SCREEN PRINTING
Screen Printing, also know as Silk Screening, is a process by which an image is printed with ink. It is an effective method to produce large quantities of an image however it requires extensive setup time. When considering using this technique for your product it is good to know of alternate methods with differing cost considerations. If you haven't read the About the Process this might be a good time....
When considering screen printing we ask our customers to review what goes into the process of setting up and producing prints. Look at the topics listed below and see how your ideas are affected by these issues.
1) Color choice for shirt and ink: Sooz screen prints with waterbased inks which are environmentally safe and non-toxic. These inks dye the fabric and since the inks add color to the shirt, the image will be affected by the color of the fabric. A white shirt, like a painters canvas, provides for the most brilliant colors. This has some limitation but also has advantages: Waterbased inks do not have a plastic feel and are comfortable to wear, plus they will not crack or peel.
The choice of shirt color affects the color of inks used. A green shirt looks great with dark green, brown, or black ink. A light blue shirt can use a lighter color ink however a yellow ink will look green. A light ink on a dark shirt will not result in the same color as the ink.
2) Artwork format: We would like to have artwork in a computer vector program like Adobe Illustrator or Corel Draw, however, lacking that, an image that could be scanned will work. Line art looks crisp and makes for a good print.
Each color requires it's own screen. If you are designing an image for screen printing consider using 6 to 8 colors. Start with the lightest colors and add progressively darker colors in layers. Blending of ink colors is possible to create unique colors or colors are combined (blue plus yellow = green for example) during printing but the image has a dither look (spots) as the two colors are applied in close tolerance, but not blended, fashion. Images in formats such as photographs and print (business cards) can be prepared but require much time to process.
A viable alternative to screen printing this image is using a Cold Peel Transfer.
This was one customer's idea of ready artwork (Velvet painting photographed on their front porch)
3) Design is ready to print: Screen printing requires an extensive set up, from making the artwork ready to preparation of the actual screens, so the image is repeatable both in alignment of the image and producing the correct colors. If you are not sure the image is finished or finalized (there are always new thoughts and little changes) then wait until it is ready or consider another method of printing. The same applies with shirt sizes. Children size shirts are significantly smaller than adult sizes and extra large adult sizes can make the image too small.
Ask us if you're not sure. We will be happy to work with you.