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Artwork Preparation:
Many of our clients create their
artwork before contacting us but we do have clients who ask us to design
their artwork. The artwork is best when it is vectored and has the
highest resolution (min. 300 DPI) then it will be printed on
special film with special ink and printer.
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Screen Making:
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It is done by coating a silk screen with a
photo-sensitive emulsion, essentially creating a large piece of film.
The screen and artwork are sandwiched in a large vacuum frame and
exposed to light. Areas exposed to the light become impervious; the
other areas can be washed out. In the early days we used silk on a
wooden frame; today it's monofilament polyester on a titanium frame
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Printing:
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Paint is forced through the stencil using
a plastic-bladed squeegee. Each screen lays down one color. If a pattern
has eight colors it must be printed eight times with eight different
screens. On small orders, the print is done on a manual machine and on
high quantity orders the printing is done by automatic machinery.
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Plastisol Ink:
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The most common ink is Plastisol based
print used in garment decoration. Good color opacity onto dark garments
and clear graphic detail with, as the name suggests, a more plasticized
texture. This print can be made softer with special additives or heavier
by adding extra layers of ink.
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Water-Based inks
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These penetrate the fabric more than the
Plastisol inks and create a much softer feel. Ideal for printing darker
inks onto lighter colored garments. Also useful for larger area prints
where texture is important.
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Discharge inks
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Used to print lighter colors onto dark
background fabrics, they work by removing the dye in the garment – this
means they leave a much softer texture. They are less graphic in nature
than Plastisol inks, and exact colors are difficult to control, but
especially good for distressed and vintage prints.
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Foil
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Consists of a glue printed onto the fabric
and then foil is applied for a mirror finish.
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Glitter/Shimmer
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Silver flakes are suspended in a Plastisol
ink to create this sparkle effect. Usually available in gold or silver
but can be mixed to make most colors.
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Metallic
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Similar to glitter, but smaller particles
suspended in the ink. A glue is printed onto the fabric then a nanoscale
fibers applied on it.
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Expanding ink (puff)
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An additive to Plastisol inks which raises
the print off the garment, creating a 3D feel.
Caviar beads
Again a glue is
printed in the shape of the design, to which small plastic beads are
then applied – works well with solid block areas creating an interesting
tactile surface.
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Gloss
A clear base laid over Plastisol inks to
create a shiny finish.
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Nylobond
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A special ink additive for printing onto
technical or waterproof fabrics.
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Mirrored silver
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Another solvent based ink but you can
almost see your face in it.
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Suede Ink
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Suede is another great ink that is easy to
print and gives the image a textured leather, simulated suede look and
feel. Suede is a milky colored additive (much like a Plastisol base)
that will work in a regular Plastisol. It is actually a puff blowing
agent that does not bubble as much as regular puff ink. With suede
additive you can make any color of Plastisol have a suede feel. The
directions vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, but generally you can
add up to 50% suede additive to your normal Plastisol
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1-858-558-5757
