I learned to screen print in a professional printmaking studio. When I saw the screen lifted for the first time, I knew it was for me: the impact, speed and drama of stencil screen printing made me giddy. I was hooked. What’s more, they had all the gear; masses of screens, a huge trough for clean up and a wealth of expensive, technical equipment.
The tricky part was when I got home and had none of that gorgeous equipment to hand. What I had, was one small screen and a similarly small human to look after – so I needed to find ways to practice printmaking that were cheap, fast and quick to reset. Low-tech, simple techniques, so I could practice every day and develop as an artist.
What I found, was that far from it being a mere method of reproduction; stencil screen printing offers the budding print artist / textile designer / embroiderer / illustrator / wood worker / jewellery maker a hugely creative means of delivering colour; allowing you to play endlessly with pattern, texture and form. Over the years, I built up a whole suite of ways to use the screen using tools you already have at home. And I now teach those methods in a class called Creative Screen Printing. In it, we use low-cost, low-tech, playful techniques so you can see just how versatile this small piece of equipment can be.
The class is deliberately designed to empower people to print at home. So: lots of recycled materials, regular acrylic paint and a huge dollop of encouragement. And if you don’t have a screen, you can – oh look, here’s some handy saleswomanship – buy one from me, here. I have bespoke silk screens made by a small firm in Manchester, using top quality Swiss mesh. Best of all, my screens are the biggest size I could design whilst still fitting comfortably in a kitchen sink for clean up.
Easy screen printing at home – whether you want to make art, print your own textiles or just find a way to express yourself creatively. Because I want you to pick up a silk screen as easily as you might do a pencil.
Want to learn how? For information on current screen printing workshops or other art classes I’m doing, sign up for my mailing list here or have a look at my Linktr.ee. You can also follow me on Eventbrite here. These classes sell out pretty fast, so it’s worth booking early if you can.
Testimonials from previous Creative Screen Printing classes are collated here.