Screen Printing Process – Advocates for Architecture Day

The Texas Society of Architects/AIA limited-edition poster.

For Advocates for Architecture Day, Jan. 25, 2011, the Texas Society of Architects/AIA created 200 limited-edition posters of the Texas State Capitol's dome structure as a gift to state Senators and Representatives. The posters act as a reminder to the legislators of what is important to the architecture profession across the State.

Industry Print Shop screen printed our posters to give the limited-edition run a unique and special look. While the hand-printed posters were in production, we got a glimpse of the screen printing process.

Blank sheet is aligned to maintain a precision and ready to be printed.

Texas State Capitol image "burned" into the emulsion on the screen. The screen is secured to a vacuum table when ready to print.

Starting vacuum table, which keeps the poster sheet from moving while ink is applied.

Ink poured directly to the screen.

With a downward movement, ink is pushed through tiny holes on the screen.

Pushing the squigey back finishes the application of the ink.

Poster immediately after the inking process.

Stacked wire racks used to dry finished posters.

Completed posters placed on wire racks.

Emerging Professional: Matthew Duggan

1. How would you describe the culture of the firm that you work for?
The Culture at English + Associates is one that encourages education and career advancement. The culture is conducive to providing each employee with opportunities to personalize their experience based on their desired goals.

2. What role does the intern have in your firm?
Interns participate in all aspects of the firm’s daily activities.

3. How has the IDP program helped you? How has your office benefitted from the IDP program?
The IDP program has provided me with a bench mark to see my progress towards becoming a balanced architect. Through IDP I was able to determine specific aspects of the profession that I needed to spend more time learning. The firm’s employees are well rounded and more knowledgeable as a result of the IDP program.

4. How does your IDP process differ from your friends working at other firms?
It seems like the responsibility of the IDP process, at other firms, falls solely on the individual. Whereas at English + Associates, the firm is a team member in the process.

5. What is the best thing about being an architect?
(I am currently studying for the ARE in order to become an architect. I have completed all IDP requirements.)
The best thing about being an architectural intern or about working in the architecture industry as someone pursing an architecture license is being able to educate others about the built environment so that they can make informed decisions.

6. What do you want most out of your career as an architect?
I want to educate and inspire.

7. Name one thing the Texas Society of Architects could do to support the development of the intern/associate members.
Provide more affordable education programs and study materials to help interns study for the ARE.

Emerging Professional: Chris Sias

1. How would you describe the culture of the firm that you work for?
PSC is a people oriented firm that values its employees, their families, and our community.

2. What role does the intern have in your firm?
Interns are encouraged to seek the highest level of involvement possible. Interns are involved in projects at all levels, from schematic design, code analysis, construction documents, and construction administration to name a few.

3. How has the IDP program helped you? How has your office benefitted from the IDP program?
The IDP provides a structure for Interns to work with their supervisors and mentors to assure that they are exposed to all aspects of professional practice. I was fortunate enough to have a great supervisor and mentor which reduced the IDP to a formality. As for our office, the IDP program has helped establish a formal process for assuring that all interns are receiving the necessary training in order to achieve licensure.

4. How does your IDP process differ from your friends working at other firms?
The level of financial support is bar none. Our IDP fees are paid for, all testing fees paid for, paid leave on test days, TSA record maintenance fees paid for, etc.
Also, being that PSC is a multi-disciplinary firm, interns work with what would otherwise be outside consultants on a day to day basis. This leads to, in my opinion, a quicker understanding of how projects come together.

5. What is the best thing about being an architect?
Fulfilling a childhood dream.

6. What do you want most out of your career as an architect?
To be a positive influence in my community.

7. Name one thing the Texas Society of Architects could do to support the development of the intern/associate members.
It may be hard for smaller firms to provide study material for their interns. Maybe this is an area where TSA can offer some financial assistance to qualifying firms.

Emerging Professional: Ledia Osmani

1. How would you describe the culture of the firm that you work for?
The best way to describe the culture at FKP is that we are a mid-size company, offering many of the benefits and resources of a large firm with a nurturing “small firm” attitude toward employees. FKP is very employee-focused and offers many benefits besides the corporate ones. We have a mentorship program — the My Principal program, which matches every employee with a principal mentor to help guide them in their personal and career growth. Professional Development is highly important at FKP, not just for participants in the IDP, but all employees. Beyond the professional, we all engage in a multitude of extracurricular activities such as a Chili Cook Off every spring, AIA Sandcastle in Galveston, Canstruction, Annual Halloween Party, Annual Holiday Potluck, Annual Holiday Party and many more.

2. What role does the intern have in your firm?
Interns at FKP are fully involved in projects. One great thing about FKP is the encouragement and availability of means they give to not just interns, but all employees to further develop their knowledge and experience. All you need as an intern is the will and dedication, and the firm is there to assist you to do whatever you set your mind to. If an intern needs or wants more construction administration experience, all they have to do is express their desire and the firm will provide the opportunity. I think this has been extremely important to all FKP interns to feel that they are important, that their development is important to the firm, and that the firm is committed to helping them move along all the different steps of the IDP.

3. How has the IDP program helped you? How has your office benefitted from the IDP program?
FKP’s IDP program has helped me gain a diverse, well-rounded education and experience after graduation. I think it is very easy for an intern to get “stuck” in one path or only doing one task at their firm. IDP has also provided me with tools to stay organized and on track to get through all phases of my internship as quickly as possible. I believe the best way a firm benefits from their interns (our firm included) is to have interns that are continuing to further their education and gain as much experience as they can in as many areas as they can. This makes them valuable and indispensable employees. With IDP in place, our firm maximizes its investment in its interns, encouraging and supporting them to become well-rounded professionals in the architecture field.

4. How does your IDP process differ from your friends working at other firms?
There are friends of mine from my graduating class at University of Houston that do have some of the same resources that FKP provides their interns, but a lot of my friends do not. It is pretty common in the industry for larger firms to have strong resources for their interns, but many interns at smaller firms do not get the same opportunities. I think one way FKP’s IDP process is different is the personal attention the interns get not only from their supervisor for IDP, but also their project principal and their mentor principal. Every time I meet with my project principal and my mentor principal, I am asked about my IDP progress, how close I might be to completion, what areas do I need more experience in, etc. I will happily be announcing to both of them on our next meeting that my IDP is complete, approved and transmitted to TBAE.

5. What is the best thing about being an architect?
It’s difficult to answer this; there are a multitude of things. One of the best things for me is that I have fulfilled my childhood dream. I am always asked what I wanted to be when I was a child — and I answer “an architect.” There are not many people that follow their childhood dreams. I can whole heartedly say that I am following mine and it feels great. But above all things, the best thing about being an architect is the ability to shape — shape skylines, a neighborhood, a community, a campus, a medical center — the ability to shape the environment we all live in.

6. What do you want most out of your career as an architect?
What I want most out of my career as an architect is to always have the desire to grow, learn, apply my knowledge to the best of my abilities, make conscious and responsible decisions, be willing to accept change and develop every day into a successful professional and member of the community I work and live in.

7. Name one thing the Texas Society of Architects could do to support the development of the intern/associate members.
I would like for the intern/associate members to have more opportunities to develop as professionals of the architecture field beyond their firm, their city, state and even country. I think we could better serve our profession and Texas if we all had more knowledge of the world, its architecture and other cultures. Maybe Texas Society of Architects, through their magazine or other media, can enrich our awareness or provide more outlets of information about what is going on in architecture beyond our own backyard.

Emerging Professional: Sonia Escobar

1. How would you describe the culture of the firm that you work for?
Our culture is built on exploring innovative environmental practices and finding new ways to incorporate them into our designs.

2. What role does the intern have in your firm?
There are multiple roles we play. Since our firm has 19 employees, this gives us an opportunity to get our hands on all aspects of the architecture field.

3. How has the IDP program helped you? How has your office benefitted from the IDP program?
The IDP program has really made our firm diverse to the types of projects we work on. Since all of the interns are reaching the same goal, we have to put ourselves out there by working on different phases of the projects. By doing so, this helps us to become well-rounded designers.

4. How does your IDP process differ from your friends working at other firms?
Our firm has been really helpful by having us fill out detailed timesheets. This way it is easier to report our hours. We also get frequent reminders about the new six-month rule that was implemented. This shows that our firm cares about our future in the architectural field. My friends that work at other firms miss out on many hours by not having a simple reminder.

5. What is the best thing about being an architectural intern?
I learn something new every day.

6. What do you want most out of your career as an architectural intern?
To have the capability of coming up with better “on the spot” solutions when interacting with future clients.

7. Name one thing the Texas Society of Architects could do to support the development of the intern/associate members.
It seems as though TSA is geared towards an older generation of professionals in the architecture field. It would be great if TSA would reach out to younger professionals to try and encourage them to be more involved with the Texas Society of Architects and American Institute of Architects. I would also like to see TSA reach out to more professionals beyond AIA members. For those who are not AIA members, they are missing out on important and useful information shared by TSA.