Screen Printing with Screen Mesh: Screen Printing Hack
By Paula Briggs
This resource shares a useful screen printing hack which is both cost effective and artistically liberating! Try it with your pupils…
Teenagers love screen printing but it is something I have personally shied away from teaching on the grounds that a) you need plenty of silk screens which can be expensive, and b) washing and drying large screens takes time and you need access to a large sink. It’s certainly not something I would try with a whole class.
In the resource below, I came up with a way to enable pupils to make screen prints in such a way that a whole class could make prints at the same time, without the need for expensive screens. We got great results and the teenagers (and myself) found the speed of process very empowering.
A full outline of our process is available below.
You can also see how we made prints inspired by Shepard Fairey, and our end results.
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Lynda
April 20, 2018 @ 8:33 pm
Thank you so much for this! After thinking screen printing would be prohibitively expensive, my classes of home educated children will now be able to experience it. Could I ask what threadcount/size mesh you used please?
Paula Briggs, AccessArt
April 21, 2018 @ 1:58 pm
Hello I used 43T / 110US (43 Threads per CM or 110 Threads per Inch)
Good luck!
Jo W
May 19, 2023 @ 11:44 am
Hi,
Do you recommend still using Daler Rowney System 3 Screen Printing Medium with printing inks or is it to be used with acrylic paint? If so, is this this correct product? And can it be used on fabrics?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/System-3-Printing-Medium-DALER-ROWNEY/dp/B002AF9E6E/ref=sr_1_1?crid=8WLK0AWVAH4W&keywords=daler+rowney+system+3+textile+medium+for+screen+printing&qid=1684492927&sprefix=daler+rowney+screen+printing+medium%2Caps%2C192&sr=8-1 #
Thanks!
Paula
May 22, 2023 @ 9:30 am
This product extends printing ink (or can also bring some printing ink back to life if its a bit too tacky) or adds body to cheaper inks. Yes its the right product. We’d advise against using acrylic paint if you are using mesh screens just because it can be harder to wash off. It can be used on fabrics but not certain if it can be washed
Jo W
May 22, 2023 @ 4:56 pm
Thank you. Do you think it’s needed or would screen printing ink be ok on its own?
Paula
May 23, 2023 @ 12:19 pm
what are you printing on? its not needed if you are printing on paper and your printing ink is good/fresh xx
Zoe S
July 14, 2023 @ 11:00 am
Can you reuse the same stencil/screen to produce multiple prints (like you could a ‘proper’ screen) or are they one use?
Rachel
July 17, 2023 @ 11:20 am
Hi Zoe, so you can re use the stencils, but only once they’ve had a wash and dry which you can do in a bucket of water or the sink. They won’t take long to dry so can be re used quite quickly. This extract from the post should clarify: “Peel the newsprint stencil off the mesh. Put the newsprint straight in the bin, and put the mesh straight in a sink or bucket of warm soapy water. Rinse straight away (if needed wipe with sponge) and leave to dry. In a warm room the mesh will be dry within a few minutes and ready to use again”. I hope this helps! Many thanks