transferring woodblock prints to screens

All about screen printing mesh. This is where you can discuss mesh counts, nomenclature and how to choose the correct mesh count for the print job.

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ApeShirt
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Re: transferring woodblock prints to screens

Post by ApeShirt »

I apologize but I deleted your picture. Can you cover up the text and repost? Just trying to keep it clean on the board 8-) I don't know the answer to your question but hopefully someone here does. I use RhinoTech's SinglePrint transfer paper to print on wood but I'm limited to 8.5x11" or smaller.
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Catspit Productions
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Re: transferring woodblock prints to screens

Post by Catspit Productions »

Interesting. I think you want to print the wood block print the way it appears but with a screenprint. What I might do is print the wood block print in black ink on white poster stock. Make the print a size you can put on a flatbed scanner and scan the art into the computer. Then you will be able to convert the art to vector and use AI or maybe handle it in PS in order to tweak the blacks and print out a killer film positive. Depending on the amount of tonal gradations or fine detail you may need to halftone parts of the image.

But yes, please use a G rated version of your image and we’ll take a look at it. We try to keep things friendly here so students from schools of all ages will feel welcome and teachers will share our material.

If your artwork is a bunch of fine lines and small details, it will likely need to be half toned to translate properly top screen. But generally speaking we use higher mesh counts for fin details.
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drew
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Re: transferring woodblock prints to screens

Post by drew »

From what I can see, it looks like fine detail but no real halftones? As far as screen mesh count, 200 or 230 should work great with most ink colors other than white. I think Catspit offers artwork services that would work great but you'll have to check to see if its available. I believe I read that either OfficeMax or office depot can do larger transparencies, but I'm not sure about that. If they do, you may need 2 transparencies to make sure they're dark enough. You could also print half on one transparency and half on another and line them up, its not really that hard. There are a few options you can go with.
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Re: transferring woodblock prints to screens

Post by Catspit Productions »

Yeah or if you’re looking for that total analogue method then a piece of acetate with an opaque-ing pen might work. That’s basically a handmade film positive. Just put the film over the shirt and trace with care. Or if the ink you wood block print with will adhere to acetate then print that in black directly onto the acetate sheet.

You could use a 156 or 160 type mesh for this in black ink. That would probably get you enough detail and still flow great with a plastisol ink. For water based use a 200 mesh or 230 maybe.
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Dip.Schlitz
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Re: transferring woodblock prints to screens

Post by Dip.Schlitz »

how about vegetable oil on the printed paper ?
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Catspit Productions
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Re: transferring woodblock prints to screens

Post by Catspit Productions »

Yes, the dry emulsion coated screen will breakdown and “washout” if water comes in contact with it. It’s only after you expose the emulsion that it will resist water and stay in the mesh as a stencil.

The old vegetable oil and Xerox or laser print is an old school method when you have nothing else. The oil will not do much to the emulsion so that it will still washout pretty normally. It’s a little messy but it works.
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