printing Starter Kit a relatively inexpensive purchase that can create beautiful and professional pieces of art work with little to no experience.
Any screen printing kit will have six of the essential items for creating your first masterpiece. You will need artwork, something to print on, a screen, squeegee, ink and a press machine. The start of all great pieces depends on the artwork itself and this may be the most time consuming part. Transferring the artwork to a film positive format is essential in using the screen printing kit. A film positive is an opaque image that is put on a transparent sheet. There are specialty papers for the transparent sheet which are acetate, Mylar or copier film.
Once you have created the artwork and transferred it to a film positive format, you need to choose a screen. Typically a Screen Printer Starter Kit will come with a metal screen that works best for most textiles. Cleaning the screen is an essential part of the process. After cleaning, apply a light emulsion to the substrate, or back side of the screen. Next, apply the film positive to the underside where the emulsion is and expose this to light.
Lastly, you need to wash the screen thoroughly before mounting the screen in the actual printing press. Check for the proper settings for the artwork you are trying to accomplish. Apply the ink into the screen itself and use the squeegee to press the ink downward. Your desired artwork will then be permanently affixed to whatever material you were working with. This is a very versatile way to get artwork on just about any textile, glass or paper.
A screen printing piece of work is known for its quick process, definition and color, ability to print on large scale pieces, economical and is very durable. A simple starter kit can range from a couple of hundred dollars and get you started right away. Later you can invest in individual pieces to build your own kit.
