Yudu Emulsion Film
Yudu Emulsion Film
US $21.59
If you are screen printing as a hobby, you may have tried several ways to create your stencil. One such way that has been popularized on the internet is the screen fill method. Essentially, the screen fill method involves painting an image on a screen using a filler that dries and becomes your stencil. Once the stencil is created, the screen is used the same way it always is with screen printing: it is positioned on the fabric, and a squeegee is used to push ink through it. Wherever the holes have not been painted over, the image is created when the ink passes through the screen.
While some may consider the screen fill method simple and inexpensive, there are several drawbacks:
- It is extremely time consuming.
- When you make a mistake painting the filler, it can be quite aggravating to try to fix.
- It is tedious.
- If you want to reproduce the screen you have to do the whole process over again.
- Line work and small type are pretty much out of the question.
Fortunately, there is another method for creating stencils on screens that solves all five of the above problems, and it is also relatively inexpensive on a per screen basis: the photographic method using light sensitive emulsion.
Basically, the photographic method involves making a film, and using it as a light barrier when exposing the emulsion. The image on the film becomes the stencil on the screen, allowing the ink to pass only where the image is. Films are commonly made of transparencies on a paper much like tracing paper, or on specially coated acetate sheets that can be printed with an ink jet printer.
While there are a few types of photographic emulsions, including capillary films, diazo, photopolymer, and dual cure, the light sensitive emulsion that is probably the most useful to the kind of printer that might consider the screen fill method is the dual cure emulsion. The reason why the dual cure is a suitable substitute is because someone who would use the screen fill method most likely is looking to do a short print run if they are using waterbased inks(less than 1000 pieces), they want to make a quality screen that can be recycled, and they want as few steps as possible to create the screen with as little expense.
Coating screens with photographic emulsion is a fairly quick and painless process once you get the hang of it. While there are some best practices and trouble-shooting tips that can shorten your learning curve, even without much experience most people pick it up quickly. The one main drawback of the photographic process is that you need a light source to expose your screen. Fortunately, with the right set-up, you have a large variety of choices including the sun.
Gary Jurman is the president of http://www.diyTeeShirts.com , a website dedicated to helping artists, hobbyists, and crafters learn about screenprinting. The site features how to screen print tutorials and supplies, including a crash course in screen printing, how to build a screen printing press, and a kit for hacking the Yudu screen by coating it with liquid emulsion.
screen printing questions?
I just got a yudu yesterday. Do they sell emulsion film or emulsion remover at craft stores???? If you are making a small design can you cut the film to a smaller size to not waste the whole film???
They do sell the yudu supplies at Michaels and other craft stores. I would not recommend cutting the film, the point is that when you drag the paint over it goes in the holes in the screen left open. If you cut a small piece you will have a large open area to make mistakes in. If you want to save money I recommend buying an emulsion kit. It doesn't come in a sheet, but a liquid that you spread on the screen. This will also help you ensure that the emulsion is properly applied to the screen. I have found that the yudu screens often do not adhere all the way. Also the emulsion kits are cheaper, there are plenty of alternatives to yudu supplies which are expensive. You can find kits online at places like dharmatrading.com The machine itself is amazing.
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