Introduction:

Silk screening is a fast, easy and fun way to produce copies of a design quickly. It allows you to duplicate the same design onto your ware exactly the same over and over. Silk screening has been used for many different purposes and applications, however, these instructions are specific to creating designs on tile using the Silk Screening Station by Malibu Tile Works, along with products such as Art-Line Resist, glaze, under-glaze and over-glazes.

You will need:

- A prepared silk screen (see "Types of Screens");
- Printing medium such as resist, glaze, under-glaze, over-glaze, etc.
- Hinged platform;
- Squeegee;
- Stay-Put Pads;
- Dry Erase Marker;
- Latex Gloves;
- Plastic Knife (or Spatula);
- Prepared Screen;
- Tiles (or ceramic item) to be Screened.

For Clean-Up Solution - you will need:
- Mineral Spirits for oil-based products; or
- Water for water-based products.

Screening on un-glazed (Bisque) surfaces:

If you are silk screening designs onto bisque tiles (unglazed), first be sure to clean tiles by scrubbing. Allow to dry completely before silk screening.

Choose a location with plenty of room and counter space if possible to allow for a place to set your freshly screened items.

First - place Silk Screening Station platform on a sturdy table. Then place prepared screen frame in hinge clamps. Tighten wing nuts to

secure screen frame. Raise frame slightly and place tile on platform, then lower frame (placing frame prop under edge of frame).

Next - center tile under screen design being careful to line up tile for proper placement. Hint: Sometimes it is helpful to shine a flashlight level with the platform to make tile more visible through screen for proper placement.

Once you are satisfied with placement, use dry erase marker to draw a line around tile on platform (you can remove marks later with a paper towel).

Page 1

---------------------------------------------

Next - center a stay-put pad (cut slightly smaller than tile) into marked area. Place tile onto stay-put pad.

Note: When screen is lowered and edge is on frame prop - screen should sit approximately 1/8" above tile. Tip: If you are working with thin tiles, you can use another tile or more stay-put pads to bring the level of tile up to the correct height.

Next - Using a plastic knife or spatula, put a small amount of screening medium along the upper edge of screen design (being careful not to scratch the screen with tool).

Place squeegee on screen above line of medium. Pull squeegee across tile while applying slight pressure. (With a little practice you will learn the correct amount of pressure to apply in order to deposit the correct amount of medium onto the tile.) If necessary, make another pass with squeegee to deposit enough medium on tile.

Lift squeegee and life frame to check design placement on item. If necessary, adjust placement and re-mark new placement (registration). Tip: You can tape a piece of paper cut to size on top of your tile to check proper registration. Once your registration is correct, you're ready to print tile after tile.

After each tile is screened, remove tile from platform and set aside. Allow to dry completely before glazing. (If you are screening over-glaze onto a pre-glazed tile, allow to dry completely before firing in kiln.)

If necessary, wipe underside of screen periodically with paper towel moistened slightly with clean-up solution.

When finished, clean both sides of screen with clean-up solution until screening medium is removed from screen. Allow screen to dry and keep in a dry protected location and out of direct sunlight.

Types of Screens:

The type of screen you use will depend on the screening medium you will be using. There are several different types of screens including:

-Direct Film Method - This process uses a special film material to create the stencil. The film is placed on a frame which has been stretched with silk screen material, then a positive (artwork) is placed onto film and screen then exposed using exposing unit.

-Indirect Film Method - This process uses a special film material also, however, the positive is placed onto the film and the stencil is created using a sensitizing solution - then the film is adhered to the screen.

Page 2

----------------------------------------------

-Photo Emulsion Method - This process must be done in darkroom type conditions. An emulsion is mixed with a sensitizing solution, then spread onto screen material which has been stretched onto a frame. The screen is then allowed to dry. The positive is then placed on prepared, dry screen and a photo flood bulb (placed at a pre-determined height) is used to expose screen. The screen is then rinsed out with a hard spray of water until design areas "open."

Silk screens, if property taken care of, should last for quite a long time and will produce many prints. The life of a screen and the number of prints possible varies depending on which method and type of screen you use.

Although rewarding and fun, screen creation can be very involved, time-consuming and the materials can be costly.

If you are excited about screen printing, but you are not excited about creating the screens yourself, you can contact Malibu Tile Works and we will be happy to create a screen for you. Simply create a high quality black and white copy (a photocopy or computer print-out) of your artwork of line-art. Make sure that the copy of print out is the actual size of the screen image you desire for your project. (Measure your tile or item to be screened first, before creating your positive.)

Send in an envelope (large enough to prevent having to fold your copy) to: Malibu Tile Works, 23852 Pacific Coast Hwy., #776, Malibu, CA 90265.

Please enclose a self-addressed shipping label and a check made payable to Malibu Tile Works in the amount of $55.00 per screen; which covers the cost of creating the screen, a wooden frame and shipping & handling in the continental United States.

If your screen image is larger than 8" x 8" contact us to discuss other options.

You send us your artwork - and we will return a finished screen to you - so that you can get busy creating your own works of art!

If you have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact Malibu Tile Works at 310)456-0777 to discuss your particular needs.

You can also visit our website @ www.MalibuTileWorks.com to obtain more information about techniques, and products - or to just take a look at the many tiles shown on the website, which have been created using the old-world technique known as cuerda-seca. This wonderful technique is done by applying an oil-based resist formula onto bisque tiles prior to glazing. The method of resist application we use most is, of course, the silk screen.