Art and Design A comprehensive guide for creative artists - Aaltodoc

Here is an itemised set of methods used to decorate fabrics:
a. Stencil printing is a technique done by cutting out
a design from a thin sheet of paper, film, cardboard,
plastic and sometimes metal. Kipphan (2001, 412)
reminds us that “the correct screen tension is an
important factor in achieving good print quality ...
cutting films on base materials available for hand-cut
stencil ... and stuck to the screen.” That is to say, the
design used on a film is obtained from a roughly
sketched drawing and later, it is transferred by using a
cut out stencil. Then ink or paint is squeezed through
cut out spaces during printing. This process has been
clearly explained in a section about screen-printing.
b. Screen printing (serigraphy) decorates fabrics after
a motif or a design has been created. According to
Kipphan (2001, 55) “screen printing is a process in which
ink is forced through a screen ... a fine fabric made of
natural silk, plastic, or metal fibers/threads.”
With the assistance of a squeegee, ink is forced through
the unblocked parts of a screen (guided by a stencil) to
form (positive) designs against (negative) empty spaces
on the surface of a fabric.
In general, the motif of a design works like a stencil
during printing. Sometimes it is shaped with
supporting points commonly known as ‘bridges or ties’
for holding together the various components which
shape a desired design.
c. Block printing is a primitive way of decorating fabrics.
It is well liked by decorators who print with various
obtainable blocks like wood, rubber and even from
old slippers or shoes soles. Kafka (1973,1) explains block
printing as a“method employed when carved blocks of
wood, or other substances are charged with paints or
dyes and then imprinted onto the fabric.”
Block printing can also be done with other tools and
materials such as rubber-stamping as well as printing
with a press machine. To cut a necessary wood block
for fabric decoration, the artist is supposed to have
small tools like knives, chisels, a mallet, a small piece of
well-made wood, printing ink and a gouge.
Photo emulsion
This is another method of screen printing. It works with
photosensitive substances, which are coated on a mesh
to dry—inside a very dark place, for the reason that the
substances of photo emulsion are light-sensitive.
Whenever light is needed inside a darkroom, use only
illuminated red (safe light). Close all the doors and any other
small holes, which may bring or show light inside the room.
Turn on the red light before applying photo emulsion and
most importantly, read instructions on a tin. Also, remember
to wear gloves during working.
After dispensing emulsion on a mesh, spread it evenly
on the surface of a mesh and then, allow it to dry. Then,
attach a well prepared design—printed on a film—on the
underside (coated with emulsion) of a mesh.
When exposure light is turned on, it will penetrate through
the design to reach the emulsion area, to burn away
(positive) exposure parts. The impact of this can only be
seen at a stage of washing—a mesh.
It is in actual fact necessary to consult from experts before
going ahead with any process of photo emulsion.
Type of printing meshes
A mesh is another name for a screen. The main purpose of a
mesh is to support an ink blocking stencil during printing.
Board (2002, 3) is more enlightening; the word “screen
mesh“ is used as an explanation for a fabric that we stretch
on a frame. “Silk was the original material used, hence the
name” silk screening, “although the word is rarely used
today ... Multi-filament and mono filament polyester are the
products used, mono filament being the most popular.”
Let us have a brief look at a few types of meshes:
a. Silk mesh, fabric decorators trust the silk mesh for it
has got high quality and high precision. Indeed, the
word silk screen printing came as a result of using
this mesh. It looks like fine silk gauze stretched over
a frame. A silk mesh can print on any fabric material,
ceramic tiles, advertisement, glass, shoes and handbags
et cetera.
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