I’ve had numerous requests for “Smile at Racism” tshirts in the last month. I decided to start printing some of those requests and getting them in the mail. Here is my first attempt at pearl white opaque on darker tshirts. It is difficult, to say the least, but I’m getting the hang of it.
Check out more snaps of my screen printing endeavors here.
I took an amazing screen printing class at Gather Here back in June. Since then, I’ve burned a second screen, using an old drawing of Lionel Richie I once did for a card.
Since I went to Bonnaroo Music Festival this summer, and Lionel killed the main stage on Saturday night, I figured it made sense to take that old drawing and see if it tanslated into a tshirt for my Bonnaroo crew.
I did, certainly, do a ton of test prints before I risked tshirts. As you can see, it was necessary!
While it is definitely not an easy process the first time you are on your own, its so worth it. Conditions in my apartment seem to be really humid, which means I need to allow for more emulsion drying time and a bit of a longer burn. Now that I know this, I feel like I’m already planning out a million more designs to screen print.
Check out more snaps of the screen printing process, as well as us wearing our tshirts, at its flickr set.
I took a screen printing class, held last week at my favorite handmade heaven, Gather Here, and taught by the brilliant Sarah Coyne of Eggagogo. Not only did I learn how to burn my own screens using a photo emulsion process, I got to print my first designs on fabric, a t-shirt, a tote bag, etc., and take it all home with me.
Since then, I’ve bought all the necessary supplies to continue this maker adventure–screens, paint, reptile light to burn screens, photo emulsion, you name it.
You can see more of my screen printing work here (the set of photos is still light in its loafers, but give me some time to get going).
Tonight, I’m set to burn a new screen, but the project has to stay a secret, for now, because its a surprise for friends on our impending two week camping trip, starting next week. Stay tuned.
