Get advice to help you create your t-shirt graphics. Discuss t-shirt design software, special effect techniques, or other topics related to creating a t-shirt design on your computer. If you'd rather hire a graphic designer to do the work for you, please post in our Referrals and Recommendations section here.
Well I have a graphic designer doing most of my non drawable designs, but he only designs in photoshop. The screen printer told me it has to be in a vector file (have no idea how to get it into one) and the set up cost is like almost $400 because its not in a vector file> Any help on what to do? Also I have lots of amazing artwork that I want to get on the computer. How do I get it on here? Scan it? My sketchbook pages are to big for the scanner.
Thanks in advance.
-kyle
The only reasons I can think of why your screen printer accepts vector files only is because they only have vector programs or that they do not have the staff that can handle anything beyond a vector file. There might be other factors, but I can't imagine it.
Here are a couple of options off the top of my head.
1. You can set up the Photoshop separated file in Illustrator through a dcs. placement.
2. You can set up the Photoshop separated file that has been broken down into bitmap tiffs and reassemble them back in Illustrator.
3. The screen printer can step up and expand his capabilities.
As for your sketches, you can either:
1. Buy a bigger scanner.
2. Outsource your scanning to a service bureau that has large scanning capabilities
3. Take a Take a high resolution analog/digital picture and go from there.
4. Scan your sketches in pieces and tile them.
I vote for #4.
__________________
Weigh the world and pry asunder all things to their inmost core.
You will find them made of wonder, everything is something more.
That seems like a crazy art fee unless the file is just hopeless. You might want to shop around and find another reputable shop that either can use photoshop files, or does not charge as much for art prep. Of course we're not seeing the file so it's hard to judge what prep is necessary, but a file has to be damn near impossible to work with for me to charge 400 bucks on art prep.
You could also have a vector conversion place like the vector doctor convert your photoshop file to a vector for about $15. That is probably what I would do if your design has clean lines. If it has alot of halftones and gradients, it might be a little more difficult to convert. I would try that first though, for the amount of money it costs to convert, it might be worth it to you Just a thought, hope it helps
__________________
Always do right; this will gratify some people and astonish the rest. ~~~Mark Twain BobbieLee
As crappy as it sounds I bet thats what's really going on. They just don't want your business. What's the art look like? Can you post it up? There's got to be some reason for the price hike.
Art prep must mean Separations at that price. Your Photoshop file must not be separated and it probably appears to be a lot of colors. That's is my guess.
As far as the fee goes, that is about what our shop charges to separate complex jobs that run into the 12+ color range.
__________________
Weigh the world and pry asunder all things to their inmost core.
You will find them made of wonder, everything is something more.
Off the top of my head, I see a 12 color job on Black Garments using a simulated process separation. My guess is that the designer's intent is to stay pure so no color mixing to simulate other colors with the exception of the grayscale gradation in the background. Even with no layers in the art, there is no complex masking involved in this design so production would be fairly brisk.
385 still seems a bit high for this design. How many units are you running for this production? How large is the design? Is film included in the price? What kind of printer are they? Where are you located? There are a myriad of factors on why prices are they way they are.
__________________
Weigh the world and pry asunder all things to their inmost core.
You will find them made of wonder, everything is something more.
File help! 
Just a thought, hope it helps 
