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WHAT 1S THIS
SILK~ SCREEN

PROCESS

Let us take the excellent cover of
this magazine for example. As you prob-
ably know, the grey part of the design
was produced by a lino-cut. The red por
tion of the design is the result of
much research on the part of Mr, Amess.
However, he tells me that he will be
compelled to stay away from the sign
studios until the whole thing blows ov-
er, Inhis desk is a sheaf of affi-
davits to the effect that he is not in
tending to open a studio to turn out
screen process work commercially, But
was he persistent in the cause? That's
the reason he has to lie low for a
while.

We must not forget to mention the
clever design by Mary Jane Kildall, in
fact Mary Jane did all the work, apart
from a small part shared by myself! We
three slaved grimly up in the attic of
the Science and Pottery building after
school hours, covered in paint, while
you, dear reader, were blissfully en-
joying yourself (we hope),

Just what is this screen process,
anyway? It is a form of printing, in-
valuable for advertisements such as
street car cards, show cards, posters,
metal signs, even paper Signs, not of
sufficient number to warrant the cost
of lithographing or use of “electros"
or metal cuts, Instead of printer's ink
however, it is done with process paint,
The great advantage isthe moderate oute
lay necessary to start operations.

We will suppose that your design has
been carefully drawn,all lettering pro-
perly spaced and everything completed,
including colour scheme, Remembering
that you can reproduce anything you can
draw in as many colours as you wish,
bearing in mind, of course, that each
colour represents a separate printing.
_ Avoid having an isolated patch of color
that must have a Separate run,unless it
be for the sake of emphasis.

The next step is to make a wood frame
usually of 2"x2" lumber,several inches
longer than the length of your design
and about three or four inches wider,at
the least it shouldbe eight inches long-
er, more if possible, This allows suf-
ficient space at each end for your col-
our. The corners must be neatly mitred
and for large frames reinforced with
flat angle brackets fastened to each
corner on the surface which will be the
top.

Next, and here is where the real ex-
pense comes in, you must buy a good
grade bolting silk. Half a yard of $6
grade will probably answer the purpose,
and will last you an indefinite number’
of different projects, In stretching
and tacking the silk securely to your
frame, commence at one of the
ends at the middle, drawing the silk
so that it laps not less than 2" over
the side, Put one tack in the centre,
pull the silk taut to the other end
and tack likewise. Proceed at this end
with a double row of tacks, drawing the
silk out to each corner, Duplicate at
the other end, pulling from the finish-
ed portion as well as from the centre,
Complete the long sides in the same man
ner and we are ready for the next step,

Lay the frame, silk side down, over
your drawing, approximately the same
margin as provided for at first. Then

using red ink trace the drawing light-
ly on the silk, Use a faint dotted
line, The inked design will never
leave the silk, should you wish to re~
peat.

In buying your screen colours,unless
you are prepared to lay out a fair sum

of money, you would be well advised to
limit your design to as few colors as
possible, as screen process products

are only to be bought at the paint manu
facturers,such as British America Paint
Co., Metals Ltd., Agents for Glidden's
Paint Co.,and others, It is possible to
make a fair grade of screen paint your-
self at a saving by using the paste

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