The fine art of screen printing

Sincerely Screen Co’s award-winning creation of Covert Power, a high-density and fine-detailed screen print of Thai artwork.

This remarkable multi-layer screen printed artwork features stacked silicone inks to achieve the three-dimensional result and won a FESPA 2023 Gold Award in the Serigraphies and Fine Art category. The screen printing technique is complemented by additional special effects such as glow-in-the-dark ink to highlight the mask in darkness and a photochromic ink that appears when exposed to sunlight revealing TINPA text in orange. Creators Sincerely Screen Co explain the processes behind the work.

What was the brief, and what were you attempting to achieve with the work?

We always relish a challenge, so it is important that our company never stops inventing. With this fine art print, we intended to push the boundaries of what was possible. Little by little, we made breakthroughs. We hope that this work will be an example of creativity in the printing industry.

How were you inspired to do the work?

Through vigorous planning and employing various techniques, we were motivated to show that screen printing can be more than just a piece of print. We wanted to inspire people through screen printing, which is why we made a contemporary piece of fine art.

How long did you have to complete the project?

The project took nine weeks in total: six weeks for the concept design and planning, and another three weeks for the actual printing of the project.

What were the benefits of your material choices?

We decided to use silicone ink as our primary colour because of its flexibility and elasticity. Thai fine art requires highly precise printing to render the details required.

What were the key challenges involved in the project relating to technology, materials, installation, design and sustainability?

The key challenge in this project was the precision required to mimic the fine detail of Thai fine art painting style, while employing a high-density technique. The Thai pattern usually embodies very fine details with pronounced lines and gaps leaving no room for error.

How did you overcome those challenges?

We had to adapt our printing technology to achieve a flawless fine line with each stroke. We planned out and controlled the process in each step throughout the project, paying close attention to the overlapping areas, making sure that the prints are sharp and not deformed in the fine lines and gaps.

How many people were involved in the project?

Altogether, there were five people. The first person was involved throughout the printing process, including the design and technicality of the project. The second person designed the graphics and separated the colours. The third person made the silk screen blocks. The fourth and fifth person screened onto the artwork by hand.

What's your favourite aspect of the product?

The part that is high-density, with many levels of print overlapping each other on the mask of the Garuda [the divine creature on the design].

What do you think you offer to clients that competitors don’t?

We take pride in our expertise regarding high-density printing, which includes impregnation printing, multi-layer printing, and high-level laser techniques.

How sustainable were your processes?

Some parts of the primary colours were extracted from plants, flowers and tree bark. Those remaining from the process were recycled through heating and grinding into fine powder so that the pigments can be used in the next batch of primary colours. These pigments were very useful for improving colour density and the rigidity of the ink.

What does winning this award mean to the company?

This FESPA award makes the company known to people in the screen industry and has a heavier impact than most local awards. It shows that as a company we are producing at an internationally recognised level and that our efforts have been endorsed.

How important is FESPA to you – what are the benefits of belonging to this community?

As part of FESPA, we many opportunities to connect with several individuals all around the world. FESPA also constantly presents new innovation, which inspires us to invent and develop fine artwork with new techniques that have never been done before. With these prototype concepts, FESPA serves as a gateway to real-world adoption in the screen printing industry.

The FESPA Awards will return in 2025 – for more information please visit here.