How to Burn the Screen on a Printing Screen
- 1). Remove any dirt and oil from the mesh screen by applying a thin coat of degreaser (any commercial kitchen cleaner will suffice) to the front and back. Wipe off with a soft cloth.
- 2). Move to a dimly lit room. Saturate a foam paintbrush with emulsion and apply a smooth, uniform coat to each side of the screen. Face a small fan toward the frame and allow it to dry for an hour or two.
- 3). Place the film positive onto the front of the screen. An ideal film positive is a stark clear design printed on a clear transparency sheet, although stencils are often used. The resulting image burned onto the screen will be the film negative.
- 4). Set a clear glass panel over the artwork. This holds the artwork securely in place while the image is being burnt, producing maximum clarity and detail in the film negative.
- 5). Lay out a black cloth or towel in an open, sunny area. Place the screen on the towel and allow it to be exposed to the sun for 10 to 20 minutes.
- 6). Rinse the screen out using a garden hose with adequate pressure. This washes away the burnt emulsion and finalizes the film negative. The screen is now ready to be used for printing.
Source...