Experiment with Different Inks

Tired of printing flat images?  Here’s Ed Branigan’s quick tip, recently published in Impressions Magazine, on revitalizing your screen printing:

Many screen printers are schooled to print a certain way and to use specific inks for certain print effects. However, you should try to experiment and put together different types of inks and see what happens.

In my experience, some of my best print techniques came either from “mistakes” or new combinations of inks. 

The best way to experiment with various inks is to use the same artwork — something simple — then print one effect over another (flash in between) and cure it.  For example, I experimented using an ink that cures hard and retains texture (3811 Granite Base), combined with a puffy, spongy special-effects ink (3810 BlowOut Base), and got an interesting effect. 

Try other combinations to see what will happen. Remember, printing is fun!

Ed Branigan is the print applications manager at International Coatings and has extensive experience in screen printing inks and technology. For more information, visit iccink.com and read the company’s blog at internationalcoatingsblog.com.

For a detailed how-to on the above print technique, please check out How-To page, BlowOut/Granite Base – Sample 1 instructions:  http://www.iccink.com/blowout_granite_base_s1.htm.

Check out our 3810 BlowOut Base and 3811 Granite Base flyers for more info.

International Coatings manufactures a complete line of phthalate-compliant screen printing inks, including a wide variety of whites, specialty inks, special effects inks, color matching systems, additives and reducers.  For more information on our products, please visit our website at www.iccink.com.

    International Coatings:     The Intelligent Choice

Venice High School’s Super Shop 9 Opens

Former California Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, visits Venice HS's Super Shop 9 $3 million graphic communications education facility and learn to screen print using Int'l Coatings granite base ink with a textured palette.

Congratulations to Art Lindauer on the grand opening of his Super Shop 9!  Even former Governor Schwarzenegger attended and printed several shirts. 

Here is an article for more info on the grand opening: 

http://patch.com/A-s13X

For more pictures and info on Super Shop 9, visit their Facebook site.

For more on International Coatings’ Granite Base and new Non-PVC Granite Base inks, visit our website at  www.iccink.com.

International Coatings manufactures a complete line of phthalate-compliant screen printing inks, including a wide variety of whites, specialty inks, special effects inks, color matching systems, additives and reducers.  For more information on our products, please visit our website at www.iccink.com.

    International Coatings:     The Intelligent Choice

 

SPSI Kansas Seminar – June 16 & 17, 2001

Come by SPSI’s Open House event to celebrate their new location in Lenexa, Kansas, to be held June 16 and 17, 2011. Our North East Regional Sales Manager, John Levocz will be on hand to demo printing on performance fabrics and some special effects techniques.

SGIA ’10 Las Vegas A Success!

This year’s SGIA ’10 show was a great success thanks to many visitors and customers who visited our booth. For those of you who came by the booth: we enjoyed the opportunity to meet you at the show and introduce our newest products and screen printing techniques.

See some of our print samples that were printed at the show…

How To Article: Using Heat Press For Screen Printers

Sara Kahane of Insta Graphic Systems just published an article in Printwear magazine on how to use a heat press machine for screen printers. With the help of International Coatings’ Print Applications Manager, Ed Branigan, her article showcases various techniques for using the heat press with discharge ink, Granite Base, and other special effects applications. Don’t miss out on these special effects techniques…

Special Effects Inks For Screen Printing

There seems to be a lot of interest in special effects prints. So here is Kieth Stevens, our Western Regional Sales Manager, explaining what special effects products are available.