A planographic printmaking technique that creates an image made up of flat layers of ink. First, a woven fabric is stretched tightly over a frame to create a screen. The non-printing areas on the fabric are blocked by painting on glue or lacquer, by applying adhesive film or paper, or by painting a light-sensitive resist onto the screen which is then developed like a photograph. Ink or paint is then forced through the non-blocked areas with a rubber blade, known as a squeegee, onto a surface beneath (such as paper). Several layers can be printed to create a multicoloured image.
Screenprint is also known as ‘silkscreen’, because silk was originally used as the screen fabric. It is also known as ‘serigraphy’, which is used to refer to screenprints that are not made for commercial purposes.