It's a Hands-On Business, Not a Click-to-Print Job

First off, there's no 'print' button here. Every single layer of colour on one of my pieces has been pulled by hand. That means stretching a screen, coating it in emulsion, exposing my design onto it, and then physically pulling a squeegee loaded with ink across it. If a print has five colours, I do that whole process five times, making sure everything lines up perfectly. It’s a physical process that takes time, a steady hand, and a fair bit of patience when it goes wrong.

A digital printer just sprays tiny dots of ink onto paper to create an image. It’s a reproduction. Screen printing is more like painting by stencil, but with a lot more precision. It’s a human process, and that human touch is in every single print I make.

That Colour? You Can Practically Feel It

This is the big one. Ever looked at a screen print up close? The ink doesn’t soak into the paper like it does with a digital print; it sits right on top. It creates this brilliant, rich layer of solid colour that you can actually see and feel. The colours are punchy, vibrant, and opaque because I mix the inks myself to get the exact shade I’m after.

Your average printer is trying to trick your eye by mixing cyan, magenta, yellow, and black dots. A screen print gives you the real deal – a solid, flat block of pure colour. That’s what gives them that bold, graphic quality. It’s a depth and texture that you just can’t replicate with a machine. It looks, and feels, like a substantial piece of art.

You're Buying a Piece of the Action

Because the whole thing is so labour-intensive, I don’t just churn out thousands of copies. My prints are always part of a limited edition. I’ll make a set number, say 50 or 100, and once they're gone, they’re gone for good. Each one is signed and numbered by me.

And here’s the best bit: no two are *exactly* the same. There might be a tiny, unique imperfection in the ink pull or the registration. It’s not a mistake; it’s the mark of something handmade. It’s what proves your print was made by a person, not a machine. You’re not getting a flawless, soulless copy. You're getting an original multiple – a genuine piece of the entire creative process.

So, next time you see a screen print, know that you’re looking at more than just a poster. You’re looking at hours of work, a load of specialist skill, and a real passion for the craft. It's a piece of art designed to last, with colours that will pop off your wall for years to come.

Don't just take my word for it, though. Have a proper look around my online store at olifowler.com and see the difference for yourself. Go on, you know you want to.