The Screen Printing Tips and Tricks Guide

By Jeremy Thornton 

© Copyright Jeremy Thornton April 2018, 2025

Unless indicated, all scriptures references are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION Copyright 1973, 1978, and 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission. Printed in the USA.

Greater Things in Our Community

How does one do the greater work only through the one Jesus who said, in the book of John that “anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. They will do greater works than these because I am going to the Father." What a great word here. We reach others like the good Shepherd. How could one want to be like us unless our politics or political ideology resembled the Shepherd, or if we had a good word to give? Let’s consider the story of Peter walking on the water. In Matthew 14: 22-33, we learn about Jesus walking on the water. The disciples were told to go ahead of him on the lake and wait for him. So, after praying, Jesus walked on water to reach the disciples. At this time, as Peter was observing Jesus, he thought he could try walking on water. So, he got onto the Lake and walked a short distance before sinking. Who are our role models that are seeking and saving the lost? Who do you look up to?

From Artwork to Woodwork

I was introduced to art at the community college. I never was a good artist in high school. Then I was required to take an art history class in college. It was a learning experience. I was introduced to different time periods of art. Even though I learned about art first, I had to learn the process of woodwork before continuing the screen printing process. I did not want to continue purchasing the equipment necessary to continue my screen printing art. Therefore, I started manufacturing screen printing frames for myself and others. Learn more here @ http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063739231607&mibextid=ZbWKwL

Let’s start with the Materials Involved in Screen Printing

1.      I recommend the Diazo Photo Emulsion Kit; this comes with the photo emulsion remover. (You can get this at Michaels or Hobby Lobby.)

2.      Next you will need a squeegee (I use a speedball squeegee for applying emulsion and an 80-durometer squeegee to apply ink.)

3.      You will need a screen printing frame with 160 to 200 mesh. Choose the right size frame for the project you are doing. Usually, a good size for printing on a shirt would be at least 20 by 16 inches. Choose the correct mesh size for the project you are doing. I usually use a high quality 200 yellow mesh. Shop with us through eBay @

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5.      Next you will need paint. You can choose from water based paints through speedball or buy plastisol that are much thicker online.

6.      Gloves are important for putting the emulsion on the screen or painting and cleaning up.

7.      Artwork should be put on transparency paper that you can buy at your local staples, or you can buy a package of transparencies that work with laser toner printers. I use apollo: overhead projector transparency film for laser, inkjet, copier with 50 sheets.

8.      You need to choose light source with either a shop reflector or pie pan reflector, or I use the good old fashion sunshine. The shop reflector and pie pan reflector use a 150-watt bulb or for a faster process use the 250-watt BBA No 1 photoflood with either the shop reflector or the pie pan reflector. I have used both, but I prefer sun first, second the shop reflector and third the pie pan reflector.

9.      A high-pressure nozzle or high-pressure washer is useful to spray out the screen. A brush is necessary. I like to add mud to the screen then scrub out emulsion from letters or artwork when necessary.

10.  And a station for spaying out emulsion from screen and paint from screen is necessary.

11.  Other necessary tools or equipment needed include a computer with printer to print copies of artwork.

 Steps Involved in Preparing the Screen for the Sun, or Pie Pan Reflector, or Shop Reflector (5 steps below)

Here is the screen coated with the emulsion.

 This step is done after putting Emulsion on the screen. This construction paper is put on front of the screen. Use any dark color paper; I like to use black.

 This step you put your black transparency of your artwork on the back side of the screen. The image or words go mirror image down as in picture. Then I place glass over transparency to put weight on image. Then tape it. Also add books underneath the screen on the table to press against the screen. Artwork should be pressed tight against glass.  

 Now the screen has been exposed in the sun after 4-5 minutes depending on how sunny it is. 4 minutes and the words are a green color. 

 Now the screen has been sprayed out with a high-pressure water nozzle. You spray out the green letters you see after it is exposed in the sun. To get the best results, spray out words in the shade.

 What To Do with Bad Prints?

This was a print that I thought I could use eventually. As you can see it has a few issues. I call this print a blowout. The common cliché is used in sporting events. When one basketball team looks like they will win by many points, it is considered a blowout. In this case, when spraying out your mesh with water, emulsion comes off the screen where it is not supposed to. The lines on the arch above become wide and thin. Also, little pin holes appear throughout your mesh. Your letters also are not completely perfect. At this point, most people would start over.

If you are creative, you can modify your print. Some prints cannot be saved if complete pieces of your artwork are missing from your blowout. The print can be modified by printing it on white paper with black ink. Next, you scan it into your computer. Now you can edit with paint 3D a free program on most computers, or you can use an adobe program. You can now zoom in and white out the pin holes that you don’t like. You can also make your letters perfect if necessary. Hence, I call this a rustic print.

Some People Are Rustic Others Are Not

The rustic Huntington Beach print above was created with an Impact Microsoft Word font. I was trying to achieve a regular print at the time, but I decided to use it as a rustic print. So, I edited out most of the pin holes I did not like. As it turned out, I think this print could be used for kids and adults. This print can be used as a smaller print for kids or a larger print for adults. 

I still consider the print above to be a rustic print. I made the circle rustic by leaving the line uneven. Also, I used my Huntington Beach letters from a screen print. The font used on the surf city and the established 1909 were a Rockwell font through Microsoft Word. For me, it took a few tries before achieving this print. I always check with my wife for her opinion. This print could be used for adults and kids. I would put it on the front of a shirt or long sleeve shirt in the top left-hand corner and on the back of the same shirt in a large print.

Screen Printing Tip: When a smaller print or smaller letters are used, I recommend using 2 transparencies of your print on top of each other to darken your print of your transparency. This will darken your image (make clear) of your emulsion on your mesh. 

Starting Your First Screen Print

For your first screen print, I recommend starting with a smaller print. Perhaps a print for the left corner of your T-shirt or long sleeve shirt. Very detailed graphics require a higher mesh number. The mesh above was a yellow 200 mesh. So, you could start with 200 mesh or 160 mesh. And use a 19 by 16 inch frame size with an 80-durometer squeegee.