Posted by Matt Walker on October 13, 2002
Mike JacksonHello all,
I have heard about a technique that Steven used. Something about back to back verticle screen printing. You can view the lettering from both sides?. If anyone knows more I sure would like to hear about it.
Best Regards,
Matt Walker
Matt WalkerHi Matt,
I saw Steven Parrish do his vertical screening a few times. The photo above, taken at the Oklahoma Bash twenty years ago, should give you a good clue. He created two different screens: one for the reverse panel and another regular that might read "Thank You, come again". The reverse panel was screened in laquer and let dry. He then double gilded (surface gild) a layer of 23k leaf over the entire panel. After cleaning all excess gold, he screened the forward reading panel in black again, which let the sandwiched gold show through the lettering and pinstripes. When dry, the entire piece was given a clear backup which protected the exposed gold and edges of the two black screenings.
The wooden thing you see at the bottom is one of several little jigs Steven had built. This one wedges into the door opening to help him adjust the screen to the exact position prior to taping the screen to the glass. Another one held the squeegee as he loaded it up with screen ink. He also had a little a-frame jig to hold the screen when he took it off the glass for cleaning. He went through entire process, even if he had several doors with the same imprint.
The appropriate sized squeegee was loaded with ink from edge to edge with palette knife, then he stepped up on a step stool where he pulled the squeegee UP onto a dry screen. One single motion, with no flooding. Seems like there was a small spacer between the screen and the glass...felt pad? I can't remember that detail right off, but I don't think the screen sat directly against the glass.
Until the Oklahoma Bash, Steven was protective of his process--even to the point of putting up a screen on the outside of the glass to keep others from seeing the actual vertical screening process, or the tools used. After being infected with Letterheads fever, he showed the process and revealed every painstaking step.
Hope this helps! I'm sure Steven would have wanted me to show it here.
Mike Jackson
Mike JacksonHi Mike,
That's a great picture!. Thanks for elaborating on the technique. Another question is I read that Steven preferred japan gold size from commonwealth varnish co. Could you tell me what he used it for was it for matted centers,Etc.
Best Regards,
Matt
I don't remember that one specifically. He did have a lot of Commonwealth cans of different materials, including Japans. Personally, I think the new One Shot gold size would work great for that technique since it sets up fairly quick. That product came out after he passed away, so it's hard to say he wouldn't have used it. I seem to remember him having some LeFranc size, too. Clear Fiborseal sets up for gilding VERY FAST, and that works great on some projects. We used it a lot for the small gold areas on our glass. When on location, a quick set up would help a lot, and a 12 hour size would kill the profits. Steven often prepped his doors in the afternoon and then did the screening after hours. Laquer screen ink dried quickly, so he could get to the size step later that same day. I don't think he was able to do the entire sign overnight...from what I could see anyway. He liked to stop and talk too much!
Many of his signs were gilded on bank front doors, so he had to work around the customers. Some banks had two entrances, but I think that was more the exception than the rule in the small rural towns he did most of the work for. The first piece I ever saw of his was on the First National Bank of Moore, Okla....my home town. I looked at that sign numerous times and wondered how it was done and who did it. When I asked someone at the bank they would tell me it was some old guy in Nebraska that came around once in a while.
I have his old sales cases, samples, and his sign kits. Someday, I will dig them out and shoot a few more photos.
Mike Jackson
Matt Walker
Kent SmithHi,
That would be nice Mike. I would like to see more pics.
Best Regards,
Matt Walker
Steven used Florence Japan as a size for surface gilding as did my Dad. The properties of One Shot Fast Size are similar in the way they set up to tack. The spacers were either pieces of felt or 14 ply card stock as I remember. I have much of the process he showed in Kansas City on a fuzzy video which is hard to follow since he visited a lot. Also Cassi and Audri did the filming and they were too short to get in close. Anyway I remember the spacers from that more than when we were in Moore.
Denver Chapter of the Letterheads