What does it mean to expose a screen?

Expose Your Screens This means that the emulsion on the screen is exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light and solidified, making any part of the screen the light touches impermeable to ink. Any source of UV light will expose a screen (even the sun), but in order to ensure consistency you should have an exposure unit.

How long do you expose a screen?

Expose the entire frame for two increments less than the manufacturers recommended exposure time. For example, if you have chosen 15 second increments and the manufacturer’s suggested exposure time is 4 minutes, then you will start at 3 minutes and 30 seconds.

Can you expose a screen at home?

Exposing screens at home is possible and you can do it without breaking the bank. Our exposure kit gets the job done from screens A5 – A3 and you can get in to some pretty fine detail too! Our kit comes with a 1000 watt Halogen Lightbulb.

What happens if you overexpose a screen?

An overexposed screen won’t allow for enough ink through your screen while printing— resulting in prints with poor detail. An underexposed screen means you’ve lost too much emulsion and you’ll be throwing too much ink.

Can you expose a screen in the sun?

If you are a DIY printer, using the sun to expose your screens is an effective and free way to make your screens. The best time to use the sun for exposure is at noon, so you can get the most concentrated UV rays. Coat your screen and let it dry in a light-safe area.

What light should I use for exposing screens?

The ideal light for screen exposures is one that is rich in ultra-violet (UV) light. Fluorescent, halogen lights and most LED lights are low in ultra-violet (UV) light. But they have a low purchase price and are readily available. This is why most low cost exposure units have them as a light source.

How to expose screen printing screens?

How To Expose Screen Printing Screens – Simple Guide 1 Preparation of artwork 2 Application of emulsion 3 Exposing your screens 4 Washing and drying your screens. By following these 4 steps consecutively and correctly, you will have screens ready in no time for printing.

What is a film positive exposure?

The film positive is placed on the exposure unit glass (an exposure unit is the light-emitting device used to create a screen exposure) during the exposure process also known as “burning a screen.” The screen is coated with a photographic chemical solution that is sensitive to light known as photo emulsion.

How does a photo emulsion screen work?

The screen is coated with a photographic chemical solution that is sensitive to light known as photo emulsion. When the light hits the screen, only the area darkened by the film positive “develops.” The exposure process can take from just a few seconds to several minutes, depending on the type of exposure unit.

How do you take pictures with different exposure times?

Take construction paper and do 4-5 different exposures. Move the paper to expose more of the image each time. At the end you will have 4-5 different exposure times. Just pick the one that washes out the best and there ya go.