Chris is the owner of BlackDog Ink, a screenprinting shop based in Port Macquarie, NSW. Chris’ journey started just before the world entered into the glamourous 2000’s. From printing on some of the most challenging stretchy material with plastisol to learning art and design and now a master at water-based screenprinting.
Chris truly practices what he preaches – learn/practice/fail and repeat. This approach has allowed Chris to learn some of the best skills and practices that he has implemented in his printing and shop. With such an open mind to knowledge, Chris’ printing seems to be levelling up year on year, pushing the boundaries of what he thought was possible.
We had a blast reading Chris’ story. It’s always amazing learning about how printers got into the screenprint game and their approach to printing and business. Keep reading as you don’t want to miss out on pics of Loki, the shop dog. There are also pics of Chris and his screenprints too…
Keep up to date with BlackDog Ink
Instagram: @blackdog_ink
Website: https://www.blackdogink.com.au/
About Chris
List 3 things about yourself – fun facts, hobbies, pets or interests
- Loki is our Australian Kelpie who spends his days cruising the print shop overseeing any projects on the go and waiting patiently for a ball to be kicked. He can often be spotted on our socials with his two side kicks; his sister Milly Mae and bestie Ben.
- When I’m not screen printing I enjoy catching a wave and having a wild turkey or two around the fire with family and mates.
- If I’m taking a break from printing and the surf is no good you can probably find me tinkering in my workshop on some sort of contraption. They might not be pretty but they do the job!
Describe your screen printing journey. How and when did you get started and what has been your biggest learning experience?
I’ve always had a passion for the creative arts—architecture was actually my first career choice! But after finishing high school and spending most of my days surfing, my mum finally got sick of it and nudged me toward something more productive. That’s how I stumbled into the world of screen printing, and I’ve never looked back.
My career began in 1998 in the sports and swimwear industry, where I printed everything from budgie smugglers to Olympic uniforms. Working with high-stretch fabrics and plastisol-based inks was challenging, but it taught me the precision and adaptability that screen printing demands. Alongside heading the art and design side of the business, I learned to embrace the technical intricacies of the craft.
After more than a decade of manual screen printing, the company shifted toward dye sublimation. I jumped headfirst into this new adventure and its many challenges. As the business leaned further into dye sub, I started a side hustle, screen printing for a local label. Before long, my “side gig” grew into a full-time endeavour, and BlackDog Ink was born.
A more recent challenge in our journey has been the shift to primarily using water-based inks. While water-based printing offers vibrant results and a softer finish, it comes with unique challenges—especially in a hot climate. To combat this, we’ve invested time and resources into creating a controlled printing environment. Humidity control, alongside specialized additives all work to create less headaches in the process!
Tell us about your proudest screen printing project. What made it special and what did you learn from it?
Probably one of the more recent prints I was proud of is a print we did for CLOAK Apparel x
Knights Football Club (USA). Erik did a collab with the team and those tees actually headed over to the US for the teams end of year gift. It’s always fun to see your work in ‘the wild’ but knowing it’s walking around in another country is pretty special!
I was stoked with the way they turned out too. I’d been testing out higher LPI’s to see how far we could push it and with this one I was pretty impressed at the depth and clarity we were able to achieve on a manual set up.
Industry
What are your thoughts on the current trends in screen printing? Do you see any emerging styles or techniques that excite you?
I think we’re going to start seeing more customers who are after quality and longevity in their prints start to come back to the traditional screen print over DTF or other digital methods.
Don’t get me wrong DTF is a useful tool and we use it in our shop for different applications but as a die hard screen print fan you really can’t go past a good screen print for that soft hand, breathable feel over the shiny, scrunchy, plastic texture of a DTF. We’re testing out some DTF techniques to see where we can push it to, but in our books screen printing wins hands down aesthetically every time!
What role does the online community play in your screen printing practice? How do you connect with other printers and share knowledge?
Socials and print related forums have allowed us to connect with print shops all over the world. I’ve made some great friends all over the globe and it’s good to bounce off ideas or troubleshoot with like-minded people in the industry. We hope to one day get over to the US and UK to visit a few of the shops we’ve connected with and see how things are done on a bigger scale!
It’s also a great place to pick up tips and learn new tricks or shop hacks!
Shop Floor
What is your most treasured product or piece of equipment on the floor that has made your life easier as a printer? Why?
I would say my M&R chameleon press has been the most reliable, precise and well engineered press I have ever printed on. We went with a 10 colour configuration which has meant we can now throw every colour at our simulated process prints.
A close second would have to be my, not so well engineered ‘fogger contraption’. It’s not much to look at but it’s definitely been my saviour when I’m printing water-based inks in our hot Australian summer!
What is on your wish list for your shop floor this year?
Ideally, a new auto would be on the top of my list! Work smarter not harder they keep telling me!
Advice
What advice would you give to aspiring screen printers? What are the essential skills and qualities for success in this field?
Never stop learning. They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks but that was before YouTube ha!
Learn/Practice/Fail and Repeat.
Research, ask questions and give it a go. You never know what tip or hack you can translate into something useful in your own print shop.
I’ve been doing the print thing for a while now and I still surprise myself with something new most days!
Bonus
What’s your go-to playlist for a productive printing session?
Tool for sure. In my first screen printing job I had Tool’s AENIMA album stuck in the shop CD player for over 5 years. It got listened to at least once a day!
What is the weirdest/funniest artwork you’ve had to print?
I reckon a neon green, buff looking Johnny Howard-Hulk character was up there with the funniest combo! The design was created by Minnie (@minfinite_ ) for an Accounting firm in our area.
Conclusion
Chris’ print journey is filled with lots of lessons and learnings that has made him the screenprinter he is today. With embracing such a broad range of roles in printing to starting a side gig that turned into what BlackDog Ink is today, Chris is living the screenprinter’s dream.
Thank you to Chris for participating in the first edition of Behind The Mesh for 2025, a special shoutout to Erin for getting Chris to complete this! BlackDog Ink is nothing short of an amazing print shop.
