After reading about screen printing, compare it to some of the other techniques you have been introduced to through this course. What makes it unique and how will you take advantage of its inherent possibilities in your next project?
Due Tuesday, March 26th by 5 pm.
Due Tuesday, March 26th by 5 pm.
Screenprinting is very different than the other types of printmaking techniques we have used thus far. The use of a stencil varies greatly from the various forms of relief prints, such as an etching or polymer plate. Additionally, it will be a new experience preparing the screen in the dark room as opposed to directly diving into the carving of a piece of copper or linoleum. I like that I can easily transfer a hand-drawn image into the stencil form. I enjoyed being able to do something similar with the polymer plate, but I prefer traditional media over digital so I will take advantage of the ability to use a hand-drawn image rather than a digitally constructed one. I also have hope that I can create crisp prints with the screenprint techniques, especially if I decide to incorporate text. Neither my xylene transferred text nor my lino-cut text came out completely clean-looking, so I'm hoping to achieve the bold-looking qualities that I have seen in screenprints. Layering has been a little bit of a challenge in the other projects, but this project allows an ease of creating layers. So, due to the potential that the screenprinting techniques hold, I'm hoping to achieve crisp-looking prints that incorporate layers.
ReplyDeleteScreen printing is a stencil method. In which you drag ink across a mesh, and create images by printing selected areas only. This is different from previous methods used in class because it seems more complex. There is a process that must be done, and it must be done right because if you do too much or too little then it will not work or be a pain in the neck to clean at the end. Although the fact that the pins that hold the printing base to the screen are easily detachable is great, because then making the stencil and the cleaning process is easier. Squeegees are used to pull ink firmly across the screen, or in our case small skinny metal “scoops”.
ReplyDeleteYou can create marks with flat sharp edges or sketchy loose edges. Thinking in terms of the colors you get when you overlap other colors will help in the creative outcome. It’s easy to make your drawings into screenprints. That is a great thing, being able to make your drawings into screenprints.
It’s unique because you have to first create a stencil. This can be done in numerous ways that again seem very mathematically precise. For example: Screen-filler trace image onto screen Fill in the screen in the area of non-negative space. And repeat on the other side. Then you have to make the exposure, and expose.
When actually printing, place the screen into the Hinge, and put the printing paper underneath. Put ink on screen and forcefully drag the ink towards you with the squeege. “Flood” the ink back to prior position. This reminds me of colligraph technique because you have to keep resetting in between prints, just like screenprinting has the flooding, in colligraph you have to be clean the edges of your image with simple green wiping off the excess paint (at least I had to deal with this)
The process of making successful overlapping layers: cut papers adjacent sides to a right angle in order to register multipule layers of color successfully. This sounds easier than what I did with colligraph, I had to draw masks on my page to line up my multiple images and even though it came out pretty close to the same every time it was never perfect. I feel like screenprinting will make them more perfect.
In my next project I will take advantage of the screenprinting process by creating simple crisp geometric layers. I do not want to use a lot of colors, maybe black/white and then a monochromatic scheme with different shades of red. I’m not positive. But I think one color and black and white will look good/work well for what I am thinking.
I think what makes screen printing so unique is the ability to layer prints so easily and a certain aesthetic that is given off in the final product is different from any other type of printmaking we have worked with. The aesthetic that I am talking about mostly is this level of flatness that other processes do not have. Further all the steps of making this type of print is inherently different. I love the abilities to work with photographic and hand drawn imagery so easily that this type of printmaking makes accessible. I am hoping that these techniques will help in how I layer my final product to give a real finished look.
ReplyDeleteI believe that screen printing differs from other techniques that we have learned it this class. Though every process that we have learned can be duplicated and created in series, screen printing allows for this duplication to easily be in mass. Screen printing also has a more hard edged commercial look to it. Even letterpress, which can produce a large number of duplicates still have a somewhat handcrafted look. This commercial quality can serve as a way to enhance the concept that the artist is trying to get across. It can be used to create bold lines and blocks of color. I intend to take advantage of this process by layering silhouettes of power lines over a colored background. I enjoy the process of screen printing as well as the graphic quality.
ReplyDeleteI think that the thing about screenprinting that makes it so different is the fact that you can layer so many colors and how those layers look with each other. The fact that you can make so many with just that one screen I think is cool because an artist can then create a series of originals and still sell his art. I think it's different from other forms we've printed also in that we can have really detailed lines (not so much with a linoleum) with your stencils. The look of the print, like we see in screen-printed shirts for example, looks very clean and precise. There are no mistakes like you can make with a letterpress in which some of the words don't show up, but its clean all throughout. I'm actually really excited to screen print.
ReplyDeleteScreen printing is very unique when compared to etching, letterpress, or even mono-type. Unlike these methods, screen printing uses a stencil technique where as the other printing methods such as mono-type are much more 'freestyle.' Another difference is the large duplication quantity that can be produced as exhibited by the RealThreads clothing company field trip. While most other methods have gone out of fashion or are used for specialty prints, screen printing is currently used to print personally as well as commercially. I plan on using these differences mentioned previously to my advantage on this project by using the stencil to create a frame for my embossed image. Because of the stencil and more precise, bold ink, consistency and clearness will be achieved on the print. I am really interested to see how this project turns out!
ReplyDeleteScreen printing is different because it utilizes stencils and can be used to print on virtually anything, whereas something such as an etching would never be able to be printed onto a shirt or plastic surface. It is extremely versatile and also allows for a level of control that is harder to achieve with other methods that are a bit more expressive/experimental such as monotypes or collagraphs. I also like the flat, graphic texture that it creates giving it a very poster-esque feel. I have utilized the ability to create a stencil from a photograph so that there is a precise, clean image.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading about screen printing, compare it to some of the other techniques you have been introduced to through this course. What makes it unique and how will you take advantage of its inherent possibilities in your next project?
ReplyDeleteScreenprinting is unique for many reasons. First of all, unlike xylon transfers or etching, screenprint stencils can be printed on almost anything from paper to t-shirts. The screenprinting technique is also much more complicated and time-consuming than other techniques. It requires a well-thought out plan for execution, preparation of stencil, application of emulsion, and proper exposure and drying times. Screenprinting also requires good problem solving techniques because many things can go wrong. You can expose the screen for too long, or not long enough, the ink may dry if you are not quick enough, the screens can be damaged easily, and it is common for the ink to leak, requiring you to wash the screen and start all over again. It can be a very frustrating process so a lot of patience is required. Regardless of these difficulties, it is very rewarding once you get the results you were looking for. I am a bit of a perfectionist so I prefer screenprinting to other techniques such as etching because it comes out much cleaner and you can work with real images. I would like to continue with my idea of combining photographic transfers with screenprinted text on top. I have a lot of ideas of images I would like to use and messages I would like to convey so I think I can have a lot of fun playing around with different ideas and executing them!