Course Title: Prepare stencils and screens for textile printing

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2009

Course Code: MANU5922C

Course Title: Prepare stencils and screens for textile printing

School: 350T Fashion & Textiles

Campus: Brunswick Campus

Program: C5213 - Diploma of Textile Design and Development

Course Contact : Pat Jones

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 99259421

Course Contact Email:Lucy.Adam@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Lucy Adam    9925 9421

Nominal Hours: 60

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

NIL

Course Description

This unit covers the skills and knowledge required to prepare stencils and screens for textile printing.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

LMTTD4013A Prepare stencils and screens for textile printing


Learning Outcomes


Completion of this course will  enable students to demonstrate skills and knowledge to:
• analyse design specifications and interpret production requirements
• identify and address faults
• determine requirements of design and conversion to print
• make minor adjustments to equipment
• use printing techniques to achieve design effects
• recognise and apply stencil application for image use, design and printing techniques
• evaluate own work and conduct quality checks


Details of Learning Activities

 This course is delivered in a studio / workshop that simulates industry  working environments.

A range of learning activities and tasks have been designed to allow students to demonstrate competency.

Please note - not all learning activities are assessment tasks, participants will be advised well in advance if an assessment is taking place.


Teaching Schedule

Session

Learning Activity                                                                                                   

 Assessment task                                                                             
1.

Overview of unit.  Assessment, Learning activities, technical file, studio Practice and tour of facilities. 

OHS Induction

What is Screen Printing, what are stencils and screens. Examples of different print types, meterage, placement, substrates, print pastes. Tools and Equipment, look at different kinds of screens, frames, mesh. Selection Criteria - warped, holes, blockages, metal, aluminium, wood, size

OHS quiz, to be handed in week 6
2.

Overview of paper cut stencils. Prepare and test a paper stencil.Screen and squeegee selection. Ink wells. Preparing work space, fabric, staples, print table.

Finishing, drying, evaluate and conduct quality check.

 Process Documentation Worksheet and

4 samples in technical file

Studio Practice Checklist

 3.

Print paste media - what is it, how is mixed, chemical structure, properties, using pigment media

Mixing colours using pigment concentrates. Selecting appropriate screens and squeegees and using correctly.

Tonal colour mixing exercise

 
 4.

Curing printed samples and testing for wash fastness. Discussion about substrates and appropriate fibres for printing with pigments

Heat setting and testing samples from tonal colour mixing exercise

Intro to 3 colour film cut stencils

 Process Documentation Worksheet and

samples from colour mixing exercise in technical file

 5.

What is a placement print?

Examining and analysing Samples

Overview of 3 colour film cut stencil. Why use?

Design from assist in textile development. - analyse stencil requirements

Determine colour separations, mark registration crosses, cut stencils

 
 6.

Testing 3 colour stencil - registration, workstation, stops, rail use, fabric(white and coloured ground).

Screen and Squeegee selection

Process Documentation Worksheet and

samples in technical file
Studio Practice Checklist

 7.

Overview of photographic stencils, what is a photo stencil?

What is appropriate media, how can media effect design and exposure. Creating photographic stencils

Development of a floral motif. Generate motif multiple times using various textural techniques with appropriate media

 
 8.

Preparing Screens - reclaiming, coating, selecting appropriate screen, mesh, tension, look for blockages, ghosting/haze.

Demonstration and group task practice reclaiming screens

What is emulsion? Use, storage, technical information

Practice coating screens. Continue motif development  - ready for exposure following session

 Observation Checklist
 9.

 Coat prepared screens with emulsion - drying time required

Quiz on preparation for photographic stencils and screen preparation. Difference between blocked mesh and haze. Identifying problems and making improvements

Expose screens, times, operate equipment, wash out, possible problems that can occur

Workstation set up, strike off, testing textured samples. Use printing techniques to achieve design effects

Quiz on preparation for photographic stencils and screen preparation. Difference between blocked mesh and haze.

 Identifying problems and making improvements

Observation checklist - prepare screens

 10.

 Specialist inks and foil, samples, heat setting, care requirements, printing on dark grounds, using the heat press.

Samples to be heat set and washed

Testing opaques and speciality binders with photographic stencils

 Process Documentation Worksheet and samples in technical file
Studio Practice Checklist
 11.

 Group discussion on analysing and interpreting stencils requirements in relation to converting design to print.

Two colour registered photographic placement print on a non woven substrate.

Overview of printing on hard surfaces, screen and squeegee selection, pvc registration method, off contact printing, technical considerations.

Information about registration and accuracy, setting up art work, selecting appropriate media

 Group task - analysis and brief presentation.

Design specifications are analysed and discussed to confirm stencil requirements

 12.

 Preparing stencils against artwork

Use at least two different methods to prepare stencils

Prepare screens

 
 13.

 Water based printing system for printing on non woven substrates. What are non woven substrates. Workstation set up

Appropriate selection of tools and equipment

Test Screens

 
 14.

 Finalise tests, evaluate own work and conduct quality checks

Assess use of equipment  and work processes.

Group discussion about similarities and differences for preparing stencils and screens for woven and non woven substrates

 Process Documentation Worksheet and samples in technical file
Studio Practice Checklist

Trouble shooting quiz on testing stencils and screens

 15.  Industry Visit  
 16.  Industry visit  
 17.

 Overview of digital output.

How to prepare stencils for digital positives. Demonstration and overview of Epson 9600

 Trouble shooting quiz on screen preparation
18.

Reclaiming Screens. Check for blockages

Discussion on waste disposal, pollution control and recycling.

Final housekeeping procedures

Studio Practice Checklist


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

McNamara,Andrea and Snelling,Patrick (1995)
Design and Practice for Printed Textiles
Oxford University Press Melbourne, Australia

Joyce,Carol (1993)
Textile Design
Watson Guptill Publications
New York, USA

Phillips,Peter and Bruce,Gillian (1993)
Repeat Patterns
Thames and Hudson Ltd
Slovenia

Fisher,Richard and Wolfthal,Dorothy (1987)
Textile Print Design
Fairchild Publications
USA

Adam, Robert and Robertson, Carol (2003)
Screen Printing the complete water based system
Thames and Hudson Inc., 500Fifth Avenue,
New York, New York 10110


References


Other Resources

Many materials used in this course will be covered by a materials fee and handed out in class. Eg fabric, paper, pigment, binder etc, but it is essential that you have a personal kit as well.

This class requires a basic set of equipment that must be bought to and used in class. Please make sure you are equipped with these materials at the beginning of the program.


• 30 cm steel ruler
• Set square
• Sharp scissors
• Glue stick
• Cutting knife with replaceable blades
• Pacer
• Fine liners
• A3 size visual diary
• Brushes – round 00, 1, 3, 6, 10
• Chinagraph pencil
• Black permanent marker
• 1 pair of household rubber gloves ( from supermarket)


Overview of Assessment


To achieve successful completion of this course students must demonstrate an understanding of all elements of Competency.
Assessment methods have been designed to measure achievement of each competency in a flexible manner over a range of assessment tasks. Technical requirements documentation, homework and in class exercises, written tests, practical problem solving exercises and practical tests. Students are advised that they are likely to be asked to personally demonstrate their assessment work to their teacher to ensure that the relevant competency standards are being met.

Assessment will incorporate a variety of methods including:

Group task
Completion of learning activities
Process Documentation worksheets
OHS Questionnaire
Studio Practice Checklists
Trouble shooting quiz  and observatioanal checklist


Assessment Tasks


1. Technical file –
The technical file will include printed samples from practical set tasks and process documentation worksheets. The worksheets relate directly to the task and are designed to help participants become familiar with processes, technical language, problem solving and analysing work practices.

The set tasks included in the technical file are:
• Prepare, cut and test a paper stencil
• Select screen and squeegee for colour testing
• Testing 3 colour film cut stencil
• Prepare photographic stencils and screens
• Testing 2 colour registered photographic placement print on a non woven substrate

2. Studio practice checklist –
Students will be required to submit 5 studio practice checklists throughout this unit. The checklists will enable participants to demonstrate knowledge of standard operating procedures and ability to conduct quality workplace practices. They also relate to general housekeeping in the print studio and individual contribution to maintenance and improvement.
The lists will typically be submitted after a practical activity and will require participants to check items off; eg, Has my screen been stored correctly? Have I cleaned and returned squeegee to the storage area?

3. Group task – analysis and brief presentation.
In small groups students will be asked to analyse design specifications to interpret stencil requirements.

4. Assessment through observation –
Participants will be required to demonstrate a range of practical tasks during class sessions

5. Quiz
There will be 4 quizzes undertaken in this unit:
1. Work processes related to preparing stencils and screens
2. Trouble shooting - Testing stencils and screens
3. Trouble shooting – Screen Preparation
4. OHS- This quiz is designed to ensure students are aware of all aspects related to OHS in the print room and carry out work according to current OHS practices

Please note quizzes will be available for students to examine the week prior or will be undertaken over multiple sessions, there will be no surprises as far as expected required knowledge. They are designed to reinforce understanding and equip students with the tools to analyse and solve problems associated with preparing stencils and screens.


Assessment Matrix

  observational checklist technical file - including samples and process documentation sheets Group task Studio practice checklist Quizzes 1,2,3,4
Element:                                                              
1. Interpret stencil requirements  

1.3 ,1.4

1.5,1.6

 1.1

1.2

 1.3

 

 
2. Prepare Screens 2.1 - 2.4        
3. Test screens and stencil quality  

 3.1, 3.3

3.4, 3.5

 

   

 3.2, 3.3

 

 

Other Information

Prepare stencils and screens is the first screen print unit undertaken in the Diploma of Textile Design and Development. This unit is studio based, incorporating some theory and many practical exercises. The exercises will enable participants to gain a sound understanding of basic processes and techniques associated with preparing and testing stencils and screens.

The course will be offered in intensive mode over a  9 week period  during the semester. This intensive mode of learning allows for longer periods of studio access which is simulates industry workplace . Please read the timeatble as sessions rather  than weeks - one session in the morning the other in the afternoon.

Due to the session  sceduling  and access to facilities it is strongly recommended that students attend every session .

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