Screen t printing t is t a t printing t technique t where t a t mesh t is t used t to t transfer t ink t onto t a t substrate, t except t in t areas t made t impermeable t to t the t ink t by t a t blocking t stencil. t A t blade t or t squeegee t is t moved t across t the t screen t to t fill t the t open t mesh t apertures t with t ink, t and t a t reverse t stroke t then t causes t the t screen t to t touch t the t substrate t momentarily t along t a t line t of t contact. t This t causes t the t ink t to t wet t the t substrate t and t be t pulled t out t of t the t mesh t apertures t as t the t screen t springs t back t after t the t blade t has t passed. t One t color t is t printed t at t a t time, t so t several t screens t can t be t used t to t produce t a t multi-colored t image t or t design.
There t are t various t terms t used t for t what t is t essentially t the t same t technique. t Traditionally, t the t process t was t called t screen-printing t or t silkscreen t printing t because t silk t was t used t in t the t process. t It t is t also t known t as t serigraphy t and t serigraph t printing. t Currently, t synthetic t threads t are t commonly t used t in t the t screen-printing t process. t The t most t popular t mesh t in t general t use t is t made t of t polyester. t There t are t special-use t mesh t materials t of t nylon t and t stainless t steel t available t to t the t screen-printer. t There t are t also t different t types t of t mesh t size t which t will t determine t the t outcome t and t look t of t the t finished t design t on t the t material.