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Joe Lindsey
Silkscreen and Digital Print
Columbia College Chicago
Academic Print Studio
2007

Silkscreen printing is one of the most widely practiced forms of contemporary printmaking. Following some very straightforward instructions almost anybody can set up a safe and simple screenprinting facility in their garage or spare bedroom. Many successful printing firms and artist print studios were started this way - Andy Warhol's factory was one of them. With the addition of an etching press the range of possibilities can easily be extended to include the new Intaglio Type medium as well, and many workshops now have UV or halogen exposure systems that cater for both photopolymer based processes.

Nintendo Half Tube
Silkscreen and Digital Print
Chester University
Innovative Intaglio Print Studio

Water-Based Screenprinting
Converting to water-based technology

Roni Henning

I have been a printmaker (primarily screenprinting) for over thirty years, making fine art editions for artists, both emerging and well known. Among those artists were Agnes Martin, Romare Bearden, Jack Youngerman, Alice Neel, Andy Warhol, Red Grooms and Larry Zox.

Eighteen of those years were spent at The New York Institute Of Technology's Screenprint Workshop as their masterprinter-in-residence.

The Workshop was a unique facility that allowed artists to make limited editions of their art in collaboration with the masterprinter. It also permitted the students to have an opportunity to watch prints being made professionally by established and prominent artists. In that way it functioned as a teaching facility. I also taught the screenprinting, etching and design classes at the college. At that time the Screenprint Workshop was a solvent-based facility with oil-based inks and naphtha and acetone as the cleaning materials. Although there were fans there was no exhaust system to remove the bad air and replace it with fresh. Such a system was very costly and the college couldn't afford it. It was after completing a forty color edition of 600 prints that I started to question what I was doing to myself, the environment and my students.

Printers are a rigid breed and once they have developed a system of printing that works well, they are reluctant to change. I myself had felt this reluctance. I didn't realize that if something is poisoning you and the environment it can hardly be considered to be working well, even though the product looks good. Once, when I was working for another print studio in New York City, and I was traveling home on the subway, I overheard two people commenting on how they thought they were painting the subway cars. But I knew it was only me, my clothes smelled of silkscreen ink.

There were water-based inks out there at this time that were used for crafts in the schools but they had a limited, poor color range and because of the water content they also buckled the paper. Some art colleges were using a toner and transparent base system but none of that was professional enough for the artists and galleries that I worked with. I was a printer that was used to mixing colors from gallons of opaque ink with a large diverse palette. I could then add transparent base if need be, but I would also have the opacity if that were what the print required. So I started to look around for options.

TW Graphics is a silkscreen supplier located in California. They were recommended to me by a fellow printmaker. They offered a line of opaque water-based inks that they claimed was comparable to their oil-based line. So between 1985-86 I tested and printed with their 1000 series. It's one thing to print your own art work and maybe accept some imperfection but not when you are editioning for other artists and major publishers like Pace Gallery. So it took time to get the results that I needed. There were problems; particularly with ink not drying thoroughly and having prints stick together when they were stacked. When working with water-based inks you have to change your methods. Everything has to be blocked out from the inside of the screen not the back. The emulsion must be resistant to water but able to be reclaimed. When you pull the squeegee across the screen it isn't as fluid as oil-based ink. All of those issues had to be dealt with. Today those inks have been reformulated and the sticking problems solved. Even the slippery quality of the ink is better. There are other manufacturers like Speedball who have greatly improved their water-based acrylic inks. There are also a few other companies like Standard inks in New York that will give you a good professional result. Createx inks work with a base and toner system and the color range is very good. Even though there is nothing comparable to oil-based fast dry enamel and lacquer inks there is enough variety in the water-based line to make any health and environmentally concerned person switch. Every artist that I work with tells me how wonderful it is to work in a toxic free print shop.

The reason I wrote my first book, Screenprinting Water-Based Techniques, was to showcase the creative, high quality prints that were made with water-based inks and to assist serious printers and artists in their transition from an oil-based system.

When I was experimenting with perfecting my printing techniques with the water-based inks I started playing with other watersoluble materials to see if I could print them through the screen. That's how I started making monotypes with a screen. First I tried various watersoluble crayons and pencils but soon discovered how to use watercolor and gouache to create unique monotypes and monoprints. My second book published by Watson-Guptill, Water-Based Screenprinting Today, devotes a chapter to making a monotype, or monoprint with a screen, and showcases a variety of prints made by other artists working with me.

Making a Screened
Watercolor Monotype
A monotype or monoprint is simply a painting that is made using a printing process.

Traditionally they are made using an etching or litho press. The distinction between the two is determined by how the artist begins.

A monotype begins with a blank stretched screen and a monoprint starts with an image or stencil already on the screen. The instructions below are for making a monotype.

Begin the process with a screen stretched with a white 195-230 mesh monofilament fabric. A higher number will give you a finer mesh and image, and a lower number will give you a slightly coarser mesh and image but heavier deposit of color.

Block out the area of the screen that you don't want to print, leaving only the opening that you want the color to pass through.

The simplest method for blocking out a screen is to draw an opening (square or rectangle etc.) with a pencil and ruler on the inside of the screen. Then apply wide transparent packing tape on the outside of the lines to create the opening. This thin, tacky tape adheres securely and doesn't come off with the pull of the squeegee.

Cover the rest of the exposed screen to the edges with clear contact (shelf) paper, available at any hardware store. This leaves only the area to be printed open. There are more permanent methods of making an open area on the screen with screen filler or photographic emulsion, but I find that the taped screen is fast and efficient. It's especially useful for the artist that likes to change the size of the opening without having to clean off a permanent stencil.

Once the screen is prepared you can begin the painting process. Each artist approaches a monotype differently. You can paint or draw directly onto the screen just as you would onto paper or canvas, or you can rely on a matrix. This gives you something to work from like a photo or drawing.

Painting The Screen
Screens can be painted anywhere, not just on a printing table. I used to take a screen outside in my garden to paint it. All you need is a table or flat board on which to prop the screen. Raise it slightly off the surface so the paint doesn't go through. Then begin.

Any brand of watercolor or gouache will work. Some just work better than others, usually the cheaper brands that have less pigment. Watercolor will release from the screen more easily than gouache which is denser and tends to resist in the screen. This quality gives the monotype an unpredictable result. Experiment with various paints and techniques to develop a more informed idea of how to get the desired results.

If you paint too thickly or one color on top of another, it could cause the colors to resist so only the edges of the painted areas print. You may like these effects, otherwise print in multiple steps if you want to layer colors. The pigment concentrations in different brands also produce varying results. Dry the paint with a hair dryer before printing to prevent it from smearing.

Printing The Screen
All you need to print the monotype is a table, or a board with hinge clamps to attach the screen. Hinge clamps can be purchased at most art or silkscreen supply stores. There is no need for expensive printing equipment. You print monotypes and monoprints with transparent water-based screenprinting base. TW Graphics, Standard, Speedball and Createx are some of the suppliers. You can also get Speedball at Dick Blick.

Although you can print on any paper or surface I like 100% cotton rag paper, such as Arches cover, Arches 88, Rives BFK, Somerset, or Stonehenge. The smoother, harder paper like Stonehenge is a good choice when printing detail or pencil and charcoal drawings.

Fasten the prepared screen into the hinge clamps. Hold the front of the screen up with a small block of wood. Mix 10 - 15% retarder into the transparent base to retard the drying time and help the watercolor release from the screen. Two good retarders are Golden Acrylic and Propylene Glycol. Align the paper under the screen and mark its position with registration guides like small pieces of cardboard or masking tape. Place two on the front of the paper in front of the screen and one on the right side. Tape the paper down if you are not using a vacuum table. This will allow you to print more than once without the paper moving. You use a squeegee to flood the screen, that means pushing the base across the image while the screen is up. That re-wets the painted area. Flood the screen back and forth 2 or 3 times until you see the color start to dissolve and show on the squeegee's blade.

Remove the block of wood and lower the screen directly onto the paper. Keep the squeegee at a 45-degree angle and pull it across the image. Always end your flood stroke away from you so you can print by pulling the squeegee toward you with even pressure. Lift the screen and examine the print. If it is too light and not enough printed you can either flood and print again or you can print on a second sheet of paper. That would give you two prints that you could print on again when you repaint the screen. Sometimes you can get 4 or 5 lighter versions (called ghost images) like that, to print over in a variation of the original colors and create a series. Whenever you pull the squeegee across the image make sure that you don't reflood with base that is full of color. That will cause streaks on the next printing. Scrape that base off and pour fresh base in the screen. You can use the tinted base to add to silkscreen ink to make it transparent. Don't discard it.

The printing process adds its own dimension to the character of an image, different from a direct drawing or painting. That is why artists love monotypes and monoprints. There is always the element of surprise after you print and look at the image. Experiment with drawing and painting techniques. Try painting thickly and thinly or wetting the screen and then painting. Once you get used to painting on the screen add watersoluble crayons. Next try graphite pencil and charcoal. Even though they are not watersoluble the pressure of the squeegee forces them through the screen onto the paper.

Once you are finished printing, scrape all the base out of the screen and remove the tape and contact paper. If you have a sink that is big enough for your screen you can wash it there with a good hose. Otherwise you can wash the screen on the table with a sponge, paper towels, and a container of water. It's so much more pleasant than the old days with solvents. I used to dread cleaning the screen with naphtha. If the watercolor and gouache is hard to remove with water just use simple green or any detergent and a scrub brush to remove the stubborn spots. RH

HENNING SCREENPRINT WORKSHOP

Roni Henning is available for contract printing specializing in Monotypes and Monoprints and consultations for converting to non-toxic screenprinting.

Water-based Screenprinting weekend workshops are held monthly at her studio and one-day tutorials upon request. Check the website for dates and times.

In addition to teaching at her studio Henning teaches on an on going basis at The Lower East Side Print shop in NYC.

Roni Henning's latest book
Water-Based Screenprinting Today
published by Watson-Guptill is also available at amazon.com

Editorial: Master printer Roni Henning has embraced water-based screenprinting for its benefits to both the environment and her personal health. In this insightful guide, she has gathered the works, techniques, and experiences of many of the talented artists and printers with whom she has crossed paths during her own illustrious career, printing editions with the likes of Romare Bearden, Andy Warhol, and Jack Youngerman.

Through the work of Bearden, Youngerman, and Gene Davis, among other top artists, you are guided through the traditional screenprinting process, from building and stretching a screen to color separations, color mixing, proofing, and printing. Henning discusses advances in techniques and process since the rise of water-based screenprinting, the collaborative relationship between artist and printer, and monoprints and monotypes as art forms. Finally, the use of computers and image manipulation software to complement screenprinting is also investigated.

Contact Roni Henning:
Email        roniprint@aol.com
Website    www.ronihenning.com
Phone       917-841-5704

Screenprinting Websites

Squeegeeville

Squeegeeville is a website dedicated to the art and technology of screenprinting. Since its creation in 2000 the site has gone through a number of changes as their focus has evolved. This is the newest incarnation and concentrates on 6 key areas:

Free instruction and information for novice and advance screenprinters: including links and PDFs of articles published in a range of trade magazines around the world.
Training and workshops at their facilities or yours: including intro courses and more advanced training to get you printing right the first time.
Products and Services: including the book Screenprinting Today - The Basics, prototyping and product development, custom screenprinting, and fine art printmaking.
An on-line art gallery: featuring limited edition serigraphs by Canadian and international artists, gigposters, and other interesting prints.
Links and resources: to help you find other websites that contain good information about screenprinting, artists, associations and more.
The News Section: giving visitors an opportunity to ask questions, find answers, and read about the latest goings-on in Squeegeeland.

Hester Stinnett's Waterbased Screenprinting Handbook

Hester Stinnett�s work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, and is in numerous private and public collections, including the permanent collections of the National Gallery of Art, Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Walker Art Center. In 2004 she was awarded a Pennsylvania Council Artist Fellowship for Works on Paper. She was an Artist in Residence at the Fabric Workshop in 2003, and has presented printmaking workshops at the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Maine and the Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Colorado.

With co-author Lois M. Johnson she wrote Water-based Inks: A Screenprinting Manual for Studio and Classroom published by the University of the Arts Press with grants from the NEA and Hunt Manufacturing Co.

Currently Professor of Printmaking at the Tyler School of Art of Temple University, she has also taught at The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, The Philadelphia College of Art (now University of the Arts) and Bryn Mawr College. She received a BFA from the Hartford Art School, University of Hartford and an MFA from the Tyler School of Art of Temple University.

Send emails to: hesters@temple.edu

REULS.com This art materials firm has screenprinting instructions on their website.

Steve Walters' Screwball Press

www.screwballpress.com

SCREWBALL ACADEMY

Since 1991, Steve Walters (under the moniker Screwball Press) has been printing posters, CD packaging, and a variety of other collectible items for Chicago's indie rock community. Over the years, he has had the opportunity to train and/or work with some of his favorite local artists including Bob Hartzell, Kristen Thiele, Jay Ryan, Mike Benedetto, Keith Herzik, and Jason Frederick. Around 2000, Steve looked back on ten years of work and realized that working with these people was the single most satisfying aspect of Screwball Press. So he began to implement the Screwball Academy based on the extension of the Minutemen's "band in every garage" credo. Steve wanted to see a printer in every band.

At present, Steve has taught 36 people over the past 18 months, most of whom still use the facilities to print personal projects as well as a few who run their own printing businesses.

THE DEAL

Screenprinting is a physical, hands-on process and so is the course. Students come in with a piece (or 2) of black and white line art and leave with up to 50 3-color, 11"x17" prints that they produced themselves. This can be done in a single 6-8 hour session or can be broken up into two shorter sessions. After that, you are free to come back whenever you want to use the facilities.

To schedule a class, email Steve at steve@screwballpress.com

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