screenprinting

I got a screenprinting kit last year on sale.  I've always wanted to try it.  I finally got it out before Christmas so I could make some t-shirts for people.  It was a lot of fun and pretty easy.  I got myself a simple table at the thrift store so I would have a spot to pull prints so I didn't destroy the kitchen table.  I also use this lovely table as a drawing table.  I don't really like to draw in my sewing room.  So this lives in the living room where we have a lot more space.  Around Christmas when I was making a bunch of t-shirts and doing a bunch of custom drawings, the living room looked like my second studio.  It's all cleaned up now!

 Here are the shirts I made:

 For Dad, inspired by this, the mural on the Intermedia Arts building in Minneapolis:

source

For brother in law, inspired by Robert Frost's quote: "In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on."

For my brother.

The ink was getting dry in the screen so it didn't print as cleanly as I wanted and also I got ink on one of the sleeves so Devin got a second shirt:

He's a big Rocky fan if you couldn't tell.  

Dad got another shirt because I forgot about this design and I really wanted him to have a shirt with this on it:

Inspired by this awesome design in an art and design book:

This one for my sister in law.  I like this one so much it was hard to give it away!

Finally, a sweet kiwi bird for my Kiwi penpal Claire in New Zealand!  Believe it or not, we have been writing each other for over ten years!  Writing with actual pen and paper!  (-:  And that reminds me, it's my turn to write and I am WAY overdue!)

So those made some quick, fun and unique Christmas gifts.  I love screenprinting.  It's a little messy, but I'm sure with a little practice it'll be no problem.  Now I should screenprint on paper.  Might be a little less stressful!  The most time consuming part of these projects was designing and cutting out the freezer paper I used as stencils.  Stenciling is the easiest, most basic screenprinting method.