Screen printing, a time-honored technique rooted in both art and industry, remains a widely respected and practiced method for transferring designs onto various surfaces. From custom t-shirts and merchandise to posters, signage, and even circuit boards, this printing process has proven its versatility and enduring appeal over the decades. Despite advances in digital printing, screen printing continues to hold a firm place in both commercial production and artistic expression due to its distinctive finish, vibrant color output, and durability.
At its core, screen printing involves creating a stencil, also known as a screen or mesh, and using it to apply layers of ink on the chosen surface. The screen is made from a fine mesh material stretched tightly over a frame. A design is imposed on the screen using a light-sensitive emulsion. After the screen is exposed to light, the emulsion hardens, and the areas not exposed are washed away, leaving behind a clear pathway for ink to pass through only in the desired pattern
stampa a sublimazione.
Once the stencil is prepared, ink is spread across the screen using a squeegee. With controlled pressure and precise angles, the ink is forced through the mesh onto the substrate below—be it fabric, paper, metal, or plastic. Each color in a design requires a separate screen and a new pass of ink, making multicolored prints more complex but richly layered and visually dynamic.
One of the primary reasons for screen printing's lasting popularity is the richness and texture it provides. The ink used in this process is often thicker than what’s used in digital printing, which allows for more vibrant colors and a tactile quality that stands out, especially on textiles. This method also enables printing on dark surfaces with high opacity, something digital printers sometimes struggle with.
From Concept to Cotton: The Journey of Screen Printing
