Learning to silkscreen

It’s funny how the right tools show up just when you need them.

In order to make the piece I envision, it seems that I need to silkscreen the background images onto square-ish pieces of fabric. Only one problem: I’ve never done “real” silkscreen prints. I’ve used a Thermofax machine to print fabric a few times, and I’ve done some deconstructed screenprinting (where the outcome is very forgiving). Fortunately, my friend and mentor, Wendy Huhn is an expert and a wonderful teacher.

She was here visiting a couple of weeks ago, and in Bookmans (used bookstore) spotted a Yudu machine. They were sold as “hobbyist” photo emulsion screenprinting kits with everything you’d to do a few silkscreens, but the company stopped making them. However, they’re being adopted as smaller photo emulsion units with “aftermarket” components. I snapped it up, and brought it home with me, ordered some screens and all the chemicals needed for photo emulsion.

I ordered Ulano TZ photoemulsion from the company, and gathered all the various parts I’d need, and finally yesterday got to apply the emulsion to silkscreens. Today is test day, where I’ll figure out what the optimal exposure is on the Yudu unit, and then I should finally be able to start making screens and printing fabric.