The Screenprinters - Black Brand Screen Printing

We present a new section of our blog, The Screenprinters, where we will showcase our favorite screen printing workshops and studios in Spain, so you can have a guide of professionals as a reference.

A few weeks ago we wrote to Victor from Marca Negra Serigrafía (A Coruña) to ask him a couple of questions, he kindly replied and gave us some photographs.

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What's behind Marca Negra Serigrafía?
A lot of desire to work on what we like and never stop learning while being part of interesting projects. At first, the idea arose a bit as a brand but we quickly decided to design and/or print any project from whoever contacts us. The reception has been good and now there’s no turning back.

Being a designer, have you always worked in design applied to screen printing? Has it been difficult to adapt?
Only in personal projects or as a hobby, maybe that’s why we like it so much. It has its charm; a good poster or illustration doesn’t always work fully when transferred to a t-shirt. The possibilities of space, the limitation of inks, a direct message, and not going unnoticed among so many, give hours and hours searching for the best result. We have always liked more compact and t-shirt-friendly designs. Ray Pettibon, Courtland Johnson, Jim Phillips... The relationship between music and screen printing, the DIY spirit... although we have no problem screen printing the clothes of the fish shop across the street, we would love it!

Why do you think you have progressed so quickly? How was the step to 4 inks? From your Instagram, I think you were printing with 1 color recently and now you already have a Ryonet screen printing machine and you are doing multi-ink projects.
Before starting this June, we had been learning for about a year and a half, ruining many old t-shirts and everything we found. We keep doing it. Almost from the beginning, we worked with 4 inks. Regarding the step from a handmade press to the Riley Hopkins Jr., it’s a whole world: registration, comfort, speed... everything. A very good investment.

What have been your favorite screen printing projects?
Each one is different, either by design or by what is behind it. Personally, when on a t-shirt with 3 or 4 colors, each ink is part of a whole, the best is to see how with the last layer the design comes together and the work makes sense.

You use water-based lacquers in your prints, have you tried other types of inks? We work with lacquers, acrylamines, and discharge. Occasionally vinyl, but what we use daily is water-based.

Do you have any trick or advice you can give to someone else who does screen printing?
If I were to say something it would be to get dirty and try without fear of making mistakes, try not to get ink in your eyes or mouth, and go ahead.

Learn more about Marca Negra Serigrafía on their Website, you can see more photos on their Instagram @marcanegraserigrafia and on their Facebook Marca Negra Serigrafía.