Stencil is used for screen printing just like mimeograph. Screen is stretched and fixed to the frame. Resist is coated on the screen to fill up the meshes that are not necessary.
Ink goes through the unfilled meshes and are transferred to the substrate.
The roots of screen printing are said to lie in Japanese traditional dyeing called Yuzen. This was introduced to Europe and America. Some improvements and developments were made to this dyeing technique mainly in America. That stimulates screen printing industry in Japan. The stencil-making technique made progress in latter half of 1945, which made it possible to print fine patterns.