SILK SCREEN: POSTER, PAINTERLY OR PERSONAL, ALL POSSIBILITIES

I believe silk screen to be a very fluid graphic process, quicker than block printing, and freer in color complexity. Yet, I dearly love both. A simple wood frame, purchased or made with 2"x 2" pine, polyester or silk to staple to the frame for the screen, adhering film to cover the screen,x-axto knives to cut the film design, printing inks to pour into the screen, and a squeege to pull down the colors over the printing paper are the materials needed. One must choose water base film with lacquer type inks, or lacquer type film with water based inks. Solvents are required with lacquer film or inks for final cleanup. All work presented here are with water based inks. All materials can be obtained in kit form as well.

  The print on the left shows an alternative to "film" for the design content. All colors here were masked with construction paper to either block out areas or be cut into openings for ink passage. This is not as durable as film, but workable for several prints. It can be cut or torn, producing softer edges. The right print combines both film and cut construction paper for its design. The left leaf areas and the sails of the other print shows the clean-cut precision edges of film design.

  The left and right prints have wonderful "painterly" color blends with transparency and mottled hues. This is accomplished with multi-ink colors in the screen pocket, light dragging of ink, reversal inking, and use of transparent bases added to the inks. The last two are film cut works. The left one combines both film and construction paper cut openings for the design. Look closely--the "falling leaves" are the construction paper areas.

  Silk screen backgrounds can also be watercolors, collage, or brayer rolled colors and any other media or techniques you'd like to include in a mixed media manner. Working with construction paper masks allow easy removal and replacement for quick color additions. Just for fun, here's some colorful backgrounds we prepared, just to discover how fluid color backgrounds could be using some or none construction paper for ink sections. Go ahead! Make your own rules and enjoy lots of experimentation.