| The origins of printing are lost to history; some credit | | | | The silk screen method is inexpensive and easy to |
| the Egyptians, or the Greeks. The earliest example of | | | | use, making it widely used in one form or another by |
| printing on record is the Chinese book known as the | | | | multitudes of artists as well as companies. This |
| "Diamond Sutra" from 868 CE (Christian era.) Silk | | | | method has been used for producing decals and |
| screen printing is the legacy of the Japanese form of | | | | stickers since the before the bumper sticker was |
| stencil printing known as Katazome. Silk screening, | | | | even a true "sticker". It was a screen printer from |
| also known as serigraph is a process that was | | | | Kansas City by the name of Forest P. Gill who |
| patented by an Englishman called Samuel Simon. An | | | | created the modern custom stickers in the early |
| American by the name of John Pilsworth took the | | | | 1930's. Silk screen printing is what has made what we |
| process a step further in San Francisco, California by | | | | all recognize as a sticker or decal what it is today. |
| applying multiple colors and patenting this variation in | | | | The legacy of the sticker will forever be tied to the |
| 1914. It was during the First World War that screen | | | | process of silk screening. Silk screening gives the |
| printing began being used in an industrial capacity for | | | | printer as much freedom to experiment as one could |
| producing flags, banners and advertisements. By this | | | | need, and at a low cost since there is no heavy |
| time there was the advent of photographic stencils | | | | equipment necessary. This is the ideal situation from |
| which offered more adaptability and accessibility. Silk | | | | which stickers of all variety began to be produced, |
| screening grew in popularity and became widely used | | | | and not just for commercial or political use, but for |
| for printing textiles, t-shirts and custom sticker | | | | personal use as well. The basic format of creating a |
| printing. Screen printing has even been used in pop | | | | short message or clear symbol using one, two or |
| art, most notably by Andy Warhol. | | | | four colors is perfectly suited to custom bumper |
| The process of screen printing is simple, and | | | | stickers. This kind of inexpensive process allows for |
| depending on the desired effect, there are number | | | | the kind of freedom of experimentation necessary |
| of ways to produce an image. Originally silk screening | | | | when printing stickers, especially for stickers of a |
| was done with silk; this material was stretched | | | | short run, or for producing variations in color of the |
| taught over a frame. Since the 1940's synthetic | | | | same pattern. |
| materials like nylon and polyester have become the | | | | For a process as simple as this to have a practical |
| standard due to their low cost. The screen is then | | | | application on an industrial scale is not only what |
| laid over the print surface; this may consist of cloth, | | | | makes producing stickers for the masses possible, |
| paper, or some other material. In its simplest form, | | | | but for the masses to produce stickers on a small |
| screen printing uses a stencil on top of the screen; | | | | scale. The history that lives in the present in the |
| ink is applied and then pushed through the screen and | | | | form of the sticker is truly a marvel, the act of |
| the stencil onto the substrate using a squeegee, thus | | | | printing on silk, devised who knows how long ago, |
| producing an image. Another method is to use a light | | | | this ancient process that started in the Far East, |
| sensitive emulsion applied to the screen itself which | | | | taken to and developed in the West, is now a part |
| creates impermeable areas through which ink cannot | | | | of everyday life; to the point that people in every |
| pass, in effect making the screen and the stencil one. | | | | strata of society, business and conceivable niche |
| The same process to apply the ink is still used | | | | have an outlet to express their message, to be seen |
| regardless of what method is used to create the | | | | and heard. This is what makes stickers and screen |
| screen, the squeegee, or rubber blade pushes the ink | | | | printing partners; as long as one exists, the other will |
| through the screen to produce the image. | | | | have a place in the world. |