How is fabric printed?
Textile artists print fabric using various methods, including block-printing, mono-printing, transfer printing and screen printing. The technique depends on the desired effect, and whether the print is a one-off, or a pattern reproduced in great numbers.Block PrintingAn artist carves patterns for a woodcut or linocut (made with a block of linoleum), or creates relief blocks with textural materials such as string. He then applies dyes or inks to the surface with a roller, places the block face down on the fabric and presses to imprint the image.TransfersTransfer printing requires designs produced on copy paper with fabric transfer paints and crayons, or images printed on specialized paper. The artist then uses a heat press or household iron to transfer the dyes from the paper to fabric.Screen PrintingThis method involves pulling dyes or inks across a silk screen using a tool called a squeegee, which pushes color through a stencil to print the design on the fabric.StencilsScreen-printing
