Prepare the Screen

• 1). Apply one scoop of the roughener and degreaser solution to the wetted screen with a ladle.
  
  
• 2). In a utility tub, scrub the silk screen with the scrub brush, coating the entire screen on the front and back. Allow the screen to sit for the allotted time in the degreaser instructions.
  
  
• 3). Spray out the solution with a high-pressure hose.
  
  
• 4). Allow the screen to dry or use a blow dryer to speed up the process.
  
  

Apply the Emulsion

• 1). Make sure the only lights on are yellow darkroom lights when opening the container of emulsion. The emulsion is light-sensitive.
  
  
• 2). Place the dry screen on a frame easel to hold the screen in place. The frame side of the screen should be facing you.
  
  
• 3). Scoop 1/2 cup of the mixed emulsion into the emulsion coater. Allow the emulsion to settle evenly into the coater. Wipe edges of the coater with a cloth to remove any drips.
  
  
• 4). With the frame side of the silk screen facing you, hold the coater on both sides with thumbs and pointer fingers. Place the edge of the coater against the bottom edge of the screen, inside the frame, and gently pull up to coat the screen. You may need to wiggle the coater at the top to prevent excess emulsion from spilling out.
  
  
• 5). Rotate the screen 180 degrees and repeat Step 4. Then flip the screen over and apply four more coats of emulsion, rotating the screen 180 degrees between each application. This will result in a total of six coats of emulsion.
  
  
• 6). Allow emulsion to dry overnight, or you can quickly dry it with a hair dryer.
  
  

Expose the Stencil

• 1). Print your image onto transparent acetate using only black ink. The image should be dark enough that no light can pass through the printed image.
  
  
• 2). Place the acetate print onto the flat side of your emulsion-coated screen. Arrange the image so that it is the mirror image of what you want to actually be printed. Letters and numbers should appear backward in this step.
  
  
• 3). Place the screen in the exposure unit and expose it to light for the appropriate amount of time.
  
  
• 4). Once the screen is exposed, spray the unhardened emulsion out of the screen with a high-pressure water hose. The emulsion that was exposed will be hard and will not spray out, creating a stencil. Once all of the unhardened emulsion is removed, dry the screen.
  
  

Printing

• 1). Use masking tape or painter's tape to cover up the area around the stencil where there is no emulsion. This will prevent ink from seeping through. It is now safe to expose the screen to light.
  
  
• 2). Place your frame in the table clamps in a vertical position with the frame facing you. The swiveling clamps will allow the frame to be placed vertically or flush against the table without losing its position. Tighten the clamps.
  
  
• 3). Place a piece of paper or fabric (depending on what you want to print) underneath the frame. Lower the frame so it is against the printing surface. Line the printing surface up with the stencil so that it is placed where you want the image.
  
  
• 4). Raise the frame back up to a 45-degree angle. Apply a line of ink a few inches above the top of your stencil with a spoon. This is where you can introduce other colors. Use different colors in the sections of the vertical line of ink. Use the correct type of ink for the surface you are printing on.
  
  
• 5). Lower the screen so it is flush against the printing area. Pull the ink down the screen to the bottom of the frame by holding the squeegee in both hands with thumbs and pointer fingers. Use moderate pressure.
  
  
• 6). Raise the frame back to a vertical position. Carefully remove the paper or fabric and either hang it or put it on a flat surface to dry.