The Wonders of Light Table
The Wonders of Light Table
Screen printing, which is more associated with t-shirt printing, involves several processes from designing artwork, making the screen, and preparing the inks to the actual processing of the artwork or design to several mediums such as the sun, light table, and exposure table. Exposing the artwork is very delicate and crucial at the same time. This is the process where the ink or paint-coated screen, which is already dried up, is removed. This is delicate because, sometimes, not all paint is dried up and there's a huge tendency that the image or design will be destroyed if not handled with great caution.
Usually people rinse the dried artwork in the screen with water. The importance of exposing it to light comes in since light enables the wet ink or paint in the screen to dry up. The light has photons that harden the materials and in the process, makes it convenient to rinse. When a screen is rinsed out without allowing the paint or ink to harden, then the paint in the artwork would be washed away. In short, it is very important to expose the artwork fully so as not to destroy the design.
In this process, a light table comes in handy because it is generally a translucent device that helps the person see through other materials like paper. It is a table made of glass that has light beneath it. There's a dual purpose for this light since it's photon could harden or burn the artwork and at the same time. It could help the person using it to view what's happening with the design while it's drying up.
The Wonders of Light Table