DIY Screen Printing: Easy, Detailed & Inexpensive!

Step 6 Test Your Screenprint

Place your screen onto test paper/material and place a few spoonfuls of screen-printing ink onto the top of your screen. Hold screen down firmly in place with one hand.  Using pressure with the other hand, drag squeegie at a 45 degree angle across screen to distribute the ink. Flip squeegie over and drag squeegie upwards. Do this about 3 times. Once you have made a satisfactory test print...

Comments

[emilyhell]

You can make a DIY rectangular screen too. go to Ross or Ikea and buy the cheapest wood rectangular photo frame that has no embelishments on the front. remove the glass and backing. stretch the screen/mesh fabric over the bare rectangular screen and use a staple gun to secure in place on the edges of the frame (do not staple on the side that will lay flat when you screen print). cover with duct tape before beginning the drawing fluid step.

[phatfrog]

hi, i am just getting into this, so you are using a smaller squeegie than you print, which i guess means you have to pull ink a few times... so how do you stop it from bleeding.
i have had results bleed or some areas not have ink even with a squeegie that is bigger than my printing area??
also i have a screen but there seems to be a lot of instructions that say i have to tape the edges?? can i skip that? it looks like you get around it.
can't wait for the reply, i have been put off trying again as my first to printing attempts have not worked (one invovling cleaning filler out, so i am going to read over your steps for that too)
thanks

[anotherway]

hi! since the frame is round, i use a smaller squeegie to make it easier. i usually only pull ink 3-4 times and if the screen is tight, and the ink is not runny, it shouldn't bleed.

also, since the screen is round, i didn't tape it. i do tape screens when i buy rectangular screens. if you have the $, i'd buy a screen from the store since they are stronger and tighter; if not, then this is a good cheap alternative.