Screen Printed T-Shirts

Purpose:
• To be introduced to the process of screen printing;
• To create a simple design that uses a variety of shapes which emphasize the interaction between positive and negative space;
• To demonstrate the process of screen-printing by printing designs on paper and fabric.

        Through this screen-printing project, I acquired much new and valuable knowledge involving the process of screen-printing, the importance of considering positive and negative space in design, and the power of simplicity. To begin, I was completely unfamiliar with screen-printing before this project. As I learned through this assignment, the screen-printing process is very detail-oriented and, thus, frustrating. Although it seems somewhat simple, various factors come into play that create difficulties. For example, some difficulties I encountered include: accidentally getting ink from my fingers on a shirt when picking it up, smudging a still-wet design, and many more. Evidently, the process requires extreme diligence to produce a successful outcome. Furthermore, this project taught me the importance of considering positive and negative space in design. By drawing my design and creating a stencil, I had to consider what space would be filled in with ink (positive space), and what would be left of the white shirt (negative space). Thus, I thoughtfully created the size and structure of my design with positive and negative space in mind. Lastly, I was greatly reminded of the power of simplicity through this project. As my design demonstrates, simplicity has the ability to make a strong statement. My design is made-up of four main portions; two eyes and two eyebrows. When creating my design, I focused mostly on the basic outline of each feature as opposed to getting caught up in the details. By doing this, I created a bold and pronounced design.
        All three of these factors are very significant to my learnings as a Graphic Design student, as well as artist in general. The process of screen-printing incorporates an infinite variety of art elements that should be considered in any design project. Examples of these important elements include the consideration of composition, contrast, positive and negative space, proximity, alignment, size, repetition, and many more. Overall, this project forced me to exercise and apply my knowledge of many basic art principles.