| Screen Printing has been evolving ever since it was | | | | experimentation has been going around to find the |
| first used by the cave men. It started with hands | | | | perfect emulsion that can produce sharp images and |
| acting as stencils. And with the continuous | | | | yet is still safe to the environment. |
| development of the man kind and their discoveries | | | | By the start of the twentieth century, photo |
| and inventions, more materials have been used as | | | | reactive chemicals have been introduced to the |
| stencils such as paper, silk and different fabrics. | | | | industry. And that was the beginning of photo |
| Methods for forming these stencils have also been | | | | reactive stencils. These first stencils were coated |
| developing. Wooden blocks were one of the first | | | | with protein material followed by a chromatic acid in a |
| materials employed in the process of printing where | | | | dark room. These coatings are hardened to block the |
| they were used for printing books in china. And later | | | | screen mesh after being exposed to light. Another |
| on with the scientific revolution, science has been | | | | technique that is also based on the same concept is |
| adding much to the tools used in printing. The screen | | | | ultraviolet sensitive photo emulsions. A nylon screen is |
| used and its fabrics, the ink and dyes, and the | | | | coated with an ultraviolet sensitive emulsion with |
| methods of forcing the ink to go through the screen, | | | | areas where the ink should be blocked are exposed |
| all have been in continuous development to enhance | | | | to light and hence hardens, while areas which should |
| this technique of printing. | | | | allow the ink to pass through are covered. |
| Screen Printing started with using silk for the screen | | | | Inks also have been varied widely. They started as |
| and wood for its frame. Then metal was used | | | | natural materials that can be easily found in nature, |
| together with wood for the screen frame. The | | | | and now they are composed of complicated chemical |
| screen material itself has undergone many | | | | formulas. Some of them are water based while |
| developments. This screen consists mainly of a mesh | | | | others need oil as a base. |
| of fibers held stretched by the screen frame. This | | | | Another advancement to the industry which was the |
| mesh of fiber has specific pores left without being | | | | base for many of the currently used machines, |
| blocked according to the shape of the image that will | | | | especially in printing garments is the rotary multicolor |
| be printed. These pores allow the ink to pass through | | | | machine. |
| the screen to the substrate where the image will be | | | | The introduction of computers to the industry in the |
| printed on while the rest of the ink is blocked and | | | | eighties of the last century was another great |
| prevented from passing to the substrate. Different | | | | enhancement. Different designs have been produced |
| materials have been used for the mesh such as | | | | using the computers, and much automation has been |
| nylon, metals and polyester. And much | | | | incorporated in the industry of Screen Printing. |