How to screen printing on canvas?

If I'm interested in doing screen printing onto canvas? How should I do it?

I want to print onto 18 x 24 canvas (and eventually larger, maybe 24 x 36). I realize I will have to build my own screens and have some questions.

What screen fabric is best?

What mesh count is best?

What type of ink is best?

1.fabric, you want 230 monofilament mesh or so, 120 (12xx .... good luck with those screens ..) will not give you much detail - that's more for printing white on black t-shirts.

2.For an easy print, get a professionally stretch and glue frame approx 30x36 OD. If you try to print 18x24 on too small small a screen your edges and print will be a mess, you need some gutter. And do not try to stretch it yourself, a slack screen will cause you nothing but problems in coating, exposure, printing and reclaiming.

3.I've used waterbase acrylic, prints nice and easy. Sovent based screeninks work too, but they stink.

4.The you want not to hurt to coat it out a bit with some white and clear, to build up the gaps a bit in between the canvas weaves. The finer the weave the better. Test your ink to make sure it sticks good. I've used TW 5000 and Speedball. the speedball is cheaper, but scuffs

5.you want to print the canvas flat, not on a stretcher.

Use a soft squeegee 70-75 duro

make your images bold, the texture of the canvas is hard to print fine detail etc.

As far as tight register ... depending on how many you are doing, you can spray mount it to card to so you have a corner and side to register to. The canvas itself is hard enough to use the edge and corner to register if you do not want to mount it, but it can be a little soft and not that accurate .... big traps.

Good luck. Screen Printed canvas looks excellent.

Pre：The best Polyester Monofilament screen printing mesh

Next：What is UV printing?