Getting started with a quote for screen printing...

Can I screenprint photographs and full-colour designs?

Screen printing is a "spot colour" process. Each ink colour needs its own artwork and screen set-up. Each ink colour is applied individually through its own framed screen. Artwork must be separated into individual colours. It is not possible to print shades of one colour, as such. To create the appearance of a lighter shade in one colour, artwork can be broken down into relatively coarse dot patterns. We can screen print in almost any number of individual colours. Longer runs make the use of multiple colours more cost-effective. The appearance of full-colour can be achieved by using "4-colour process" (CMYK), like magazine printing, with some compromise in the intensity of colour compared to individual applications of the colour itself.

What is the "set-up" cost for screen printing?

Screen printing first appeared in China during the Song Dynasty (960-1279CE), when silk was used. The process has changed little in the last 700 years. There is a great deal of skilled work involved in setting up every single screen for printing. It's still a messy and time-consuming process.

To make a screen, the finely-woven fabric called "mesh" is stretched over a frame of aluminium or wood. Areas of the screen are blocked off with a non-permeable material to form a negative of the image to be printed. Ink is pushed through the open spaces in the mesh to make a positive print on fabric or other materials. In small runs, the set-up and wash-down process can take very much longer and use many more materials than the actual print job.

What is the difference between water-based and plasticised ("plastisol") inks?

Plastisol ink is the most commonly used for commercial garment decoration. Colours are intense and opaque on dark materials when undercoated. The texture is plasticised, or slightly rubbery to touch. Prints can be made softer or heavier by adjusting additives. Indirect heat is required to cure the print (approx. 150°C). Plastisol prints must not be ironed over, nor placed in a hot tumble dryer.

Water-based ink is traditional and environmental, as the name suggests. Water-based inks penetrate the fabric more than plastisol. The prints look more "organic", and feel softer. Water-based inks work best for printing darker ink colours onto lighter coloured materials, over larger areas, and wherever texture is important. Prints are heat-cured to become permanent and extremely durable. They age gracefully with the fabric.

What special effects are available?

• Flocking involves printing a glue onto the fabric, then applying mirror-finish foil, or texture
• Glitter/Shimmer creates a sparkle effect by mixing metallic flakes into the ink base
• Metallic effects are created by printing glue onto the fabric then applying nanoscale fibres
• Puff printing is raised off the fabric for a three-dimensional effect with visual and tactile appeal
• Caviar involves printing glue on the fabric in the shape of the design, then applying tiny beads to create areas of softly textural and luminescent dimension
• 4-colour process requires artwork separated into four colours (CMYK) for the magazine-like appearance of "full colour"
• Gloss is a clear coat applied over previously printed inks to create a shiny finish
• Mirrored silver is a highly-reflective, mirror-like finish that you can almost see your face in
• Suede is a softly textured effect with a low-dimensional profile compared to puff printing

Is there a minimum quantity for screen printing?

There is no minimum quantity as such, but with set-up taken into consideration, there are usually better ways to produce quantities under about 10-15. There are some great DIY t-shirt supplies, for example, and other studio techniques.