IT’S IN THE BAG: SPACE AGE SCREEN EXPOSURE

Demonstrator: Travis Janssen

 

Screenprinting, albeit a rather accessible medium, typically requires equipment, makeshift or professional-level, to produce photo-emulsion based stencils. Proper contact between screen mesh and the positive is paramount for quality results. DIY solutions and affordable commercial products exist for exposing smaller-sized screens. However, those strategies don’t scale well to take on larger frames. Sizable exposure units can be rather costly and take up valuable real estate in smaller studios or DIY spaces. Construction of this simple, economical, and portable exposure implement utilizes easily sourced materials, the majority of which are available at home improvement stores, and pliable light diffusing film that molds itself around the screen under vacuum pressure. This method has been used to successfully expose screens upwards of 55" X 70” thus far.

 

ABOUT TRAVIS JANSSEN

Travis Janssen received an MFA degree in Printmaking from Arizona State University and a BFA from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Janssen’s exhibition record includes solo shows at venues such as Seed Space (Nashville, TN), DEMO Project (Springfield, IL), the University of Notre Dame (South Bend, IN), Arteles Creative Center (Hämeenkyrö, Finland), and Elsewhere Living Art Museum (Greensboro, NC). Over the last ten years he has shown work in over 135 juried or invitational exhibitions across the United States and international locales including China, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Russia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Janssen is currently an Assistant Professor and Head of the Printmaking Program at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.