Complete Project

Completed final project.  The project was an experiences being the creator and student at the same time.

Silk Screening: 101

Silk Screening: 101

The Basics of Silk Screening

Concept / Topic for your Learners

Silk screening, also known as screen-printing is a printing technique that involves passing ink through a porous fabric, thus creating a sharp-edged single-color image created from a stencil.  Learners will use You Tube, a Web 2.0 technology to view instructional videos.

General Goal(s)

• Explore materials - experiment with stencil process
• Make at least one quality print
• Use materials, equipment and processes safely when producing

Specific Learning Outcomes

• Demonstrate competence in silk screening techniques through the
• 5 prints (for example: t-shirt designs, fabric design, etc.)
• Create and transform visual images, using both new and traditional technologies.
• Use materials, equipment and processes safely when producing artworks. 

Required Materials, including Web 2.0

• Internet (You Tube)
• Water (with pressure)
• Vellum (art to be exposed)
• Exposure Unit
• Wooden or Metal frame
• Screen mesh         
• Screen printing ink
• Squeegees

Introduction to the Activity

This lesson explains the process for printing the stencil for a single color print. It is important that learners review the You Tube videos with this lesson to see the steps of the process.

Step-By-Step Procedures

Spread Emulsion

• In a dim room, place the screen face-up on a covered surface and pour a thin line of emulsion on the top of the screen.
• Use the squeegee or a flat rubber blade to spread the emulsion downward, covering the screen as thoroughly as possible.
• Lift the screen and turn to the other side. Move the rubber blade upwards to spread any emulsion that went through the screen material.
• Scrape any excess emulsion back into the emulsion bottle.
• Place the screen in a dark place to dry for about an hour. When it's ready, the screen will be dry to the touch. 

Expose the Screen

• In a dark environment, remove the screen from its drying place.
• Lay the frame under the exposure lamp, screen-side down on a piece of vellum. Do not turn the lamp on yet or otherwise expose the screen to light.
• Turn on the lamp for the amount of time specified on the emulsion instructions. It is usually about 7 to 10 minutes.
• When the exposure time is up, turn off the lamp and quickly spray the screen with a pressure hose to remove the exposed emulsion.
• Allow the screen to dry.

Print

• Secure the screen on a press. Use hinge clamps to allow the screen to be lifted up or clamp the screen to the flat surface.
• Place the material to be printed, such as a t-shirt, on the pallet.
• Press the screen firmly to the material. Pour a thin line of ink on one end of the screen and spread with the thin rubber blade.
• Lift the screen, and your image will be printed on the material.

Assessment

Student’s assessment will include completion and understanding of concepts.

IDT 516 Final Project Proposal

My idea for my final project is create a training activity for the employees at my job.  I work as graphic designer at a silk screening company.  My training activity will be an instruction lesson on how to silk-screen a t-shirt.  Screen printing is a printing process where an image is created on a framed mesh screen by exposing a photosensitive glue-like emulsion all around the image. The lesson will include Web 2.0 technologies like video and web applications.

We will be using a A 6 color 6 station manual rotary screen printing press with micro registration. This lesson will be administered in 3 steps.
1. Spread Emulsion
2. Set Up the Exposure Unit and Expose the Screen
3. Print

Each step will include a video tutorial on that process and a short evaluation at the end to test the learner’s comprehension at the end of that process.