Screen printing is a printing technique whereby a mesh is used to transfer ink onto a substrate,
except in areas made impermeable to the ink by a blocking stencil. A blade or squeegee is moved
across the screen to fill the open mesh apertures with ink, and a reverse stroke then causes the
screen to touch the substrate momentarily along a line of contact. This causes the ink to wet the
substrate and be pulled out of the mesh apertures as the screen springs back after the blade has
passed.

Screen printing is also a stencil method of print making in which a design is imposed on a screen of
polyester or other fine mesh, with blank areas coated with an impermeable substance. Ink is forced
into the mesh openings by the fill blade or squeegee and by wetting the substrate, transferred onto
the printing surface during the squeegee stroke. As the screen rebounds away from the substrate the
ink remains on the substrate. It is also known as silk-screen, screen, serigraphy, and serigraph
printing. One color is printed at a time, so several screens can be used to produce a multicoloured
image or design.

There are various terms used for what is essentially the same technique. Traditionally the process
was called screen printing or silkscreen printing because silk was used in the process prior to the
invention of polyester mesh. Currently, synthetic threads are commonly used in the screen printing
process. The most popular mesh in general use is made of polyester. There are special-use mesh
materials of nylon and stainless steel available to the screen printer. There are also different types
of mesh size which will determine the outcome and look of the finished design on the material.