Screenprinting & Other Printing Methods

Screenprinting

Screen printing is a commonly used method of printing, which involves the use of a stencil.
This technique is often used to print many mass produced illustrations.

http://www.ece.lsu.edu/emdl/facilities/screen_printer.jpg < image reference at this link.

In screenprinting, a porous woven fabric, (which was originally silk, hence the coined term of screen printing), is stretched over a frame and certain areas of the mesh are blocked off by a material that isn't penetrable.
The areas that are uncovered, are the places that will be covered in ink.
This method produces a very sharp image, and is used a lot by professional illustrators, and companies such as Nobrow.

http://www.nobrow.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/nb3_slide02.jpg < image reference at this link.

The screen is placed on the top of paper/fabric, and then additional new ink is layered onto the mesh screen. 
Through the use of a squeegee, ink is distributed evenly into the mesh, and the ink passes through the mesh, onto the clean paper/fabric.
The ink is left to dry, and then the process can be repeated with another clean screen, and a different tone of ink.
Full colour prints can be made via printing in a CYMK format. 
CYMK, stands for cyan, yellow, magenta, and K, which stands for black.

Screenprinting can be printed on such materials on t-shirts, fabrics, DVDs, ceramics, glass, paper, metals, and wood.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wogKeYH2wEE < video reference at this link.

The video above gives a great example of what is involved in the process of screen printing.

http://www.kalamazoo.com.au/printing-methods/ < blog reference from this link.


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Digital Printing

This type of printing is a common form of printing in many different practises, from office or, to illustration, as it is usually a cheap, and easy process.
Instead of ink being soaked by the paper/fabric etc, the method of digital printing allows the formation of a colour layer on the surface.

http://www.jdr-websites.co.uk/gallery/images/1145/image/SP-300i_front_with_sample_image.jpg < image reference at this link.

Thomas.