Screen printing

Screen printing is the process of transferring a stencilled design onto a flat surface using a mesh screen, ink and a squeegee. A printing screen consists of a fine mesh fabric that is tightly stretched and attached to a metal or wooden frame. Traditionally, these screens were made of silk, but today they are most often made of synthetic materials such as terylene. 

Screen printing is an ancient technique, considered to have been first pioneered in China around 960 AD (Song Dynasty era) as a method of printing patterns onto fabric. Japanese artists later adopted the practice to transfer designs onto paper and fabric several centuries later, using a stiff brush to push ink through a mesh screen woven from human hair. 

Evidence of a form of screen printing using leaves and charcoal however has been discovered on walls dating back to Neolithic times, and also in Spanish and French caves which have been preserved for thousands of years. Similarly, in the Pacific it was sometimes used with Batik techniques, and can be seen as the precursor to the colourful Hawaiian shirt. Even as far back as Medieval times, screen printing allowed a form of mass production, used primarily for making playing cards. 

Largely arriving in Europe in the 18th Century, screen printing was slow to develop as a fabric printing method owing to the high cost of silk mesh at the time. Once the Silk Road made imported silk more affordable, screen printing became more popular. By the early 20th century, printers had developed photo-sensitised emulsions, allowing artisans to create complex stencil designs much more easily. French patterns were found to have been stencilled onto shoes and fabrics during this period. 

Screen printing remained fairly primitive throughout the 19th Century, with printers stretching fabrics such as organdie over frames made from wood to secure the position of the stencils and islands whilst the stencilling and printing process took place. 

Things changed quite dramatically in the 20th century when the process was mechanised, usually for printing flat posters or packaging and fabrics. It became widely used to print coloured wallpaper as a cheaper alternative to printing with wooden blocks. 

Curiously, no one patented silk screen printing in the UK until Samuel Simon in Manchester, 1907, possibly explaining why people were led to consider the process a new art form belonging to the 20th Century. Technological developments led to the advancement of screen printing in the 1960s, with Warhol… 

One reason screen printing is so widely used is due to its ability to produce vivid colours, even on darker fabrics. The stencil can also be used to replicate designs and hence allows the creation of multiple copies of the same print or garment. Screen printing is therefore an efficient technique for creating large amounts of custom clothing. 

Fabric and paper are the most commonly screen-printed surfaces, but with specialised inks it is possible to print onto wood, metal, plastic, and even glass. The basic method involves creating a stencil on a fine mesh screen, then pushing ink (or paint, in the case of artwork and posters) through to create an imprint of the design on the surface beneath. 

This process is sometimes called ‘silk screening’ or ‘silk screen printing’ and while the actual printing process is usually very similar, the way the stencil is created can vary depending on the materials used. Different stencilling techniques include using masking tape or vinyl to cover the desired areas of the screen, painting the stencil onto the mesh using ‘screen blockers’, such as glue or lacquer, and using a light-sensitive emulsion to create a stencil – then developed in a similar way to a photograph. 

Some designs may use only one shade of ink, or many – in which case each colour must be applied in individual layers using separate stencils for each ink. One reason screen printing is so widely used is due to its ability to produce vivid colours, even on darker fabrics. 

• Digital printing technologies – offering quick turnarounds and the ability to print complex designs with low setup costs, digital printers present a threat. 
• Skilled labour shortage – linked to the previous point, traditional screen printing requires skill and precision; in a job market digital skills are becoming increasingly valued, finding competent screen printers can be challenging. In order to seek out a new generation of skilled screen printers, businesses could fund apprenticeship and training programs.
• Environmental concerns – traditional screen printing uses inks and chemicals that can be harmful to the environment, which is why it is crucial for screen printing businesses to invest in environmentally friendly alternatives. Examples include water-based inks or adopting sustainable practices to meet growing demand. 

Print Clan CIC – in partnership with third sector organisations around Glasgow to provide communities with screen printing access, education and creative workshop opportunities.

• CityLit London 
• UAL Central Saint Martins 
• University of Brighton
• Arts University Plymouth 
• University of Chichester 
• Glasgow School of Art 
• Royal College of Art 
• University of the West of England (UWE)