After attending a workshop at the Rock Paper Scissors collective I used essentially the same technique but instead of starting with a hand drawing I started with an illustration and a laser cutter.
Equipment
- laster cutter
- flash heater
- mylar
- screen
- spray adhesive
- Permanent spray adhesive
- squeegee
- ink
- cardboard or wood plank
- Plastic spoons
- Paper towels
Prep: Clean your work area and plug in the heater.
Step 1 – Design your stencil… keep in mind that you will need whole shapes for this to work. Just google “how to make a stencil”
Step 2 – Create a .dxf file of your stencil for the laser cutter.
Step 3 – Cut the stencil out of thin mylar drafting film (sourced in Berkeley at Arts and Craftsman Art Supply or Inkstone)
Step 4 – Spray the wrong side of the mylar with the permanent spray adhesive and move gently over to a non tacky surface. Place you screen over the art being careful to position it as much as possible in the middle of the screen. Press down firmly especially around fiddly bits
Step 5 – Prepare your garment. You will need to put something inside your shirt otherwise the ink will come through. I use a piece of smooth scrap from the wood pile. Fit your garment over the board… Then pull up one layer to access the side of the board your art will go on.
Step 6 – Spry the board with the fabric spray adhesive and once it is tacky slide your garment back over the board and smooth and center as much as possible as quickly as possible.
Step 7 – Place your screen over the garment and test it until you like the position of the art. Once it is in position Load the screen with ink and use the squeegee to push the ink through the screen. Press very firmly… leverage is key here.
Step 8 – If possible have a friend hold down the garment while you pull the screen as straight up as possible. place the shirt under the heater. While you clean up your excess ink and so on. (you can print several shirts before you will have to clean you screen). Place garment under the flash dryer.. and then you are good.
Step 9 – Rinse the screen REALLY REALLY well, especially if you intend to us it again. Don’t over cook your shirt as well.