History of Screen Printing

Screen-printing, called serigraphy in fine art circles, is a commercial process that has been practiced in the United States for more than 100 years. It starts with creating a stencil, which is transferred onto a mesh screen using a chemical process. Ink is then pulled across the screen using a squeegee, transferring the image onto the desired surface, which is generally paper or textiles. Today, screen-printing is commonly used to create T-shirt designs, but this printing method is also used by fine artists and has various other commercial uses, such as creating signs, banners and even bumper stickers.

Screen printing has its roots in Japanese stenciling, but the modern screen-printing process is credited to Samuel Simon of Manchester, England, who patented his process of using silk-stretched frames to hold hand-painted stencils around the turn of the 20th century. This process was also utilized by William Morris, an artist well known for his prints and patterns. Early in the 20th century, San Franciscan John Pilsworth patented his multicolor screen-printing process, further advancing the art form.

In World War I screen printing really gained momentum as an industrial printing process in America. It was used to create flags and banners, as well as advertising campaigns for the chain stores that were developing at the time. The photographic stencil was soon invented, further revolutionizing the screen-printing process. This process involves the use of various chemicals, presses and inks, which were all improved to varying degrees over the years. In the 1980s, the invention of the computer changed the prepress side of screen printing (making and transferring the stencil), but little else has changed since then.

The popularity of screen printing as an art form has waxed and waned over the years, enjoying several revivals. It was especially popular during the Pop Art movement of the 1960s, used by artists like Andy Warhol and Robert Rauschenberg.