Once you know basic screenprinting skills like how to create a photo-emulsion stencil and how to print it (see my book for step by step instructions), you’ve got access to an infinite variety of image-making techniques! The following is one of my favorites:

Supplies you will need:

• Large piece of clean newsprint or other light colored paper
• One sheet of clear mylar or acetate
• Black waterbased relief ink
• Painter’s scraper
• Brayer of any size
• A variety of mark making items - I use both ends of a variety of brushes, a plastic spatula, kitchen tools that make interesting marks

Photo Left - In the center of the newsprint, draw a square or rectangle as a guide for the outside dimensions of the image you’ll be making. Here, I’ve created a 12” x 12” square.

Lay the mylar or acetate on top of the square you’ve drawn, leaving an area of the mylar for preparing the ink.

Photo Right - Use the painter’s scraper to scoop some ink out of the container, lay a “ribbon” of ink in the area of the mylar outside the square. Use the brayer to roll the ink out into an even strip. If you have printed linoleum or wood blocks before, you know this process already.

Photo left and below - Use the brayer to transfer the ink evenly and thickly to the area of mylar defined by your lines, re-inking the brayer as you go. The ink should be thick enough to block out the light later when you are burning the image onto the screen during the exposure process.