What is Screen Printing

Screen printing is a process of using an photographically exposed screen of an image or graphic to transferring that image to other items such as t-shirts and posters using inks. 

There are various was to screen print.  You can screen print signs on corrugated poster boards like the signs you see in the grass as you go onto the highway or on a corner at a busy intersection.  Another way is to print to garments such as t-shirts like the graphic tees you see a lot of people wearing these days.  And there is also printing on flyers, business cards, bumper stickers and decals.

Many people learn these techniques as a hobby because they are interested in the process and creating custom items for themselves.  Many entrepreneurial type take their crafts from hobby to business by creating products and selling them in various places such as Ebay and their own online retail store. 

There are numerous books and links to websites that will show you how the process works and also how to profit from your new found hobby.  I wish you great luck at either endeavor.  I chose to write this because I have had many people ask the question of exactly what is screen printing and I thought this would be a way to explain the process to many people at once.

You may have already been exposed to the screen print process without ever really giving it a second thought.  If you have had family reunion t-shirts made, or bought a for sale or for rent sign, or those great looking jeans with the awesome ink design on them.  Screen printing is all around us and has been for a great number of years and will be there for a great number of years to come. 

The process is called by many names such as screen printing and silk screen printing.  The screens are coated with whats called emulsion which is a photographic liquid that kind of resembles Pepto-Bismol in texture and color however it can come in many different colors.  The exposure process is similar to that of a photographer exposing film in a dark room because the emulsion is photo sensitive and will need to be kept in a dark room with UV light completely blocked out.  You will need a screen printing press which can come as either a 1-color press up to 4,6,8, and even 16 color presses. 

Do your research on the subject and use all the links, websites, and books at your disposal to learn the process and perfect it to you needs.