DIY Screen Printing on Shirts
This video explains the process of screen printing on shirts, so watch along to learn more! You’re going to need a screen, a squeegee, and photo emulsion. Add water to the bottle of sensitizer, shake, then pour into the emulsion until it is a consistent green color. Pour a little onto the screen and spread it thinly and evenly with the squeeze.
Put a fan on the screen and turn the lights off, allowing it to dry in the dark. Once dry, you have to work fast since it is photosensitive. Print out your art on transparencies then lay it backward on the screen. Push the transparencies down with a piece of glass, then set a bright light on top for at least 30 minutes. The light exposes the emotion not covered by the design and you can use spray and a toothbrush to gently remove that area.
Lay out your shirt and place the screen over it, then add a thick layer of the screen printing ink, following over it with the squeegee. You can reuse screens when you’re done with them by putting photo emulsion on the screen, then using a hose to wash out the emulsion. This process takes a lot of practice before your shirts come out exactly how you want them to. Try to use old t-shirts as practice before committing to a more expensive piece.
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