3 Hacks On Preparing Your Artwork For Screen Printing

Screen printing is a stunning, viable form of art that can add a dynamic touch to your design by giving the multi-colored image a more textured surface. Screenprints are iconic for its bold use of color, making it easy to juxtapose designs with different layers. Seeing how screenprints can be on fabric, paper, wood, and other materials, it’s a versatile art form that is skyrocketing in professional settings.

It’s easy to think that you can create custom works on the fly by taking it from digital to screen, but it takes a few yet necessary steps to prep it for printing. Skimping out on the process will lead to flat and mediocre results, but getting your art files ready can do wonders in creating compelling prints.

 

Tip #1: Size Your Image Resolution Appropriately

Whether you are creating your art file using Adobe Illustrator or other software, be sure that images meet the standard size for screen printing. For best results, go for at least 300 PPI as anything lower will compromise the crispness and overall quality of your artwork when placed on the screen print.
A pro tip is to start with every artwork at a higher resolution than what seems necessary at the moment. You can easily lower the scale without sacrificing the quality, but bumping up the numbers will ruin your design.

 

Tip #2: Make Sure Your Text Has Outlines

Screen printing companies often run into trouble when it comes to font styles, especially if you have a unique text. Fortunately, Adobe Illustrator offers an easy fix as applying “Create Outlines” on all your text allows anyone to open and print the file without the need to download the specific font you are using.

 

Tip #3: Color Separate The Design

Separating the entirety of your color scheme and combining it together in layered images will make it easy to make necessary adjustments during the screen printing process. Adding the color of your primary background - such as your t-shirt - will also help you see how it contrasts with the design.

 

Tip #4: Stick To Six Colors Or Less

It’s tempting to capture the whole rainbow and play around with different hues in your screen prints, but the screen printed items often make the most of limited colors. Sticking to six pigments or less can still create a powerful and dynamic image, making it a standard for brands in different industries as it guarantees the most reliable results.

 

The Bottom Line: Prepping Your Vision For The Screen

Preparing your artwork - be it a logo, icon, illustrations, and more - is a necessary step that can take the end-results of your screen prints to greater heights. If you’re aiming to ensure the texture and ink translate beautifully on your t-shirts and other mediums, prepping your design is the key.

 

The Professional Difference

There’s no problem in becoming a weekend warrior and learn how to screen print your artworks. However, part of taking the DIY route is being limited to colors, while a professional has access to a kaleidoscopic selection.

If your audience caters to a professional crowd, submitting your work to certified screen printing companies is the best way to bring life to your vision. Here at Bauers Boutique, we offer premium screen printing services in Rochester, New York, that can produce high-quality prints and deliver with a speedy turnaround at no minimum order.

From digital printing, custom screen printing of any job sizes, digital screen printing, and direct to garment printing for small businesses, we can help produce your designer products and give your business a competitive edge.