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What is screen printing?
From digital design to a handmade, unique piece. Discover the art form that brings your ideas to life.
In brief: A first overview
Screen printing is a versatile stencil printing process in which ink is pressed through a fine-mesh Screen Printing Mesh (usually made of polyester) onto a material. A stencil blocks the areas of the screen where no ink should be applied. This stencil printing method is known for its exceptional color brilliance over long print areas, high opacity, and extreme durability, which is why this technique is still very widespread today in textile printing and fine art printing (serigraphy). Suitable stencils can be created by the user. A photo emulsion is applied to the screen. This emulsion can then be photographed with a design. This is how the stencil for screen printing is created.
If you would like to create your own screen prints, take a look at our screen printing tutorial "How to make a Screen Print" and check out our Screen Printing Kits .
A journey through time: Where does screen printing actually come from? The history of screen printing
Whether on your favorite band's t-shirt, a large, colorful art poster, or a stylish tote bag - Screen Printing is practically everywhere. But it's by no means a modern invention, as one might think. Quite the opposite, in fact. Its roots stretch back over a thousand years, and its history is a fascinating tale of craftsmanship, industrial revolution, and even artistic rebellion.
The beginnings in Asia: The perfection of stencil art
The initial idea of screen printing, pressing ink through a stencil, likely originated in China over 1,000 years ago during the Song Dynasty. To our knowledge, this isn't precisely documented. However, the technique was only truly perfected in Japan. There, artists used the so-called Katagami technique to print kimonos with highly intricate patterns. They created incredibly detailed, delicate stencils from multiple layers of mulberry paper, which were glued together with persimmon juice (the juice of unripe persimmons) to make them waterproof and durable (back then there was no TikTok or YouTube. People had time ;-).
To stabilize the delicate, freestanding parts of the stencil, they were intricately held together with threads of silk or sometimes even human hair – an early form of "sieve". One can therefore imagine how elaborate this process must have been.
The Road to the West and the Industrial Revolution
Stencil printing gradually made its way to Europe via extensive trade routes. However, the decisive breakthrough didn't come until the beginning of the 20th century. In Manchester, England, a Mr. Samuel Simon patented a process in 1907 in which he stretched a screen made of silk gauze (a very fine-mesh silk fabric) and used this as a support for the actual stencil. (Even today, the term "screen printing gauze" is still occasionally used, though not very often. So, when gauze is mentioned in connection with screen printing, it refers to the screen fabric.) This enabled the printing of significantly more complex designs without the need for additional supporting struts, such as those used today in plotters. The technique was initially used primarily for printing high-quality wallpapers, fabrics, and for the production of advertising signs. Thus, the word "screen printing" (in English, "silk screen printing") was born. In the US, screen printing is also often referred to as "silk screen printing".
Screen printing starter kit A3
With the starter set you can start screen printing right out of the box.
The Pop Art Revolution: Andy Warhol makes screen printing world-famous
Screen printing experienced its major cultural breakthrough in the 1960s when it was rediscovered by the Pop Art movement. Artists such as Roy Lichtenstein and, above all, Andy Warhol recognized the potential of this printing technique to translate the aesthetics of mass production and consumer culture into art.
The world-renowned Pop Art artist Warhol used screen printing to create his famous series of everyday objects, such as the Campbell's soup can, and portraits of stars like Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley. He loved the technique for its ability to repeatedly reproduce a motif while giving each work a unique character through slight variations in color and printing. With his work, Warhol rescued screen printing from its rather industrial origins and established it as a recognized and influential artistic medium.
Screen printing today: From DIY culture to high-tech industry
Today, screen printing is more versatile than ever. We can say that with complete confidence because we see it every day. As distributors of screen printing supplies, we've gained extensive experience in a wide variety of applications together with our customers. In industry, for example, highly automated machines are used to print electronic components and huge advertising banners. At the same time, a vibrant DIY scene has rediscovered the technique. Many of our customers use our Screen Printing Kits to create their own high-quality prints. Numerous artists, small fashion labels, and creative minds worldwide still appreciate the handcrafted nature and unparalleled quality that a manually created screen print can achieve. True craftsmanship.
What once began with fine silk threads in Japan is today a true bridge between traditional craftsmanship and modern creativity. And with the right tools, anyone can become part of this fascinating story.
And now?
This rich history is more than just a glimpse into the past. It's a direct invitation to become a designer and artist yourself. What once began in the workshops of Japanese masters and became legendary through the hands of Andy Warhol is now more accessible than ever. You don't need a huge studio to create brilliant, long-lasting prints that bear your personal signature.
Even with a small screen printing set you can create fantastic, highly detailed screen prints on textiles and paper.
Now we're getting down to business! We'll teach you screen printing!
Are you ready to put theory into practice and bring your own ideas to life on fabric or paper? In our detailed guide, we'll walk you through the process and show you how.
Continue to the instructions "Make your own screen print"
From digital design to a handmade, unique piece. Discover the art form that brings your ideas to life.