I'm still confused about the 'stencil' part of the process.

[haroldlovesmaude]

I really don't understand what you people mean when you say 'stencil'. What is the stencil made of? Is there anywhere I can see a picture of a silkscreening stencil? I've looked around the discussion board a while, but couldn't find anything. Any help would be appreciated.

[dreamersdisease]

bumping because i am too! any help would be awesomeee

[Pukka 13]

I really don't understand what you people mean when you say 'stencil'.

i think 'stencil' is a very vague word that applies to pretty much any art involving a transfer of ink.  silk screening, it seems, is not really considered stenciling--even if you cut the stencil then burn the screen; so it seems to my understanding. 'true' stenciling is to cut paper into an image and use that stencil to apply to your canvas/shirt.  -though i don't see how it's any different than using the stencil to transfer to a screen; it's just a more secure and sharper stencil--especially if you're mixing the modern advancements of Photoshop and the like.  but here's a really good tutorial on stenciling in the stenciling thread.

http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=10173.0

[haroldlovesmaude]

thanks, but I know what stenciling is. I stencil all the time.  I have a silk screening kit, but I don't get what it means when it says 'get a stencil and put it on the screen'. I mean, do I cut out a stencil like I'm stenciling or is it something else? That's what I don't get.

[fastforward.life]

From what I understand, a traditional stencil would invert the screen - what you want exposed would be blocked and vice-versa.  We just went over silk screening in my print design class, and their method was to print the image regularly on like an overhead transparancy (clear acetate, etc.).  The coloured ink blocks the light and exposure, while the unprinted / clear area still lets the light through to expose.

[lilshuga]

the "stencil" can be alot of things

you can cut out a stencil out of acetate or contact paper, or vellum and attach to your screen, but you will get only a few prints.

you can have a stencil via the emulsion route, where you coat the screen with a photo emulsion, make a "stencil" that has clear areas of transparent white and OPAQUE black out of acetate or vellum, and expose the screen. the opaque areas will be what print.

there is also the drawing fluid/screen filler method, where you draw your "stencil" right onto the screen with the drawing fluid, cover the whole screen with the filler, let draw, rinse with cold water, and all of the places you drew on with the drawing fluid will dissolve and that will be what prints.

so in short, the stencil in silkscreen is literally a stencil, but instead of cutting holes in the screen you cover the areas you don't want to print with paper, emulsion, or screen filler and the left over places are what prints.

[haroldlovesmaude]

thanks, lilshuga! That was really helpful.