Thread by @twt_seni

Hi guys! Siapa pernah buat silkscreen printing?

Tau tak macamana nak apply/guna/buat silkscreen printing?

Nak tak sembang topik Silkscreen Printing?

Morning guys! Dah breakfast or brunch? Buat apa tu? So I shall continue with this thread about Silksreen Printing.

#tukkurasembang

Ok. So this thread going to be a bit technical. Saya mohon maaf andai bosan. 😅

Silkscreen printing or also known as Serigraph. The term serigraph is a combination of two Greek words, seicos = silk and graphos = writing. Silkscreen printing and other stencil-based printing methods are the oldest form of printmaking.

#tukkurasembang

If we talk about silkscreen printmaking, i believe it is best for us to know a bit bout printmaking. Do you know what is printmaking?

#tukkurasembang

Printmaking is a process of producing editions. Edition is a number of prints produced from a single matrix. It is usually limited in numbers that can be sold.

#tukkurasembang

The edition will later be signed by the artist using pencil and numbered accordingly to the set. For example 2/100. Edition No 2 out of 100.

#tukkurasembang

Ok. A lil bit more of history of Silkscreen Printing. It is said that the first silkscreen printing was dated back in 960 - 1279 AD, during the Song Dynasty in China.

#tukkurasembang

Some example of silkscreen printmaking arts by Andy Warhol.

#tukkurasembang

Here example from Stephen Menon's printmaking.

#tukkurasembang

So aside from art making, what sorta thing we do using silkscreen printing?
.
.
.
T-shirt production!

#tukkurasembang

Im gonna show some example. But mine is tote bag printing. Later in this thread, Ill show it to you guys.

#tukkurasembang

So here are some of the stuff that you'll need.

1. Silk screen mesh. For silk screen mesh, there is a sizing system. So check berapa yang paling sesuai.

#tukkurasembang

2. Squeegee. There are two sizes that I usually used. A 9" long and a 12" long. Depending on the size of your design.

#tukkurasembang

3. Photosensitive Emulsion.

We use this as a coating (Image 2). After applying the coat, take a black image on transparent surface, place it against the screen, and then expose the screen to light (usually spotlight). The light causes the emulsion to harden.

Where the light touches the coating, it will be solid layer while the layer that is blocked, the coating will remain water-soluble. The blue layer is the coating, while the white yellowish layer is where the image blocked the light from exposing earlier.

#tukkurasembang

4. Silkscreen Printing Frame. You can choose between these two, a) aluminum or b) wooden. Wooden frame is cheaper and easily accessible. You can make one right at home while aluminum, you need to customize or order it from workshop.

#tukkurasembang

Usually for wooden frame, it comes with attached silk screen mesh. Pardon me the horrible look of my wooden frame 😅. I bought this one at Westar Melawati. Cant remember the price though, but you can check on their website. They offer several sizes.

#tukkurasembang

To ease the process of tshirt printing, you may opt to build these. Its a hinged screen frame (kot). I have used both.

#tukkurasembang

5. Emulsion scooper. Well as the name suggests, it is used to scoop the emulsion onto the mesh (Refer image above at point 3).

#tukkurasembang

6. Dye. There are two type of dye that I am using now, a) Rubber Dye, b) TC Dye. You can find both of these at Weststar or Perniagaan Hai Kuang.

#tukkurasembang

Ok. So here is the step by step for you to start.

Click the link -

#tukkurasembang

And I did this couple of days ago.

#tukkurasembang

The result.

#tukkurasembang

And here a video I shot couple of minutes ago.

#tukkurasembang

And the result is....

#tukkurasembang