Preparing The Screen...

My Screen

The first step to this process is to expose the black and white image onto a sheet of mesh (usually nylon). This is done by coating the mesh in a light sensitive emulsion and allowed to dry in a dark space, usually a drying cupboard. The screen is then transferred quickly to an ultra violet light exposure unit, the positive image is placed under the screen, and the screen is exposed to the light for a certain amount of time. The black areas of the image stops the ultra violet light getting through to the light sensitive emulsion, this keeps the emulsion soft. The ultra violet light is able to go through the white areas of the image, making the emulsion hard. Once exposure has stopped, the screen is then washed with a hose pipe and the pressure of the water peels away the soft emulsion, revealing the screen mesh underneath. This is stretched over a metal or wooden frame before the process begins. To prevent any leakages on your fabric, you should make sure to cover up any bits where the emulsion is missing. Do this with gum strip. The whole screen preparation process is done by a technician for health and safety purposes.

My Image