SCREENING - PART 2

........continued screen printing process

In the screen printing process.....you need an image ready to be burned into the sensitive emulsion on the screen..... Val showed us two ways. The first is to transfer images onto Transparency Film.

She did that by photocopying her drawings or other selected images directly onto the film.

Val suggests making TWO pieces.....then carefully layering them together. This achieves very black lines which will burn better.

Here's her custom light box, made by her very talented daughter.

It contains 6 - 250 watt light bulbs that generate enough heat to burn the screen. The light reacts to the emulsion..... burning away where black images are present. This box contains a fan to disperse the built up excess heat......

....and another smaller hole to allow it to escape.

The film or image is placed on the Plexiglas, then the screen, and covered with black felt. Val likes to add a book on top to weigh it down. If light comes through it will affect the process.

We were working on a very bright sunny day.......even though we were in a garage.....the first image did not burn well. Val said, perhaps the screen was exposed to too much light as she demonstrated or she wasn't able to wash off the emulsion quickly enough.

But.....never fear....the screen wasn't ruined......it was washed in Ulano Stencil Remover Liquid #4. Once dry it, the screen can be reused.

Val also suggested that an image can be made from cutout black construction paper. Carol Sloan's screen looked like this after burning and washing away the excess emulsion.

Here's a look at the large private collection of screens Val has made. Note the one on the table has many wavy lines through it.....she explained that happened because the screen accidentally was exposed to too much light before or during the burning process..... It was a happy accident.....

Each screen is carefully labeled for easy access.....

She's very organized......and makes samples of her various screening processes which are stored in a ring binder as references. Val often screens images over other images to achieve wonderfully complex and interesting pieces.

Here's a stack of her screened handmade papers.......seriously this pile was at least 12 inches high........what inspiration!!

To be continued........