DESIGN FOR PRINT
FINAL CONTENT
INTRO
The invention of print helped shape the world around us. Many of the originaly print methods are seen as dead in the modern world, howerver when mastered they can create truelly beautiful pieces of art work. This handguide aims to aide the revival of these truelly amazing processes. In this book you will be guided through everything you need to know about manual print processes. Step by steps you will be lead through print methods, with useful tips and tricks to help you along the way.Together we can bring these beautiful processes back to life.
SCREEN PRINT
Screen printing is a printing technique that uses a woven mesh to support an ink-blocking stencil to receive a desired image. The attached stencil forms open areas of mesh that transfer ink or other printable materials which can be pressed through the mesh as a sharp-edged image onto a substrate. A fill blade or squeegee is moved across the screen stencil, forcing or pumping ink into the mesh openings for transfer by capillary action during the squeegee stroke. Basically, it is the process of using a stencil to apply ink onto a substrate, whether it be t-shirts, posters, stickers, vinyl, wood, or other material.
TOOLS AND MATERIALS
Screen
Squeegee
Scoop Coater
Palette Knife
U.V. exposer unit
Acrylic Ink
Binder
Emulsion
Brown tape
Substrate
Screen priniting is all about preparation, the leg work you put in before printing will allow you to make the best possible print. First off you need to prepare your art work. This can be done simply by creating a paper cut syencil, this is a more primitive form of screen printing. For more detailed art work you will need a computer. Adobe editing software is the best for this, in particular illustrator. Remember when you are using different colours you will have to create different layers of art work for each colour. Each colour will need to be exposed to a different screen. All layers must be printed in black and white from an ink jet printer, no matter what colours you intend to use for the final print. Black ink is used to make sure all light is blocked in the exposing stage. Before you can expose the screen you must first prep it. Clean thoroughly with degreaser on both sides of the screen. Use a sponge to clean the mesh, this will clear any blockages caused by dirt and left over ink. Blot dry with news print and leave standing upright to dry.
COATING
Pour the emulsion into the trough of a scoop coater. Let the emulsion settle so that it is equal in depth across the length of the scoop coater. The liquid emulsion should be level. Tilt the scoop coater slightly backwards and place it at the bottom of the mesh. Then tilt the scoop coater forward so that the emulsion begins to flow toward the mesh.Keep enough pressure with the coater against the mesh to prevent emulsion from leaking below the coater. Most scoop coaters have an angled piece on both ends of it to guide you to the best coating angle. If you have keep the emulsion level even across the length of the coater, the leading edge of emulsion in the coater should flow towards the mesh and hit it evenly, at all points. Start the upward movement of the coater immediately when this happens, maintaining firm even pressure and speed as you move it upward. One very helpful tip; when you reach the top of the squeegee stroke, (avoid contact with the top of the frame) give the scoop coater a slight flip backwards. This will prevent drips.
EXPOSING
When the emulsion is completely dry you can begin the exposing stage in the UV exposure unit. Place the positive image face up on the glass bed and align the screen, emulsion side down on top of the image. Close the lid and switch on the vacuum pump. This stops light escaping from behind the positive areas of the image. Expose the image for 170 L.U. The emulsion becomes hardened when the UV light comes into contact. The dark areas of the image don’t allow the light to harden the emulsion.Rinse of the screen gently with water to remove the soft emulsion, the hardened emulsion remains to form the stencil. once the screen is clear, place it in a warm room and allow the screen to dry.
PRINTING
First of all use brown parcel tape to cover the parts of the screen you arent using, this will make sure no ink seeps through. If applicable clamp the screen in to a vacuumed screen bed, this will allow pin point precision and will aide registration. When preparing inks mix 2 parts acrylic paint and 1 part binder. The ink will need mixing thoroughly so that no white binder can be seen. Place your substrate under the screen, making sure it is in the correct position, lower the screen so it is resting on top of the substrate. Using a pallet knife spread a thin layer of ink along the top of the screen on the parcel tape. Place the squeegee behind the ink at a 45% angle and apply pressure, pull the ink across the image try to apply an even amount of pressure, and dont rush.The ink dry quickly which will damage the screen so if doing multiple prints have lots of substrates with in reaching distance.
LETTER PRESS
Letterpress is the oldest method of printing with equipment and images printed by the relief type printing plates where the image or printing areas are raised above the non-printing areas. The use of letterpresses for commercial use is on the decline being replaced with faster and more efficient printing presses such as the offset lithographic press or the flexographic press. The amount of setup required to prepare the equipment to print a job is significant. However the process results in a tactile and beautifully unique print with every relief.
TOOLS AND MATERIALS
Lead type blocks
Spacers/Leading
Composing stick
Chase
Furniture
Coin
Allen key
Press
Oil based ink
Substrate
Type setting your design is by far the longest and sometimes arduous task of this process. Every glyph of the type has to be set by hand including spacing and leading line breaks. It is important to remember that the type must me place backwards or mirrored (upside down and right to left) a simple way around this is to create art work on Illustrator or Photoshop first and flip it before printing, this eliminates the time taken to work out your words backwards. You first compose your design in to composing sticks. When your type is laid out and ready to print it needs to be transferred to a chase. Place the design in to the middle of the chase and use coins and furniture to fill the surrounding areas. To secure the type use an allen key to tighten it to the chase frame. You can now secure your chase to the print bed.
PRINTING
Before you can print your artwork you will need to ink up the roller of the flat bed cylinder press; spreading ink along the top of the roller does this. Turn on the press so that the roller begins to turn, the rollers create a chain reaction and coat the ink evenly around all the rollers. Rotate the barrel forward to coat your type with ink, allow a few spins to the roller to ensure all of your design is coated. The next step is to install the paper on to which you are printing, push the pedal down and align your paper, realizing the pedal will secure your paper in to place. Turn the handle to rotate the barrel. The barrel will roll the paper over the top of the artwork and create a relief print. Roll the barrel back to the start position and remove the print. Using the same inked plate multiple times creates unique prints, and adds texture to the lettering.
EMBOSS AND DEBOSS
Embossing and debossing are the processes of creating either raised or recessed relief images and designs in paper and other materials. An embossed pattern is raised against the background, while a debossed pattern is sunken into the surface of the material, but might protrude somewhat on the reverse, back side depending on substrate thickness.
TOOLS AND MATERIALS
Ink roller
Press
Illustrator
Laser cutter
MDF board
Oil based ink
Substrate
When using a wooden plate produced through laser cut you need to create your artwork on illustrator. Make sure you turn your design in to vector lines so that the laser cutter can read them as paths. You must remember to reverse the design as it is a relief print and prints back to front. Using the raster option you can cut a stencil to either emboss or deboss. You can edit the depth of the raster depending on how deep you need your emboss/deboss to be. Embossing creates a pattern raised from the substrate and debossing creates an indent in to the substrate.
PRINTING
The two main types of embossing are blind embossing and ink embossing. Blind embossing doesn’t use ink. Align a sheet of paper over the top and cover with a stack of tissue paper; this helps to apply pressure evenly across the sheet. Its best to use the hydraulic nipping press for embossing as it is the easiest way to apply great amounts of pressure with little effort. Slide the board into the press and tighten the screw on the side. Pump the handle until it becomes tight, press the black button on the side and continue pumping the handle until it becomes difficult. Loosen the screw on the side to release the pressure and remove the board. To add ink to your design, place the ink evenly over the plate using a roller. Do not apply a great amount of ink, as it will seep out of the sides.
LINOCUT
Linocut is a printmaking technique in which a sheet of linoleum, sometimes mounted on a wooden block, is used for the relief surface. A design is cut into the linoleum surface with a sharp knife, V-shaped chisel or gouge, with the raised uncarved areas representing a reversal mirror image of the parts to show printed. The linoleum sheet is inked with a roller, and then impressed onto substrate. The actual printing can be done by hand or with a press.
TOOLS AND MATERIALS
Cutting Tools e.g gouge
Bench Hook
Roller
Press
Linoleum
Oil based inks
Cut the lino down to the size you need, you can draw you design straight on to the lino as an outline using pencil. Remember that you have to compose the mirror image of your final design on to the lino. A useful tip is to heat the lino up before cutting in to it. This softens it and makes it easy to cut in to. The area of the lino that you cut in to will not be printed. Start by digging the gouge in to the lino and gliding the tool away from your design and towards the edges, this protects your design and allows you to become familiar with the force and motion needed to cut in to the lino. When you become comfortable with the technique you can begin to work in to the more intricate areas of the design. Use different gouge blades depending on the inticacies of the design. When your design is complete choose your substrate and use registration marks to line up your design and substrate.
PRINTING
Apply Ink to a plate of glass, using a roller spread the ink over the plate so that it is evenly distributed over the roller. Next take your linocut, using the roller ink up the design. There are two ways to produce the final relief print. One using your hands, and the more effective method of using a press. Using a press is more effective as it applies an even amount of pressure all over the lino. Place your paper in to the press e.g Columbian Press, place the linocut ink side down on top of the paper and cover with a thick blanket to protect everything. Lower the top of the press, then pull the lever to apply pressure over the the lino, realease the lever and carefully pull back the blanket, be careful when removing the lino from the paper as it can easily smudge. To use your hand pressure ink the lino as above, place the lino, ink side down on to the paper and apply pressure all over the back of the lino trying to distribute pressure evenly, carefully remove the lino and leave your print in a drying rack.
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