Screen printing is an amusing way to create your design on your favorite fabrics at home. With it, you can produce multiple vibrant colors at once. You can screen print on almost any of your clothes as it works on any fabric. Screen Prints go back many centuries. It started in the 10th century to be precious. It was picked up by artists only in 1910. But ever since, it’s been one of the most popular ways to create designs on fabrics.
But you do not have to take any courses or attend any classes to do screen print at home. All you have to do is pick up a few tools and techniques. In this article, we will show you an easy step-by-step process on how you can screen print at home.
How to Screen Print at Home: Step by Step Process
To screenprint, you will need a few supplies. They are:
- A-frame
- A mesh
- Fabrics color: most preferably Acrylic color
- A printing medium
- A piece of fabrics where you will screen print on
- A squeegee
Now that you have all the supplies hot and trot, you can start with the screen printing process. Follow the steps below:
Prepare Your Design
The first thing you have to do is prepare your design. You can print your designs or hand draw them. Use thin paper to print your design. Once the design is ready, it is time to cut them into pieces. Use a craft knife to cut your design. You will find stencil kits in art supply stores. In that case, you do not have to print them anymore.
Prepare the Frame
Now it’s time to prepare a frame. Pick a wooden canvas mounting from any art store. Make sure the frame is big enough to accommodate all your designs. Pick up a 110-130 count mesh from the store. You have to staple the mesh into your frame using collated nails or staple guns. The screen has to be as stretched as possible.
Get Ready to Print
Take your stencil and place it on the screen. Use masking tape to keep the design in place. Now take the fabric color and mix it with the printing medium. The ratio will be 50:50. Now the time has come to apply the ink. Take the ink and put it along the top side of the frame.
Design in Progress
You have already applied the ink on the screen. Now you have to cover the screen with ink. Use a squeegee to do it. First, do it very gently to cover the whole screen evenly. We call it flooding. Then bring the squeegee all over the screen again. Keep your squeegee at the right angle to get a better print. Now pull the squeegee back and forth several times to make sure the ink goes through the screen pretty well.
Your Print is Ready
Once you finish inking, you have completed the printing. It is time for you to let dry your print. Cover the areas you do not want to color. Use a piece of clothes to do it. This way, you can add different colors in different sections. Finally, your print is ready. Now you have to heat set your design. You can do it using an iron. Do not forget to place a piece of fabric on the design while ironing.
Clean the Frame
Making the frame ready for upcoming use is also a part of the process. You have to clean the frame thoroughly after printing your design. Wash it with cold water. Use a sponge to rinse the ink from the screen. Make sure no ink remains on it.
Screen Printing Kit
Screen printing kits are sets of supplies you need for screen printing. Although the key elements are the same, different kits have different items. There are many ways people are doing screen prints. Manufacturers design kits considering this factor. Every kit holds some similar items. Like silkscreen or frame, lights & bulbs, squeegee, papers, adhesive, gloves, screen tapes, inks, etc.
Choosing Process of Screen Printing Machine
Choosing the right screen printing press machine is very important. You only buy a machine if you want to build a business out of it. In that case, there are certain factors you need to consider before you buy a machine. Budget and space are the most important among them. Choose a press that fits your budget and space. If you have a small space, you can go for tabletop presses. Then determine your production volume. You need more presses if your production volume is high.
Screen Printing for Beginners
You can start screen printing at home with a few easy steps. There are many ways to screen print you can begin. You do not need any classes or courses to do it. Just pick up some techniques from YouTube videos then you are good to go. And then gradually if you find interest in it, you can go big. So, start small with some easy steps shown in this article.
How to Screen Print at Home with Vinyl
The vinyl mirror is one of many ways you can screen print at home. In this method, use adhesive vinyl to make the silkscreen. First, cut the vinyl and put it on the screen. Try to move it towards the center. Then weed every part away in the design that you want to ink. Next, put a transfer tape on the top and peel its baking paper. Now flip the screen to check if everything is in the right place. Then remove the transfer tape and the vinyl is on your screen. Now it is ready for printing.
Professional Screen Printing at Home
You can start your screen printing business from home yet do it professionally. In that case, buy screen printing machines popularly known as a press. You have to select them based on your budget, space, and production volume. If you have a small space, buy a tabletop screenprint machine. It takes little space but offers professional-level production. With presses, the screen print process is the same. But you can produce multiple screenprints at once.
How to Screen Print at Home for Cheap
There are many ways you can do screen prints at home for cheap. The process we have discussed in this article is one such way. Select a cheap canvas mount and mesh to make the frame. Hand draws your design instead of printing it. Then use cheaper ink for the process. This way, you can cut the cost yet get a fair result.
How to Make Screen Printing Stencils
Making screen printing stencils is not that hard. You can make them at home with some easy steps. First, print out your design using a printer. You can also hand-draw them. Then take a craft knife and cut out your design. Your stencils are now ready for prints.
How to Screen Print T-Shirts at Home
Screen printing t-shirts is a fun DIY you can do at home. This way, you can create a unique design for your t-shirts. Preparing the screen and the design is the first step. Then put the stencil on the screen and lock it using transparent tape. Now put the screen on your t-shirt and apply the ink. After applying the ink evenly across the design, let it dry for an hour. Finally, heat press to your design using an iron. Your t-shirt is ready. You can make cool t-shirts at home by screen printing on them. Use them on your own. You can also make a business from it if you want.
Can You Use Cheesecloth for Screen Printing
As I already said, you can screen print on any fabric. Cheesecloths are cotton made. You can screen print on them quite well. It is an excellent option if you have a small space for this project. A full-size screen print takes a lot of space. But if you use an embroidery hoop with cheesecloths, you can do it in a tiny place.
How Do You Print a Screen at Home Without Emulsion
You can screen print at home in cheaper ways without photo emulsions. Print your design or draw them at home. Cut the design to make stencils. Use fabric colors as your ink instead of photo emulsions. First, set the stencils on the screen. Then put the screen on the fabrics and apply the ink all over the design. This way, one can screen print without emulsions.
Can You Screen Print Without a Machine
You can screen print without any of them. Most importantly, these are expensive. You do not need these for your DIY projects. Use them only when you are doing it professionally for your business. Otherwise, you do not need them at all.
How Do I Create a Screen Print Template
There are photo emulsion templates that you can buy. Then there are stencils that you can make at home quite easily. You have to print your design and cut it with a craft knife. Your template is ready for print. You can also hand-draw them instead of printing them.
FAQs
How Do I Make My Own Screen Printing?
You can easily make your screen printing at home. Buy a frame and a mesh. Take any wooden canvas mounting frame and a 110-130 count mesh. Then staple the mesh on it. You can do it using an electric staple gun or collated nails. Your screen is ready. Make sure the screen is stretched enough for better results.
What is The Easiest Way to Screen Print?
The easiest way to screenprint is to buy screen printing kits from art supply stores. You will find screen printing stencils and readymade screens there. Bring them home and start the process. First, put the stencil on your screen and then apply ink there. Now use a squeegee to apply the ink all over it. Once your paint is dried, transfer the heat to it using an iron.
What Material Can be Used for Screen Printing?
You need some materials for your DIY screen printing project at home. For example, you need a frame, mesh, a squeegee, paper, ink, fabrics, staple gun, etc. Use a cheap wooden canvas mounting as your frame. The mesh has to be of 110-130 count. You can use acrylic color. Instead of the staple gun, you can use collated nails. Use thin paper to print your design.
How Do You Screen Print on a Budget?
You can screen print at home with a small budget. Firstly, do not print your design. Hand-draw them on a thin paper. Then use a cheap wooden frame. Instead of acrylic color, you can use cheaper ink. You do not have to buy a staple gun. Use collated nails instead. Finally, do not use expensive fabrics to screen print. Go for cheaper options. This way, you can screen print on a budget.
What Paper Do I Need for Screen Printing?
Paper plays a pivotal role in screen print. The design is printed or drawn on paper. So, it has to be carefully selected. You need thin paper in this case. Print or hand draw your design on thin paper. Use acetate paper if you want to use it multiple times. Use cotton paper if you wish to screenprint on paper.
Can You Print on Organza Bags?
You can screen print on any fabric. Organza is a form of silk fabric. It is a semi-transparent fabric that you can use to make crafts. The screenprint was known as silkscreen print because people used silk fabric in this process. So, you definitely can screen print on organza bags.
How Do you Make a Silk Screen?
First, make the screen. Then apply photo emulsion on it. Make sure you do it evenly on both sides. Now cover the screen with black clothes and keep it out of light for a few hours. Print your image on transparent paper. Now, keep your screen under a lamp. Put the print on the screen and let it burn. It will take about an hour. Your silk screen is now ready.
Are Screen Printing Screens Reusable?
You can use screen printing screens hundreds of times. All you have to do is keep it clean after use. You have to clean the screen thoroughly every time you use it. Use cold water to clean it. You can use a sponge to rinse the color from the mesh. Do not use anything sharp to clean the screen. Use a durable frame for a longer life span of the screen.
Do you Mirror Vinyl for Screen Printing?
Mirror vinyl is another way of screen printing. First, cut the adhesive vinyl and move the design towards the middle. Now you have to weed everything away that you want the inks to go. Now put some transfer tape on the top and peel back the baking paper. Then flip the screen to see whether everything is in the correct position. Now remove the transfer tape, and your screen is ready. Now you can screen print using this mirror vinyl screen.
Conclusion
In conclusion, screen printing is a fun and inexpensive way to customize your clothing. If you have a few shirts that you want to add a little flair to, then screen printing is the perfect option. Besides, you can print on any fabric or apparel that you want – it works with any garments, T-shirts, tank tops, sweatshirts, handkerchiefs, tote bags, and so on.
Screen printing at home is a great way to personalize any clothing item that you own. Not only can you get creative with your designs, but it’s also easy and cheap!