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Graphics Man · August 7th, 2008

Hello

Recently I sent a file to be printed at Printfection, and I received my t-shirt today. (white t-shirt)

The file I gave them was an adobe illustrator vector file, set-up with pantone solid to process colors.

The colors on the t-shirt are faded, and look very flat. It looks like the t-shirt has been washed couple of times already.

Now, I would like to know why it looks like this? Is it the file format that I gave them, or something else?

I will post a picture for everyone to see.

splathead · August 8th, 2008

I had them do me a shirt and it came out nice. I provided them a jpg. Not sure what my color settings were.

They use dtg printers. So you are not going to get the brightness you might get using silkscreening.

Graphics Man · August 8th, 2008

Here is a photo of my t-shirt printed. The file format I gave them was png.

Is there anyway I could see a photo of your sample.

thanks

prometheus · August 8th, 2008

You may have gotten a bad print, I would contact them and see if they may run you another. As Joe mentioned, some colors may not be able to be reproduced. Like neon colors and such, and come out flat. Also, unless it is screened, Pantone matching will not always be spot on. (hey I made a pun and didn't even try)

Graphics Man · August 8th, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by prometheus


	You may have gotten a bad print, I would contact them and see if they may run you another. As Joe mentioned, some colors may not be able to be reproduced. Like neon colors and such, and come out flat. Also, unless it is screened, Pantone matching will not always be spot on. (hey I made a pun and didn't even try)

In general do DTG machines have trouble mactching the pantone colors.

I will call Printfection and talk to them.

thanks

prometheus · August 8th, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graphics Man


	In general do DTG machines have trouble mactching the pantone colors. I will call Printfection and talk to them. thanks

The way Pantone is supposed to work, is that there is a specific ink or sets of ink to make the color match every time. With screen prinitng you can do this because you use those already mixed inks. DTG uses "process" printing (four colors - Cyan, Magenta, Yellow & Black), the same as your inkjet printer at home. It is diificult for it to get a perfect match. Most inkjets don't have any system for matching those Pantone colors. Especially if there is more than one in the job.

Rodney · August 8th, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graphics Man


	Here is a photo of my t-shirt printed. The file format I gave them was png. Is there anyway I could see a photo of your sample. thanks

Did you upload the image as an RGB image or as a CMYK image? There are some colors that are out of the color pallete for a CMYK printer.

They may look OK when viewed on an RGB screen, but when they are converted to CMYK, the colors come out diffferently (washed out looking if they are out of the gamut)

Graphics Man · August 8th, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rodney


	Did you upload the image as an RGB image or as a CMYK image? There are some colors that are out of the color pallete for a CMYK printer. They may look OK when viewed on an RGB screen, but when they are converted to CMYK, the colors come out diffferently (washed out looking if they are out of the gamut)

The colors used were using pantone solid to process. The file was cmyk. However, if I had given them a straight cmyk maybe it would have made a difference.

I have the same t-shirt sample from an Anajet printer, and the colors were okay.

So, in general what you guys are telling me is pick colors in CMYK and go brigher, in order to get the colors that I want.

Rodney · August 8th, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graphics Man


	The colors used were using pantone solid to process. The file was cmyk. However, if I had given them a straight cmyk maybe it would have made a difference. I have the same t-shirt sample from an Anajet printer, and the colors were okay. So, in general what you guys are telling me is pick colors in CMYK and go brigher, in order to get the colors that I want.