We’re probably all familiar with the results of screen-printing. It’s the most popular technique for producing prints on t-shirts and other fabrics. It uses a woven mesh to support the stencil that the ink is pressed through. The ink is moved using a squeegee or roller, and is usually heat set. Screen-printing has been around in a recognizable form since the Song Dynasty in China, and was used throughout Asia in conjunction with fabric painting and block prints.
The art came to Europe in the late eighteenth century, but it was a long time before it caught on. Once silk mesh became more available in Western countries, a profitable use for it was discovered. The first English screen-printing patent was filed in 1907, and was used as a method for printing high end wallpapers. For some time, screen printers in the West leaned toward keeping their techniques secret, so that Read the rest of this entry »