A Step-By-Step Guide to the Screen-Printing Process
There’s a common thought that pops into people’s minds when they start to think about custom printed merch. We find a fair few will mention screen printing straight off the bat though not everyone will know what it is, or how it differs from other print methods.
What Is Screen Printing?
It is a more labour-intensive practice that involves artwork being split into layers, printed onto separate screens and ink being pushed through the woven screen one colour at a time onto fabric and then cured under heat. A process that was once done manually is now automated through advanced technology.
What Does the Process of Screen-Printing Entail?
This traditional print process works by setting up your artwork digitally, allowing for fine details to be captured and perfect registration. Once this is done, your artwork file then goes through our KIWO XTS machine which creates a mesh screen coated in a light-sensitive emulsion with black wax printed on top that blocks your design. This emulsion hardens under UV light where there is no wax blocking it and whatever sits beneath the wax stays soft and can be washed out revealing the final artwork.
With our screen correctly exposed, we can now get started! Our lead printer will take the screen(s) over to the screen-printing machine to make the adjustments necessary, testing the screen for tension and lining up the artwork so that the pressure and placement is perfect for printing.
Screen Printing is the only method that will allow you to use spot colour inks from the Pantone Matching System which is great if you have a specific brand colour you want to replicate over and over. At QTCo we use plastisol inks for print longevity and eco-friendly cleaners to reduce our environmental impact.
With an almost endless amount of colour possibilities, we select and mix your inks. Our team ensures that the ink consistency and shade are spot on before we even think about starting the print run.
Once everything is set, the real magic begins. Each screen is carefully pressed against the fabric, and the ink is pushed through the mesh using a squeegee. This step is repeated for every colour in your design, building layer by layer. It’s a mesmerizing process to watch, and it’s where your artwork really comes to life.
After the printing is done, the garments go through a dryer to cure the ink, ensuring your design stays vibrant and durable wash after wash. Quality is key, and we inspect every piece to make sure it meets our high standards.
And there you have it! From emulsion to final product, screen printing is an art form that combines skill, precision, and a dash of creativity.
What Techniques and Specialty Finishes Can Be Used in Screen Printing?
Spot Colours
The most common method of screen printing is to use spot colours in your artwork to create your final image. Using spot colours will give you the brightest results and most accurate colour representation. However, there are a few other techniques that you can incorporate to add an extra layer of intrigue.
Halftone Printing
This process involves converting artwork into a greyscale image with adjustments made to increase the contrast between the different shades/details that can be seen. Once this step is done and artwork has been set up, it then goes through a RIP that converts the image into halftones (imagery is created in a pattern of dots creating the illusion of shades and colours). This allows our printers to use spot colours to print the entire image.
High Density Printing
A high-density screen print packs a punch as this method is created by building layers of ink on top of each other. This results in a 3-dimensional print and details with sharper edges compared to puff printing.
Puff Prints
This method creates a design that has a 3-D marshmallow effect when heat is used to activate the puff plastisol base, bringing with it a hint of retro nostalgia.
Gradient Prints
Gradient prints are what happens when colours are seamlessly blended, creating smooth transitions that are printed in one go. The beauty of this is that each print is completely unique as the colour blend will change slightly from print to print.
Metallics Prints
Just like the name suggests metallics prints are an option when you’re looking to add extra sparkle to your design. Standard gold and silver colours are available and there is also the option to choose your perfect tone from rose to yellow to copper and more.
What Are the Benefits and Drawbacks of Screen Printing?
There are multiple factors that come into play that would make screen printing an advantageous choice for you. If accurate colour reproduction is important to your project, screen printing would be the way to go as it’s known for producing colour accurate, vibrant and durable prints. It is also the only print method that offers the use of the Pantone Matching System. When you are looking to do large print runs, screen print also becomes the most cost effective with its streamlined process.
The plastisol ink itself is printed in a thicker layer and this robustness is what gives screen prints the ability to last longer through washing and wearing. This also means that it is very adaptable when it comes to the range of surfaces that can be printed on. Spot colours are the go-to for most projects but there are also specialty inks that provide different finishes including glitter, metallics, neon, puff and high-density.
There are also some drawbacks to consider as not every material and project is suited to screen printing. While this method is quite flexible, the use of high heat in the curing process means you are limited to items that can withstand these high temperatures.
The screen-printing process has a more involved setup with mesh screens needed for each layer of colour. This is generally fine on simple designs but as soon as you add more colours, it increases the time and labour required to set up a multi-coloured job and is reflected in the price as set-up costs.
Projects with larger volumes will fare better when it comes to pricing so if you were looking to use screen printing on smaller runs then the cost per impression can be substantially higher.
Artwork Tips to Get the Best Results
We require all artwork files for screen print to be in vector format and if you only provide raster images, we require that to be high-resolution. Our team can then make the adjustments necessary to make it print ready though this means you can incur an extra cost.
The Final Takeaway
Screen printing is a versatile print method that is perfectly suited to larger print runs with bold designs and solid colours. Its adaptability, high-quality finish, cost-effectiveness on larger runs and accurate colour reproduction makes it the go-to choice for those seeking these qualities in their final branded product.