Homemade Process From Custom Screen Printing Services

By Ida Dorsey


There are so many ways in having your shirts printed with designs or illustrations on them. But then again, you would want to do it on your own since having it from shops doing it for you might be fast and easy but can come at a price. If you are a person who likes to make your own craft, then this could be very useful for you.

There are a few things you need to get before doing this. A lot of custom screen printing services in Fort Worth TX have certain materials also that they use to generate shirt designs that their customers want from them. Although you can do the same in a small scale if you want to try it out.

The general idea for this process is through coating photo emulsion on the screens and then place a printed image from a clear sheet on it then exposing it to light. This is like cutting the emulsion with the design from the print. This is where you place the ink on the shirt through this hole design.

The materials that you would need for this procedure includes a screen frame or you can also use an old frame that can tightly hold the screens. Next is you need a photo emulsion with sensitizer, and then a bulb which is two hundred fifty watts which can be bought for four dollars, and latex gloves. The room you use should be pitch black.

Other stuff you should have is a squeegee and then a shirt or clothing that you want to be printed with. You should also get a garbage bag or any plastic to spill proof your workstation or desk. What this does is that you have all the freedom to do the designs and whatever you want with the customizations.

To prepare the design of the screens, you need to first setup the frame and screens and make sure they are tightly placed. Then you add and splay over the photo emulsion which should be mixed in with the sensitizer. Use the squeegee to evenly spread it. Make sure that the covered area is twice the size of the design to leave room for it.

After fully spreading it you have to leave it on a pitch dark room for about two hours or more until it dries. Go into the room but make sure it is not exposed to any light just yet. Print out the design you have in a clear sheet and then using masking tapes, tape it over the screen. This is what makes it cut out the design on the layer of emulsion.

Let it stay there for fifteen minutes and then turn the lamp on and take a peek before peeling it out completely. The cut out should be faint, but if it is not enough, let it stay on longer for a few more minutes. Do not overexpose this or else the image would tend to bleed over the screen.

Clean it with water and let it dry before placing it over the cloth. Make sure it is aligned well and that the cloth has a cardboard behind it. Pour the ink and spread it with the help of the squeegee and press it well and slide it in various directions to level the layer. Carefully take the screen out and let it dry.




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