Colors are silk screened onto a base metal (usually brass) in a method similar to screened shirts except on a very small scale. Each color ink is squeezed through a silk mesh directly onto the metal background. The mesh has the design burned into it, so that the ink is applied only to the areas to be colored. A hard epoxy dome is usually applied to protect the artwork and to insure a durable glossy finish.

Note: Many people confuse silkscreen printing with offset printing because both involve printing the design without the need for thin metal lines separating the colors, but it is important to realize that these two processes are fundamentally different.   Offset printing is used for complex artwork with gradual colors and many details.  Silkscreen printing is used for simpler artwork with a small and identified number of continuous colors.