Screen Printing

January 2024

Another way to transfer an image on to ceramics is by screen printing. I had two images that I created as greyscale images, printed out onto acetate and then exposed on the screen. I had a slab that I’d made earlier and using white slip dried it out slightly.

I am trying to recreate a look that resembles oil paint and pallet knife application. My tutor showed me how to mix up coloured slip using a small amount of white porcelain slip and yellow ochre. I then applied it with the brush, along with red slip and used the rubber kidney to mix and blend.

The centre is where I wanted the image to be so I used white porcelain slip to lighten it a little. I then dried them off. Using the screen in the same way you would when printing on paper. Instead of ink I used green slip and pulled it down across the tile. I found it was easier to do evenly if I went back over with a rubber kidney.

It had to dry before going in a bisque firing. I was quite pleased with the outcome. When it came out the kiln however it had flaked a little. Talking things through with my tutor and the technician, using this technique again I will need to ensure the slip used is of the right consistency and not too thick.

I still glazed it with an earthenware transparent glaze.

I practiced again with the other image on another slab, using the red and yellow ochre slips. I did the background first and then went over the horse, with the second colour. It didn’t quite work out and was kind of a splodge. On reflection, I don’t think I had let the screen dry long enough before doing the second colour.

I then ‘painted’ around the image and blended the edges, rather than painting the whole slab first with the slips, as I think the first time around there was slightly too much. I really need to do a lot more of these practice slabs to get the desired effects. A lot to think about with the consistency of the slip you are printing onto, and the consistency of the slips used to print with.

As I had the images on the screens, I decided to try printing onto material and paper. I was struggling to dry the screen properly between tests and the ink wasn’t pulling down evenly. Although, I have some interesting happy accidents and ghost images on paper.