Using a Gocco Screen Printer — by Sister Liz

The gocco is a small Japanese screen printer. It uses flash bulbs to burn an image onto a small disposable screen with which you can print on paper, wood, cloth — pretty much any flat surface. I use the gocco all the time to make cards, stationery, invitations and t-shirts. Each one is hand printed which gives it a really unique, organic look — like these labels I made. Goccos were discontinued for a while and hard to find but there are a couple places that now carry them: here and here.

Here's what the process is like:



Design your image on the computer to fit a 4x6 postcard size (in this case, I was making two images to print on one screen). Print it out in black and white and then make a carbon copy of that print. Cut it out.



Place the cut image in the center of the gocco pad, install the two light bulbs.



After putting the screen into place, press down on the top of the gocco. The light bulbs will flash and crack, burning the image onto the screen.



Peel the paper off the screen and apply ink on top of the image. It is possible to use multiple colors if you leave room in between for a sticky foam to separate the different color areas. Another option is to make separate screens for each color and wait for the first printings to dry before printing additional colors.



Place your inked screen back onto the gocco machine and place paper on the pad. Press down again on the gocco to apply the inked screen onto the paper



Voila! Some people are really talented at this gocco thing — check out this and this.

I made these cards for my awesome friend.