richmond-issued

Hello all,

I've been trolling around here for awhile, but I decided today, that I need to post and get the ball rolling.

I have been making quite a few designs as of late for shirts. My designs are usually off center, and utilize much of the space on the shirt.

I know about all the cafe press sites but a lot of my t's have wrap around lines, and many designs are also on the back of the shirt.

I really need a point in the right direction, I feel like the more I read the more impossible it seems like to make some of the shirts. I have tried to keep my colors down to between 1-5 colors a shirt, so I am hoping that will help.

Right now I have all my designs on PSD's, but I think I need to bring in something else for the screenprinter to use, correct? Any suggestions on places in LA?

My main concerns are:
Cost

Quality

None of that stuff that CafePress does with putting there logo everywhere and such

Pretty much I want to drop off some designs, come back in a few weeks and pick them up. I know this is a pretty weak first post, so I apologize for that! Thanks for taking the time to read this and any advice.

 

Reply With Quote

quatto

If quality is your main concern, any printer who can't handle photoshop docs isn't for you. I'd find a printer with an in-house designer, and ask to see a sample portfolio; the better that guy's work is, the more you can trust him not to butcher your art.

that being said, your designs should be 600 dpi, with a different layer for each unique color, or if you're using a picture, save it in CMYK mode, not RGB.

if your designs are those big boutique-style prints, (like obey, affliction, zoo york etc.) i'd suggest getting more comfy with using illustrator instead of photoshop, since vector graphics stay clean no matter how you size them.

something else to keep in mind: there's an old saying in design that really applies to everything... "everyone wants it GOOD, FAST and CHEAP, but you have to pick two."
If you want a printer to respect your vision, and not break your piggy bank in the process, then expect this process to drag on a bit.

 

Reply With Quote

COEDS

I also suggest you pick a printer far enough away from your area that you are not competeing with. I had a experience that my printer and I were priceing the same job. I lost the bid because he could do it cheaper and he knew my overhead. I now use mainly plastisol transfers from Ace Transfer Company, Inc.. I can compete with most screenprinters and still make money. I like having the control all in my hands too. ........ Jb

__________________
RIP: 1964 - 2008

 

Reply With Quote