Screenprinted

Screenprinted refers to items produced by screen printing, a method that uses a stretched mesh screen and a stencil. Ink is pressed through the unblocked areas of the screen with a squeegee onto a substrate, creating the image. The stencil is formed by coating the screen with a light-sensitive emulsion or by applying a removable film; after exposure, the unblocked areas accept ink and the image is built with successive color passes.

Inks and substrates vary widely. Common inks include plastisol, water-based, discharge, solvent-based, and UV-curable formulations. The screen itself is typically made from polyester, nylon, or metal, and the mesh count and thread size influence the level of detail and the amount of ink deposited. Substrates range from textiles and paper to plastics, glass, ceramics, wood, and metal. Many screenprints require curing or heat setting to achieve durability, especially for wearable textiles.

Screenprinting is widely used for T-shirts, posters, packaging, signage, and electronics (such as conductive inks on circuit boards). It is valued for bright opacity on dark fabrics, versatility across substrates, and relatively low cost for moderate production runs. Limitations include less fine detail and grayscale precision compared to some digital methods, longer setup times, and environmental considerations related to inks and chemistry used in the process.

Historically, screen printing originated in Asia with stencil-based methods and evolved into the modern process in the 20th century, where it gained prominence in both art and commerce. Today it remains favored for bold color blocking, large formats, and applications requiring thick ink layers or textured finishes.