via Feminist Review by Feminist Review on 4/7/08
By John IsaacsonMicrocosm Publishing
A collection of self-published zines on the art of screenprinting, John Isaacson's Do-It-Yourself Screenprinting is a trusty guide for the patient craftsters. Demonstrated through simple drawings, Isaacson provides a step-by-step guide for turning your own home into a t-shirt factory. I'll admit that the first few pages were a little confusing for me because I had no idea what emulsion was or what the process screenprinting even involves. After 20 pages of descriptions, however, I was able to follow each drawing and instruction, imagining in my head how one would screenprint.
So why didn't I actually try this process on my own to see if Do-It-Yourself Screenprinting is really a handy (if not necessary) guide? Well, from the first few pages I could tell that there was no way that I would ever actually set up my own screenprinting shop. First of all, a garden hose and extra space are required. I live in an apartment building in a large city. I haven't seen a garden hose in two years, let alone have the room in my own living space to use one. While the techniques look simple enough, I believe this guide is meant for someone who lives in a building with a yard, or at least a small patch of outdoor space with access to a garden hose.
Aside from the space issue, I'll admit that DIY screenprinting looks like a lot of work that I'm just not up to doing. My own personal laziness aside, however, Isaacson's guide is very informative, detailed, and even inspirational. Interspersed amongst directions, tips, and drawings are profiles of different creative screenprinters. These profiles offer ideas for projects, and suggestions on how to make screenprinting into a dream job instead of a nightmare.
Isaacson's guide is definitely the guide that I would turn to if I had the desire to try screenprinting on my own. He lists great resources for getting the necessary tools, and throughout the text explains the pros and cons of the numerous approaches to screenprinting. Along with its overflowing fountain of helpful information, Do-It-Yourself Screenprinting represents a wonderful and entertaining culture of DIYers and craftsters alike.
Review by Chelsey Clammer
Click here to buy:
Do It Yourself Screenprinting
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