[2D] Forrest Gump: Silkscreen Printing

by  on  in Project 2 Forrest Gump - Final Outcome • 1 Comment

 

Chosen Design

I chose this design because of how silly and funny it is! It will definitely be a good conversation starter when printed on a tote bag.

 

The Process

I didn’t have many photos of the process that took place in the dark room since we were terrified that the light from our phones would cause the light-sensitive emulsion to react. I would rather not take this risk and spoil the emulsion that I waited so long for!

Washing the screen to reveal my design after it had been exposed to light (Photos are taken by Fendi).
Making sure that our designs had been washed out properly and dried completely.
Test prints on paper to check if the silkscreen has been washed out properly. As you can see, some parts of the starburst at the top hadn’t been washed out completely.

These prints are my failed attempts because the ink is either too dark or light, or that my squeegee handling technique isn’t refined, causing the print not overlap properly.

Test print on a tote bag so that I know how the print will turn out on fabric.
Perfect test print after washing the silkscreen properly!
Printed my design on multiple tote bags because I’m so afraid that I would screw up! I was extra careful so as to ensure that the other parts of the tote bags remain clean and free from any ink stains.
Special thanks to my spontaneous friends who made this process even more fun!
Final tote bag for submission

 

My Thoughts

I’m so excited that I finally had a chance to try out silkscreen printing first-hand! After hearing about it multiple times over the years, I’ve always wondered how silkscreen printing is actually like. Even though I did watch videos about it, I never fully grasp the concept until I went through the process myself.

The process of silkscreen printing drilled into my mind just how convenient our lives are right now. We can get a print almost instantly with our home printers nowadays. I’m glad and relieved that the tradition of silkscreen printing is still in use even in such a technologically advanced world today. Even though it is a tedious and meticulous process that requires much time, nothing can compare to the joy of seeing the designs come to life. It’s precisely because of the long process that makes the end-product so meaningful! It’s nice to know that every single silkscreen print is printed by hand and that each one is unique.

 

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