Using indoor paint for silk screening is a tricky proposition, due to its thin viscosity and quick-dry properties. But printing with paint can be mastered by following a few simple printing tips.
When compared with ink, indoor paint is readily available, inexpensive, and colors can be easily matched by paint store personnel. Indoor and outdoor water or oil-based latex, enamel, or acrylic paint can be used, direct from the can, with no thinning or adhesion modification required. Paint can be used to print on most every material, and is especially useful for wood, leather, paper, and some fabrics.
Instructions
1. Stir the paint thoroughly with a wooden paint stirrer. Avoid shaking it to limit air bubbles, which may cause uneven printing.
2. Test the paint on the material to be printed. Dip a finger in the paint and apply it to material, and allow it to dry for the time recommended on the paint can label.
3. Scrape the dried paint with a fingernail or spatula to ensure it's adhering to the surface. If you're printing on washable fabrics, launder the item to test for colorfastness in addition to performing a satisfactory scrape test.
4. Spray the top and bottom of the screen with a light spritz of water from a spray bottle when you're using water-based paints, repeating periodically during the print run. Water spritzing is not necessary if you use oil-based paint.
5. Add paint to the screen, and print as usual. The paint usually dries faster than ink, so always use a flood stroke between every print to prevent the paint from drying in screen.
6. Clean your screen and tools thoroughly immediately after printing. Follow the manufacturer's cleaning recommendations on the paint can label.
