Stencil Screen Printing

Stencil screen printing is a technique used to create prints on paper and fabric.

The silk screen is permeable, this means that it allows the paint through the holes in the screen.

I started by printing my design off before placing it on a cutting mat and using a scalpel to remove the areas of the design which I want to print.

Once I had removed the sections of my two stencils, I then stuck the stencil to the back of the silk screen with a few small pieces of masking tape.

I then turned the silk screen over and put parcel tape around my stencil.

I continued to tape the rest of the silk screen, I ensured that the tape went slightly up the side to avoid any ink going through the screen in unwanted areas.

I then cut two pieces of fabric to print onto.

I then placed my piece of calico under the silk screen before mixing some red acrylic paint and some screen printing acryl (shown in the photo below)

I then placed some of the ink on to my silk screen.

This is the tool you use to drag the ink across the silk screen and over the stencil at a 45 degree angle. Once I had dragged the ink over the silk screen I tapped the excess paint off the tool before dragging it back.

This is how my first print turned out.

As it did not turn out quite how I wanted it to I then placed my second piece of fabric under the silk screen but this time I added more of my red mixture onto the silk screen before repeating the same process I did above.

This is how my second print turned out.

This photo shows the back of the silk screen and stencil once I had finished printing.

I am much happier with the final outcome of my second print, I think that why my first print did not turn out as well is because I definitely did not add enough of the red mixture.

This method of screen printing does work very well, however it is not quick and after one or two prints you can no longer use the same silk screen and stencil as the tiny holes in the silk screen that the paint gets forced through gets blocked and then the paint dries very quickly. Also because the stencil starts to fall apart and disintegrate.