Discuss the different types of equipment needed for screen printing. Topics include manual screen printing presses, automatic presses, dryers, folding machines, starter kits and high end machines.
Hi guys,
We are new to the screen printing business and need to purchase easy to use software. Can anyone tell me which of the adobe software is better or can you suggest other software.
Thanks -Tyra
Adobe is not cheap. But it is worth it. I would get Illustrator now and you will need Photoshop in the future. These are the industry standard. You will get files from your customers that will be in these softwares and your life will be easier when you have the same software. Neither one of these softwares are easy to learn. The software you learn on will be the easiest one for you. These two softwares work well with each other (they were designed that way). Bite the bullet and dig into these. I have been in business for 14 years, I know that Corel is a good software, I have personally never used it. I have also never received a corel file. They have all been photoshop or illustrator (or eps/pdf/jpeg ...).
__________________
Mike
If you dig ditches be the best ditch digger you can be.
Adobe is not cheap. But it is worth it. I would get Illustrator now and you will need Photoshop in the future. These are the industry standard. You will get files from your customers that will be in these softwares and your life will be easier when you have the same software. Neither one of these softwares are easy to learn. The software you learn on will be the easiest one for you. These two softwares work well with each other (they were designed that way). Bite the bullet and dig into these. I have been in business for 14 years, I know that Corel is a good software, I have personally never used it. I have also never received a corel file. They have all been photoshop or illustrator (or eps/pdf/jpeg ...).
Hey Mike, thank you for the advise, but like doing embroidery customers bring in their CD's and artwork and I turn it into a .dst file for my embroidery machine to read. Since I'm REALLY new to screen printing can I outsource my art work (customers images) to turn it into the format I need? What are the most popular formats in screen printing? how does all of this work? I am clueless in regards to turning an images to the format I need in order to screen it on the shirt. Am I making since?
The files I get the most of are .ai files. There are several files that can work though. pdf. eps. are editable jpeg tiff and others need work most of the time. There are companies that will take most any file and do what ever you need to them to get them ready, including separations. Working with this type of art work can be overwhelming when you don't know how. The best thing to do if you are going to work on these type of files is to get your feet wet and ask the right question in forums like this. What ever software you get someone will be able and willing to help. Good luck.
__________________
Mike
If you dig ditches be the best ditch digger you can be.
Adobe is not cheap. But it is worth it. I would get Illustrator now and you will need Photoshop in the future. These are the industry standard. You will get files from your customers that will be in these softwares and your life will be easier when you have the same software. Neither one of these softwares are easy to learn. The software you learn on will be the easiest one for you. These two softwares work well with each other (they were designed that way). Bite the bullet and dig into these. I have been in business for 14 years, I know that Corel is a good software, I have personally never used it. I have also never received a corel file. They have all been photoshop or illustrator (or eps/pdf/jpeg ...).
Hey Mike, whis version of illustrator? there are plenty out there and I'd like one I can handle, not one to over my head.
Get the latest version if you can. All versions should have the same basic functions. As far as it being over your head I'm sure if you are not familiar with graphic softwares that it will be over your head. It will be very frustrating to learn any good graphic software, but it will be worth it in the long run. Don't get in a hurry and do as many tutorials as you can get your hands on. There are plenty of graphic artist that are very well versed on Illustrator and still learn new tricks that they had no idea was possible in that software. Illustrator will do the most basic to the very complicated and as you learn the software you will be able to master all in time. Good luck!
__________________
Mike
If you dig ditches be the best ditch digger you can be.
Hey Mike, whis version of illustrator? there are plenty out there and I'd like one I can handle, not one to over my head.
Tyra,
Mike gave you some good advice! But in case you can't afford the latest version of Illustrator, try to get CS (version 11) or later. That will have many of the capabilities of the latest version and should be able to open most if not all .ai files created by later versions.
screen printing software 
Re: screen printing software 
