Ceramic - Pottery Dictionary

by Susan Mussi

SCREEN PRINTING - In pottery (2) Preparing the screen for tiles.

ca: SERIGRAFIA - En ceràmica 2) Preparació de pantalla.

es: SERIGRAFÍA - En cerámica (2) Preparando la pantalla

The following is an explanation of how to use this method as an addition to your ceramic work. Only the outlines are printed because in the Majolica method the use of the brush strokes for shape and density and the overlapping of colors is very important and this cannot be done with screen printing as the colors are always flat. Screen printing is much quicker and cleaner, it saves pouncing, marking with charcoal and painting the outlines.

PREPARING A DESIGN
The frame for two tiles measures 30×40 cm, the measurements are always the ones inside the frame. The designs and screen used through the following sections will be the same. Two separate tile designs, each measuring 15×15 cm. fit into one screen. The first is a chiropodist and the second a builder. Make the drawings as explained to the size needed for the tiles. The border lines of the tiles are not in the stencil, so make guide lines in relation to the size of the two tiles being used; this is so you can place the screen correctly when printing. The guide lines are outside the tile so when printing, if paint goes through, it does not dirty the tile.

CODING THE SCREENS
Mark the frames on the outside with their code number and name which must be readable and understandable. Always mark on the same side, with the mesh upwards. When kept, they should be placed upright on shelves so that what is written can be read with one’s head in the same direction and it makes taking out and putting them back in the right place easier.

The next section; Screen Printing (3) Materials to work with