If youre planning on attending some of the amazing screen printing workshops on offer in London and the rest of the UK, youll have probably been advised to think about what material you want to print on and what design you actually want to print. Weve seen our fair share of designs over the years, and have produced this handy little guide to help you decide what should be either you first or twenty first print!

Before you choose the design you have to decide what you plan on printing on. Typically youd see workshops providing tote bags to participants, firstly because they are cheap to buy and wont set you back a huge amount if you make a mistake, but also because they are flat materials and it is easy to get one design on the face of the material in one smooth motion.

Similarly, tea towels also make good materials to print on, with the added bonus of being something that you would use almost daily. Since tea towels are likely to get wet often, you have to ensure that you are curing the design properly to stop the ink from running, fading, or discolouring over time. If this is your first time screen printing, a tea towel could provide you with good practice for the curing process.

Perhaps you are slightly more experienced with screen printing and are looking for a more challenging material to print on? How about trying a cushion cover? The material itself is fairly flat and 2 dimensional, however when it is placed over a cushion the material changes shape and stretches slightly. Practice the placement of the design and try different design styles to find the best balance.

Looking to show off your screen printing skills or your amazing designs? Then a t-shirt print is perfect for you! Very simple to produce, a t-shirt will allow you to show the world what you can do, and it can even become a profitable business for you. Explore different colour t-shirts to see how the ink and screen process changes the results.

Have you got old bed sheets that either needs throwing away or upcycling? Old bed sheets can be printed on with brand new patterns, and if you make a mistake, well it doesnt matter!

Some of the easiest designs to start with are block lettering, or single colour designs. These may seem very simple and not worthwhile (particularly if you have aspirations of selling your designs one day), but think about the smiley face t-shirt design, one of the most recognisable brands on the planet!

If you are looking for more of a challenge, explore designs with intricate details and multiple colours. This will give you a better understanding of how the inks react with each other, and will make you a better screen printer in the long term!

Looking for more tips on screen printing? Check out our handy guide to starting up here: How to start