DISQUS

Jake · 1 year ago

Wow, thanks for the long but thorough answer. I'm sure this will be a valuable reference for many designers, including myself!

cheers!

liz · 1 year ago

Yeah, you'll be careful what you ask next time, won't you? ;)

Sion · 1 year ago

Hello Liz, wow, you are a veritable font of information on t-shirt printing, and articles like this prove it. I've considered getting into it myself in the past but never had the guts lol.

Anyhoo, please keep these articles flowing; I've added your site to my daily reads and also linked to it from my own blog!

liz · 1 year ago

Sion, thanks!

Funny thing is... I just ran across your site a few days ago. It's like my new favorite place to visit.

Jake · 1 year ago

It's pretty 'awesome' isn't it ;) Sion also has some pretty sweet prints over at ubiki.com. I have one of those green monsters staring at me right now.

Blake · 1 year ago

Liz,

Way to bring it with this one! Talk about getting down to it. :)

Blake

Rude Retro · 1 year ago

Do you have a guide for how to convert gradients into half tones?

Mija · 1 year ago

I have such a beginner question. I have been working with mainly vector images BUT if I do some effects in 300dpi and separate my colors in photoshop can this be translated by a screen printer? Or should I always use vector for screening?

liz · 1 year ago

Hi Mija, it's actually a great question - Photoshop is equally adept at processing images for screen printing, as long as you prep the file right.

Definitely make sure you do all you effects at 300dpi AND the size that you want them to be when they're printed (because photoshop bitmap graphics can't be sized up.)

Also make sure you don't flatten your image (so keep all the layers) - it'll make the screen printer's job much easier.

Hope that helps!

Michael C · 11 months ago

Hi there just a quick question regarding the Pantone White you described in the article: I recently had to supply artwork for a screen printed CD (on-body artwork). One of the inks was to be white and I was told to mix a new spot color (I used a light grey) and rename that plate "white Ink". Would this be the same for t-shirts, or is there a better way to do this? Like is there a "Pantone white" in one of the Pantone colour libraries?

Thanks!

liz · 11 months ago

Hey Michael -

Same way for t-shirts!

CorelDraw (in newer versions) actually has a "transparent PANTONE white" in their palettes. I'm not sure if the same goes for Illustrator.

You're definitely right about using another spot color for "white" if you don't have a PANTONE white swatch available.

When I was the in-house artist at a screen printing shop we always used a lovely shade of bright blue.

The other benefit to using an actual color (as opposed to a white) is that you can actually see the white areas on the design when you're working on a white canvas.

Michael Clayton · 11 months ago

Thanks Liz :) I'll have another look in Illustrator, maybe the newest version has a Transparent Pantone White in the palette.

Steve · 7 months ago

This is a great reference Liz. It is such a complex issue for anyone who does not have a screen printing background. I think you have covered everything here in a very clear way. If designers are creating images in illustrator or photoshop they do not have to create the actual halftones, the screen printer will print out the gradients using a RIP, if designers want to get an idea of how the half tone will look they create a bitmap of there gradients in photoshop, the most common settings used by screen printers on textiles are 55lpi eliptical or round. Thanks for the great blog.

tshirt-printer · 5 months ago

Hi Mija
I find illustrator the best for originating the artwork, you can then take it into photoshop for further effects including using plug-ins.

gilbert bantoft · 4 months ago

I am trying to find a chart that gives the appropriate mesh count to haltone lpi.
can you help
thanks
Gil

Scott · 2 months ago

Hi Liz,
Talk to me about LPI verses screen mesh to avoid morea (SP) patterns. I can't seem to get it right and the guy burning my screens is getting sick of re-burning cause I'm not happy with the new design