Emulsion screen printing… how to begin? First, what is it?
Emulsion definition: The stuff that has the consistency of mayonnaise. I know, a bit rudimentary, but effective in describing it. On a serious note, it’s the stuff that’s used to create your graphic or design on your screen.
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There are a few things you need to know about emulsion.
* It is ultraviolet (UV) light sensitive. Meaning, they very thing you need (UV light), is the very thing that can wreck your project before you even start. So, repeat after me:
“When in doubt, black it out.”
Meaning, don’t open your emulsion container in a non-UV-protected room, which until you get the right UV-protected light bulb, is everything in your house/workspace.
* Emulsion storage is important. Keep your workplace at a decent “room” temperature. Severe cold or hot conditions can ruin it.
* Know your emulsion screen printing steps:
1. Make sure you’re in a UV-protected environment
2. Mix your emulsion with the enhancer if needed
*enhancer comes in a little bottle with the emulsion, follow the directions
3. Put about a 1/4 inch layer of emulsion in your scoop coater
4. Hold your scoop coater tight against the back/flat side of the silk screen about 1 inch above the bottom
* 1 inch because pulling your screen up from your t-shirt after spreading ink will be easier
5. Coat your screen with emulsion stopping about 2 inches from the stop and scooping the excess emulsion for another 1 inch
6. Repeat for a second coat of emulsion screen printing
7. Now your screen is coated with emulsion with an 1 inch spaces on the top and bottom for “off-contact” printing
* Off-contact printing is when you print your shirt and the ink wants to keep the screen and shirt together, but you were smart and left some “off-contact” edges that will help pull it apart for a clean print
8. Let your screen dry in room temperature
* Place a fan on it to speed up the process
9. Place your design that your printed onto the transparency on the coated side. Make sure the design is backwards to you as you center it on the transparency. When you turn it over, the design will look right and that’s how it will be printed onto the shirt.
10. With Scotch tape, secure the transparency to the screen on all four corners and on the left and right sides. You do this because you don’t want UV light getting behind your design and causing havoc.
11. Place the screen so that your coated emulsion side is toward the UV light
12. Turn UV light on for 15 min (this might go up or down depending on your exposure unit)
13. Turn the UV light off and remove tape and design
14. Quickly bring your screen into your bathroom/shower or where you have access to water
15. Spray the screen to coat it with water, wait about 30 seconds
16. Spray over the design again (you should start to see the emulsion dissolve in the water), wait about 30 seconds
17. Repeat until you clearly see your design
18. Let it dry and that’s how emulsion screen printing works
Now you’re ready for printing!
