Printing a Christmas Star
This is a very simple and easy Christmas project. Just whip out your screen, grab an old cardboard box and a squeegee and within half an hour you’ll have this handmade stunner for the top of your tree.
Start by drawing your star shape on a piece of leftover cardboard. Any size is fine, just make sure it’s even.
Draw the same star shape on a piece of plain paper. Draw your pattern onto the paper making sure that it will cover the surface of the star. This can be any pattern you want it to be! Cut out your shapes using a scalpel and a cutting mat.
Once you have cut out your stencil, place it on top of your cardboard, making sure the whole of the star is included.
Tape the edges of your 90T screen, leaving an opening that is slightly smaller than your paper. Place your screen on top of the cardboard and the stencil.
Spoon out a row of your favourite acrylic screen printing ink along the top of the screen. We chose Speedball’s gold. Pull your squeegee down the screen gently, holding the squeegee at a 45 degree angle. Remove the excess ink from the squeegee, bring it back to the top of the screen and pull down again, pressing hard this time. Your may need to use one hand to print and the other to hold the screen still.
Peel off your stencil and wash your screen. When your print has dried, use a straight edge and a scalpel to cut out your star.
On the front of your star, use the scalpel to score a straight line from the centre to each of the five points. Don’t press too hard or you’ll go through the other side! On the back, score from the centre to each of the inner corners of the star.
When you have scored five lines on each of the front and back, gently pinch each point so that the centre raises and the edges dip – like in the photo below.
When you have finished your star you can sellotape a tube of paper onto the back so that it can be placed on top of your tree, or make lots to place around the house!
To make your own star, you will need:
- Cardboard
- Pencil
- Metal ruler
- Scalpel
- Cutting mat
- 90T Screen
- Squeegee
- Acrylic screen printing ink
- Plain paper for making a stencil
- Tube of paper
- Sellotape