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Silkscreen

Simple silkscreen images can be created in all degrees of complexity, from simple basic shapes in vivid crayon colors to intricate pointillism-style images. These screens and their images can be created from simple paper masks to multi-screen/multi-colored presentations. The amount of detail is usually far less than natural scenes would depict. This is because of the difficulties of capturing tiny details using traditional methods. But, consider the fact that you can get sharp, clear photo image details easily if you use a photo emulsion two-step method to create your screens.

Photo emulsion silkscreens, simply, are screens that block the negative areas of a photograph and open to allow inks to penetrate the screen in areas of positive image. Think of it like a black and white photo. The black and gray areas will print and the white areas will be blocked.

To achieve a good photo emulsion screen, start with a sharp black and white photograph, one with strong contrasts of dark and light. You can use a color photo, but make a good quality black and white print of it first. After you have a sharp black and white image, go to a copy service or use your scanner to make a transparency. This transparency should have the richest blacks possible and commercial copy machines do a superior job. Request that the black and white copy be made in the color copier for the richest darks.

Once you have the transparency, you will need a silkscreen that is at least two inches larger on all sides than the image you want to duplicate. The screen should be made with a rather dense material so that the fine details of the photo will transmit through the screening process.

The photo emulsion process is completed in a two-step process. A kit includes a large bottle of emulsion and a bottle of sensitizer. Once the two are mixed, you must fill the screen and allow the fluid caught in the weave to dry completely in a totally dark place. Once the screen is dry, it is ready to be exposed. Each kit contains enough of both fluids to make several screens.

To expose the screen, set the screen on a flat surface. Center the transparency on the top of the screen and use a 250-watt light source just above the screen to "burn" the image into the emulsion. This process takes just a few minutes. Once the image is set in the emulsion (the clear areas of the transparency), it is time to wash the screen with water to remove the areas of the photo that were black. The resulting screen, once filled with ink or paint, will yield the image as seen in the black areas of the transparency.

If small areas of dark show on a test print in spots where they interfere with the image, you can use tape on the screen to cover those spots. This eliminates any accidental specks or spots that spoil the finished silkscreen.

A single image can be printed in different colors, thereby changing its appearance dramatically. Part of the image can be selected using a paper mask, allowing sections of the overall screen to be printed in a smaller size. This is especially good for the creation of greeting cards or post cards. Slightly overlapping two "pulls" of the screen, one in a lighter tone, creates a striking look. Just allow the first lighter toned image to dry completely and then pull a dark tone onto the print slightly moved from the position of the lighter tone. It looks like a type of shadow or echo print--very interesting and eye-catching.

There are many applications for a photo emulsion silkscreen image because of the detail you will be able to create. The materials are not expensive, are available at all art material dealers and come with complete directions. Consider trying this method if you have heretofore been hesitant to dive into silkscreening. You will love it!