Gather your stencil making tools:
-Pencil
-Eraser
-Pencil sharpener
-Paper, yupo paper * is polypropylene paper, you can get at art supply stores
-Xacto knife/art blade
-Cutting mat
-Reference images,
-your vision!
Sketch
Next, sketch out your rough ideas on scrap paper… you can use reference images to guide you. Remember, you are going to be cutting away paper to make your stencil. The ink will go through the spaces you cut.
Sketch on Yupo paper
On Yupo paper, draw a finalized sketch of your image.
Cut out stencil
Set a cutting mat on a smooth, stable surface, then use an Xacto knife, to cut out your stencil…the negative positive space could challenge you… you got this!
Gather the things!
Now you need to gather silkscreening items:
-Table cloth
-Blank silk screen
-Squeegee
-Pallet knives
-Packing tape
-Ink
-Scissors
-Squares of foam core (can get it for free from architecture firms)
-Apron or painting cloths
-Wet rag
-Fabric
-Clothes pins
-Drying rack
Tape your stencil down
Use packing tape to tape your stencil to the underside of the screen. Make sure when you look through the frame your stencil is facing the way you intend. If your stencil has words, you should be able to read them.
7. Cut fabric
Cut fabric into pieces a bit bigger than your image. They can also be much bigger if you like, to allow for the addition of other stencils later on.
8. Get the ink!
The moment we have all been waiting for – get the ink out! And get ready to silkscreen:
-Clear your area
-Figure out your assembly line flow… one setup is to have a pile of blank fabric on your left, silkscreen and foam core in middle, and scrap paper to the right for jars of ink and tools
-Make a public announcement: We are opening the ink and it is about to get real fun and potentially real messy!
Pulling the ink
Pulling Ink is a whole process in itself:
-Place a piece of foam core on the table
-Lay your chosen piece of fabric on the foam core (for clothing slip foam core into garment)
-Eyeball your stencil placement and place silkscreen on fabric
-Have someone else hold the frame firmly in place
-Place a thick line of ink at top of stencil
-Place your squeegee above the line of ink at a 60 degree angle and pull the ink firmly down
across the stencil
-For precision use clamps and registration marks…otherwise eyeball it
-When you get to the bottom, scoop up ink with your squeegee and pull it across the stencil
another two times.
– This my diy technique for silk screening there are many ways to do it
10. The Reveal!
Now, hold a corner of the fabric down as you lift up the screen… the Reveal! Celebrate your screen print and stencil art!
11. Hang to dry
Hang your flag on a drying rack, clothesline, or lay it flat to dry. This is often a two-person job. If you are outside beware of wind! You can use a hair dryer if you are in a rush to dry the ink.
12. Setting the ink
Once the ink is completely dry, you can put your silkscreened print in a dryer to dry on normal heat for 15 minutes, or iron each individual print for a minute or two. Check the ink jar for details on heat setting
13. Ta-da!
Celebrate the result – your own unique Kinship print! Amazing work and effort! And thanks for getting creative and making things with your hands. It’s what they are designed for!
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