Civets on a top: Riso MiScreen A4

Eliška holding a printed piece of fabric with a civet, in riso style

This time I printed on fabric instead of paper. A risograph can't do that, so I took out its smaller cousin, the Riso MiScreen A4, a machine for making screen printing stencils.

The civet ended up on a top I now wear. Here is the whole way from the drawing to the sewing machine.

1. A drawing in two layers

The pinkish brown civet silhouette plus the black drawing with spots make the finished civet — Silhouette plus black drawing. Each layer is one screen and one colour.

First I drew the civet and split it into two layers: a solid silhouette underneath and the black drawing with the spots on top. Just like with riso posters, every colour needs its own stencil.

2. A stencil from the MiScreen

I send the drawing from the computer to the MiScreen, and in a moment it burns it into a fine mesh stretched in a frame. It works much like making a master in the risograph.

No exposure chemicals or washing out like in classic screen printing. A few minutes and I have both stencils.

The framed screen runs through the MiScreen and the drawing is burnt into it.

Eliška holding the screen with the burnt-in civet against the light — The finished screen against the light. Where it lets light through, the ink goes through.

3. A colour of my own

Mixing a pinkish brown textile ink with a spoon in a jar

On fabric I use inks made for textiles. Unlike risograph inks these can be mixed, so I mixed the warm pinkish brown of the civet myself from a few colours.

4. The first layer

Spooning ink along the edge of the screen — I spoon the ink along the edge of the screen.

A pull of the squeegee pushes it through the screen, I lift it and the silhouette is on the fabric.

The pinkish brown civet silhouette printed on a cut piece of fabric — The silhouette on a piece of the future top.

I print straight onto the cut pieces, before sewing them together. That way I know exactly where the civets will sit on the top.

5. Black on top

Placing the second screen exactly over the printed silhouette — The second screen has to go exactly over the silhouette.

Black ink on the screen above the civet silhouette — Black goes on top: outlines, spots and the striped tail.

The best moment: I lift the screen and the civet is done.

Close-up of the civet: the black drawing over the pinkish brown silhouette — Up close you can see the black never lands exactly in place. Just like on riso posters, that is the loveliest part.

6. Sewing

Eliška sewing the printed pieces on a sewing machine

Finally I sewed the printed pieces together on the sewing machine. Every civet came out a little different, so the top is one of a kind.

And straight on.