Wherever you look today you will see lots of logos, designs and artwork. Most of these things are created from a modernized version of an older type of technology. This is known as screen printing.
What Screen Printing Is
Screen printing is a great way to lend exposure to a company’s name or logo. It originally began with using silk as a medium. However, today it uses finely woven nylon or polyester fabric. Onto this material designs are carefully stenciled and brought to life. Companies who want to establish themselves within the marketplace today have created many of these works of art on such things as t-shirts and hats. Of course, already established companies will oftentimes use them to bring further recognition to their brand as well.
The Acceptance Of Screen Printing
People have discovered that screen printing is very flexible and that it can be used on a variety of different platforms including textiles, ceramics, metal, wood, paper, glass and plastic. In reality, there isn’t much that screen printing can’t accomplish. This is especially true now that you can clearly see that screen printing is evident in all walks of life. In fact, you cannot walk down the street without seeing hundreds of screen printed items along the way (i.e. soda bottles, T-shirts, coffee cups, cars). With all of these different uses, you can rest assured that there are a lot of different techniques that are also being used.
Photographic Emulsion
The most common type of screen printing is what is known as photographic emulsion. This is the process whereby a photosensitive substance is hardened. The substance is then subjected to ultraviolet light. In this way the monochromatic design (a.k.a. your desired stenciled design) is then transferred onto whatever type of material you happen to be working with at that moment. In order to complete this process you will need to rinse away any excess emulsion that the light didn’t harden. This is done with either water or a special type of solvent. What you will then end up with is the desired image that is now printed on to the medium that you are using. This is something that has grown quite popular over the past several years and it can now be seen on a lot of everyday household items. Of course, it is also used by a lot of commercial brands as well.
Finding Screen Printing In Your Daily Living
Whenever you put on a t-shirt or pick up a coffee mug you are using a product that has been screen printed. Just look at the artwork or the advertising that is found on it and you will see it for yourself. There are lots of these banners, logos, graphics and pieces of artwork that have been created and replicated over and over again because of this type of technology. With the evolution of screen printing, especially since it is no longer using silk, this technology has greatly improved.
Today photographic printing is also done in the way that screen printing is done. Herein you will see many famous artists (i.e. Andy Warhol) whose artwork has been replicated in this fashion. Of course, this is just one of the many examples of how this technology continues to bring familiar household names into our lives and beautiful pieces of artwork into our hearts. While it does use a harsh, abrasive chemical process, in the end you have a product that will warm the hearts of many different people. Where the process of screen printing will take us in the future is still to be seen but you can rest assured that great things will continue to happen here.