Overview: Thea & Sami screenprinting workshop

Today, after anticipating it for many months, I finally got to attend my screenprinting workshop with Thea & Sami. Thea taught myself and four other lovely young ladies how to screenprint our own basic designs at home, and also gave us an brief overview of how her own commercial practice works.

To start, we all cut out our design ideas that we came along with, and then tried out printing them on calico. I printed the set of two apples on a small screen to start, and then moved on to the three pears on a larger screen.

I liked the paper outline that was left over from my first screen so much that I took it home to frame.

After perfecting our techniques, some us us printed on other items that we'd brought along. I printed up my designs on some of the tote bags I had laying around.

Now I have officially 'graduated'! And I also have a much greater appreciation to the level of skill and hard work that goes into Thea's practice. She really is a wonderwoman!

I also snuck in a little bit of retail therapy while I was at the studio, and picked up a few of Thea's beautiful tea towels that she had on sale due to some extremely minor imperfections. I LOVE them!

If anyone in Brisbane is keen to see how a real screenprinting studio operates, you're in luck! Next Saturday (30 October), Thea & Sami will be opening their doors to the public, and they'll be pulling out their super-sized screens for demonstrations. You'll also have the opportunity to pick up some clearance items at bargain prices. It sounds a little too dangerous to me!

If you're interested in taking one of Thea's classes for yourself, you can book on the Thea & Sami website. Places often fill months in advance, so make sure you get in early.