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Hello everyone,
I am a freelance artist and I would like to branch out from offering just custom vector artwork. I would like to start creating Photoshop artwork for screenprinting. I have experience painting with a wacom in Photoshop, but haven't done it for screen printing purposes. Is there a special way to set it up? Colors on different layers? Channels? Halftone setup? Any advice and/or links to tutorials for help would be great. I want to get a good handle on it before I try to create it for a screen print client. (also, what does the client need to print it correctly?)
Thanks!
The things to keep in mind when preparing design using photoshop is mostly in the resolution.
Try to design at actual size for printing (or larger), resolution should be 300dpi or greater (butt not necessary it's just more detail). Designs can always be resampled down easier the up in bitmap programs.
Always work in RGB mode.
Try to work on a transparent background rather then a colored background (the background is considered the t-shirt color)
You don't need to work in layers but it can help the separation artist especially with design elements (foreground object separated from mid ground and back ground elements ect.. make for easier separation on technical seps)
That's the basics really, depending on the type of design and look you want for it there maybe some other things that could be done.
Thanks for the great question, and the informative response. I am just at the point of needing this kind of info. If I find anything good I'll post it here.
red514, thanks for the info. I got the resolution thing down pat. Unfortunately, a few clients I spoke to do not have a separate separations artist, I also want to figure out how the best way to set up the separations in Photoshop is, or how best to output them for use in another program. I know some screenprinters use plug-in's for Photoshop that create the seps for them, is this generally the case, or do most screen printers expect any Photoshop art to already be separated and ready to print?
None of the screen printers I use need anything done by me other than quality art at the right size, resolution and color mode (all mentioned above by other posters). They do the separations in thier software.
red514, thanks for the info. I got the resolution thing down pat. Unfortunately, a few clients I spoke to do not have a separate separations artist, I also want to figure out how the best way to set up the separations in Photoshop is, or how best to output them for use in another program. I know some screenprinters use plug-in's for Photoshop that create the seps for them, is this generally the case, or do most screen printers expect any Photoshop art to already be separated and ready to print?
Hey, James... You will need to know what type of printing you are shooting for. The types are: 4 color process, Sem process, spot, spot with halftones, and if you a have a post script printer or software yourself. If you don't have the software or the printer you can can make the spot color films with some help. The others you will have to find someone that can output film for you .
I would be creating the Photoshop artwork for screenprinters, per their requests, so I guess it will have to depend on their wants. Mostly spot color with halftones, I would imagine. Just trying to get the info I need before offering this service.
Yes, Resolution should be at size at 300dpi.
I usually provide separated artwork in spot channels after proof has been approved. With print order and PMS colors called out. Makes it much easier for hi-detailed 8 - 14 color sim processes prints.
-Josh Miles
I'd stick to whatever specs your printer is requesting.
Since you'll be generating the artwork from scratch and (I'm assuming) not doing the separation, you should keep distinct elements on their own layer so as not to handcuff the Separator. You should also have a pretty good idea of what PMS colors you'll want to be hitting.
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You said "I would be creating the Photoshop artwork for screenprinters" which to me means that your screen printer wants you to do artwork for them. As in, be their designated artist. Depending on how big your printer is, they may not have anyone (else) to do separations. They may expect art to be in the form of separations. Please contact THEM so you may find this out, we can't know this .
Oh, by the way, doing 14 color seps is a bit much. Don't worry about ever needing that. Nobody really does.
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Doing your own color separations right using EZ Screen. Visit our website!
ok, sounds like it will really be a case by case basis, which I figured. Every screen printer has a different way of doing things. Thanks for the info!
If you're dealing with different print shops is always best to find out what they require, also find out what there limitations are (film size, tables, screens, ect..) so you can prepare the designs and files accordingly. It's also good to find out the strengths of the print shop, quality control and the different print techniques they offer.
For file preparation there are standards but even then some shops have there own way of working. Not all print shops have a graphic department (i work with 3 large volume shops that only do printing, they don't even out put films in house let alone do graphic work and seps). Some shops i work with that do have a graphic department i still prefer to do the seps in house. This gives us more control over how the design and colors are separated, giving the final look of the print. There's many ways to separate a design, it's a question of interpretation.
James mentioned he digitally paints his art. If it is anything like my art, he needs to find a screen printer that is experienced with that kind of art and does the separations for it.
I could deal with doing separations for spot colors myself for example, but I would not try to separate my own painted art without software like SPVR. Even then I don’t have the experience to deal with any unforeseen issues that come up with highly detailed high color painted art.
If I had my own auto press I would learn to do it. But since I have to contract print, I found companies that have experience doing my kind of art, did their own separations, and had killer examples of their work to show me.
Photoshop separation in artwork 
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