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What makes Silk Screen printing manageable these days? Unlike before, manual process of preparing a layout is painful especially when a complex design is desired. And computer was not yet fully utilized to produce a more advance and complex set of designs. But now, you can personalize your T-shirt designs in just a few hours. 

To be a Silk Screen Printer artist and designer, the need to be more patient, resourceful and imaginative and results oriented are significant. Indeed, being imaginative is such a great advantage with anyone who deeply relies on other ideas and skills. A strong determination to learn and apply your skills can help a lot too.

Nowadays, the aid of using computer lessens the time and effort to make one great design for T-shirt. You just browse the internet and choose what type of design you want to be printed in you shirt. Thanks to those who share them over the internet! No hassles. 

Silk Screen printing is a good hobby which in time, you can turn it into business. There are a lot of tutorials available in the internet to teach you how to do it. I find it so interesting that even I had learned how to do it without added expense by going through formal studies or attending training. But I know going on training can help a lot to intensify your skills and knowledge pertaining to such project.

Materials for Silk Screen Printing

Basically, what Ive known so far are the used of the following:

First, set your desired T-shirt design using either a text or an image. When I first tried my first project, it started with a combination of digital (for image using heat press) and silk screen for text only. I use Adobe Photoshop in laying the type of text, choosing the right font and size preferences. 

Procedures

• Print your design to an A4 size green film at the printable side (the dark side) using pigment type of ink or an inkjet printer.
• Then, apply ready mix light sensitive emulsion (by Tulco) to the silk screen frame and let it dry in the safelight for an hour using an electric fan or a blower. Once dried youre ready to place the film inside the emulsified silk screen frame.
• Place the emulsified silk screen frame on the table with a dark clothe under it. Place the film inside followed by placing the glass above the film (like a sandwich). Used a lamp shade with a 50 watts bulb or fluorescent to expose (to dry up) the part not covered by the design. The distance between the screen and the lamp is 15-17 inches to exposed the uncovered area. Let it dry for an hour depending on the heat produce by the lamp. More heat means less time.
• Then, wash the unexposed (soft part) part of the design using spray, strong enough to wash away that part of the layout which is not exposed (not hardened) by the heat.

Then, youre ready to perform your first printing job on shirt.

This process of applying emulsion is suitable for multiple shirt printing.

Printing Your Design on a Bond Paper

Using a design printed on a bond paper is suitable for a few printing only. No need for emulsion process. Suitable for single color printing, too. All you have to do is print your own design using a computer or manual process (drawing). Then cut it out using Stencil cutter. Once done, place it above the shirt followed by the silk screen.

In the case of complex design or a combination of two or more colors, a color separation process is necessary and multiple silk screen design is needed.