Botanical Fabric Screenprinting

  • Minimum 3 Color Run
  • Looks like a specific plant
    • Not generic
    • Botanical illustration
    • Recognizable
    • Recommended to use a photo reference
  • Each color is featured throughout the print, not just in one small area
  • Minimum 6 Final Prints
    • At least one on fabric
    • Rest on paper
Things to ask yourself:
  • Did I use enough details to make the plant recognizable?
  • Have I created volumetric features?
  • Did I do something beyond the minimum requirements?
  • Do I have at least one print that is accurately registered?

Botanical Prints

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Datura
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Cholla
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Prickly Pear Cactus
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Cosmos
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Matilija Poppy
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Barrel and Saguaro Cacti
BOTANICAL PRINT
  • SPECIFIC PLANT
  • 3+ COLORS USED
  • DETAILS CREATE SPECIFICITY

PRINTED ON FABRIC
  • AT LEAST ONE PRINT ON FABRIC 
  • REST CAN BE ON PAPER

CONTAINED IMAGE
  • CONSIDER HOW THE IMAGE LOOKS AT THE EDGES - CROPPING ON A T-SHIRT CAN LEAVE A WEIRD RECTANGLE
  • CONSIDER HOW NEGATIVE SPACE AND VALUES CAN HELP MAKE YOUR PLANT POP
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Design

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Find an image of a SPECIFIC PLANT
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Design a 3+ COLOR Image with the appearance of VOLUME
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At least 2 COLORS need to be used THROUGHOUT the composition (not just in discreet areas) for UNITY
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NO CROPPING - You should see the whole design so that it works on a t-shirt
  • Design should be a SPECIFIC PLANT
  • 3+ COLOR screens
  • Should look VOLUMETRIC
  • 2+ Colors used THROUGHOUT to create UNITY
  • NO CROPPING

Cutting your screens

Plan your screens based on color and values. Consider where you want ties and where you don't.
​MAKE TWO COPIES OF EACH STENCIL so that you can use one copy for fabric and one copy for paper items.
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Color 1
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Color 2
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Color 3
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Color 4

Color Schemes

Minimum Requirement: 2 Realistic Colors, 2 Arbitrary Colors, 2 Monochromatic Colors
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Realistic Coloration
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Arbitrary : Colors You Like on a T-shirt
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Analogous Coloration

Layers

Print all of the fabric layers or paper layers in one go. Then, switch screen stencils to the second copy for the other. Be sure to use the fabric squeegee (rounded edge) and the fabric transparency when using fabric. Do not use the paper ink or paper transparency on fabric! It will wash out!
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Layer 1
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Layer 2
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Layer 3
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Optional: Layer 4

Printing on Fabric

  • Use separate stencils for the fabric printing.
  • You will use the same amount of pressure when printing on fabric, but might need a little more ink than when printing on paper.
  • You will need to protect underneath the top layer of fabric with chipboard. 
  • Only use fabric inks on fabric. Paper inks will wash out of fabric. Transparency is specific too.
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FABRIC SQUEEGEE (has an opaque rounded edge)
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CHIPBOARD (goes inside the t-shirt to keep the ink from staining the back of the shirt)
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On FABRIC, only use fabric inks. You cannot mix paper inks into the fabric inks.
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The FABRIC TRANSPARENCY is not the same as the acrylic extender base for paper.