Screen printing and silkscreen printing are very similar art and commercial art processes. These two relatively inexpensive methods allow the printer to print for a variety of applications, such as signs, posters, advertisements and pictures.
Screen Printing
Screen printing uses ink, a screen, a squeegee and other equipment to create an image. A squeegee is used to pass the ink through a stenciled screen. The stenciled screen defines where the ink will pass, and therefore how the image will appear. To use more than one color, the process must be repeated with different ink or dye.
Silkscreen Printing
Silkscreen printing, also known as serigraphy (seri is Greek for silk), is an older method of print making originally used by the Japanese and Chinese. The main difference between silkscreen printing and screen printing is that silk is used for the screen material.
History
The Chinese were the first to develop a form of screen printing. Over a thousand years ago the Chinese used stretched-out hair as the screen material for the process. Later, in the 16th and 17th centuries, the Japanese improved this method and used silk fibers for the screen material. European and American printers adopted screen printing in the 19th century, and the technique has since been modernized. Today, synthetic fabrics such as nylon or polyester are used for the screen.
