After seeing some of my prints and oil spill posters, friends ask me what exactly a screen print is and how do I have the space/equipment to make them in my apartment. This post will be dedicated to a behind the scenes look at printing my oil spill poster.

I first got in to screen printing a year ago after I purchased my first Speedball kit. My first attempts didn’t turn out well, but I wasn’t going to stop. I co-worker and I were talking about screen printing at work and she sent me a link to a Michelle Saint Onge’s website. The day before she saw her on Martha Stewart giving a demo about screen printing with old picture frames. I read her blog where she gives very valuable information that led me to doing more research in setting up my own screen printing setup. Since then, I’ve become a little more efficient. I still have a lot to master, but I think i’m finally on the right track.

Step 1: I start out by creating the design in Illustrator and then printing it out on 8.5×11 ink-jet safe transparencies. Since I will be using photo emulsion, the printout only needs to be printed out in black to block out the light that will be referenced later. (NOTE: If you use multiple colors in your design you will have to print that many transparencies and create that many screens).

Step 2: Now it’s time to expose the screen. Before I created the transparency I put photo emulsion on my screen so it could be drying. Photo emulsion is light sensitive so I could not take a photo. I placed my screen face down and place the transparency on top. Then I have a 250 Watt light bulb about 15-18 inches from the screen and leave it on for 10 mins. During this time, the light is exposing everything that isn’t blocked out by the transparency. Since my art work is printed in black, that area is being protected.

Step 3: Now that my screen has been exposed for 10 minutes, I need to wash it out. Since most of the screen wasn’t blocked out, the emulsion hardened and will block ink from going through those parts later. Make sure all the emulsion has been washed out of your design. You can tell by holding it up to the light and seeing if you can see through it.

Step 4: Once the screen dries, you’re ready to print. I use an old card-board table donated by my Mom that I mounted two hinges on. The red that you see on the screen below is filler. Since I want the last pelican to be red I have it blocked it. Usually for two colors you would need two screens but this color is used minimally that you can cheat it by using filler.

Step 5: Now it’s time for ink! I lay a line of ink at the top of the screen and use a squeegee to pull the ink down the screen. I had to act fast so the ink wouldn’t dry int the screen and I didn’t get to take any photos of this process, but here is the finished first color.

Step 6: I previously mentioned how I was using the same screen to print both colors but I had a brain fart and started cleaning out the first screen so I had to repeat the steps and make another screen for the red pelican.

Step 7: Repeat the inking process with red ink. Let them dry and you’re finished!

This post is inspired from a couple illustrators I’ve stumbled upon over the last few years; however I’ll only feature one. I found Tad Carpenter a while back and now keep tabs on his work through his website and follow him on Twitter. His style is very playful and has an eye for creating great color combinations. He has illustrated several children’s books and band posters, but it was his monster mix ups that got me back drawing in my sketchbook.

Below is a feature from todays page. I started off Googling “monster sketches” and then found a couple images I liked and started sketching away. At first, I was randomly sketching on the page and after 4 or 5, I decided to tie them all together. Then I went a step further and scanned my sketchbook page, brought it into Photoshop and started painting in between the lines. This is sad to say, but in the 6+ years I’ve been a designer, this is probably the first time I’ve ever illustrated something this way. Enjoy!

Today, a colleague sent me this link for Hipstamatic, a very cool photography iphone app. It reminded me of the QuadCamera app I purchased a while back and today I took it for a test drive in Downtown Dallas. QuadCamera is very easy to use and has a lot of layout and color options ranging from black and white, vivid, dull and high contrast.

[View with PicLens]

I often think about what I want to do with my life and how I want to develop as a designer/artist. Do I want to learn more video and 3-D animation? Do I want to work in a larger agency or at a small specialty shop? Maybe start my own business? The questions go on and on.

Things change, but here’s how I feel now about my design future:
• I would like to teach others about art+design.
• I want to somehow help others and make an impact in their life through art.
• I’d rather work with an idea or initiative I support.
• I like the idea of after school art programs for kids.

Enter Moomah. I found their branding on Brooklyn based Apartment One’s website and was immediately intrigued.

Moomah is described as:
“A place of sweet whimsy, wonder and warmth, Moomah is a creative playscape, a cozy cafe, a living classroom, a quiet hideaway, an art oasis, your neighborhood meeting spot. Your favorite place to be together, and a place for your child to simply be.”

I love the idea of this as a business model. It nurtures creative stimulation in young kids and serves as a space where both parents and kids can bond over a great song, a fun project or new treat. The branding plays into this idea with the use of a variety of simple illustrations and a clean typeface that reminds me of a mixture of a typewriter and old building blocks I had as a kid. Here are a few thumbnails.

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I recently finished a small freelance project where I designed invitations for a 50th un-birthday party. Staying away from the cliche balloon and cake illustrations, he wanted to see a more sophisticated design depicting the party atmosphere but still addressing it was his friend’s 50th. He mentioned a few ideas and said something about how he would like to maybe see a martini glass. I threw out the idea of turing the “0″ of the 50 into the martini. He liked the idea. Here is the final design.

I recently found out my poster design for The Great Oil Leak of 2010 Poster Project has been selected to be part of shows in Southern Louisiana. I’m really excited to show my work with other designers and can’t wait to start screen printing them! I’ll be sure to post images once they are complete.

The first show is at:
BRICKS & BOMBS GALLERY
August 6th @ 7pm
448 Hearthstone Dr.
Baton Rouge LA

Here’s a peek at some of the other designer’s posters that I really enjoyed!

One day, I will have a bar in my house made of letters that spell BAR!

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Smooth type and sound. Check it:

Jay Z – “Hello Brooklyn” from Gregory Solenström on Vimeo.