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Shirt Printing Ink
Colors & Pantone Color Matches
We gladly accept
camera ready art that was created on a computer.
The information below will help you prepare your artwork so
that problems (or additional costs) can be avoided in
preparing your film. These are general guidelines. Specific
questions about your art can only be answered after viewing
your image. Feel free to email a low resolution copy to us at
froistees@cox.net
We accept email files, floppy discs (3.5", 1.4 MB HD), Zip
Disks (100MB), and Compact Discs.
SUPPORTED APPLICATIONS: We print color separations/film for
images from: Photoshop, Illustrator, Freehand, and QuarkExpress. Files created in other applications can be read
if they are constructed properly and saved in a Macintosh EPS
format. Corel Draw files should be saved as .ai (Adobe
Illustrator) files. Word processing and presentation
applications do not allow for separating colors. We cannot use
art created in these programs. We can recreate or make your
art "printable" from these applications for an additional fee.
What program should I use?
Click here to see samples of
various images and the programs used to create them.
When printing camera ready art from digital files, it is
important that your file be constructed properly. Screen
printing textile requirements are very different than those
for printing on paper.
WEB IMAGES: Most images that are displayed on web sites are
created at very low resolution in order to transfer or
download quickly. Typically web site graphics are 72 dpi and
physically small (1-3 inches wide).
Images for screen printing must be at least 150 dpi at the
size you wish them to print on the garment
If you want to use a web graphic, contact the designer for a
high resolution version. If you want to use a graphic found on
someone else's site, most likely we will be unable to use it.
SPOT COLOR: The following information applies only to spot
color jobs. If you are unfamiliar with the differences between
4 color process and spot color printing techniques, please
read the page entitled
Camera Ready Art Samples, 4-color
process and Spot Color.
COLOR SELECTION: When assigning colors please use Pantone or
custom colors (not CYMK) so that your files separate and print
properly. Do not create separate files for each ink color.
FONTS & TYPE: Please covert fonts to curves (create
outlines) before sending your files.
IMAGE SIZE: It is best to present your files with the image
at the size you want to print on the garment.
HALF TONES: We use halftone line screens between 35 lpi
(lines per inch) and 65 lpi. Most spot color halftones are
printed at 45 lpi. When combining solid line art images (bold
type or graphics) and very fine halftones (55+lpi) in the same
design/ink color we are often required to separate them and
print them independently. This requires the use of two films
and two screens for that one ink color.
GRADATIONS AND BLENDS: Halftones assigned a percentage of a
color between 1% and 14% print as 0%. And conversely, those
assigned between 85% and 99% print as solid. (Be sure that
your colors are Pantones or custom colors NOT cmyk!)
TRAPS & KNOCK OUTS: For screen printing t-shirts we use a
wet-on-wet process. We use butt traps (no traps) and knock
outs so that one ink color does not print on top of another
ink color. Most programs do this automatically.
RESOLUTION / FILE SIZE: Scanning resolutions (from original
photographs or graphics) should be 2.5 times the line screen.
For example: If we are to print a black and white photo at 45 lpi then you should scan it at 113 lpi. Do not present files
or images with a resolution over 300 lpi. Higher resolutions
greatly increase the file size hence the time it takes to
transfer and print without benefit.
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