Creating Custom Silk Screen T-Shirts: A Beginner's Guide

Screen printing is a fun and easy way to transfer a printed design onto a T-shirt. It's a great DIY project that can be done at home with relatively simple equipment. The process involves creating a stencil using a silkscreen frame and emulsion, and then using screen printing ink to transfer the design onto a T-shirt.

To get started, you'll need a plain T-shirt, a black-and-white design, a silkscreen frame, emulsion, a squeegee, and screen printing ink. You'll also want to work in a dimly lit room to prevent the emulsion from hardening prematurely.

The first step is to mix the emulsion and sensitizer according to the manufacturer's instructions. This mixture will be used to coat the silkscreen frame. The emulsion hardens when exposed to UV light, so it's important to work in a dim room.

Next, elevate the silkscreen frame and pour the emulsion into the well of the frame. Use the squeegee to spread the emulsion evenly across the screen. Then, flip the frame over and coat the flat side with emulsion as well. Allow the screen to dry overnight.

Once the screen is dry, it's time to expose the emulsion to light. Place a transparency sheet with your design onto the flat side of the frame and cover it with a piece of glass. Position a light source above the frame and turn it on for the recommended exposure time.

After exposure, rinse the screen with cold water to remove the wet emulsion. Your design should now be visible as a stencil on the screen. Allow the screen to air dry before using it to print on a T-shirt.

To print on a T-shirt, place a piece of cardboard inside the shirt to prevent ink from bleeding through. Position the flat side of the screen against the front of the shirt and apply screen printing ink above your design. Use a squeegee to pull the ink across the design, creating a smooth and thin layer.

Finally, remove the screen from the T-shirt and allow the ink to dry. You can then set the ink by following the manufacturer's instructions, such as ironing or exposing it to sunlight.

With these simple steps, you can create custom T-shirts with your desired designs. Screen printing is a fun and rewarding project that anyone can try at home!

Create a simple design

Creating a simple design is the first step in silk-screen printing a T-shirt. This process involves transferring a printed design onto a T-shirt using a chemical process called photo emulsion.

• Keep the design simple, especially if this is your first time screen printing. A basic silhouette or a simple lettering design is a good choice.
• The image must be in black and white for the design to transfer properly. You can use a program like Photoshop, Microsoft Word, or Microsoft PowerPoint to convert an image to black and white if needed.
• Print your design onto a clear transparency sheet. Make sure to double-check that your image is in black and white before printing.
• If you are drawing the image by hand, use a thick black marker and scan it to your computer.
• For more complex designs, consider using transparency paper. You can print your design onto transparency paper instead of regular paper, which eliminates the need for cutting it out.
• Make sure your design is opaque. Hold it up to a light source, and if light comes through, it is not dark enough. You can print another copy and place it over the original, or use a black marker to colour in your design.
• If you want to create a design with multiple colours, the process is more complex and time-consuming. It requires making multiple screens, each with a different portion of the photo in a specific colour.

By following these tips, you can create a simple and effective design for your silk-screen printing project.

Prepare your screen

The screen is the most important part of the silk screen printing process. You can buy a pre-made screen, or you can make your own. To make your own, you will need a wooden frame and polyester mesh fabric. The average frame measures about 20 inches by 24 inches, but you can adjust the size to your needs. The frame doesn't have to be perfect, but it should be flat.

Cut a piece of mesh fabric that is slightly larger than your frame. Place the fabric over the frame and secure it with a staple gun. Pull the fabric tight to eliminate wrinkles, but be careful not to pull too tight, or the staples will rip through. Trim the excess fabric from the edges, and make sure the staples are fully pressed in so they don't cause the frame to wobble.

Tape around the edges of the screen, on both the inside and outside of the frame, to prevent paint from leaking through. Painter's tape is the best option, but duct tape can also work.

Now your screen is ready for the photo emulsion. Photo emulsion is a light-sensitive chemical that will harden when exposed to UV light. Work in a dark room, and be sure to wear gloves to protect your skin. Mix the emulsion and sensitizer according to the manufacturer's instructions, and then apply it to your screen.

Place a pushpin in each corner of the flat side of the screen, and rest the screen on a flat surface. Pour 1-2 tablespoons of emulsion into the well of the frame, and use a squeegee to spread it over the screen. Apply gentle pressure, and work from the centre outwards. Rotate the frame as needed to cover all sides of the screen.

Flip the screen over and cover the flat side with emulsion. Pour approximately 1 tablespoon of emulsion onto the flat side, and spread it with the squeegee. Smooth out any drip marks, as imperfections will transfer to your final design.

Let the screen dry overnight in a dark space. You can speed up the drying process by placing a fan near the screen.

Apply emulsion

Now that you have your screen printing frame ready, it's time to apply the emulsion. This step is crucial as it will create a stencil of your design on the screen. Here's a detailed guide on how to apply emulsion:

• Prepare Your Workstation: Set up your workstation in a dim room and cover the surface with newspaper or any other protective material. This is important because the emulsion is sensitive to UV light, and we don't want it to harden prematurely. Close the curtains or doors to block out any sunlight.
• Mix the Emulsion: Wear rubber gloves for protection and mix the emulsion and sensitizer according to the manufacturer's instructions. Different brands may have specific instructions, so be sure to read them carefully. Use a disposable utensil like a plastic spoon or a chopstick for mixing.
• Elevate the Screen: Place a pushpin into each corner of the flat side of your silkscreen frame. This will allow you to elevate the screen and create a well for the emulsion. Don't worry about elevating the other side, as it already has a natural recess.
• Apply Emulsion to the Screen: Pour 1-2 tablespoons of emulsion into the well of the frame. Use a squeegee to spread the emulsion evenly across the screen. Apply gentle pressure and try to create a thin, smooth coating. Cover the entire surface, including the sides of the screen.
• Flip and Coat the Other Side: Carefully flip the frame over and pour approximately 1 tablespoon of emulsion onto the flat side. Use the squeegee to spread it evenly. Make sure the coating is smooth, as any imperfections will transfer to your final design.
• Let it Dry: Place the screen back on the pushpins and leave it to dry overnight in a dim space. You can speed up the drying process by placing a fan near the screen. Make sure the room remains dark to prevent accidental exposure to UV light.

By following these steps, you will have successfully applied the emulsion to your screen. The next step will be exposing the emulsion to light and transferring your design onto the screen. Remember to work in a well-ventilated area and always wear protective gear when handling chemicals.

Expose the emulsion to light

Exposing the emulsion to light is a crucial step in the silk screen printing process. Here's a detailed guide on how to do it:

Prepare the Work Area:

Before you begin exposing the emulsion, ensure your work area is ready. Set up your workstation in a dim room, covering the surfaces with newspaper or an old sheet/tarp to protect them from the chemicals. Close curtains or doors to block out sunlight, as UV light can prematurely harden the emulsion.

Prepare the Emulsion and Screen:

Mix the emulsion and sensitizer according to the manufacturer's instructions. Wear rubber gloves for protection. Once mixed, use a squeegee to spread the emulsion over both sides of the silkscreen frame, creating a thin, smooth coating. Remove any drip marks and let the screen dry overnight in a dark area.

Place the transparency sheet (with your design) and a glass sheet onto the flat side of the silkscreen frame. Ensure the room is still dim. If your image is not symmetrical, place the transparency so the image appears backward to print correctly on your shirt.

Position a light source with a 250-watt light bulb above the frame. The light should be about 18 inches (46 cm) above the screen. Turn on the light to expose the emulsion. The exposure time will vary depending on the brand of emulsion, so follow the manufacturer's instructions. The emulsion will harden where it is exposed to light.

Wash and Dry the Screen:

After exposure, quickly remove the glass and transparency sheet. Spray the screen with cold water to remove the wet emulsion, focusing on the area where your design blocked the light. Continue spraying until a stencil of your design appears on the screen. Let the screen air-dry for about 30 minutes or until completely dry.

Now your screen is ready to be used for printing your T-shirts!

Wash and dry the screen

After exposing the emulsion to light, you will need to wash out the frames. You should see a colour variation on the screen. The lighter shade is where the emulsion was blocked by the transparency print and did not cure. You can wash out these lighter areas with cool water. It will take a few minutes for the areas to clear. It is best to use the spray nozzle from your sink to force out the uncured emulsion. Smaller detail areas may require a fine-bristled brush or an old toothbrush to clear it away. Be careful with small areas to make sure you don't scrub away cured material. Check your screen by looking through it towards a light source to make sure the image areas are clear and your edges are clean.

Now that your screen is prepared, wrap the entire frame in duct tape to prevent any of the printing ink from seeping through gaps onto your material. Leave a little room around your image, but make sure all corners and crevices are covered. Overlap the tape onto the screen edges on both the front and back of the screen.

Now you are ready to print your shirts! Make sure you place a board or insert inside the shirt to avoid bleed-through. Simply align the screen on the shirt and place some ink across the screen above your image. Using your squeegee, gently "butter" the ink across the image area of the screen but do not press down on it yet. Once the image is covered, use your squeegee to scrape down the ink across the image as your "print" stroke. Re-position and repeat if your image is larger than your squeegee, as it was in my case. You can make additional strokes if you want to apply the ink thicker. But keep in mind that if you have small details, and you "print" stroke too many times, then you might have some bleed through in your print.

When you are done printing all your items, wash your screen right away by running cool water over it.

When the ink is very dry, heat set the image by pressing it with a dry iron.

Frequently asked questions