I know that one question has been driving you crazy lately. You spend all your time wondering, (Snow-White's-Evil-Queen-Style):
"Who is the worst screen printer of them all?"
But not to worry, because I will be your obliging magic mirror and simply inform you:
Um,
Me.
It's me.
I'm the worst.
You know, I heard all the talk.
"It's super messy".
"It's really involved".
"It requires about 200 separate steps to take place from start to finish, all of which up the margin of error just another few notches".
Okay, that last one was actually me...
But seriously? I cannot believe how complicated it is. Over the last week I proceeded to mess up in every conceivable way my road to (hopefully) printing some simple little patches and tees. My Pre-existing respect for screen printers is renewed ten-fold, because so many of them rock so hard, and I couldn't even muster one decent screen.
However, it's okay. Really, it is.
I don't have to be a "Renaissance-Crafter", despite my desire to be. It is okay with me to know how to sew and paint/draw and design and that be pretty much it. I've been trying out all sorts of new media in the last few weeks, and that is a frustrating thing for me (as I'm sure it is for everyone) because I like to instantly be good at something, instead of toiling away trying new things that you really have no idea how to do well (or at all!)
Methinks that it might be best if I leave the screen printing to the professionals, at least as far as Black Apple, shop stuff goes...after all, in the massive amounts of time it takes for me to make a feeble attempt at creating a screen with which to print, I could easily complete a painting or two, and that just makes more sense. I'm going to hang up the squeegee for the time being, and just forget about the whole demoralizing deal for a bit!
This doesn't mean, however, that everything new that I've tried lately is in the rubbish bin...not by a long shot! I've still got some sculptural pieces that I'm working on/experimenting with that are really coming together well, and I'll share those soon, so's you don't think I've become totally inept.
There you have it, a big, gaping moment of humility, for you, from me...your never-to-be-Renaissance-craftista.
PS: The image at the top is of the few (bad) prints I managed to eek out of the one screen I managed to burn at all properly. The detail is all crummy and wierd, and due to a misshap with some of the screen-clearing fluid I had to apply to some areas that wouldn't clear, it has kinda dissentigrated. So the screen is now dead, much like this process is to me.
Comments (26)
Ah, don't give up! Just put it away for awhile, then come back to it. It's never easy your first try (if so, we all may be screen printers, eh?). Almost nothing new is truly learned in one shot.
Besides, I see at least 5 little hedgies in that photo that are very well printed. And screen printing isn't meant to be perfect, that's what gives it it's charm...
See if you have someone who could come and help you with hands-on teaching?
Jen... · March 17, 2007 at 05:13 PM
I feel your pain, I attemped screen printing earlier this year with little to no luck at all. My other feeble attempts, so far, this year alone have been soldering and a weaving class which resulted in one lonely scarf. It's great to expand artisic horizons but at the end of the day I like what I know.
megan · March 17, 2007 at 05:16 PM
Aw you poor thing, that sux!!! Have you ever heard of a gocco printer or a thermafax printer? if no, try googling them, I think they are much smaller machines that you can basically use a copy print with that aren't as daunting as bigger screen printing! You are amazing regardless...and we all love you,
Mary
Mary Contrary · March 17, 2007 at 06:06 PM
Aww, some of them look pretty good. When I burned my first screen, I put the image on BACKWARDS. So, I had to start all over which was very discouraging.
I perservered and now screen printing is the majority of my etsy shop
KiWi · March 17, 2007 at 06:09 PM
I have been trying screen printing for over a year now. I can't seem to get it right, but every few months I try again and go through a few more tries at a perfect screen. It's like... so close... but never right... arr!
kate · March 17, 2007 at 06:11 PM
You should have seen me the first time I tried screenprinting. I had rigged up a make shift exposing unit in a tiny closet that was already being used as a makeshift "darkroom" I was hanging the light by its cord from the ceiling. Anyone who saw me would have thought I was a complete lunatic. And I had to re-expose the image twice before I got it the way I wanted it! Its definitely a complicated medium. Every few weeks I catch a glimpse of my silkscreening supplies in their cardboard box and I think... maybe I should... and then I remind myself what a messy pain it is and I grab the sewing box instead.
Queen Alice · March 17, 2007 at 06:15 PM
Queen Alice, my 'darkroom' is a tiny half-bath in the master bedroom and I hang the light from the toilet. It's not pretty but it gets the job done.
KiWi · March 17, 2007 at 06:31 PM
Well, it's nice to know you have a chink in your craftista armor. I was beginning to think you were invincible!
Mama Urchin · March 17, 2007 at 06:49 PM
Screen printing is really much easier if you have the proper setup for it. I did it a bunch in college and it doesn't matter how good I got, I could never replicate the results at home without investing in a bunch of equipment I don't have room for.
Perhaps you could take a class? Then you could have proper instruction and access to equipment!
Sarah · March 17, 2007 at 07:47 PM
Oh Lord--this was my next 'to-tackle' item, right after baking and sewing my own clothing!
My problem is that I spend weeks, sometimes years preparing, reading, researching and sometimes it pays off but often it doesn't. I also want instomatic perfection. Isn't it maddening?
Cirilia · March 17, 2007 at 08:09 PM
Me thinks I would feel the same way if I tried to paint or draw! Which is why I stick to the craft I know best-shopping! Speaking of which, I was at this super cute gift shop today called Reformed School, here in LA. There was a lot of stuff from my fav blogs so I struck up a conversation with the owner-who happens to read your blog too! We were both amazed with the packages in the hall. My friend was with me and she must have thought I was crazy talking to a complete stranger about someone we both feel like we "know." Anyway if you ever do come to LA - Reform School!
Jane · March 17, 2007 at 08:48 PM
Hi Emily, I'm new to Etsy, and I love your work! I followed the link over to your blog today, and it just so happens that I teach screenprinting... Don't give up! Burning images can definitely be tough, depending on the equipment you have. But you can also get your images onto a screen using two other methods - drawing fluid or screen filler. And once you have a screen burned, there *is* a magical trick that will make printing a breeze & give great results - it's called a flood coat. Basically, it's printing in the air before you hit paper (or fabric). Hold the screen so it's not touching the material you're printing on, add your line of ink, then drag it across the whole image to saturate it with ink. Then put your screen down and print as normal without adding ink - you're just pushing down what you "flooded" in the previous coat. I hope that makes sense! It makes it all a bit more even and predictable. Please don't give up, though, your work looks great (way better than my first screenprints!), and I don't mind giving more advice if you'd like it - just convo me! Good luck! :)
Tessa · March 17, 2007 at 08:51 PM
ah, yes...adventures in uncharted medium territory. that is where i am toiling daily these days! thank you for posting your humble attempts. i cannot tell you how much it helps! loves!!
stephanie · March 17, 2007 at 09:37 PM
I can totally relate. Not that I've tried screenprinting (besides the very friendly & super easy gocco).
Nobody be good at everything. I am often happy that I am "bad" at new crafty things I try, because there is sooo much art/crafting things to try and so little time.
But, I think your hedgies are cute! And your last endeavor of needle felting was fantastic!
BTW... I am reading the short stories of Kelly Link, who I think you would really like. Amazon links her with Aimee Bender so I thought of you. Her collections are Magic for Beginners and Stranger Things Happen. They are unbelieveable.
Alison · March 17, 2007 at 10:38 PM
this is my first time commenting! hello! haha i wanted to send you an email or etsy message saying hello and all that and maybe i still will..but i had to comment because i very much agree with your frustration with screen printing! i am often very tempted by it, but my word you said it right- 200 steps and what a headache! i think i'm like you and i want to not only be good at it right away, but i also wan't to be well ON MY WAY once i start haha.
my younger brother is learning though! i don't vent my frustrations with him in fear of discouraging his efforts haha. actually, i think it could work out nicely as he is having creative blocks and asking friends and family to give him ideas of what to print. now that i can handle :)
-caitlin
nice-etc · March 17, 2007 at 11:43 PM
Oh no! Don't say that. I was just thinking this last week that I wanted to try screen printing. I think I will be too scared to try it now. I am a person who wants to do everything. This year alone I have started silk painting, free machine embroidery and needle punch embroidery. I have so many different crafts I like it may not be a bad thing not to add screen printing to the list. I really do enjoy reading your posts. You always make me smile, thanks!
Jess · March 18, 2007 at 02:24 AM
not to fear! screen printing is tuff work. Getting a system working without major kinks is the first step- then get a few prints out of 20 is next. I took a class otherwise I'd have no idea what I'm talking about. Our main problem was figuring out developing time.
pamela · March 18, 2007 at 11:00 AM
i second (or maybe third) the gocco recommendation - it makes screenprinting super easy. and you can apparently use it on fabric, though i think you need some extra supplies for that. i've seen them for sale on etsy lately!
melissa · March 18, 2007 at 12:04 PM
Poor Emily ~ you shouldn't have started with the light sensitive emulsion. Grab a bottle of the screen filler, then all you have to do is paint out the negative area. I know you are comfortable with a brush ;)
Just put the screen over your image and trace it onto the fabric with a pencil. I like to make my own screens with organza fabric stapled to some canvas stretchers. Then use the screen filler (you can also use Mod Podge) to fill in all the areas that you don't want the paint to go through. Much easier... then when you get used to it try the emulsion again.
Tiffany Harvey · March 18, 2007 at 01:09 PM
aww, don't give up! i just tried gocco-fabric printing on my gocco machine this weekend and it's about a 50% success - I'm going to look for a hand-held gocco stamper as i heard that it's designed for printing on fabric. i can totally imagine how cute your hedgehog fabric would be, though.
elisabetha · March 18, 2007 at 01:10 PM
Well frankly I've never tried screen printing but I think you are being hard on yourself. Your cute little hedgehogs don't look so bad and sometimes the little smudges and mistakes are what make hand-made and hand-printed things so charming! I hope you reconsider and maybe try it again sometime!
andrea · March 18, 2007 at 02:58 PM
I recently discovered your blog and just love all your work! I just wanted to comment and say that I sympathize entirely. I got a speedball screenprinting kit for my birthday last June. I went out and bought a lamp to use, a bulb, and a picture frame for the glass to hold down the image. A few months later, a dragged a big table into my bathroom (no easy task) to set the screen up for burning. I burned it for too long, and ended up with visible, burnt, brown spots on the image, and could not get hardly any ink through. After that, I just gave up, as the kit only comes with 2 screens, and one was ruined, and by now my photo emulsion is no longer usable. Someday, I will try again, maybe, and I think maybe you will too.
And trust me, your hedgehogs are adorable and way better than my attempt at screen printing was ;)
(now I've convinced myself I want a gocco... hahaha)
Natch · March 18, 2007 at 03:21 PM
Definitely, it is discouraging to invest time and money into something that doesn't work out the way you want it to. However...it seems you were quite successful at it, given the limitations of doing it at home and getting a 'perfect' result immediately. I liked the prints of the hedgehogs, and it's great that you are always stretching yourself.
Helen · March 18, 2007 at 04:06 PM
Have you tried being a Gocco girl ??? Its super easy and fun. They also sell a gocco stamper that allows you to put your screen on and stamp away till your hearts content. I believe I got mine at misterart.com? Or some spot like that.
eleni · March 18, 2007 at 04:57 PM
I used to expose screens by laying them in the hot noon sun for about 20 minutes. If you use a dish scrubbing brush, it makes washing the screen a lot easier and you get a nice crisp image. My first attempts weren't very good, so don't give up!
Lana · March 20, 2007 at 07:56 AM
My best friend actually teaches a screenprinting class in which she uses really really simple methods. I can't really explain it well, since its not my area of craftiness, but she uses modge podge, thin material, and embroidery loops with great results. Her email address is rhia83@gmail.com- I am sure she can explain it much much better!
Don't give up!
Amber B · March 26, 2007 at 01:16 PM