DIY: How To Burn a Silkscreen and Print at Home

Summary

This video tutorial shows you how to screen print your own custom merch at home. It covers all the materials needed, such as a pre-stretched silk screen, photo emulsion, ink, and transparency paper, and walks you through the steps from preparing the screen and printing your design to creating your own T-shirts or canvas bags. With easy-to-follow instructions and helpful tips, this guide makes screen printing accessible and fun, even if you're not in a band. By the end, you'll be ready to create unique designs and print your very own swag at home.

Takeaways

• 😀 You don't need to be in a punk band to screen print your own merchandise.
• 😀 Materials required include a blank silk screen, photo emulsion, ink, squeegee, and a 150W bulb.
• 😀 A black sheet, gloves, apron, and transparency paper are also important for the printing process.
• 😀 The first step is to evenly coat the silk screen with photo emulsion on both sides.
• 😀 The screen should be dried in a pitch-black room for a couple of hours to avoid premature exposure.
• 😀 Print your design on transparency paper before starting the exposure process.
• 😀 Set up your workspace with a black sheet and position a 150W bulb for exposure.
• 😀 Place the transparency on the screen and expose it for about 45 minutes to burn your design into the emulsion.
• 😀 After exposure, rinse the screen with cool water to wash away the unexposed emulsion, revealing the design.
• 😀 To print, pour ink on the screen and use a squeegee to evenly spread the ink at a 45-degree angle.
• 😀 Repeat the printing process as needed, and you'll have your custom swag ready to go!

Q & A

What materials are needed for screen printing your own merch at home?

You'll need a blank silk screen pre-stretched, a squeegee, photo emulsion, ink, a 150W bulb, painters tape, rags, clamps (optional), a red bulb lamp, a black sheet or fabric or paper, gloves, an apron, transparent pry paper for printing your image, and a T-shirt or canvas bag for printing.

What is the purpose of using photo emulsion in the screen printing process?

Photo emulsion is used to create the stencil for your design on the screen. It hardens when exposed to light, and the image on the transparency blocks light, allowing the emulsion to wash away in the shape of your design.

How should the photo emulsion be applied to the silk screen?

Coat the silk screen evenly with photo emulsion on both sides. Ensure that it's applied in a smooth, even layer.

Why is it necessary to dry the screen in a pitch-black room?

The screen must dry in a pitch-black room to prevent the emulsion from being exposed to light prematurely, which could ruin the design.

How long does the screen need to dry after coating it with photo emulsion?

The screen needs to dry for a couple of hours in a pitch-black room.

What is the next step after the photo emulsion has dried on the screen?

After the emulsion has dried, print your image onto transparent paper and prepare to expose the screen to light.

How should the exposure setup be arranged?

Lay a black sheet over your work area, place the screen with the emulsion facing up, and position your transparency with the design on the screen. Then, expose it to the light from the 150W bulb for about 45 minutes.

What happens after exposing the screen to light for 45 minutes?

Once the screen is exposed to light, rinse it with cool water. The emulsion should flake off where the light was blocked by the transparency, revealing your design.

How do you print the design onto the T-shirt or canvas bag?

Pour ink onto the screen, then use a squeegee to evenly swipe the ink over the design at a 45° angle. Repeat the process in different directions—left to right and up and down—ensuring even coverage.

What should you be careful about when printing your design?

Be careful not to move the screen while printing, as this could distort the design.

How do you know when your screen printing is complete?

Once you have printed the design onto the T-shirt or bag, carefully lift the frame and remove the item. Repeat the process as needed to print multiple designs.