The only mistake like I made once before

Looking at it now, it seems like a lot of work for something pretty simple

Between dealing with cats and this never-ending oppressive heat, I have been trying to get set up for screen printing again. I am ashamed to admit it's been over 5 years since I last laid squeegee to screen (for Motico's 7" record jackets), and I'm annoyingly rusty. Putting a makeshift print shop back together has been daunting, partially because I'm out of practice and partially because the stakes are sort of higher.

"Burning" the screen, literally

This time around I am printing jackets for Motico's forthcoming EP. It's only 4 songs but we're putting it out on a 12" record, since we figure the only people who buy vinyl these days are interested in sound quality and the actual artifact of owning the recording in a physical format. It is interesting to note that the digital age has not eliminated vinyl recordings, but rather seems to have saved it. Where CDs already feel like the cassettes of the decades before, vinyl now occupies a solid niche. I still buy vinyl whenever possible, not only because of the aforementioned reasons, but also because I find it psychologically pleasing to listen to a few songs at a time. iTunes is very handy, but sometimes the ability to play a billion songs at once is overwhelming; gimme just a few good songs that go together. Of course, this is probably a sure sign I belong to a generation on its way out, as kids today no doubt assume a glut of music at any given moment (although I think kids today are increasingly listening only to snippets of songs, who has time to listen to an entire tune?)

Anyway, regardless of demand, we're making a record if only to celebrate it to ourselves. To further this joy, I came up with the brilliant idea of printing them ourselves. This means hauling out all the old supplies and re-learning the craft. Since the design for the new record is a "full bleed" 12" jacket, I needed a larger frame to accommodate. I picked up a 16×20" frame with some photo emulsion and set up my basement work area.

My first mistake was immediately trying to use the screen and emulsion without testing anything. I had a hell of a time getting the emulsion spread onto the screen, it was especially sticky and uneven. Then, using the guide from the basic screen printing instructions site I set a 150-watt bulb loose on the now-sensitized screen. 92 minutes later I came down to find that the bulb had literally burned the emulsion to the screen (and had even browned the 'positive,' the B&W printout that lays between screen and light source. I washed the screen out to see the stencil. It was fuzzy and of course, there was a big burn mark in the middle. The screen was ruined.

THEN I started testing things, using my old smaller screens. The emulsion continued to cause problems, so I went out and bought a 'scoop coater' which is supposed to make it easier to put the emulsion down. It didn't. I should have suspected something was wrong but I just assumed it was my own rustiness that was to blame. I replaced the incandescent bulb with a compact fluorescent (they've started making high-output CFLs) so I wouldn't have to worry about heat as a factor. I finally felt confident enough to try again. I had to buy new mesh to put in the frame, which is not usually recommended. But I was too cheap to buy an entirely new frame, so I painfully stretched and mounted the new fabric. I got the emulsion on barely and I exposed the screen with the new setup.

This time all the emulsion washed right out when I sprayed it with a garden hose. Normally, just the stencil washes out but no, I basically had a clean screen in a matter of seconds. Strike two. I finally had to admit there might be something wrong with the emulsion, I just couldn't be this inept! I bought a different brand at a different store and started over. Again.

My replacement mesh started to give me problems, making me realize why people warn against stretching your own screen: it's hard to maintain. I finally got the screen set and secured with tape. Using the scoop coater and new emulsion, I coated the screen with alarming ease. I also coated a test screen to perform a "step-wedge" test, which helps determine optimum exposure time. With the figures noted I exposed the big screen and was ecstatic to find a solid stencil remaining when I rinsed it out. A usable screen!

Of course, this is just the first real step. Next is the actual printing, not to mention the additional screen I will need for the credits on the back of the jacket. But now that I've successfully gotten through the process I am optimistic I can get the rest of it done correctly. We'll see how it goes!