:QUOTE [quotetype:personal] Screen printing is making the same thing exactly, hundreds of times. That reliability is the skill. :INFO How Screen Printing Works Screen printing uses a mesh screen coated with photo-sensitive emulsion. A design printed on transparency film is placed against the coated screen and exposed to UV light. The light hardens the emulsion everywhere except under the opaque design areas. When washed, the unexposed areas wash away, leaving open mesh in the design shape. Ink is pushed through the open areas with a squeegee onto the substrate below. :COUNTER.half 110 to 160 Mesh | :COUNTER.half 45 Second Exposure :PATH Coat the Screen with Emulsion Apply photo emulsion evenly in a dark room and let dry before exposing. | :INFO Coat the Screen with Emulsion In a darkened room, pour a bead of Speedball or Diazo photo emulsion along the bottom edge of the screen. Use an emulsion scoop coater or a squeegee to pull the emulsion up the screen in one smooth pass. Apply to both sides. Let dry horizontally in complete darkness — 30 to 60 minutes at room temperature, or 15 minutes in front of a small fan. :PATH Prepare and Expose Your Design Print design on transparency, tape to screen, and expose to UV light. | :INFO Prepare and Expose Your Design Print your design as opaque black on a transparency film. Tape it to the coated emulsion side of the dry screen. Expose to UV light — a UV lamp at 30 to 45 seconds, or direct sunlight for 1 to 2 minutes. Exposure time varies by emulsion and light source — test on a strip first. Over-exposure makes washout difficult; under-exposure causes emulsion to wash away in non-design areas. :PATH Wash Out the Screen Rinse with water — the unexposed emulsion washes away cleanly. | :INFO Wash Out the Screen Immediately after exposure, take the screen to a sink or shower. Rinse both sides with room-temperature water. The unexposed emulsion (under the opaque design) will soften and wash away, revealing the open mesh in the design shape. Use a shower head or garden hose — gentle pressure, not high pressure. Hold the screen up to light to check that all open areas are clear. :PATH Print with a Squeegee Tape substrate, place screen, deposit ink, and pull with one firm stroke. | :INFO Print with a Squeegee Tape your shirt, paper, or fabric flat on a printing surface. Place the screen over it and deposit a line of ink above the design. Hold the screen with one hand and pull the squeegee firmly across the design in one smooth stroke, pressing the ink through the mesh. Lift the screen straight up. For fabric, cure the ink with a heat gun or iron per the ink manufacturer's instructions. :CHECKLIST Basic Screen Printing Setup [ ] Screen (aluminum frame, 110 to 160 mesh) [ ] Diazo or direct emulsion (Speedball brand is beginner-friendly) [ ] Emulsion scoop coater or squeegee for coating [ ] UV lamp or access to direct sunlight [ ] Transparency film and inkjet printer [ ] Water-based screen printing ink [ ] Squeegee — same width as your design :NOTE Emulsion Shelf Life Is Temperature-Sensitive Mixed Diazo emulsion keeps 6 to 8 weeks refrigerated. At room temperature it degrades in 1 to 2 weeks. Store mixed emulsion in a light-tight container in the refrigerator. Allow to reach room temperature before coating — cold emulsion is viscous and coats unevenly. :QUOTE [quotetype:personal] The first screen you expose will not print perfectly. The tenth one will. :LINK https://www.speedballart.com/learn/screen-printing-at-home/ Speedball Art — Screen Printing at Home: Complete Beginner Guide