i made my first photo emulsion screen the other day! i've had my speedball photo emulsion kit since last august but have always been too scared to try it out for one reason or another. my original many moons screen was created with speedball screen filler but it's been used and touched up so much that its really on its last legs. i knew i wanted to try photo emulsion to make a new one and finally bit the bullet after reading this AWESOME tutorial at lilblueboo that explains how you can use sunlight to expose the screens instead of rigging up some fancy light arrangement. i followed the tutorial to a tee except that instead of using a transparency, i just cut my circles out of card stock and laid them right on top of the screen. it was a bit of an experiment, i wasn't sure if it would work but i am so excited that it did! i have a bunch of digital designs ready to take to officeworks to be printed onto transparencies but it's great to know that i can use this technique with cut paper as well.
i've got a stack of homemade screens just waiting to be filled this week, CAN NOT WAIT.
thanks for the brilliant link, Leslie, altho slight problem with the sunshine issue over here! It's good to know a method can work well as preparing a screen is the only thing I can't do at home and have to go to the workshop for.
ReplyDeleteHi Leslie, Well done for trying emulsion! It took me a while to summon up the courage too, but it is actually really easy once you know exposure times, etc. I have tried the sun method myself too. Here in the UK I find that it is only reliable for a 'chunky' design - something with thick lines and little detail. So I now have a foil dish and 275W photoflood bulb set up, hung from its cable from a hook on the ceiling! Easy and works darn well - instructions in your Speedball kit. Wish I had more time to play with my screens!! ...one day...sigh.... I wish you much happy green-fingered emulsion play-time!
ReplyDeleteKeri
{keri(at)twolittleflowers(dot)com}
good to know, keri! i did my screen on an overcast day and it only took a couple of minutes, maybe i'll try my more detailed ones on a sunny day just to give them every chance to work.
ReplyDeleteI haven't tried photo emulsion yet... but I would love too! Just got to find some time somewhere :)
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