Glue is used in silk-screen printing to block off the nonprinting areas of the silk screen. The glue prevents ink from penetrating through the screen and creates blank space on the T-shirt. Glue fills the porous screen material and creates the stencil-like quality of the silkscreen.
Instructions
1. Develop a bold design. The design should be printed or drawn onto a clean sheet of paper.
2. Put the design beneath the screen so that it can be easily traced through the screen. The bold image must have clearly defined edges to allow for proper transfer onto the silk screen.
3. Use a water-soluble permanent glue to trace the image onto the silk-screen fabric. The glue should not be too watery. If the glue has too much liquid due to settling, mix it thoroughly before use.
4. Apply the glue to the border all around the design first. This step is critical since it prevents accidentally printing the edges when silk-screening. Many beginners forget about masking off the edges with glue.
5. Use a fine brush to define the small details of the design. The fine areas should be painted in with glue first. These little details are the focal points of the overall design.
6. Paint the glue into the larger areas of the design. Use a large stiff bristle brush to press the glue through the screen so that the glue will provide a good masking effect when silk-screening.
