|
|
Home Request Catalog Store Locator Contact Us NEW! WishList How to Determine which Screen Printing Process to Use There are many questions to be asked about the screen printing process. Unfortunately, concrete answers are not always available. it is important to gather as much information as possible then draw your own conclusions based on what works for you! You may want to start by asking yourself these questions: What am I going to print? T-shirts, other garments, posters, outdoor signs? The item to be printed will determine the type of ink you will need. And the ink will dictate which process and film or emulsion to use. How long do the items need to last? An outdoor sign needs to last many years, while an indoor poster may be temporary. A T-shirt may be expected to be worn once for an event, while a sweatshirt or jacket must be able to withstand many launderings. You do not have to use expensive materials if the project doesn't require them. Do I prefer to print with water-based inks or solvent-based inks if both will work? Is my design simple enough for the hand cut method or does it require the photo process? How many colors does my design have? A simple image with one or two colors can be done with the hand cut film method using just one screen. As long as the different colored areas do not touch or overlap, the second colored area can be covered up with masking tape on the back of the screen while the first color is being printed. A half-tone picture, four-color process photographic image or design with two or more colors overlapping and butting up will requre the photo screen process and a separate screen for each color. The colors will also have to be registered; that is, the shirt or poster will have to be in the exact same place each time a new color is printed. (Printing machines for this purpose are very helpful.) Follow these Guidelines: T-Shirts and cotton/blend garments Refer to the Suggestions for T-shirt Printing help page. Posters and fine art prints Naz-Dar 5500 Series solvent-based inks and speedball Permanent Acrylic water-based inks are the highest quality. The less expensive Speedball water-soluble inks are good for temporary indoor signage. Dick Blicks Textile Inks may also be used. Psoters usually have lots of lettering, and therefore are too difficult for hand cut film. Fine art prints often use the free-style tusche method, but hand-cut film and photographic methods are also popular. Outdoor Signs Naz-Dar 9700 Series and Naz-Dar 59-000 Series solvent-based inks have excellent longevity in all kinds of weather. If the lettering is large and simple, hand-cut film may be used. For more complex or multi-color designs, use photo-sensitive direct emusion, Ulano CDF-4 film or indirect film. Vinyl Surfaces (Signs, tarps, covers, banners, anything made of vinyl) Naz-Dar GV Series solvent-based ink (or equivalent brand) is absolutely necessary. nothing else will adhere. Use water soluble hand-cut film, photo-sensitive Ulano CDR-4 direct film or indirect films, except Ulanolux UP3. Nylon jackets Use Plastisol textile inks with Nylobond additive. Water-soluble hand-cut film, photo-sensitive Ulano CDF-QT direct film or any direct films. see also ... Customer Service · Shipping Info · Privacy & Security · Forums · Lesson Plans · Gift Certificates · Links · Survey · Help Dick Blick Art Materials Awls ... Lithography ... Stitchery ... Cards ... Masks, Respiratory ... Lighting ... Weaving ... Projector Stands ... Mayline ... Orton ... Books ... Block Printing ... Solvents, Painting ... Sign Boards ... Gagne ... Casting Materials ... Conté ... Workbenches ... ~ Oil - Art Archival - Embossing - Discount Easels - Canvas - Painter - Wallace Nutting - Logan Complete Framing System - Fine Art - Educational Materials - Stanrite Easels - Childrens Art Easels - Watercolor - Pastel - Embossing - Decorative Easel - Artist Supplies at Dick Blick - Chartpak - Art Archival - Stores - Dick Blick Supplies - Cubism - Paintbrush - Stockmar - Fanch - ~ Luxury Luggage, Woolworths UK, Mothercare UK, Currys, Tesco ~ Dick Blicks: Dick Blicks Website Dick Blicks Catalog