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![]() Optimizing Art Files For Garment Production
By Dane Clement, President, Great Dane Graphics
While there are some things that should be done specific to the different processes, there are other initial steps that should be taken for any type of process.
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To begin, you should always start with the proper image size and resolution. When creating a raster image - an image created using pixels (photographic style) - this is particularly true. If you start with a smaller-sized or lower-resolution image than you intend to print, enlarging it can cause blurring and pixilation. For that reason you should always start with the image at the size that you plan on printing. If you plan to use the image in various processes, make sure to create it at the size of the largest application you will be using.
Always set up your initial file with a transparent layer. You don't want your artwork to be flattened on a background color. If it's painted on a background or flattened upon completion, when you go to separate your file for screen printing, or create a print for direct-to-garment or dye sublimation, the background color will end up printing on your garment as well, or show up in your separations. Having a transparent background eliminates the possibility of the extra, unwanted color showing up in your print (Image 2). ![]() Once your image is complete, there are some steps you should take to optimize your image, to make the colors as clean and pure as possible to get the best print possible. We use these steps all the time before we separate an image for screen printing, or set up an image for any other printing process. Following these steps will help make the process smoother and easier:
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These steps, alongside the information presented can all be used when creating raster artwork for any type of process. There are, however, more things to consider, things specific to the different processes, meant to help you get the best product possible.
Spot Colors & Separations When you are printing separations, make sure your page is set up with the proper items, to help make set up on the press easier. We suggest creating your own registration marks. All programs have an option to use default registration marks, but these marks were created for offset printing, and are too small and hard to hold on screen. We suggest creating a larger mark with thicker lines that will be easier to see on the screen, making registration on press easier. Make sure, when you create your own marks, to colorize them with the registration color provided in your program. When you print, this color will then print on all of your separations. We also suggest the use of a greyscale bar, which you can create with individual squares. Each square will be filled with increasing values of the registration color, from five to 10 percent through 100 percent, in 10 percent increments. Having this bar on your films - when you go to print - will allow you to notice and correct any issues early in the printing process (Image 9).
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Halftones Knowing this information about halftones is nothing if you can't print them. You want to make sure you have a printer that will allow you to print these larger size dots. Most printers can print halftones, but are defaulted for offset printing, which use a smaller dot size. If you use an inkjet printer for instance, you'll want to get RIP software that will allow you control over this. RIP software is the go-between from your computer to your printer, taking the information from the computer and feeding it to your printer so that it can produce the proper size dot at the angle you choose. When it comes to screen printing, printing a lot of colors can be costly, and some may not have the press capabilities to print an image with a large amount of colors. Don't let this hinder you from printing a cool looking layout using a raster image. If you have a full-color image that has been separated into several colors, check out each of the individual separations for the ones with the most defining information. You can create a nice one- to two-color image using those same separations (Images 10, 11, 12). ![]() ![]() ![]()
Direct-to-Garment & Dye Sublimation
![]() When creating an image for one of these processes, however, keep in mind that you don't want to create images with large areas of solid color (Image 13). While this isn't a problem for screen printing, for these types of digital printing, if a printhead nozzle becomes clogged, streaking can become apparent in large solid areas. If you incorporate gradients and textures into these areas, an issue with streaking or banding can be camouflaged much easier (Image 14). ![]()
Heat Printing
![]() For Print-Cut images, unless you want a white gap around your image, you'll have to incorporate a bleed. When doing this, save your original version without the bleed, and create a duplicate file. That way, you still have both versions for whatever application may be needed. Make sure that the bleed is thick enough so that if the cutting is off for any reason, you won't have any white gaps showing (Images 17, 18).
![]() ![]() There are so many wonderful and different garment decorating applications out there, each with its own special purpose; as long as you properly set up your artwork, you should be able to create eye-catching garments with ease! Dane Clement is president of Great Dane Graphics, a stock art company and award-winning custom graphic design studio, which was purchased by Stahls' in 2011. Clement continues to run Great Dane, and serves as the vice president of creative for GroupeSTAHL. Clement has been speaking and writing for the decorated apparel industry since 1987. He is considered an expert on computer graphics and color separations for textile screen printing, dye sublimation, digital direct-to-garment and heat-applied graphics. He is the author of T-Shirt Artwork Simplified, a how-to book on creating artwork for decoration apparel. This article appeared in the SGIA Journal, Spring 2014 Garment Issue and is reprinted with permission. Copyright 2014 Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (www.sgia.org). All Rights Reserved.
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