Electronics Faire - Screen-printing with the Vinyl Cutter for Community Repair (Part 2)

In the second part of this series, participants will first learn how to weed their design, and then use transfer tape to transfer their vinyl cut designs to 110 mesh screenprinting frames. They will then learn how to distribute water-based screenprinting ink and then use a squeegee to print their designs onto old shirts. (It is best to let the ink air dry and then heat set on the fabric, but the same screen can be used to print the same design as many times as desired, but once it is washed off, it cannot be reused.)

I am inspired by the reparative community work happening in Minneapolis by Art Price Studio, a cooperative screenprinting space that became a community hub and resource for folks who wanted to print messages of resistance on their own clothes. The idea of this workshop is to both “repair” by upcycling old clothes and also “repair” community morale, strengthening connections of crafting and activism. Participants will be empowered to make their own designs, and then in turn will be asked to offer screenprints of their designs to the Philadelphia community during the Electronics Faire.

Bring a shirt, bag, or other fabric item to print on!

About the Instructor:
Emily F. Brooks is an Associate Director of Digital Research in the Humanities at the Price Lab for Digital Humanities. As her academic persona, the “makeademic,” she emphasizes experimentation to advance knowledge at the intersections of digital humanities, book history, pop culture, and design. She enjoys teaching others how to become makers using various forms of technology including microcontrollers, laser-cutters, 3D printers, augmented reality, and more to create prototypes that span the analog/digital divide.