Screen Printing on Paper

Manual screen printing is a printing technique that transfers images or designs onto paper and other surfaces using a screen and ink. It’s perfect for creating artwork, posters, limited editions, and experimenting with graphic compositions.

This course is designed for people with basic knowledge of art or graphic design, but no prior screen printing experience is needed. All steps and materials are explained from scratch, making it ideal for self-taught learners and those wanting to set up their own studio.

You’ll need a screen, squeegee, inks, hinges or clamps, photosensitive emulsion, a work table, cleaning supplies, and paper or another printing surface. The course provides a detailed materials list and homemade alternatives.

You’ll learn the entire screen printing process on paper: from creating and separating images, setting up your workspace and screen, making photoliths, coating with emulsion, color registration, manual printing, to reclaiming the screen.

The course guides you on how to adapt a small home space into a screen printing studio, organizing a work table, emulsion area, exposure station, cleaning zone, and drying racks. Compact, ergonomic solutions for tight spaces are recommended.

A photolith is an opaque image on acetate or tracing paper used to transfer the design onto the screen. You’ll learn both DIY and professional methods to create photoliths, adjust opacity, and achieve great results.

The course teaches how to separate a design’s colors into different layers, create a photolith for each color, and manually register them so all colors line up perfectly in multi-color prints.