Computer Graphics & Design: Screen Printing Study Guide

BLEED

Refers to the fabric on a t-shirt that "shows" or "bleeds" the ink. It can also refer to inks that show through other inks.

EXPOSING A SCREEN

Burning a screen (AKA "exposing") is a term used to describe exposing a prepared screen to a very bright light to harden the emulsion. Wherever the light hits the emulsion, the emulsion itself hardens. Wherever the film blocks (the design) the light out, the emulsion remains somewhat soft and is washed out of the screen. This produces the images we print, one color at a time.

EMULSION

A photo-sensitive (or light-sensitive) material that is placed on the screen before it's "burnt/exposed".

FILM

A clear/frosted acetate-like paper. Once the design/artwork has had all of the colors separated, each color gets its own piece of film. The film is then placed onto the screen, which has already been covered in emulsion.

FLASH

Really short for "flash cure unit". This is used to cure the inks we use.

FLOOD

Pulling ink over your design and "flooding" the image before screening it on to the substrate.

MESH/screen

Refers to the screen itself and how tightly woven it is. The higher the mesh number, the tighter the little fibers that make the screen are woven together. Concurrently, as the mesh count goes higher, the less ink goes down onto the tee and more detail can be held.

PALLET

This is the board that the t-shirt sits on for screening.

PLASTISOL

These inks are the standard ink every screen-printer uses. In a very literal sense, it's liquid plastic that gets deposited on the tee and then cured at 350º.

PRINT SIDE

Refers to the side of the screen that you put your film/design on. (Mesh is flush with frame)

REGISTRATION

Registering a screen is a necessity since we're printing all the colors one at a time. Registering the screens involves placing each and every screen in the machine in the same exact spot so the colors print directly on top of one another, exactly where they should go.

SCOOP/CARD

Used to transfer ink from a container to your screen.

SCREEN PRESS

This is the device used to hold the screen when pressing the ink on to the t-shirt. The one used in class is a manual four over four (holds four screens and four pallets). Large t-shirt companies use automatic presses that can hold up to twelve t-shirts.

SQUEEGEE

A rubber bar, not too unlike the squeegees you're used to using on your windows. The only difference is that ours are much larger, thicker and denser. These are pulled across the screen, forcing the ink through the opened areas of emulsion, through the mesh and onto the substrate.

SQUEEGEE SIDE

Refers to the side of the screen that you put ink on and push through with the squeegee.

SPOT COLOR SEPARATION

Refers to separating the colors of a screen print onto separate films.

Example: The Pepsi logo has three colors Red, Blue and White. So to screen print that logo you would need three separate screens, one for each color.

What size should the design document be?

12x18 or 8.5x11 (depends on the size you need the graphics)

What should the background color be?

The T-shirt color

All components of the design should be…

vectors (no pixel based images)

Each color must be a…

“spot color” for separation purposes (Except Background T-Shirt Color)

Any fonts used must be converted to…

“create outlines”

Registration Marks are set to the…

“Registration Swatch” Color

The screen print design should be saved as…

a PDF

Off-Contact Adjustment

This raises the screen “off” of the pallet. Turning it right raises and left lowers.

Leveling Adjustment

This levels the screen evenly with the pallet. Turning it right raises and turning it left lowers.

Screen Clamps Knobs

This secures the screen in the press. Right to tighten and left to loosen.

Micro Adjustments

These adjustments allow you to fine tune your registration of the screens. The black knobs shifts/twist the screen left/right. The blue knob moves the entire screen carriage left and right.

Micro Adjustment Knobs

These knobs must be loosened before you can use the Micro Adjustments. Right to tighten and left to loosen.

Review picture diagram.

Ok