DIY Screen Printing - Starting Out
Screenprinting can be an intimidating art form. There’s technicalities to consider that are less of a suggestion than mediums like painting- if you skip a step here, your print just won’t turn out. There’s fancy, expensive equipment, people running automatic presses, 4,5, even 8 and 10 screen designs. There’s an entire sub-industry of inks, with many properties, cure times, that work on different materials and behave in contradictory ways. So where do you start?
Thankfully, there’s a wealth of learning resources out there. The best thing I can recommend is thinking of where you want to take this practice- do you see yourself continuing to hone in the process, slowly upgrading equipment, and making your own prints for the foreseeable future, or do you have a specific one-time project in mind? Either way, starting at the bottom with base materials, jerry-rigged equipment and a little non-intimidating knowledge will go a long way in your journey.
For starters, there are multiple ways you can cut the costs (with potentially some sacrifice on level of achievable detail). There are almost always cheap or free used screens for sale on places like Craigslist, Marketplace, Offerup, or in local free + for sale groups. If you’re able to get your hands on a used screen, you’ll have a great base for some very effective DIY printing.
Things to look out for:
Frame Adhesive- holds the mesh to the frame. shouldn’t be breaking down or letting ink visibly pass in between the mesh and frame.
Mesh Count- higher count holds finer detail, and is good for designs with halftones; lower mesh count lets ink pass through easier, and is best for lower detail designs or large areas of ink.
Mesh State- you want mesh that’s tight, with a little bounce like a drum, and doesn’t have larger pin holes, rips, or sags.
Frame Material- most frames you’ll find will be either wood or aluminum. They’re both good options, though wood can soak in ink, is more of a pain to clean, and can be heavier than aluminum. Aluminum is more durable and can be re-meshed when the mesh tears. On the other hand, aluminum screens are generally more expensive. At the end of the day though, frame material won’t affect the quality of your prints.
If you can’t find a used screen, there are some ways to make one (resources included below), though they will always be less precise than a properly stretched mesh.
Once you have a screen, the next things you’ll need for a base DIY setup depend on how much you’re looking to print. Think about where you see yourself taking this practice.
Are you the budding hobbyist wanting to print multiple designs for fun or sale, or the crafter with a one-off idea?
If you think you’ll be printing small scale for the foreseeable future, go with kit A. If you just want to make a single project, go with kit B.
For the Budding Hobbyist (Kit A)
Screen
500 Watt Halogen floodlight
- With a base is a good idea for the mid-term until you invest in an exposure unit!
- Ideal DIY light + base option - you can also make a similar base out of PVC
- A good light only option - note: you’ll have to remove any metal cage that protrudes over the bulb; it will affect the exposure. If getting only a light, you’ll need some sort of stand or rig to hold it in proper place over the screen (8-12 inches). A wooden or PVC stand works for this- you can make a simple four leg wooden stand for light to rest on.
Piece of glass
- At least as big as your screen - this will hold your design flush to the screen during burning.
- You can find these at thrift stores inside photo frames, at a Habitat for Humanity ReStore, on buy sell and trade groups; just get crafty!
Piece of black fabric
- At least as big as your screen.
- A towel or small blanket are good options. This goes underneath your screen during burning.
Emulsion
- Best for the price: Chromaline Photopolymer - best image quality for the price; pre-sensitized, which makes it easier to open + coat, but lowers shelf time.
- Most beginner friendly: Baselayr Long Lasting - this is a great option for beginners + weaker light exposure setups, and works with both plastisol and water based inks. Includes sensitizer, which means you can’t just open and coat, but can last longer until you’re ready to mix and use.
Squeegee or ink pushing implement
- I recommend going for a used or new Ergo force squeegee, as you won’t have to upgrade in the future. Get a size that covers the width of your design.
- Best Cheap option: check local buy + trade groups, Craigslist, Marketplace, etc.
- Best New option: Ergo Force Squeegee - if you want something that will last, and not have to upgrade. Metal makes it much easier to keep clean than wood, and has a removable blade that you can replace for much cheaper when it gets dull.
- New + Cheap option: Wood Handle Squeegee - will get dirty faster and non-replaceable squeegee blade means you’ll eventually have to replace or upgrade.
- Cheapest DIY option: Speedball Red Baron Squeegee - fully plastic squeegee that will get the job done; won’t be as ergonomic as other options, but is easy to clean and low profile.
Ink
- If you don’t have a heat press or another reliable easy way to cure plastisol ink to 350 degrees, go with water based ink. You can rinse with water (be sure to filter before going down the drain), but make sure not to let it dry inside the screen. You’ll still need to cure it, but can reliably use an iron after air drying.
- Best for the price: Green Galaxy water-based
- Cheapest/most accessible: Speedball water-based
Curing Implement + Parchment paper
- Cheapest option: Iron
- Best option: heat press
Optional: Dark room safe bulb
For the One-Time Project Crafter (Kit B)
This kit is formulated with the cheapest and most easily accessible options, and you’ll utilize sunlight to cure your emulsion or screen filler to cut out the emulsion process entirely.
Screen
- Used from local buy + trade groups, Craigslist, Marketplace, etc.
- DIY option: Embroidery hoop screen tutorial
Emulsion or screen filler
- Use emulsion if your design is more complex (see recommendations on DIY Kit A)
-
If your design is less complex, you can paint on screen in the negative around your design instead of emulsing/exposing. See the Embroidery hoop screen tutorial for this method. Speedball Screen Filler
Ink pushing implement
- Best cheap option: Speedball Red Baron Squeegee
- Cheapest DIY option: a thick card - business card, playing card, or plastic credit/debit card
Water based ink
- See recommendations on DIY Kit A
Iron + parchment paper
Optional: Dark room safe bulb
Stay tuned for Part 2 where we dive into the specifics of prepping your print!
RESOURCES
How to make a stencil infographic by Baselayr
How to calculate exposure time by Anthem Screen Printing
Screenprinting Forums
