T-shirt screen printing is the oldest method which has been used for decades. The popularity of this printing technique lies in the fact that it is inexpensive and the print created lasts a fairly long time and does not fade out even after several washes. Moreover screen printing can be used for creating many copies of exactly the same design because the screen can be used over and over again without getting damaged. One draw back of this technique is that in order to create multi color designs, different screens have to be used.
Before you start screen printing you need a screen, a squeegee, a spatula, a substrate and some ink. Screen is also known as the mesh. The substrate can either be paper or cloth and the squeegee is also known as a rubber blade. Creating the screen is the most crucial because it is what is used for transferring the design. The screen can be created at home by carving out the design on a photosensitive film, mono or multifilament polyester or nylon surface using multiple blades, scooping knives, scalpels and art knives. Wax is used for blocking the pores on the screen where the ink does not have to be seeped through. If you find this difficult you can have the screens made by professionals because it is a one time effort and the screens can be used over and over again for creating the same design.
It is important to note that a flat solid surface with clamps for keeping the fabric in place produces superb screen printed T-shirts and minimizes the probability of ink spilling over or the shirt getting smudged with color. For properly drying the color off, flash dryers are used. The advantage of this technique is that it allows creating many screen print t-shirts of the same design using a single screen. The more the shirts the longer it will take to print them.
Once you are done printing a design you can wash the screen off with a screen wash emulsion and use it again for creating some other pattern. Owing to the flexibility to reuse all the equipment T-shirt screen printing is probably the most popular technique for industrial as well as domestic purposes. Once you get the hang of it you can create fabulous T-shirts and show off your creative side on hot summer days.
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