How-To: print sustainably

Step 1: Materials

You will need a variety of materials if you want to make a print, and different materials based on what kind of print you want to make, but we can start out with a few basic building blocks. You will first need ink. There are different kinds of inks you could use depending on what kind of print you’d like to make. If you want to create a silkscreen, your ink should already be water-based, and you have a variety of brands and kinds of inks to chose from. For etching, I would suggest this Akua ink, and for relief, I’d recommend this Speedball ink (links). You can also use those two inks in other mediums as you see fit (the Speedball ink is much more viscous than the Akua ink, so keep that in mind for whatever you’re creating).

You will also need fabric. The fabric you need will have to fit your plate (the size of the block or metal you are working with), so keep that in mind. You can use your own fabric that you would be getting rid of, you could see if anyone else has fabric they are getting rid of, or you purchase fabric pieces from somewhere like FabScrap. You might need to cut your fabric based on what size you need it.

For other safe-for-home materials and mediums to try, check out my resources page!

Step 2: the concept

Printing at home can be daunting. It is challenging to make a high quality print when you are not in a printshop and do not have access to one. However, you can’t see these challenges as obstacles, you have to rethink the way you create work and make it work for you. That might mean that the texture of the ink looks different than you imagined, or that you can’t get your registration as sharp, but no matter the case, perfection isn’t what you should be striving for here. Your style has to adapt to your environment.

Step 3: the set up

Before you can begin, you have to find a place to print. You need a flat surface. If you have a folding table you can get messy, good. If you have a nice table, you’ll have to cover it with a drop cloth or maybe even wax paper. Once you have a solid surface in front of you that is either covered or can get dirty, we can begin.

You might want to get a sheet of mylar, acetate, glass, or plexiglass to mix your ink; you need some kind of surface to house your ink that will not absorb it. It doesn’t have to be huge, it just needs to be big enough to fit some ink and possibly to fit your roller or other printmaking equipment you decide to use.

During your printing, you will want your fabric at the ready. I suggest stacking it or laying it out in a way that is easy to grab.

Step 4: printing

During printing, time is of the essence. Sometimes printing has to go quicker. If you are screen printing 50 t-shirts, you want to be flying through both the shirts and your testing of the design. You will have to adjust to printing on fabric rather than newsprint here and make sure you set yourself up for success. For an etching print, your change of material should not alter your process much. You will have to soak the fabric just like you would soak paper — this will work the same way, but make sure you blot it damp before printing it. Hand pressing an etching is very difficult, so this might not come out well. I would suggest having a less thick ink and not buffing it as well. For relief printing, you should also soak and blot your fabric — this will help it transfer easier, especially with hand pressing the print. Lithography does not work very well at home, as it distinctly requires oil-based inks. Monoprinting is the easiest form of printing from home. For different monoprint suggestions, click here.