DIY Screen-Printing with PhotoEZ or StencilPro: Easy, Fast & Detailed!

You can quickly screen-print your own detailed designs onto a shirt in your home with the PhotoEZ screen-printing kit.  This screen-printing option is great because you don't need a screen-printing frame or fancy chemicals; all you need is the kit, tap water and a sunny day!

PhotoEZ is a screen-printing paper with emulsion on one side that allows you to quickly burn your design onto a screen without a lot of equipment or chemicals.  You can buy the screens by themselves, but if it's your first time using it, you can buy a kit that includes everything you need.  I purchased a kit and was pretty happy with the way it turned out.  It's simple, fast, and you can get pretty good detail with this product.  Here's a quick tutorial for those of you interested!

If you'd like to see some finished products or view my other tutorials, check out my etsy shop & blog, or follow me on twitter! Also, your constructive feedback on this tutorial is greatly appreciated!  Thanks for looking and happy screen-printing!  Any questions?  Message me!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/anotherwaydesigns
http://anotherwaydesigns.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/anotherwaydsgn

Step 1: Materials

I purchased the complete PhotoEZ kit off of this website.  You can also purchase the StencilPro kit, which is basically the same thing but with a finer, higher quality mesh paper.  There is also a basic kit that does not include screen-printing ink for $37.95 here.

The complete kit I bought includes:
- PhotoEZ screen paper x 5
- contact frame
- binder clips x 6
- sheet of foam
- plastic mesh 
- squeegie x 3
- transparency x 2
- computer paper (88 brightness/ 20 lb plain paper)
- Speedball screen-printing ink x 6 (6 colors)
- 2 small test pieces of PhotoEZ paper

* Note: Before using a full sheet of the PhotoEZ, make sure you test a small piece first so if you mess up, you don't ruin a full sheet! The kit comes with 2 small test pieces.

Comments

[odie reyes]

yap! they are nice and pretty... i mean the designs hehehe. Round of applause to the models and two thumbs up for the one who made the graphics....

[odie reyes]

Graphics are very simple and nice.. but i like the model more hehehe

[belcher]

not worth $100, you could get a couple dozen shirts printed at your local print shop for the same amount of money, i understand the personal satisfaction gained from doing something yourself, so good for you,as for anyone else considering screen printing, buy real frames, aluminum, or wood, use a lower mesh count not lower than 110 dpi. Avoid the hassel of water based inks, if seriously on a budget use a 500 watt halogen buld for screen exposure , use diazo photo emulsion, speed balls is available at most art stores, but i would recomend kiwocol, CCI, or Union brands, as you get what you pay for. Cut your exposure time in 1/2, or more.  

[92033]

Great input. I'm a retired Professional Silk-Screen Printer so understand what you're saying. Neophytes most wont 'get it' / understand. It's the ONLY way to go for Screen Printing. Less than half the price of 'the kit' and you can reuse the screens to make a bundle of money printing for others. Get a good book on 'Silk Screen Printing' from your Public Library or download Instructions on Internet Encyclopedia. It could introduce you into a New Business and way of life. Once the screen is made...cost is only for Tee-Shirts and few pennies for ink to screen them.

[erica1011]

Please tell me where a couple dozen t-shirts screen printed would cost around $100 because i'd love to know.

[anotherway]

hi erica!

hm, most places i know charge at least $6-7 per shirt, so i'm not sure..anyone else know of a place?

[dh405]

Would this screen material be able to be framed using scrap wood? If I built a wood frame and stapled the screen to the bottom of it, I'd imagine that would make it easy to handle and keep ink from getting over the sides and onto the shirt.

[johnny3h]

Yes, you could mount it to a frame, and it would make handling much easier.

In addition, after mounting the screen to the frame, use masking tape to cover the staples and edge of the screen on the underside to reduce the chance of any damage to the T-shirt, cloth, or other printing surface it's used on.

Another trick is to use masking tape [on TOP] of the screen, around the edges where the screen contacts the frame. Place the tape so about half of it covers the edge of the screen, and the other half goes up the vertical edge of the wood frame.  This will prevent the screen ink, or paint, from entering the space between the screen and frame, and will make removal of the screen from the frame possible [if you should ever want to remove it.  Once ink, or paint has dried between the two, it will be impossible to seperate them.]

Another benefit of this "seal" is that you never have to worry about some ink getting through that joint, and then out onto what ever you are printing on!

[mxjoker]

 I like to use a regular screen with contact paper and an exato knife. I print whatever design I need, and then trace it out on the contact paper (cheap) and then stick it on the screen and get busy. It's easier than you think to simply trace a design. A little time will save a LOT of money. Simple supplies you can buy at the grocery store too!

[lukasdelahoja]

nice shirts nice girls, i want bolth.one shirt including the model.thanks for the intructions

[gallz]

You are very pretty! 

[AdrenDark]

 like the green one 
i'll give it ago