MAKE IT CUTE

DIYs

DIY Graphic Tees

Intern Lizzie Nirenberg strikes a pose in her Simply Screen™ tee from Plaid
Photo by Molly Crawford

Want to make your own glam graphic tees? Even if you have no experience, Simply Screen™ from Plaid is the easy new screen-printing that anyone and everyone can do. Get your friends together and make a million custom shirts!


What You’ll Need:

For the basic designs, such as one color or multi-colored tees:

1+ cotton tees (any color or style)
Simply Screen™ Paint (included)
Simply Screen™ Silk Screen Stencils (included)
Squeegee Applicator (included)
LOTS of paper towels
Water
1 Piece of Cardboard


What You’ll Do:

1. Lay down paper towels (or newspaper) to keep your area clean. Then take your fave tee and put the cardboard inside so that the paint doesn’t leak through to the other side. Put this on top of your paper towels.


2. Peel off the back paper on the silk screen stencil of your fave design and place it on the shirt where you want the design to be. Make sure it lays nice and flat!


3. Choose the colors of the Simply Screen™ paint you want to use on your design. At the top of the screen stencil, squeeze a thick bead of the color you want across to the other side. (If you want a multi-colored design, squeeze the first color halfway across the stencil, then switch to the other color of your choice and continue the rest of the way).


The finished product is a perf prezzie for your bestie's bday
Photo by Molly Crawford

4. Hold the top of the screen with one hand and get the squeegee in your other. Using the squeegee, pull the paint down to the bottom of the stencil. Make sure you don’t pull the paint off the stencil and onto your shirt! Repeat this until all of your stencil has been filled with the paint.


5. After swiping all the paint through, pull the screen stencil up slowly and carefully to reveal your masterpiece! Ta-da!


6. Wash off your stencil and squeegee IMMEDIATELY after use! That way, you can reuse.


Simple, right? Do you have another cool printing technique? Any cool design ideas? Tell us about them!


For more crafty ideas from Plaid, check out Plaidonline.com!


-Molly Crawford

POSTED IN ,

3/18/2010 8:00:00 AM
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