Moiko Silk Screen - Style 8.21

USING THE SILK SCREEN
You can use either side of the silkscreen when applying paint. This has the added bonus of allowing you to create mirror images of patterns by using both sides.

Put a line of paint along one edge. (A heavy body paint in a tube is recommended for best results.) Pull the paint across the stencil with a squeegee or an old credit card. Remove the stencil by slowly lifting up from one side.

CLEANING
Do not let the paint dry on your stencil. Keep a container of water nearby to place your stencil in. Gently rinse your silk screen with water using soap if necessary. Gently rub the paint off with a soft sponge if required. Do not use rough material as it may rub off the emulsion and ruin the design. Therefore care must be exercised to avoid scratching or rubbing off your design. Place on a towel or drying rack to dry, shiny side up. If several stencils get stuck together do not pull them apart. Soak the stencils in water for a few minutes until they come apart.

POLYMER CLAY RECOMMENDATIONS
Note that excessive softeners in polymer clay can cause your paint to remain sticky and not dry properly. For this reason I suggest you avoid very "fresh" clay or excessively soft and sticky brands of clay. Leaching your clay may help with this issue.

STORAGE
Store stencils flat, do not fold or bend. May be stored in zip-lock bags or a box.

POOR PRINTING - CAUSES/SOLUTIONS

Paint bleeding under silk screen:
Paint not thick enough. Try using a thicker paint.
Silk screen not making good enough contact with surface being painted. Try using silk screen adhesive spray. Surface being painted is too uneven. Try cutting silk screen into smaller pieces for a better fit. Taping down may help.
Too much pressure applied to paint brush or spatula. Use less pressure.

Paint not going through:
Dried paint filling up mesh. Try cleaning silk screen before proceeding.
Paint is too thick. Paint contains pigments or speckles that are too large to fit through mesh.