Stamping, Stenciling and Silk Screen

Block Printing-Stamping

Block printing is one of the earliest forms of printing.  By 400 BC India was exporting fabrics to China and by the Middle Ages trade was established in Europe.  As the printing method developed commercially the blocks were made in different wood for different purposes.  The  design stands out in relief on the surface of the block, with a different block for each color of the design.  The block is pressed onto an inked plate or pad and the applied to the fabric surface. 

When designing for a block print or stamp remember that whatever is raised off of the surface is what will print-it is a very direct form of printing.  You can design your print to have different colors, but think about how you will register (line-up) the designs.  This is particularly useful  for adding texture or random pattern to fabrics.

Stenciling-Silk Screen

Stenciling begins with cave painting and prehistoric man placing his hand on the wall and blowing color on and around it leaving the negative image of his hand.  Through the centuries many forms of stenciling have been used, but the invention of paper by the Chinese created an easy material to use when cutting stencils. 

When designing for a stencil remember that what you cut away is what you will see in your design.  Stencils are somewhat easier to register, especially with the clear plastic that many stencils are cut from.  You can make multiple stencils that work together to create a design, each with its’ own color or you can paint multiple colors on different openings of one stencil.  Remember when using a stencil brush the color from the edge to the interior to prevent color from bleeding under the edge of the stencil.  Part of the charm of block printing and stenciling is the fact that they look hand made-don’t fight the process, but use it to your advantage.  The unique look and texture of these processes should be considered a selling point in a mass production society.

If you want or need to have crisp lines, text, photorealism then you should use silk screen.  The process can be as simple as a paper stencil applied to a screen (usually good for 20 to 40 prints) to commercially prepared rotary screens that can print thousands of yards.  We will explore the low-tech end of silk screen-something you can do easily at home.  If you want to have a more complex design, but do not have the equipment to expose a photo screen there are silk screen shops in every large city that will make screens for you with your art work.

Again when designing for silk screen what you take away from the design is what will print.  Color separation (dividing the design into different color areas) is necessary since you need one screen for each color printed.  There are a lot of tricks to designing repeats and line ups in silk screen, but we are going with a basic paper block out.  If you build your own screens you can use a lacquer film bloc, paint on block out like varnish or shellac or commercial block outs.  I find it easiest to use commercially available water based pigments for printing, but thickened procion dye works well also-it is just more work mixing the colors and they cannot be stored and used as long.

Remember these techniques (Stamping and Silk Screen) are opposite of each other in how they print.

Silk Screen prints what you cut away and Stamping prints what you leave.  With silk screen lettering is cut out as you want it to read, with stamping lettering must be reversed to read properly.

Test #6- Stamping

Try some of the wooden blocks or foam stamps that we have available and create one of your own using the self stick foam and foam backing.  You can make any size or shape and multiple stamps if you like.  The advantage to stamping is freedom of alignment and being able to flip and rotate your motif.  Remember whatever is raised off of the surface is what will print.  You may also make stamps from found objects, vegetables, textured surfaces-anything that is a relief surface that can be pressed onto a surface after being inked.

1.  Using a stamp make a record of the basic networks on paper:  Square

                                                                                                                    Brick

                                                                                                                    Half-drop

     4” X 4” minimum- cut out mount & label on page                           Diamond

                                                                                                                    Herringbone

2.  Using a stamp investigate some of the possibilities on fabric.

            A.  different networks/directional or nondirectional prints

            B.  flip and rotate

            C.  voids/packed/spaced                 Tip: remove up to 50% of your shape &

            D.  random/tossed                                   keep one edge straight if you want a rigid

            E.  over-printing                                      alignment-it will help you to register your print.

            F.  change in interval/stripes

            G.  hue/value/intensity (color experimentation)

Caution:  The pigment we are using is water based and will not harm your skin, though I would not put it in my eyes, but it is a textile pigment that works well on cellulosic and because it is a pigment also works on polyester.  Why am I telling you this?  Because your clothes will be permantely stained if you get it on them-it will not wash out even if you use bleach.  One of the tings to learn when working on fabric with dye or paint-No matter how messy the process looks you need to control it and be neat or you can ruin yards of your fabric or someone else project.

Record your results and mount your samples in your technique book.

Test #7- Silk Screen

Create a freezer paper design that you can apply to the silk screen (the ink will hold it in place).  If you have floating shapes be sure to keep them to apply to the screen, they can be held temporarily in place with tape until the ink adheres them to the screen. 

If you have multiple colors in your design you will have to cut an individual paper for each color you want to print(color separation).  The appearance of having multiple colors without cutting multiple screens may be achieved by “split fountain technique” or multiple colors in one screen.  These colors will blend and form new combinations of color.

Record your results and mount your samples in your technique book.

You may bring in your own T-shirt or other item to screen.  If it is a thin jersey place a piece of newspaper between the layers to prevent bleed through.  The ink we are using is good on 100% cotton or cotton poly blends up to 50-50.  After dry, iron on high with no steam on the print for 2-3 minutes to set the color.  It is then machine washable.

Test #7B- Stenciling

Create a stencil design by cutting from heavy paper or thin plastic sheets.  Ink, devore paste or other block outs may then be applied using a brush to transfer the pattern.  Remember to brush from the stencil into the cut area to prevent pushing ink under the stencil.  Stencils may be used repeatedly if wiped and allowed to dry.

All of these techniques may be used in combination and in a variety of ways to create the desired look