Da-Ta Art Studio :: Serigraph

Da-Ta Art Studio utilizes Thieme, Argon and Svecia presses for producing our quality serigraphs. Here are some of the samples.

Serigraphs are created by forcing ink through a series of fine meshed silkscreens. Each silk screen is stretched tightly over a firm wooden or aluminum frame and is most typically coated with a photo-sensitive emultion, although adhesive film is sometimes used to create a mask. A "chromist" (color separator) creates a separation by painting an opaque medium onto a clear piece of mylar or acetate. A blue sky, for instace, will be represented on mylar as an opaque shape. This film then is transferred to a silk screen coated with photo-emultion, and is exposed to intense light. The emultion exposed to the light becomes "cured" or hardened, and the areas blocked by the opaque separation on the mylar remain soft and uncured. The uncured areas of the silkscreen are then washed out using a high pressure spray gun.

After the screen has been exposed, washed, and dried, it is carefully hand-touched to block out any specks or "pin holes" that may have resulted from stray dirt or overwashed areas. The screen is then set up on a press, which is calibrated to move the screen up and down with consistant registration. This allows the printer to feed a print in a set of guides, lay the screen over the print, print the color, and then lift the screen up again to feed the next print into the guides.

Before printing a run, a color mixer carefully prepares the ink. The color mixer and chromist communicate what is needed for a desired effect. The opacity/transparency, viscocity, hue, and intensity must all be considered to recieve the maximum mileage on each color separation or screen. Transparent or translucent inks, for example, can create a variety of colors and effects when printed over several different fields of color. Opaque inks can cover unwanted areas or create a physical texture. The chromist must consider all of these factors when separating colors in order to keep the number of separations or screens at a minimum.

In the same manner, the printer has a lot to consider. The mesh of the screen, for example, is very important. Separations that require large fields of color or heavy texture require screens with a course mesh to achieve greater coverage. Separations with fine detail require screens with fine mesh. In addition to the screens, the printer can control the print quality with different types of squeegies. Squeegies come in different hardnesses and materials to adapt to a variety of technical situations. The angle, pressure, and stroke also contribute to a number of effects. For example, a slow stroke with a soft squeegee at a sharp angle might be used to create a heavy deposit of ink.

Printing runs in an edition are done one color at a time, beginning with a basecoat and ending with a varnish. After each color run, prints are air-dried on racks before setting up the next screen. After completing all of the color runs over a period of several weeks or months, the prints are curated by hand to correct any mistakes such as scuff marks or other minor flaws. Once all of this is done, the artist signs and numbers the prints to be released to galleries. The notation 1/100 means that this particular print is the first of 100 in the edition. By signing and numbering it, the artist is guaranteeing that there will never be more than 100 original serigraph prints of this design.

The serigraph, or silkscreen print as original fine art, gained wide acceptance with both collectors and galleries during the 1960s when artists such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and Robert Rauschenberg began creating major works in the medium. Because a serigraph is a true original, the only thing that limits its value is the reputation of the artist. At Christie's art auctions in New York, serigraphs have sold for six figure prices. Serigraphs have been accepted into prestigious art museum collections.

Serigraph Samples ->