Screen Printing Forum

Hi

I want to print a bright red onto a 100% black cotton tee.

The course I did sold SuperCover waterbase inks, with more pigment for going onto dark shirts, but some of the examples they had still looked a little patchy.

I guess the thing to do is an underbase, but they didn't cover this in the course.

Do I make another screen for the underbase (complete positve), and does the stencil need to be slightly smaller?

Also, any tips for undebase work and getting bright waterbase colours on dark shirts?

Cheers

Shaun

Best advice I can give is to use plastisol. I use a light underbase slightly inlined from topcoat. I don't use water base for anything so I have no frame of reference for your problem with that type of ink. Sorry.

Yea, you can print an underbase. Water-based inks are great if you want that soft-hand feel. Most of the water-based inks out there blend in so well with the shirt, that you can't even feel the print.

I would suggest using a discharge underbase if you have that available. That's really the best way to print water-based inks on dark fabrics. The discharge will evaporate out the dye from the garment and leave you with a bleached effect. Then, you can print those water-based colors right on top with some good results. I would flash the discharge base first then run the other colors.