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What is a Serigraph?

Template for Black and White Tourists Visit Egypt

Template for Black and White Tourists Visit Egypt

This is how a hand pulled serigraph print begins. The image is created in layers using hand painted stencils. When creating an original print, you do not start from a finished image and copy it, the image is gradually built up through the printing process. Further down on this page, you can see the creation of a serigraph one stencil at a time.

 

The Creation Of A Serigraph

I use a pen as well as brushes, to create a black stencil on a sheet of transparent acetate. Then using a special light table I expose a stencil film to light projected through the acetate stencil I have drawn. Then the stencil film is developed in a solution, and a hose is used to rinse away the unwanted areas, (the same areas that were painted black on the acetate). The stencil film is then adhered to a screen. When the stencil is dry the backing is pealed away leaving openings for the ink to come through. At this point a block out medium has to be carefully carded around the outside of the film area so that the printing compound does not make a mess of the edition paper. Then a color has to be mixed. It is important to take into account not only, how the color you use will appear over the colors already on the serigraph, but also the tones it will create when later colors are added to it. The screen is then fastened securely to hinges on a table, and a print from the edition is lined up under the screen. Then registration marks are taped against the edge of the paper so that every sheet being printed will line up in precisely the same spot. Then the printing compound is placed on the screen, and it is pulled across the stencil with a squeegee, leaving a color on the paper. I then proceed to pull this color across all of the sheets of paper I am working with, (about 70), and hang these up to dry. Then the screen has to be cleaned, (the least fun part). This whole process takes about 5 hours for each color.

screen hanging prints

After the print has dried, a new piece of acetate is taped over it and work can begin on the next stencil. If a print gets smudged, or is off register, a stray dog hair land on it, or a messy finger print touches the edge of the image, that print becomes a reject and does not make it into the edition. Any print that is perfect (relatively speaking) becomes part of the edition, prints with a minor flaw may become artists proofs, and anything else is destroyed.

stencil
Stencil 1

stencil
Stencil 2

stencil
Stencil 3

stencil
Stencil 4

stencil
Stencil 5

stencil
Stencil 6

stencil
Stencil 7

stencil
Stencil 8

stencil
Stencil 9

stencil
Stencil 10

stencil
Stencil 11

stencil
Stencil 12

stencil
Stencil 13

stencil
Stencil 14

stencil
Stencil 15

stencil
Stencil 16

stencil
Stencil 17

stencil
Stencil 18

Color
pale (outline)

Color
flesh

Color
light blue

Color
dark blue

Color
red brown

Color
gold

Color
tan

Color
darker brown

Color
light black (stripes and spots)

Color
black

Color
pink (dog's tongue)

Color
dark gray

Color
medium gray

Color
opaque white

Color
light gray

Color
transparent white

Color
pale gray

Color
very pale gray


Black and White Tourists Visit Egypt

This serigraph has participated in 12 International Juried Competitions, and won 3 prizes at these shows

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