Silkscreen or screenprinting has its roots in wall decoration, ceramics, and fabrics produced by ancient cultures. In the 1850’s, the Japanese developed stencils held together by silk; the first patent for the process was attained in Michigan in 1887. Harder-wearing polyester meshes, ink technology, and stencil fabrication continued to evolve. The medium exploded in the fine art world in the 1960’s. With a squeegee, printing ink is spread over and forced through a screen. Ink is transferred to the paper on the other side. The final image is printed in its original orientation. A design may be applied to the screen in various ways. One method is to cut a paper stencil and attach it to the underside of the screen. Another is to paint out areas of the screen with a liquid that sets and blocks the holes in the mesh.