ahhAHH! Shirt Printing!

Did you love Monday's shirt printing demo? (of course) 

Do you love the design of the shirt? (*)

Can you make a peacock sound? (hopefully)

And... would you like to be in the running for the demo shirt ??

 (printed masterfully by yours truly)

then... on Friday (12/1), come and get a shirt lottery ticket from me (really just a small blank piece of paper), walk away and write your name and period number on it, clear your throat, then walk back up to me and give me your best peacock cry as you hand me the paper. And I'll put you in the running. :) (to be awarded on MONDAY to the lucky winner!!!)

*big thanks to BELLE ZHENG, class of 2015, for her extraordinary design! 
I didn't really ask her if I could use it again this year, but I think she'll be okay with it :)

* * * * * *

YAY SHIRTS!

FINAL WEEKS of FIRST SEMESTER-- Schedule, calendar, and assignment/point info!

You got this in class today! But in case you lose it*, or are hanging out at the mall and suddenly freak out because you don't know what the last day is to turn in your shirt, and you don't happen to have the calendar with you (why would you??), here it is!!

...and, because I know this might be hard to read in jpeg form, and also because you might have lost* your hard copy and need a new one, and because I'm nice, HERE IT IS (CLICK HERE!) in PDF FORM

 (*DON'T LOSE IT! you'll need to record your print days on it, plan your work on it, and turn it in to me later, for points!)

PLEEEEEEEEASE follow the calendar! Plan your time! Don't leave ANYTHING until the last day! No shirts will be printed late (the last day of printing is the last day of printing--12/14), but they could be turned in late! But they shouldn't be! DO YOUR BEST AND DON'T PROCRASTINATE!

Also-- remember that you're going to be presenting your shirt to the class! Which is awesome. Make it something  you're proud to show! :)

T-Shirt Factory Outlet directions... also T-shirt selection (in general) directions!

Wondering where to buy shirts? Here's a good suggestion....

T-Shirt Factory Outlet on Google Maps

or, Target. Or Michael's. Or, hey-- the mall. :)

BUT-- your shirt does not have to be new... that's up to you! and long-sleeved, short-sleeved, tank top... also up to you. I don't recommend "ribbed" tank tops however.

Sweatshirts are tougher to print on but doable. Let me know if that's your choice so I can help you!

If you print on fabric that is 50% or more polyester, it may affect the ultimate color of your printed ink. SEE ME if your shirt/sweatshirt is 50/50 cotton/polyester so I can give you some tips!

how to RECLAIM a photo-emulsion screen...

We will spend two class periods learning how to reclaim, because of 1) attention spans; 2) so as not to take up your whole period with a demonstration; and 3) I like to talk :) and explain things fully.

BUT-- when you reclaim YOUR screen, the whole process will probably take you about ten minutes,  once you get it down! :) (as long as you don't have to wait in line for the sinks or table or sprayer etc.)

So, how 'bout you review what you're supposed to do, by reading this blogpost! It'll help.


Here is an abbreviated version of the demo/the instructions...

*First and foremost-- you don't reclaim until the screen is CLEAN (you've cleaned the ink off of it, with water if it's water-based ink, and Bean-E-Doo if it's oil-based), and ... you are FINISHED PRINTING with the stencils on it!

STEP ONE: REMOVE THE EMULSION/STENCIL


Starting with a CLEAN screen...

get screen wet on both sides

--WITH THE SCREEN STILL IN THE SINK (nowhere else!!) spray a good coating of ER (emulsion remover) on both sides

set the screen on either side/counter of the large sink-- print-side up, and flat--
and allow the ER to soak in for a minimum of 4 minutes

After at least 4 minutes, when you are ready to spray out the emulsion, put your screen back in the sink and
turn on the high-pressure sprayer (found under the little sink). Oh, and
SHUT THE DOOR-- the machine is loud (use earplugs if it bothers you!!)

T-Shirt Inspiration! (extra credit opportunity!)

Want to earn (up to) 10 extra credit points? 

this is my t-shirt drawer. Well, one of them. The left side is shirts I've printed, the right side is shirts I've bought

As you learn about t-shirt screen printing techniques in this class, you will start to look at graphic tees differently-- you'll understand how they were made, you'll recognize difficult techniques and registrations, you'll wonder how unique prints were accomplished, and you'll see things you want to emulate (in part! - as in, be INSPIRED. Always create your own original designs to be proud of!)

So... 

THE ASSIGNMENT: (read this whole blogpost for instructions!)

LOOK at the t-shirts that are out there! In stores, that your friends (or strangers! :) are wearing, etc... and notice the ones that you like, that stand out to you. 

FIND four great shirts-- AS IN, graphic tees that are screen printed-- not just a random flannel plaid shirt or something-- 

PHOTOGRAPH them, and  

WRITE a sentence or two for each, of why they are great/why you chose them! 

NOTE: 

the shirts you find/photograph cannot be from your closet. That doesn't inspire you, you already own those shirts! They also cannot be items you find online. Too easy! Again, look in stores, what people around town are wearing, etc. 

ALSO, these four awesome t-shirt examples must fit into the following four categories (you will be finding and photographing one for each category):

1. GREAT SUBJECT MATTER (maybe it's a funny saying, something cool you're into, etc)

Font Conference

...Remember when we watched "Font Fight", in our introduction to Typography? (it was one month ago, today...)

Well, hahaha .... here's another great one!



FOR 3 POINTS EXTRA CREDIT* .... Translate the following:

Pencil telephone hourglass. Diamonds candle candle flag!!! -Mailbox. Mailbox! MAILBOX!!

...

*This is for the "Wanna Earn Some Extra Credit Makeup Points for the October 27th Quiz?" google classroom option! If you are looking at this blog before you check Classroom... make sure you go to Classroom to submit your answer! THIS HAS A DEADLINE...

SUBMIT your translation in the "private comment" section of the Classroom assignment! 

HOW TO CLEAN OIL-BASED INK-- from squeegees, screens, platens, and clothing

By today, everyone has learned the all-important skill of how to clean squeegees of oil-based ink... and I say important not only because you can't print if you can't clean (obvi), but because it's different than water-based ink, as OIL AND WATER DON'T MIX. It's not as simple as rinsing a water-based squeegee of ink. With... water.

Instead-- you've learned how to make oil-based ink WATER-SOLUBLE-- which means "able to be dissolved in water"-- so that it will rinse off your squeegee. As long as you know how to clean squeegees of oil-based ink, you're ready to print with oil-based ink.

You've also been shown which soap to use to remove ink from your skin. Soon, in the (very)-near future, you'll learn:

* how to clean screens of oil-based ink (really it's the same thing, you just have to remove the tape!)

* how to make sparkly-clean platens (yup... it's your job to clean dirty platens! --of ink, of pencil marks, of adhesive buildup, of t-shirt fuzz...)

* what to do if ink gets on your clothes/project. Unwanted ink, I mean.

IN THE MEANTIME, HERE'S ALL THAT INFO! As in, Here are the abbreviated steps of cleaning, plus photos...! Including stuff I haven't taught yet, so that Future You can look back on this post for review. Or so that any overachiever can look at/learn all this ahead of time. (I applaud you!)

oil-based ink is messy. It doesn't dry with natural air temperatures, so it gets everywhere. Blehhh

(*Please remember that I don't expect you to memorize the steps for cleaning; there are posters on the wall in the classroom and clean-up room, to help you when you're cleaning. (And, there's me.). BUT-- it's very helpful to UNDERSTAND it all! Reading all this can't hurt!)

(This is the instruction poster that's on the wall in the Clean Up room. You can look at it 

more closely--or even print out, if you want (?)--by opening a PDF file HERE )

 STEP ONE: put unused clean ink back in tub 

(and scrape off/throw away dirty ink)