The primary technique for screen printing on textiles is using an actual screen made of silk. The outside of the image is blocked, either by newspaper or by a mixture of emulsion and sensitizers. The chemical mixture or the image is blocked and ink cannot run into the final picture. Ink is then squeegeed across the screen. After which, the screen is removed from the fabric exposing the positive image of the artist's design on the textile.
Block printing is a quick way to stamp ink in a repeated pattern onto textiles. Many fine wallpapers include this technique. An artist will start the project with a wooden block. The block has a laminated side that's easy to carve with laminate or wood carving tools. The texture of the laminate is similar to rubber.
Artists will carve a relief design into the laminate, revealing a reverse image. When the ink is stamped into silkscreen ink and then stamped onto cloth, the final image is revealed. This process is repeated until the fabric is covered in patterns or the laminate on the block wears out.
With silkscreen ink easy to purchase at art stores, designers and interior decorators have used it to paint on all types of surfaces. Ink comes in a variety of finishes, including standard, glossy, iridescent, puffy, rubber and water-based as well as metallic. When a tiny bit of water is added to the ink, it's easy to brush onto fabric using an acrylic hogs-hair paint brush. Artists can paint silkscreen ink on just about anything from sofas and bedsheets to silk curtains and dining tables. It comes in dozens of colors that can be mixed to easily match any decor.