HOW TO SUCCEED AT SILK-SCREENING

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Now just select your paper and ink, and you're ready to print. Any heavy sheets, such as cover stock, are good for silkscreening. Thin paper, on the other hand, tends to stick to the screen, and overly porous sheets can soak up too much ink and make colors look anemic. Therefore, always look for 50- to 80-pound, nonabsorbent paper with a fine texture.

Solvent-based "poster ink", which dries to a flat finish, is best for printing on paper. (Never try to use water-based ink, because photofilm stencils are water-soluble!) Also, even though it's possible to "stretch" your supply of ink by mixing it with opaque extender, this practice tends to dilute the color intensity of the finished design.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Before I tell you how to make your reproductions, I'd like to offer a few pointers on health and safety that some printers might consider "sissy" . . . but that / feel are only common sense. First, always work in a well-ventilated area away from pilot lights and open flames, because the solvents used in screen printing are highly flammable. The chemicals can also enter the body through the skin and lungs and cause a variety of ailments. So, to be on the safe side, work in a place with a good air flow and/or an adequate exhaust fan ... wear latex gloves when you clean screens with solvents ... use less toxic chemicals whenever possible (mineral spirits and acetone have the least adverse impact on respiratory health, while lacquer thinners—which are a blend of solvents—usually contain more toxic substances) ... and—if you print frequently—wear an organic vapor mask, which will filter out a large part of the solvent fumes (such masks cost about $15 from industrial safety equipment dealers).

PRINT A PECK OF PRETTY POSTERS

After such extensive preparations, the printing process itself might seem almost anticlimactic. First, hinge your screen to the printing board, then make your first "positioning" print on a sheet of clear acetate, which should be taped down to the frame's hinged wooden border on one edge. To transfer the design, spread a large bead of ink at the top of the screen and "pull" it across the stencil with the squeegee ... which should be held—at a 60-degree angle—in both hands (Photo 8). Use a steady, firm (though not heavy) pressure. (The next print will be made by "pushing" the ink back to its starting position.)

After that, a sheet of good paper can be positioned under the printed acetate, so —when the clear film is removed—the design will fall just where you want it. That done, leave the sheet in place and make paper holders—of stiff tabs that are folded in a "Z" shape (see Fig. C)—and tape them to the printing board. Place two of the holders along the bottom of the paper and a third along one side ... to help you be sure that all your future prints are properly aligned.

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