First print is terrible

What mesh? Does your film look clean and straight? If your film looks fine, but he print doesn't sounds like you need to use a higher mesh.

think the mesh is 43t, on the film it looks ok lines and curves are fine its just not solid black as it was photocopied onto the film

sounds like maybe your mesh it too low for your image.

don't beat yourself up- it took me a long time to get prints just right. even now with a lot of experience, things don't print out well or like i imagined they would. it happens!

it's frustrating in the beginning (personally, i through many items across the basement and snapped pencils...), but it's your first print- it'll get so much easy as you print more, and learn.

cut yourself some slack!

If your photocopying onto the film I would suggest doing touch-up with a small brush and black paint/ink.

Can I ask why you are photocopying instead of printing directly?

zagadka thanks for the kind words, guess i got to keep trying till i get it right, gonna retry

Hey mike i dont have a A3 printer so i got it printed onto A3 paper at a local printshop then got it photocopied onto A3 acetate at uni. long process

rema said:

Hey mike i dont have a A3 printer so i got it printed onto A3 paper at a local printshop then got it photocopied onto A3 acetate at uni. long process

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Why not find a printshop that can put it directly onto film?

I know someone who does that when they need large (~30"x30") images put onto film.

Good idea Lewis i'll look into it,

In addition to your film, your mesh would seem way too low for the keeping a nice clean line. What color of ink are you printing? At a minimum unless you are running some kind of gold fleck through the screen you could go to an 86 or 110 I would think.

Designashirt said:

In addition to your film, your mesh would seem way too low for the keeping a nice clean line. [...] you could go to an 86 or 110 I would think.

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You realise 43t is a metric measurement, equivalent to 110 in the US system?

Nope. I ain't that smart! Thanks for cluing me in.

No worries - it's one of the more confusing aspects of discussing screenprinting internationally