Not everyone uses fancy and expensive techniques for screen printing. Some still use paper stencils. You can use paper stencils with your screens quite easily, and make both positive and negative prints.
You’ll want to cut a sheet of paper that matches the size of the screen that you’re using. Then, trace the design onto a paper that’s both durable and water-resistant, like contact paper or freezer paper. You can cut the stencil out with any kind of craft knife. When you get the print ready, though, you may end up with some extra ink, so make sure you clean up any excess and do a test print before you print on something of value.
You can make several prints this way, too, but you have to be careful because the paper stencil will not have as much durability as some other ways of making prints, and most of that depends on both the paper that you use and the way that you handle it. With good paper and a little care, it will last much longer.
Tags: paper stencils, screen printing
