how do you take a design file and transfer it to a t-shirt?
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Discuss the various aspects of heat press technology. Transfer paper, inks, plastisol transfers, vinyl cutters, printers, commercial usage, durability, suppliers, etc.
how do you take a design file and transfer it to a t-shirt?
I know I can probably find this in another fourm but if you could be so kind, could you briefly explain how I transfer my image (that will come from a graphic designer to the <black> shirt? I know this involves some sort of 'transfer paper' or pressing material.
Also, I have read in a few Craiglist forums ( I know, not always reliable) thta you can get a decent (used?) press for $400-$500. Is this realistic?
Is heat always the best way or can silk screen work just as well?
Thanks my man, I'm so new at this and I had assumed I would have to have someone else produce the shirts for me.
If you are going to do one of a kind shirts then screen printing will do you no good, however if you are going to do a few shirts of one design and on dark I would suggest using a plastisol transfer, you can get info on that by doing a search here on the forum. You can also use a inkjet paper for darks some have used this method with great results remember if you go that route you will have to use pigment ink in your printer also some have had success with claria ink also.
Sometimes people put presses for sale here, but ebay would be a great source, if buying used look at name brands and ask a lot of questions about the press. Hope this helps a little.
Plastisol is a screen print done on a transfer paper, you would order these transfers from a company that prints the transfers, do a search here to find companies that do this. The transfers are then heat pressed on the shirt as you need them.
Re: how do you take a design file and transfer it to a t-shirt?
Quote:
I know I can probably find this in another fourm but if you could be so kind, could you briefly explain how I transfer my image (that will come from a graphic designer to the shirt? I know this involves some sort of 'transfer paper' or pressing material.
The best method to go from a design to a t-shirt will depend on a few factors:
What color t-shirts?
How many colors in the design?
How many t-shirts you want to make?
With inkjet heat transfers, to get a design from your computer to a t-shirt, you would need an inkjet printer (preferably one with pigment based inks), opaque transfer paper (like ironall for darks), and a heat press.
You would print the design onto the opaque transfer paper and apply it to the shirt by laying it on top of the t-shirt and pressing it down for as many seconds as the transfer paper instructions say.
This is a discussion about how do you take a design file and transfer it to a t-shirt? that was posted in the Heat Press and Heat Transfers section of the forums.
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