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Medium: Screenprint / Serigraph/ Silkscreen

Collage of nine different works of art from the GVSU Art Museum collection that represent the printing technique of silkscreens.

Screen printing, also known as silkscreen or serigraphy, is a printmaking technique that uses a mesh to transfer ink onto paper except in areas made impermeable to the ink by a blocking stencil. Silk or synthetic mesh is first pulled tight onto a frame. There are several ways to create the blocking stencil on the mesh, including blocking glues, acetate, and ultraviolet light-sensitive emulsions. Once the stencil has been created, the screen is placed on top of the substrate, and ink is squeegeed across the mesh, going through the non-blocked portions of the stencil. This technique became popular in the mass-produced market since it can be used on several different substrates, like fabric, paper, and plastic, and can easily become an automated process done by machines.

Explore Screenprints in the collection

 

Page last modified May 20, 2026