There was something especially meaningful about looking across the Kolormatrix classroom and realizing that every student was a woman.
Our first all-women 3-Day Professional Screen-Printing Class brought together women who were ready to learn, work and get their hands dirty. Some traveled a considerable distance to attend—including students who came to Atlanta from as far away as Nebraska.
They did not come simply to watch a few demonstrations. They came to understand the complete screen-printing process and gain the confidence to take that knowledge back to their own shops, businesses and creative careers.
Why Empowering Women in Print Matters to Us
Screen printing has traditionally been viewed as a male-dominated trade, but talent, determination and production skill do not belong to one gender. Women are building apparel brands, managing production departments, operating presses, creating artwork and opening print shops of their own.
At Kolormatrix, empowering women in print means providing serious instruction, access to professional equipment and a classroom where every student has the opportunity to participate. It means moving beyond encouragement alone and giving women the practical knowledge required to solve problems, make production decisions and produce work they are proud to sell.
As Kolormatrix’s founder and president, Tanya understands the importance of women seeing other women lead, build and succeed. Having her stand with this first all-women class made the moment particularly meaningful for all of us.
Learning the Process—Not Just Memorizing Steps
Professional screen printing involves much more than pulling a squeegee. The quality of a finished print depends on decisions made throughout the entire workflow—from artwork and screen preparation to registration, ink control and curing.
During the three-day class, students worked through the production process with hands-on instruction covering areas such as:
- Film-positive alignment and image placement
- Screen preparation and exposure
- Reading and understanding an exposure-calculator test
- Screen taping and press preparation
- Using a pre-registration system
- Registering a multicolor job on press
- Wet-on-wet printing fundamentals
- Simulated-process printing
- Four-color-process fundamentals
- Screen reclaiming and production cleanup
The goal was not to give students a list of settings to copy. Settings change with the artwork, mesh, emulsion, ink, garment and equipment. We want students to understand why each part of the process matters so they can evaluate a problem and make better decisions when they return to their own shops.
Confidence Is Built by Doing the Work
It is one thing to hear an instructor explain registration. It is another to stand at the press, position the screens and work through the process yourself.
That is why hands-on participation is central to our training. Students learn by preparing screens, handling tools, examining results and correcting problems. Each completed step builds on the one before it. By the time a job reaches the press, students understand how decisions made in prepress affect registration and print quality.
That experience builds more than technical ability. It builds confidence—the confidence to operate equipment, communicate with employees, question an inconsistent process and take ownership of production.
Worth Traveling For
Students have traveled to Kolormatrix from across the United States and beyond to attend our classes. Seeing women travel from as far away as Nebraska for this class reminded us that serious, hands-on education can make a meaningful difference to someone building a future in print.
Making that trip requires an investment of time, travel and trust. We do not take that lightly. Our responsibility is to give students practical information they can use—not only during the class, but on the difficult production days that come later.
From Clean Screens to Finished Prints
A true production education should include the complete cycle. The job does not begin at the press, and it does not end when the final shirt comes off it.
Students learned the preparation required before printing and the reclaiming procedures that make screens ready for future work. These may not be the most glamorous parts of screen printing, but they are essential to running an organized, productive shop.
Women Belong in Every Part of the Print Industry
Women belong in the art department, darkroom, ink room, production office and at the press. They belong in technical sales, shop management and ownership. They belong anywhere their abilities, work ethic and ambition can take them.
Our first all-women class was a milestone for Kolormatrix, but we hope it represents something larger: more women gaining the technical foundation and confidence to build lasting careers and businesses in print.
We are proud of every student who stepped into the classroom, asked questions, tried something unfamiliar and completed the work. We are also grateful that they trusted Kolormatrix to be part of their journey.
Ready to Build Your Screen-Printing Skills?
Our 3-Day Professional Screen-Printing Class is designed for new printers, working decorators and shop owners who want practical, hands-on instruction across the complete production process.
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