Serigraphy

Serigraphy is said to be the oldest form of art reproduction. Sometimes called silk-screen printing, it is a stenciling method that involves a fabric mesh screen stretched across a frame. Today, polyester mesh is used instead of silk. The paper is placed under the screen. Block-outs are applied to the screen by various methods so that only certain parts of the image will receive ink each time. The ink is placed onto the upper side of the screen and forced through the screen onto the paper by drawing a rubber squeegee across the screen.

 

Images of various kinds can be transferred to the screen. Formerly I used photographic images from negatives. Now I use my own drawings made to print size.

 

I usually hand-pull 10 pieces of each print edition.   Each edition is unique and cannot be duplicated. My serigraphs involve up to 75 pulls and 40 colours. Printing time can be up to 140 hours. Time spent preparing the photographic image or drawing is extra.

 

I have been doing serigraphy for almost 30 years.   For most of this time, I have been fortunate to have a work area at Precision Poly Screen, an Oshawa, Ontario business that makes silk screens commercially for the automotive industry.