Silkscreen printing is a means of printing with stencils. The process is used in making
fine art pictures. It is unique because any kind of ink or paint may be used. The equipment for silk-screen printing consists of a piece of stencil silk, called
bolting cloth, stretched tightly over a frame. The stencil is placed on the silk screen,
which acts as its support. A squeegee is used to force the ink or paint through the stencil
and the screen onto the surface to be printed.
Multiple colors may be used in silk-screen printing. Each new color is applied using a
new stencil pattern. This new color can only be applied after the preceding color has dried.
Several days are needed to complete a print that uses more than one color. In fine art printing,
silk-screen printing is called serigraphy.
Historically, the process has been linked to centuries of artwork. Stencil printing is one of man's oldest arts. It developed into fine art in the Orient and gradually spread to Europe.
These prints were available in limited quantities to small art and gift
shops for over 20 years in California. Commercial reproduction and distribution
was necessary as the demand exceeded the supply. One of the posters was
in the set decoration of the movie "Goodbye Girl". The artwork
has been in juried art shows and is in multiple private collections.
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