Screen Print Flowers | Free Family Funday | April 2022

We’ve started the first steps of the screen-printing process but want you to know how to do it at home as well!
First, we began by applying a light-sensitive green-colored type of paint over a blank silk screen frame.
Then, we let it dry in a dark space overnight. The screen then becomes light sensitive and must be placed in a lightproof box until we are ready to add our design.
Next, we printed our design onto a transparency in all black ink.
Then, we made our own temporary dark room in a closet. Inside with the lights out, we first placed the transparency on the top surface of the screen (remember, flip your design backwards if it has words), placed a clean piece of clear plastic over the design to hold it flat, and then we used a hand-held UV light to expose the surface, which hardens the green area not under your design.
Finally, we scrubbed the screen clean to reveal the design underneath!

Materials 
Screen Printing Frame
Canvas Bag
Transparency
Squeegee
Screen Printing or Fabric Ink

Project Steps

Step 1: Choose your favorite design and write your name on the bottom of your tote

Step 2: Next, spread an even layer of fabric paint on the top edge of the silkscreen frame.

Step 3: Now, before you print your design on the tote bag, we are going to ‘flood our screen.’ This means we are going to spread an even layer of our paint across the screen without printing on anything. Grab your squeegee, lie your silkscreen frame at a 45-degree angle, and then smoothly run the paint downwards once.

Step 4: Next, you can test your design on a piece of paper, by placing it underneath the silk frame, and running paint with your squeegee across from top to bottom in a smooth run. This will allow the chance to see your design and make sure that you like it.
Step 5: Now, place a piece of hard plastic or cardboard inside of your tote so that ink does not bleed to the other side. Then, place the frame down where you would like to print your design. Drip another layer of paint at the top of the screen and run your squeegee up to down 2-3 times for full coverage. Gently remove the screen from the tote and let dry.

When