How to Make DIY Screen Prints with Photo Emulsion

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Photo-emulsion Screen Printing

by w1n5t0n on March 19, 2008
Table of Contents
intro: Photo-emulsion Screen Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
step 1: Gather your materials! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
step 2: Preparing your photo emulsion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
step 3: Coating the screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
step 4: Prepare your image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
File Downloads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
step 5: Expose your screen, then rinse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
step 6: Print with your screen! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
step 7: Changing inks, cleanup, and heat-setting your prints. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Customized Instructable T-shirts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
http://www.instructables.com/id/Photo-emulsion-Screen-Printing/
intro: Photo-emulsion Screen Printing
Sometimes you need to your message out quickly and cheaply. How do you print a ton of t-shirts and patches fast? Here's how I did it.
This Instructable covers the standard photo-emulsion screen printing process, which is great for printing text or images with fine detail...and at the end, you have your
own personally-designed entirely unique prints on fabric, clothing, paper, or whatever else you can get under your screen.
The general idea: After stretching fine-mesh cloth over a wooden frame, you spread a thin layer of photosensitive emulsion on the screen and let it dry. You then take a
black image on transparent or translucent surface, place it against the screen, and then expose the screen to light. The light causes the emulsion to harden and bind to
the fabric. Where the light strikes the screen, the emulsion will bind, making a solid layer. Where the light is blocked (ie where your black image is placed) the emulsion
remains water-soluble. After exposing the screen, you spray down the screen with water, washing off the emulsion only where your image was placed; this clear area is
where ink will be pressed through the screen when you print. Finally, you lay the screen on your t-shirt, other fabric, or paper, spread ink on the inside of the screen, and
press the ink through the screen. If you use textile ink, you can heat-set the ink after it dries, and it'll be permanent and washable.
There are some great Instructables up on the site already for screen printing methods, but there's always room for more. For this project, I went with a ready-made
screen and images printed in black on transparencies.
Check out Screen Printing: Cheap, Dirty, and At Home for info on making your own screens and using the sun to expose your photo-emulsion.
Threadbanger has an excellent D.I.Y Screen Printing Instructable which covers making screens using old embroidery hoops and using Mod Podge to put your image on
the screen.
How to Silk Screen has a good overview of the photo-emulsion process.
step 1: Gather your materials!

What you need:
@ a screen
While I used a ready-made Speedball frame for this project, making your own screens is cheaper, and not hard to do. Take a look here and here for great tips on making
screens.
@ a printing squeegee or piece of cardboard with a smooth, straight edge
@ photo emulsion and sensitizer

I used Speedball diazo photo emulsion and diazo sensitizer; the exposure times I list later in this Instructable are for this formula. If you use another type of photo
emulsion, be sure to read the directions and test to make sure you have the correct exposure times.
@ screen filler fluid (again, I'm using the standard Speedball stuff)
@ photo emulsion remover (for taking the emulsion off the screen so it can be reused)
@ screen printing ink for fabric
@ a light table
-or-
@ light bulb (at least 150W, clear incandescent), light bulb socket with reflector, clamp, and cord
Miscellaneous useful things:

@ pushpins (at least 4 per screen)
@ chopsticks, popsicle sticks, plastic spoons -- for mixing and putting emulsion & ink on the screen
@ small paint-safe cups
@ masking tape (water-resistant tape is best)
@ regular transparent tape
@ lots of newspapers (to keep everything else clean!)
@ a book or piece of thick cardboard that's slightly smaller than your screen
@ sheet of cardboard that fits inside your t-shirts (if you're printing shirts)
Image Notes
Image Notes 1. Pushpins
1. Photo emulsion and sensitizer. 2. Image positives, printed in black ink on plain white paper.
2. Photo emulsion remover -- essential if you want to strip the emulsion off after 3. Squeegee! A word to say repeatedly if you ever find yourself in danger of
you're done and re-use the screen. being too serious.
4. A box big enough to cover or contain your screen. You'll want this later to
protect the screen from accidental exposure while it's drying.
5. Mmm chemistry.
6. Screen. This one is 10x14, and store-bought. Check out the other
screenprinting instructables for tips on making your own.
Image Notes
1. Pushpins let you flip your screen bottom-side down and spread emulsion on
the inside without making an enormous mess.
Image Notes
1. This box is perfect!
2. 150W clear incandescent lightbulb, for exposing the screen later.
Image Notes
1. Remnant fabric and denim scraps for patches.
2. T-shirts
3. Swath of lightweight black fabric for patches.
step 2: Preparing your photo emulsion

Follow the directions listed for your photo emulsion. For the Speedball photo emulsion I'm using here:
Fill Diazo Sensitizer bottle 3/4 full with cold water. Shake well. (The sensitizer was a black sludge on the bottom of the bottle, so mixing it thoroughly required lots of
shaking and stirring with a chopstick.)
Pour the contents of the Diazo Sensitizer bottle into the Diazo Photo Emulsion container. Mix until all of the photo emulsion is a uniform color. The diazo photo emulsion
starts out as a bright, light blue color. The sensitizer is a nasty black-green color. After mixing, the sensitized emulsion should be bluish-green.
Ideally, you want to do both this mixing step and the screen-coating step in a relatively dark room, to expose the emulsion to as little light as possible.
The sensitized emulsion can be stored (according to the bottle) in a cool, dark place for about 8 weeks at room temperature (70F), or four months in the refrigerator.
Image Notes
1. Wooden chopsticks make great mixing implements and are also useful for
Image Notes putting ink on your screen.
1. Add water 'til the bottle is 3/4 full, then shake and stir until it's well-mixed. 2. Greenish-black sludge.
2. Newspapers on the table to keep the mess contained.
Image Notes
1. The sensitizer is less of a sludge after it's been mixed well with the water, so
it should pour easily.
Image Notes
1. Popsicle sticks are also handy to have around.
2. Original color of the diazo photo emulsion.
Image Notes
1. After mixing the sensitizer with the photo emulsion, the result is this green
color. Other times I've used these chemicals, it's turned out a little more blue-ish.
step 3: Coating the screen

First -- lay out newspapers on your work surface, if you haven't already. Sometimes this step is relatively clean, and sometimes I end up with green emulsion all over
everything.
Since you'll be flipping the screen over repeatedly during this process, go ahead and put a pushpin in each corner of the bottom (flat) side of the screen. That way, you
can flip the screen and set it facing bottom-side down without getting emulsion everywhere. Also, if you don't have a squeegee, you can use a piece of semi-flexible
cardboard, so long as it's got a wide, straight, smooth edge for spreading.
Start with the screen bottom (flat) side up. Pour (or glop, as the case may be) a thick line of emulsion across one end of the screen. Use the squeegee to spread it evenly
over the whole screen, making a thin layer. Flip the screen over and rest it on the four pushpins. Pour another thick line of emulsion on one end of the inside of the screen
and spread it evenly over the screen with the squeegee.
Repeat this process until you have a thin, even layer of emulsion covering the entire screen. (This shouldn't require flipping the screen more than a few times; you want to
work quickly to minimize the amount of time the sensitized emulsion is exposed to light.) Do the final spreading step on the inside of the screen, so that you have a
smooth surface for spreading the ink later.
Once you're done, set your screen bottom-side down (resting on the pushpins) in a dark place to dry. I usually set mine inside or under a cardboard box, in a closet or
closed cabinet.
I let mine sit overnight, but if you want it to dry faster, point a fan at it.
Image Notes
1. Pushpins let you flip your screen bottom-side down and spread emulsion on
the inside without making an enormous mess.
Image Notes
1. First pass of spreading. Could've used another bead of emulsion in the middle
of the screen.
Image Notes
Image Notes
1. Getting an even coat, but the edges still need to be filled in. 1. An even coat of emulsion, with the final spreading pass on the inside of the
2. The emulsion's a little too thick on the edge here. Because it's so close to the screen.
frame, it's hard to scrape off any extra.
Image Notes
1. Other people sometimes use the room where my screen is drying, so this will
hopefully remind them to keep the cabinet shut and not open the box.
Image Notes
1. A box just big enough for the screen.
2. I can lay the screen down flat, bottom side down, with the pushpins keeping
the screen from contact with the inside of the box.
3. Seal up any holes in the box that might let light in.
Image Notes
1. I've stashed the box in a cabinet in a usually-dark room to dry overnight.
step 4: Prepare your image

The emulsion on your screen is photosensitive; when it's exposed to light, the emulsion hardens onto the fabric and becomes water-resistant. So, to put your image on
the screen, you want a "positive" with an opaque, black image on it (blocks light) and a transparent background that lets light get through to react with the photoemulsion.
An easy way to do this is to make a black & white image with a graphics program, or draw on white paper, then photocopy the image onto a transparency.
For this project, I'm printing up some patches and maybe t-shirts, and my images are just plain black text. I've included the .pdf files I used for my prints.
More ideas:
It's even possible to make a "grayscale" screenprint, where solid black areas on your printed image end up entirely clear on your screen, and gray areas are a pattern of
tiny black dots that become tiny clear spaces on your screen. To do this, you'll still need to start with a fairly high-contrast black & white image, then convert it to bitmap. A
resolution test pattern (like this classic RCA test pattern) helps with calibration and makes a neat screenprinted image by itself, too.
File Downloads
screenprints-large.pdf ((612x792) 171 KB)

[NOTE: When saving, if you see .tmp as the file ext, rename it to 'screenprints-large.pdf']
screenprints-small.pdf ((720x1008) 295 KB)
[NOTE: When saving, if you see .tmp as the file ext, rename it to 'screenprints-small.pdf']
step 5: Expose your screen, then rinse

Your screen is tucked away somewhere cool and dark to dry, so the next step is setting up your exposure rig.
A lightbox or light table, with several fluorescent bulbs set directly under a translucent piece of acrylic, allows for simpler set-up and shorter exposure times, but may take
some experimentation to figure out what the correct exposure time should be. And hey, there's even an Instructable on making your own light table. Depending on what
light intensity you have coming out of the lightbox, your exposure time could be around 4 or 5 minutes.
The setup I used for this project is just a 150W clear incandescent bulb in a socket with a long cord and reflector. A 150W bulb requires a much longer exposure time, but
that's fine by me; it gives me a chance to take a break and get all my ink and fabric ready.
Setup:
Before taking your completely-dry screen out, get the rest of your exposure rig put together.
You'll need some non-reflective black fabric, a sheet of glass or acrylic big enough to cover your screen, a ruler or tape measure, the light bulb, socket, and reflector.
With the light bulb & reflector all put together, hang it so that your bulb will be 12 inches (for a 10x14 screen) above the surface of the screen, centered. Lay the black
fabric on the ground where your screen will be placed. Have your image-on-transparencies and acrylic ready, and check to make sure you've got the transparencies in
the right orientation.
Since you're going to set the screen with the bottom side facing up, then lay your image and the acrylic on top of that, you'll be placing your image so that it's backwards
when you look at the bottom side of the screen. This is especially important for text! (Think about it like this: you'll be putting ink on the inside of the screen and pressing it
through to print. So the image you see from the inside of the screen is what prints; what you see when you look at the bottom side of the screen should therefore be the
reversed image.)
Exposure:
Once the exposure rig is set up, take the dry, sensitized screen out and center it under the lamp, bottom side up. The black, non-reflective fabric should be underneath
the entire screen. Arrange the transparencies with your images on the bottom side of the screen, then lay the sheet of acrylic over them to hold them flat against the
screen. Check to make sure the distance between the bulb and the screen is correct. Turn on the light, expose for the correct amount of time, then turn off the light. Since
I'm using a 10"x14" screen and 150W bulb, I exposed my screen for 45 minutes.
Once the exposure is finished, remove the acrylic and transparencies, then go rinse your screen. The kit directions for this step say "Apply a forceful spray of water (body
temperature) to both sides of the screen. DO NOT USE HOT WATER." "Forceful" seems to be the key word here -- even the unexposed emulsion likes to stick to the
screen fabric when dry, and using a strong shower spray or the spray-nozzle on a hose seems to work the best. As you spray, you'll see clear areas developing where
your images blocked the exposure light; concentrate your spraying on those areas. You can rub the screen lightly with your fingertips, but if your image has fine details,
you may lose some resolution by rubbing off extra emulsion around the edges of your image. Hold the screen up to the light; the mesh of the screen fabric should be
entirely clear and open in your image areas. If it's not, keep on spraying.
Once your screen is washed out, let it dry completely.
Exposure chart for the Speedball diazo photo-emulsion system:

150 clear incandescent bulb
Screen Size 150W Bulb Height Exposure Time
8"x10" . . . . . . . . 12 inches . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 minutes
10"x14" . . . . . . . 12 inches . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 minutes
12"x18" . . . . . . . 15 inches . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 hr. 14 minutes
16"x20 . . . . . . . .17 inches . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 hr. 32 minutes
18"x20" . . . . . . . 17 inches . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 hr. 32 minutes
250W BBA No.1 Photoflood

Screen Size Lamp Height Exposure Time
8" x 10". . . . . . . . 12 inches . . . . . . . . . . 10 minutes
10"x14". . . . . . . . 12 inches . . . . . . . . . . 10 minutes
12 "x 18" . . . . . . .15 inches . . . . . . . . . . 16 minutes
16"x2O" . . . . . . . 17 inches . . . . . . . . . . 20 minutes
18"x2O" . . . . . . . 17 inches . . . . . . . . . . 20 minutes
Image Notes
1. Sheet of acrylic to hold the transparency firmly flat on the surface of the screen.
2. Light-bulb socket with reflector and 150W bulb, hung directly above the screen.
3. Make sure your text or image is laid *backwards* on the bottom side of the
screen, so that it'll be in the correct orientation when you print.
4. Black fabric laid over the screen, so that no light reflects back up at the inside of
the screen.
Image Notes
1. 150W bulb is 12 inches from the screen.
Image Notes
1. 150W bulb, 12 inches from the screen = 45 minute exposure.
Image Notes
1. Center the bulb &reflector over the screen; you want the exposure to be as
uniform as possible.
Image Notes
1. After rinsing in a strong spray of warm water, you should be able to see clearly
through the mesh of the screen wherever your image blocked the light.
2. Note that this is looking through the screen from the inside, so all of the text is
readable rather than backwards.
step 6: Print with your screen!

First, take your dry screen and hold it up to the light. If there are pinholes or spots where the emulsion didn't expose and washed out, cover those with masking tape. (Or,
for a more durable fix, paint a thin layer of Screen Filler fluid over the pinholes or unwanted open areas and let it dry.)
Wear clothes you won't mind getting ink on, and make sure to put down lots of newspaper on your work surface. This is definitely a messy step.
I've found that screenprinting is much easier with a friend helping, especially if you're printing on fabric. This way one person can hold the screen down tightly on the
fabric while the other spreads the ink.
For printing on fabric:

I've used the Speedball or Versatex textile inks for printing on fabric. It's a good idea to test your ink on the fabric to make sure it adheres and heat-sets properly. If you're
printing on new t-shirts or clothing, make sure to wash it first. Scrap fabric and remnants from the fabric store make great material for patches. You can also pick up blank
t-shirts, tank tops, or other basic clothing from thrift stores.
For printing on t-shirts, you'll want a piece of cardboard or newspaper to go inside the shirt so that the ink doesn't bleed all the way through to the other side. I also
usually put a book or piece of cardboard that's slightly smaller than the screen underneath the fabric, so that the screen can be pressed down taut against the fabric.
It takes a bit of experimentation to figure out which printing techniques work best for a particular screen, ink, and fabric. For these prints, I laid the fabric down over a
piece of cardboard, then set the screen on top of the fabric and had my friend hold it down. I put a bead of ink on the screen, then pulled the ink down the screen with my
squeegee set at about a 45 degree angle. If it looked like I didn't have even enough pressure or missed some areas, I made another print stroke without moving the
screen. My results aren't perfect, but they're fine for a set of patches to go on shirts, bags, or whatever-else.
Other tips and techniques:

You can do a "flood stroke" to spread ink over the screen before setting it down on the fabric. For this, you'll need to have your friend hold one end of the screen up away
from the table. Put a bead of ink on edge of the screen closest to you. Spread the ink into an even layer using a smooth, light pass with the squeegee. Have your friend
set the screen firmly down on the fabric, put your squeegee on the other side of the bead of ink you've just pushed across the screen, and pull it towards you with firm,
even pressure. (Again, have the squeegee at about a 45 degree angle to the screen.)
The inks I'm using for this project are pretty old, so they don't flow as well as I'd like. Ideally, you want your ink to be smooth and slippery -- you can add some of the ink
bases that Speedball makes, or just mix in a few drops of water.
For printing on paper:

The process is pretty much the same as printing on fabric. I've found the "flood stroke" technique to be more useful when printing on paper than on fabric. I still often use
a bit of cardboard under the paper so that I can press down more firmly with the screen, but it's not necessary. Different types of paper will take ink very differently, so
experiment a bit to find out what works. Heavy, porous-surface papers tend to work well. Lightweight paper often warps and wrinkles under the ink, and glossy paper
doesn't take ink well and tends to smear.
Image Notes
1. Masking tape over the areas of the screen I don't want to print. Image Notes
2. Masking tape over a pinhole in the emulsion-covered areas, so I don't get 1. Remnant fabric and denim scraps for patches.
extra dots of paint coming through. 2. T-shirts
3. The parts of the screen left clear are what will print. 3. Swath of lightweight black fabric for patches.
Image Notes
1. Fabric laid over a piece of cardboard.
2. Align the screen with the fabric.
Image Notes
1. When printing on fabric, I like to have a book or piece of cardboard that's
slightly smaller than the screen placed under the fabric, so i can press down with
the screen.
2. Put lots of newspapers down on the work surface. This part can get very
messy.
Image Notes
1. Only these three bits are printing. I put a bead of ink above each one, which
was probably a little too much ink.
2. Squeegee, ready to go!
Image Notes
1. Squeegee at approximately 45 degrees to the screen, applying firm even
pressure. I get better results if I use both hands on the squeegee.
Image Notes
1. You can see where the ink has been pressed through the screen.
Image Notes
1. Not bad for the first set of prints. I think I made too many passes, though, so
Image Notes the ink has bubbled a little and the resolution's not great.
1. Masking tape blocks the ink from coming through the screen here.
2. After several prints, the ink has begun to bleed out onto the bottom of the
screen, which makes for smudged prints. Time to clean the screen!
Image Notes
1. A good clean print! Image Notes
1. The silver ink is thicker, and doesn't go through the screen as easily. Using a
screen with larger mesh or adding a bit of water to the ink would help with this.
step 7: Changing inks, cleanup, and heat-setting your prints.

Changing inks:
If your prints have started smudging because there's ink on the bottom of the screen, or your ink has started to dry on the screen, or if you're just ready for a new color,
it's time to rinse out the screen. Remove any masking tape on the screen. Hold it under a spray of warm water until the ink is all washed out, then set it out to dry.
Pointing a fan at the screen or setting it out where it gets a bit of breeze makes this go much faster. Once it's dry, you're ready to put masking tape back over the areas
you don't want printed, then get back to printing!
Cleaning up:
Again, make sure to rinse all of the ink out of the screen when you're done. Ink that dries on the screen will clog it and prevent ink from going through next time you print.
Also wash out any dishes or paint brushes you've used before the ink dries on them. Close your ink containers tightly. If you have any photo emulsion left, make sure it's
stored in a cool, dark place.
If you're done with your screen and know you aren't going to be printing anything more with it in the future, you can strip off the emulsion with the Speedball emulsion
remover. Follow the instructions on the bottle. Wear gloves, and be aware that it'll take a lot of hot water and scrubbing to get your screen clean.
Heat setting your prints:

After the ink has dried completely on the fabric, set an iron on the highest dry heat that the fabric will take. Place a light piece of cloth between the iron and the printed
fabric, then iron on each side for 3 to 5 minutes. (I've found that if the ink is entirely dry, I don't really need the extra piece of cloth. I also tend to iron my prints for at least
5 minutes or longer, just in case.)
Finishing:
For patches, I'll usually run a quick zigzag or overlock stitch around the edge of the patch, to keep it from fraying. Check out the "How to Patch Your Clothes" instructable
for instructions on putting your patch securely on your clothes/bag/whatever.
If you've printed onto a t-shirt or other piece of clothing, you're ready to go.
Enjoy your totally unique wearable art...and, depending on what you've screenprinted, make a statement at the same time!
Image Notes
1. A good clean print!
Image Notes
1. If you've got the patience, small details like this missing question mark can be
hand-painted on after the printed ink has dried. Remember to heat-set all of the
ink.
Image Notes
1. The silver ink is thicker, and doesn't go through the screen as easily. Using a
screen with larger mesh or adding a bit of water to the ink would help with this.
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Comments
50 comments Add Comment view all 60 comments
metalfury says: Dec 27, 2008. 2:52 AM REPLY

Hi, great tutorial and i thought the tip about using the pins to raise the screen was very clever.
Just some questions if you don't mind? You have placed your positive on the 'bottom' of the screen, back-to-front. Are there any advantages/disadvantages
to placing the positive 'inside' the screen, and the right way round? (I have a piece of glass that fits well inside my screen). I was wondering if with your
method, light could 'seep' underneath the positive via the 1" gap between your screen and the black fabric?
My other queston is regarding the lighting rig. I was going to follow the 150 watt described by the speedball instructions and yourself, but I see you mention a
lightbox as an alternative. I have an A3 lightbox that I can borrow from work, that I think uses fluoresent strip lights: Do you think this would work, do you
have any suggestions for timings, or is there a physical change with the emulsion when it has been sufficiently exposed that i should look for?
Any advice would be appreciated and I'm looking forward to the results of my project!
ammecabo says: Nov 29, 2008. 2:17 AM REPLY

IT IS WONDERFUL TOURING AROUND YOUR PAGE. THERE ARE USEFUL ILLUSTRATION WHICH MAKES IT EXCITING.
I WANT TO SUGGEST IF THERE IS ANY WAY OF PROVIDING IDEAS ABOUT THE SOURCE OF IMPROVISE MATERIALS SUCH AS: INKS AND
DYES.
MORE GREESE TO YOUR ELBOW!!!!!!!!!!!
THANKS BYE.
assassinazz says: Apr 21, 2008. 8:43 PM REPLY

I used to work at a screen printing shop and we didn't use liquid photo emulsion, we had big rolls of emulsion sheets that were stuck onto the screens with
water and left to dry in a dark cupboard. I would cut the huge sheets into 12" x 14" squares which would be put in a drawer away from light, while the huge
sheets were essentially a roll stuck in a big black tube (to block the light). The emulsion sheets were pretty much just a plastic sheet with emulsion on it that
would stick to the screens with water and when the emulsion dried you would peel off the plastic sheet before "burning" the logo on the screen. When the
"burning" was done (on a vacuum sealed light table with timer) I would "blow out" the design with a pressure sprayer, then dry the screen, tape the edges
and fill any defective holes with liquid emulsion.
acidaleh says: Apr 21, 2008. 11:27 PM REPLY

In junior high my shop class did silk screen printing with that kind of emulsion on plastic - only we would put our piece of emulsion plastic-side down and
cut and remove the emulsion with an exacto knife. When the cutting was done we would attach the emulsion to the screen with water, let it dry over night
with pressure on the screen, peel off the plastic and then print. The teacher had basically been printing that way for 25 years, with very good results.
assassinazz says: Apr 22, 2008. 6:06 PM REPLY

I see. Well yes I did cut the emulsion while it was still on the plastic, its the same as you have done here but we did not put pressure on it during
drying off. The shop i worked at was run by an old couple in their 70's who've been doing it for nearly 40 years. I'm still really proud of that job. How
many people get to say "I was a graphic designer at my first job when I was 15." lol
w1n5t0n says: Apr 26, 2008. 2:12 AM REPLY

Neat, I'd love to have the chance to play with that kind of equipment sometime. And I'd imagine that the sheets are a whole lot easier to work with
(and less hugely messy) than the liquid emulsion. Envy!
acidaleh says: Aug 22, 2008. 11:43 AM REPLY

Check out Ulano products, Ulano StaSharp is a really good easy to cut film and you can get smaller pieces online, instead of the huuuge rolls
haha.
sxe-monty says: Nov 16, 2008. 11:15 AM REPLY
The only problem with that technique is your design is limited by your xacto skills and it was easy to mess it up, I found
JayLang says: Aug 16, 2008. 7:52 PM REPLY

Using the PhotoEmusion approach-- still can't seem to get entire image to print-- It is quite a fine line drawing done from Illustrator Using black speedball ink-
-any suggestions? Help!
Thanx lots
migetman121 says: Sep 27, 2008. 3:32 PM REPLY

My first half-toning attempt in Illustrator didn't work because the pattern was too intense and the 'black' areas didn't wash out fully/uniformly. my image
was uneven and faded. It is possible that your lines are too fine for the emulsion. try making them thicker in Illustrator and see if it comes out any better.
migetman121 says: Oct 21, 2008. 5:27 PM REPLY

Also be sure your transparency is page black, not photo black.
i am not an expert in printers by any means, but my transparencies printed from a photo printer were not black enough and caused an uneven
washout.
The Youth Counselor says: Sep 18, 2008. 4:06 AM REPLY

Have you read the graphic novel Watchmen by the way? I know the phrase predates the story but it is my favorite book and deals with the slogan head on.
Llewner says: Aug 6, 2008. 6:18 AM REPLY

Can I get one that says "Don't take the advice of anyone under 25?" (joke)
Good instructable though!
JayLang says: Jul 26, 2008. 8:53 AM REPLY

I'm a beginner and my first prints were ok but you could see through the inks (I layered each print upon the other-I did not make a reduction print) Are there
any inks out there that are water soluble but have greater opacity? I used the photoEm method.
Best,
-Jay
Progfellow says: Jul 24, 2008. 10:12 AM REPLY

To expose my screens I use a 500 watt photoflood bulb from a photography supply store. I hang it about 22 inches above the screen. Make sure it is in a
socket than can take VERY high heat (ceramic is good). A screen with a high mesh count takes about 25 minutes, but this method is very cheap and
effective. Add a little time with colored mesh or low mesh counts.
Also, here's a site we free plans for a T-shirt printing press: http://www.printingplans.com
the_falling_frog says: May 25, 2008. 7:39 AM REPLY

If you are using blacklights light to expose the emulsion, make sure to use fluorescent ones. The cheap incandescent blaclights are actually ordinary light
bulbs covered with purple paint.
mamer_2 says: Jul 11, 2008. 8:23 PM REPLY

friend,
i need help, i am a problem through my project silk screen. they gave to me the green film and the laquer tinner. i dont know what im going to do. can you
help me . to the easiest way to create silk screen, please guide me so that can i finished my project. please guide at this email address.
mamer_2@yahoo.com thank you and god bless....
Esmagamus says: Jun 16, 2008. 3:42 PM REPLY

Not all of them. Some are really made out of Wood's glass, but they are extremely inefficient. You can barely see the security marks on a bill with a
incandescent blacklight. The first blacklights were actually incandescent and were used during the second world war on airplanes instead of common
lamps. The gauges and pointers were painted in UV reflective paint and so all the gauges could be lit with a single lamp that the enemy pilots wouldn't
see easily.
3kY says: Jun 16, 2008. 9:15 AM REPLY

I am planning to make a homemade exposure table and I'm having problems with what type of light to use. I use ordinary fluorescent light when I expose
my image. Just want to know the difference when using black light.
the_falling_frog says: Jun 16, 2008. 1:08 PM REPLY
I used one 15 watt blacklight, maybe 10 inches away, and it took 45 minutes. I tried earlier with regular fluorescent bulbs and I don't know how long it
would have taken but I didn't wait long enough and the emulsion didn't set. So I guess I'd say there's not a tremendous difference but the blacklight
works faster. Plus it's way cooler.
eskimojo says: Jun 3, 2008. 5:17 AM REPLY

I don't know if it's been said before, but you can get pre-cut pre-stretched screens in silk and I believe the cheaper alternative is vinyl(I know it's synthetic but
I'm not sure) in large art stores. If you live in the Massachusetts area there is one around Brockton called Avon, I believe. That place sells all sorts of stuff.
oktane says: Apr 25, 2008. 12:50 PM REPLY

I've used some of these materials from a speedball screenprinting kit, they work great, especially the Diazo Emulsion. If you cannot find these items at your
local craft store, you can try Dick Blick online or search for 'Speedball Screenprinting Kit'.
Personally I use a twin blacklight to expose my images, it only takes 3 minutes! The bulbs are called GE F40BLB 40 Watt, and I have two in one of those
shop light fixtures. I just hang it about 12-15 inches from the screen. I use a piece of foam or folded fabric on the inside of the screen to keep it taut, put the
transparency on the back side of the screen, and lay a heavy piece of glass over it, then I expose it. I would like to build a lightbox, but I'd have to find some
weird shaped blacklights. Maybe a few of those new screw in florescent types (CFL) blacklights would work well. A company called 'Feit' makes quite a few
of the colored types.
Concerning the wash-fastness of the non-toxic ink, it seems to last and is pretty durable if your coat is even and there was enough ink. If you have a bad pull
and not enough ink, it tends to fade.
I tried to do a multiple color piece but it is very difficult to get the registration right due to the ink drying in the screen so fast. With vinyl inks and other nasty
stuff, that isn't really a problem, but those are horrible to work with in a home environment. I think building a multi-screen shirt jig would be the best way to
overcome this, but I don't even know where to start. If you'd like to add a bit of color to an art piece that you think it would look good on, you can make pretty
awesome rainbow or multi color gradients by letting the ink mix by itself while doing a few practice pulls. When it looks cool, then do your final on fabric!
Tips:
-You really need to do a flood coat after you pull with acrylics because they dry so fast, at least this has been my experience with the speedball inks.
-Shoot multiple pieces of art per screen and just tape over the ones you aren't using with smooth packing tape, this saves time and emulsion. (you already
thought of this!)
-Try using laser or inkjet transparencies for your art. They stand up pretty well and you can save all of your art in a book in case you want to shoot that image
again. If you use inkjet ones, keep water away from them.. they turn into gross mush.
-Use a pencil to mark the center of your art on the frame of the screen. You wont be able to see if after you've flooded the screen so it will be hard to center
on the next shirt.
-Parchment or Bakers paper works good for heat setting, you can get it in rolls from the supermarket. I don't think wax paper would work very good for this
though.
-This isn't really a tip but if you are lazy/busy like me, I've left the exposed emulsion in the screen for almost 2 months with no ill effects. Use a stiff brush and
the emulsion remover to get it out, but be easy on the screen, especially around the frame where it attaches. Note that I put emulsion on a screen once and
didn't shoot it immediately after it dried (sat for a week), and it did not work out so hot.. but maybe light leaked into my cabinet.
-When applying emulsion to the screen, stay away from the frame! Its impossible to get out, especially if you get it on the back side where the wood touches
the silk. You don't need to put emulsion all the way to the edges anyways, because you normally tape all of the insides of the frame. (see pic) Try to apply as
little emulsion as possible to coat the screen, and try to do it in one pass. (One on the front and one on the back.) It's really tricky but its less work later when
you have to clean the screen.
-If you have a basement tub sink, you can usually attach a Y valve and washer hose to the spout. At the end of the washer hose I attached it to a sprayer
that looks like a old fire hose sprayer. It's a very narrow diameter, high pressure source of water for blowing the screens out.
Well done Instructable! Thanks for your contribution!
bradleybc says: Apr 28, 2008. 1:07 PM REPLY

Can someone recommend a good source for bulk blank shirts, like 50 to 100 or so at the time? Thanks...
DOaks says: May 13, 2008. 1:38 PM REPLY

Try
http://www.blankshirts.com

(Also, awesome gonzo logo there. I'm fond of that one, and also the simpler image with just the double-thumbed fist.)
oktane says: Apr 26, 2008. 9:36 PM REPLY
Thanks! The one on the top was the original and the one below it was a custom one with steadman's writing of instead.. the splattered ink style. I
would attach the psd's but I lost alot of the art for shirts in a hd failure. :(

*looks more closely* Oh, very nice. I wish I could see the logo with Steadman's writing, that's an excellent design idea.

Wow, thanks for all the great tips!
For doing multi-color images without a jig -- a very low-fi and imprecise method for this is to have the whole image on one screen, then mark (with
masking tape or washable pen) where the edges of the screen fall on the shirt or fabric so that you can re-align the screen in the same place. Mask off all
but one color-area on your screen & print. Clean off the screen, let the ink dry, then re-mask the screen for your other color-area, and print again. It's a lot
of trouble to go to, and probably not worth the work if you want to make a lot of prints, but it works well enough for making a few. (And the effects of slight
misalignment are often kinda cool anyway.)
altomic says: May 2, 2008. 5:57 AM REPLY

I made my own screens from used materials.
wood/ply from construction site off cuts
material from op-shops/thrift stores. the material I choose was womens scarves. (the silky light kind)
they are usually made from silk and can be bought for 50cents because they are ugly.
RichardGreaves says: Apr 30, 2008. 11:12 AM REPLY

Please us glass, not acrylic to press the positive against the stencil. Acrylics filter much more UV energy than glass, depending on the manufacturer.
Us a piece of glass that is smaller than the inner dimension of the frame so the glass is not raised above the surface of the stencil and you will have much
better intimate contact with the positive and the stencil.
srhadaham says: Apr 22, 2008. 10:42 AM REPLY

we use the same process at school in our mass production class, except we have much cleaner methods

Yeah, this is definitely the quick-and-dirty method. It's lots of fun if you don't mind making a mess, though. :)
Gjdj3 says: Apr 21, 2008. 6:22 PM REPLY

so, can these be washed normally?

Once they're properly heat-set, yeah. The image will eventually fade with repeated washings & dryings, & different inks behave differently. I have some
shirts that've lasted several years.
Turning the shirt inside out to wash & dry will help it last longer, as will line-drying rather than machine-drying.
aglaranna says: Apr 25, 2008. 5:49 AM REPLY

Should you turn off the main lights in whatever room you're working in? Or does that not tend to make much difference?

When I'm first putting the sensitized emulsion on the screen, I try to work in a room with as little light as possible; generally, before you've exposed the
screen with your image, you want as little light getting to the emulsion as possible. After exposure & rinsing, it doesn't matter much.
ZBM says: Apr 25, 2008. 7:35 PM REPLY

photo emulation (sorry if i spelled it wrong) what is it and where can i get some or an equilavent? as in what else is it known as? no web distruitors please
The brand I've usually used is Speedball diazo emulsion, and you should be able to find it at art supply stores.
mmelnick says: Apr 23, 2008. 2:22 PM REPLY

What emulsion should I use? tell me brand and # please - i dont know which one is best

I've mostly used the Speedball diazo emulsion, since that's what I can get most easily. You should be able to find it at art-supply stores, or online.
parasymboligist says: Apr 21, 2008. 4:23 PM REPLY

awesome!! though i have to say i am not too keen about what the shirt says =d

Thanks! And, hey, make your own screen and post pictures of your shirts, then! ;)
GorillazMiko says: Apr 21, 2008. 3:52 PM REPLY

I so want to make this now.
+1 rating.

Thanks! You should try it sometime. The process is a whole lot of fun, even if you're not making dozens of prints.
baudeagle says: Apr 21, 2008. 5:48 PM REPLY

I noticed in step 7 that you are masking the pin holes with tape. Would it be better to use a small paint brush and apply some more sensitized emulsion to
each pin hole? You could then re-expose the screen to the light and avoid using the tape.
How long do your screens last / how many T shirts can you print from one screen?

As aglaranna said, you can buy "screen filler" fluid that's made specifically for covering up pinholes & gaps where ink could get through.
I'm still using screens that were made years ago, though those only get printed with maybe once or twice a year. I've also made fifty or a hundred prints
from a single screen at a shot; the Speedball kit instructions suggests doing a double coat of emulsion if you want to make very many prints. Essentially,
you can keep using the screen until the emulsion starts to get scraped off and your image gets fuzzy around the edges.
aglaranna says: Apr 25, 2008. 5:55 AM REPLY

screen filler can be used for the holes
uguy says: Apr 25, 2008. 6:36 AM REPLY

Excellent, well done Instructable. Thanks for sharing!
gerrrtrudicus says: Apr 24, 2008. 10:21 PM REPLY

Wild In the Streets!
agdtinman says: Apr 21, 2008. 7:45 PM REPLY

BAN PAPYRUS.
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How to Make DIY Screen Prints with Photo Emulsion

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Photo-emulsion Screen Printing

intro: Photo-emulsion Screen Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

step 1: Gather your materials! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

step 2: Preparing your photo emulsion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

step 3: Coating the screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

step 4: Prepare your image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

step 5: Expose your screen, then rinse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

step 6: Print with your screen! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

step 7: Changing inks, cleanup, and heat-setting your prints. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Customized Instructable T-shirts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

How to Silk Screen has a good overview of the photo-emulsion process.

step 1: Gather your materials!

@ photo emulsion and sensitizer

Miscellaneous useful things:

step 2: Preparing your photo emulsion

step 3: Coating the screen

step 4: Prepare your image

screenprints-large.pdf ((612x792) 171 KB)

step 5: Expose your screen, then rinse

Once your screen is washed out, let it dry completely.

Exposure chart for the Speedball diazo photo-emulsion system:

250W BBA No.1 Photoflood

step 6: Print with your screen!

For printing on fabric:

Other tips and techniques:

For printing on paper:

step 7: Changing inks, cleanup, and heat-setting your prints.

Heat setting your prints:

metalfury says: Dec 27, 2008. 2:52 AM REPLY

ammecabo says: Nov 29, 2008. 2:17 AM REPLY

assassinazz says: Apr 21, 2008. 8:43 PM REPLY

acidaleh says: Apr 21, 2008. 11:27 PM REPLY

assassinazz says: Apr 22, 2008. 6:06 PM REPLY

w1n5t0n says: Apr 26, 2008. 2:12 AM REPLY

acidaleh says: Aug 22, 2008. 11:43 AM REPLY

JayLang says: Aug 16, 2008. 7:52 PM REPLY

migetman121 says: Sep 27, 2008. 3:32 PM REPLY

migetman121 says: Oct 21, 2008. 5:27 PM REPLY

The Youth Counselor says: Sep 18, 2008. 4:06 AM REPLY

Llewner says: Aug 6, 2008. 6:18 AM REPLY

Good instructable though!

JayLang says: Jul 26, 2008. 8:53 AM REPLY

Progfellow says: Jul 24, 2008. 10:12 AM REPLY

the_falling_frog says: May 25, 2008. 7:39 AM REPLY

mamer_2 says: Jul 11, 2008. 8:23 PM REPLY

Esmagamus says: Jun 16, 2008. 3:42 PM REPLY

3kY says: Jun 16, 2008. 9:15 AM REPLY

eskimojo says: Jun 3, 2008. 5:17 AM REPLY

oktane says: Apr 25, 2008. 12:50 PM REPLY

Well done Instructable! Thanks for your contribution!

bradleybc says: Apr 28, 2008. 1:07 PM REPLY

DOaks says: May 13, 2008. 1:38 PM REPLY

w1n5t0n says: Apr 26, 2008. 2:10 AM REPLY

w1n5t0n says: Apr 28, 2008. 2:11 AM REPLY

w1n5t0n says: Apr 26, 2008. 2:03 AM REPLY

altomic says: May 2, 2008. 5:57 AM REPLY

wood/ply from construction site off cuts

RichardGreaves says: Apr 30, 2008. 11:12 AM REPLY

srhadaham says: Apr 22, 2008. 10:42 AM REPLY

w1n5t0n says: Apr 26, 2008. 2:17 AM REPLY