syllabus — ART 231 — Screen Printing

Photo Emulsion Screen Prints

overview:

This is the final opportunity in this class to focus on an issue or topic that is relevant and important to you. Consider the history of screen printing and it’s impact in numerous movements and cultural shifts around the world. How can you use this new technique to push your concept even further?

The photo emulsion process is the most common type of screen printing in the fine arts, design, and commercial production. Each layer of printing is binary (ink or no ink) so gradients and other value differences are achieved through methods like halftone patterns or cross‑hatching. The results can achieve a photographic effect, especially when printed using four screens and CMYK process ink.

screen-prep process:

Make “film positives” by creating designs on transparent sheets. This can be accomplished by hand drawing on the sheets (with a black sharpie marker) or by printing black raster graphics (from Adobe Photoshop) and black vector graphics (from Adobe Illustrator). Next, adhere the film positive (transparent sheet) to a screen covered with UV light-sensitive Diazo emulsion. Finally, expose the screen to a UV light source, which will burn the negative of the design into the screen to create a stencil. The process transfers from positive (film) to negative (stencil) to positive (printing with ink) as it translates between steps so the resulting image will look like the original film design.

I ask that you not use images or typography found online except in cases where the concept relates to the use of such materials. Please consult me in these cases.

complete or submit the following items for your project grade:

· PREP WORK
Present the concept for your work. (SEE: the Developing Ideas assignment)

· TRADITIONAL EDITION:
Utilize the emulsion process or a combination of emulsion and other processes to produce your stencil design. Print a limited edition of IDENTICAL finished and signed prints on quality printmaking paper or Bristol board; minimum of 5 prints.
The use of multiple interacting processes is encouraged. See: Edition Information PDF.
NOTE: Newsprint is not an appropriate paper for these prints. Please purchase appropriate paper for these prints.
NOTE: If you choose, you may add an additional layer to your traditional edition that would utilize the open screen painting/drawing method. If you do this, then the result would be a variable edition and would need to be properly labeled as such (V.E.).
* Either your traditional edition or experimental set must include multiple print layers (for example, you could use more than one stencil); minimum of 5 multi-layer prints (all of the traditional edition or at least 5 of the 10 experiments).

· EXPERIMENTAL SET:
Utilize the emulsion process or a combination of emulsion and other processes to produce your stencil design. Create a diverse collection monoprints, tests or experiments that show either a large range of types of experimentation or a great depth into a certain kind of experimentation, minimum of 10 pieces. These pieces may be on any form of support (not just printmaking paper) and may be signed or unsigned. The use of multiple interacting processes is encouraged.
* Either your traditional edition or experimental set must include multiple print layers (for example, you could use more than one stencil); minimum of 5 multi-layer prints (all of the traditional edition or at least 5 of the 10 experiments).

• PRESENT IN CRITIQUE:
  Consider a proper format for presenting your work (for example, pinning to the wall) and be prepared display all your work during the critique.
  If you are absent on the day(s) of the critique or your work is not complete for critique, you must submit a brief written component along with your images on D2L for presentation credit; discuss the details of the description and self-assessment paper with me.
  
  
• DOCUMENT:

Photograph / document your final work and submit the JPGs (or HEICs) in the appropriate D2L folder within 1 week of the end of class critique. You will have a brief amount of time to photograph your work during class critique or you may photograph it before/after critique. It is not my expectation that you edit the images or clean them up, but as long as your work was in critique, you may submit appropriately edited images if you choose.

NOTE: Please submit a minimum of 6 images as listed below as JPG (or HEIC) files to receive full credit for your work. Do not submit in a different file format without discussing with me.
NOTE: Items loaded after the 1 week timeframe will be considered late and will receive reduced points.
NOTE: Assignment credit may not be granted unless minimum D2L submission requirements are met.

Please submit a minimum of the following JPG/HEIC images:

1+ photo(s) of your favorite limited edition print (full image of print)

3+ photos of your favorite experiments (full image of experiment if applicable)

1+ photo(s) of a detail of a single work

1+ photo(s) or some configuration of photos showing ALL your work for critique – this part of the documentation doesn’t need to be formal and can be prints spread on the wall or floor, etc.

[ This is a minimum of 6 photos total ]

NOTE: If you feel that your concept for this project will not be possible within these stated requirements, please talk to me ASAP so we can work out a different set of requirements.

grade criteria for limited edition prints:

• Challenge of concept, message, or purpose
• Success of concept, message, or purpose
• Identical printing (at least 5 prints)
• Effort exhibited in the initial sketches for your work
• Overall composition
• Detail and complexity of stencil design
• Skill and craftsmanship in creating your stencil(s)
• Two stencils*
  * Either your traditional edition or experimental set must include multiple print layers (for example, you could use more than one stencil); minimum of 5 multi-layer prints (all of the traditional edition or at least 5 of the 10 experiments).
• Quality and craftsmanship of printing
• Finished quality of the work; appropriateness for portfolio or exhibition display
• Appropriate application of limited edition process
  To edition, gather your prints and select the prints that look identical (sometime a little paintbrush or X-acto work can remove a small blemish). If you choose, you may decide to set aside a few prints as Artist Proof images (label those as: A.P.) or to set aside a few Trial Prints / Test Prints that might even include your notes written on them (label those as: T.P.). Count your remaining identical prints and the resulting number is your edition size. See: Edition Information PDF for further information.
  
  Prints are labeled under the image in sharp pencil, left to right: # of print / # in edition, title (if applicable), signature and date.

grade criteria for second or experimental pieces:

• Challenge of concept, message, or purpose as it applies to the work.
• Effort exhibited in formulating a plan for beginning your experimentation; this may or may not be sketches.
• Breadth and/or depth of experimentation (try: color, color-mixing, materials, multi-stencil, mixed-media, conceptually based work, etc.)
• Evidence of exploration and multiple trials (If this component is not clear in the final prints or if the final prints no longer exist, please provide a statement or other form of documentation.)
• Quality and craftsmanship as it applies to your work.
• Successful completion of at least 10 pieces.
• Again, the use of multiple interacting processes is encouraged.
• Two stencils*
  * Either your traditional edition or experimental set must include multiple print layers (for example, you could use more than one stencil); minimum of 5 multi-layer prints (all of the traditional edition or at least 5 of the 10 experiments).

resources:

• Master printer Alexander Heinrici discusses collaborating with artists like Jasper Johns and Warhol (video)

tips & tricks:

• Information for preparing/converting files for transparency stencils in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.
• troubleshooting exposure issues: To combat the two main exposure and washout issues that can ruin an emulsion stencil, first double check the time on the exposure unit to make sure it is set properly, second be mindful of how long you wash out your screen and the amount of pressure you are using. If the emulsion gets too wet it will start to dissolve in a way that will ruin your design. You need to wash out with enough force (at close proximity) that you do not soak the screen for too long.
• underexpose/overexpose: Emulsion stencils deteriorate with use if they are not completely cured and dry before printing. If your emulsion is wet make sure to dry it thoroughly. If your emulsion feels dry, but you are not 100% sure it is fully cured, you may want to put it back in the exposure unit to give it more UV light (you would not need to vacuum out the air or use a transparency stencil as the design is already fixed).
• How to thermo-set T-shirt designs.
• Under-painting technique (video)
• Painterly technique for emulsion stencils (video)
• Art School Printing Quick Guide (PDF)

· Quick Guide for converting a photo to halftones (PDF)

· Emulsion Removal cheat sheet (PDF)

· Print room Washout Booth Instructions (PDF)

· Classroom screen sizes (PDF)