Black White
Posted in Arts and Crafts on 02/14/2010 02:39 pm by adminBlack White
Frustrations
When I first started t-shirt printing white onto black was a nightmare for me. I couldn’t work out why it was so easy to print a dark colour onto a white t-shirt, yet so difficult to get a good result printing white onto black. Occasionally by fluke I got a nice flat finish, but most of the time the finish was really rough mainly due to the fibres of the garment being pulled up by the ink. One of the reasons this is so difficult to get right is that there is so many things you can do wrong. If you follow these t-shirt printing tips then you should be able to get your print exactly how you want it.
Inks
To get the perfect t-shirt printing result you need to print flash cure then print. I have been advised in the past that by using certain inks like wilflex tiger white it is possible to get a result with just one print and two passes with no flash, although I agree wilflex bright tiger is an excellent stand -alone ink that will give you excellent results, by printing flash curing then printing your result will be 100% better than just putting one white print down. An easy way to get the ink to clear your screen is to add thinners to your ink, this is defeating the object of using white ink. The thicker the ink the more pigment in the ink and thus the brighter the ink by adding thinner you are diluting the pigments and losing the brightness if you get your technique right the thickness of the ink won’t be a problem.
Screens
To get the best result it is advisable to use 2 screens with different mesh sizes. Use a low mesh count like a 43T for the first white and then a 77T for the second one. You can use the 43T for both the prints, but although this is the best way to get perfect registration the ink will be very heavy on the garment and will feel very hard, by using a 77T for the second white you will get a softer feel. Once you have lined up the registration make sure you have adjusted your off contact gap between the screen and the t-shirt, remember with white ink being the thickest ink you will use your off contact should be slightly higher than normal about 4mm, just enough for the screen to lift clear of the t-shirt as you run the squeegee over it.
Squeegee
A lot of t-shirt printing beginners have the tendency to force the ink through the mesh with all their strength, and then, when not achieving the desired result they use more and more force. This is obviously incorrect; the four main parts of your technique should be pressure, angle, speed, and release. If you have set your screens up correctly and get these 4 disciplines correct then you will get the perfect white print. Your squeegee should be at an 80 degree angle, you should try and keep over the top of the squeegee as you push the ink through, if you stand back from the screen the further the squeegee goes away from your body the lighter the pressure will be which will lead to an uneven print. If your squeegee speed is to slow then you won’t get a quick release which enables the mesh to spring back up from the garment clearing the screen and giving a crisp print, run the squeegee over the image not to slow keeping your pressure even and firm, when you have gone past the image with the squeegee flick your wrist up enabling a quick release.
Flash Cure
Getting the flash time correct is very important, it is also important to let the ink cool down after flashing otherwise the hot ink can stick to the screen on your second pass and pull the shirt off the platon. You should be aiming to flash cure your image for 3 seconds then let it cool down for 5 seconds and then apply the second pass using the same technique as above with the higher mesh screen.
Summary
T-Shirt printing is all to do with practise. Trial and error will play a large part in getting the perfect white, but if you follow these tips you will be on your way to getting the finish that has been eluding you.
For more tips on screen printing please visit our website www.buytshirtsonline.co.uk
The author has been involved in the t-shirt business for over 20 years and is the managing director of Buytshirtsonline Ltd
How can I go from white skin to black skin with make-up for costume?
For a costume I want to make my skin look black. I have white skin and am wondering what type of make up or paint or whatever I need to make it look like I really have black skin. What type of make up was used on that one show “Black. White” where a white family and black family switched races by make up? This is the type of effect I am looking for. Thanks for any help!
There are several shades of black used on stage. Max Factor is what was used in a production I served in. (Finian’s Rainbow)
It does not wash off easily, and true blacks not involved in the “show” might well find it patronizing and be offended.
Michael Jackson Black or White
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