What is screen printing?
Screen printing is a printing technique that uses a fine mesh screen to transfer ink onto fabric or other surfaces. It’s one of the oldest and most trusted methods for creating bold, durable designs, used everywhere from streetwear and merch to art prints and posters.
Unlike digital printing, where ink is sprayed on, screen printing pushes the ink through the mesh stencil onto the material below. The result is a vibrant, slightly raised print that lasts wash after wash.
It’s a mix of art and craftsmanship, part technique, part experimentation, and the perfect way to make your creativity wearable.
How it works
The process starts with preparing your design. That artwork is transferred onto a mesh screen coated in light-sensitive emulsion. When exposed to UV light, the design hardens everywhere except the parts you want to print, creating a stencil.
Ink is then poured onto the screen and pulled across with a squeegee. The ink only passes through the open parts of the stencil, printing your design onto the surface below. After printing, heat is used to cure the ink, locking it permanently into the fabric.
What You’ll Need Before You Start
Before jumping in, it helps to understand the tools and materials that make screen printing possible. Each part of the process relies on the right setup, from the inks you choose to the light you expose your screen with.
You can explore everything you’ll need in detail here on Inkorrectly:
The 11 Essential Tools You Need to Start Screen Printing at Home
A clear starting point for anyone new to screen printing.
Navigating This Website
Inkorrectly is built like a creative journey. Each page covers a key part of the screen printing process, from creating artwork, to choosing tools, to troubleshooting mistakes.
You can explore freely, or let Smudge, our little red button guide, lead you through everything in the right order. Smudge appears on pages that have a natural next step helping you follow the entire process without ever losing track.
Once you have all of the supplies, Smudge will be ready to take you through the process step by step. You’ll find him holding a sign indicating the next step, and usually accompanied by red text like this which is a short explanation of the step.
So if you’re ready to start your journey, start by clicking smudge and let him take you through each step so you can start printing right away.
