Processes: Screen

Formerly known as silk screen, this method forces ink through a design on a taut screen onto combined board or paper. The screen is made of a porous material Ð fine silk, nylon, Dacron or stainless steel Ð and mounted on a frame. A stencil is produced on the screen, either manually or photomechanically. Improved dryers, UV inks and new rotary screen presses speed up production of this traditional manual process.

Both line and halftone work can be printed. Screen printing can usually be recognized by the thick layer of ink and sometimes by the texture of the screen on the printing.

PROS - The process does not crush the flutes and there is full ink coverage.

CONS - The amount of ink applied is far greater, which accounts for some of the unusual effects in screen printing. Sheets must be racked separately until dry or passed through a heated drier before they can be stacked.

COST - $$$

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