The image is created by blocking parts of the canvas with a stencil, so that the ink only goes through where the design is to be printed on a surface such as paper, fabric or plastic.

The technique is known for its vibrant colours, and a major advantage of screen printing is that it is an opaque colour. We use dyed paper and/or textiles that are dyed in a specific colour. With screen printing, you can print the colour you want even on a dark background.

How it works:

1. Create a screen:
   A fine-mesh cloth is stretched over a frame.
2. Making a stencil:
   An image (original) is transferred to the screen and covers the parts that are not to be printed with ink. This can be done using photochemical methods, wax or plastic.
3. Print:
   A squeegee/spatula is drawn across the canvas, pressing ink through the open parts and creating the design on the substrate.
4. Colour for colour:
   One colour is printed at a time. For multi-colour images, the colour layers are printed on top of each other.

Areas of application

• Many artists use screen printing to create prints, often using photographs.
• Printing on T-shirts, fabric bags and other textiles.
• Used to print layers on printed circuit boards, known as ”silkscreen PCBs”.
• Ideal for creating fast, cost-effective prints for advertising.

Why it's called ”silkscreen”
The name comes from the fact that silk was originally used for the cloth, but now synthetic materials such as polyester and nylon are more common for durability and precision.