I didnt know which forum to post this in.. as this is my first post... Since it deals with silkscreening/screen print... I figured this forum would suit it best?
Well I was wondering.. what would be best for having designs on a shirt?
The two I am debating on is Airbrushing or silkscreening/screen print.
Things to think about -
1) Fading -
Do Airbrush designs fade overtime? I am not sure how much loss of color will be gone.. and how long will it take to start fading.
I'm unsure if silkscreen will fade or not.
2) Cracking -
I am positive that Airbrush designs do not crack but most definitely silkscreening will depending on the quality and thickness of the paint
3) Vividness / appealing -
Which one do you think will look more appealing?
3) Quality -
The quality of airbursh over screen print..and vice versa... pro's and cons?
4) Easiness -
I have yet to try silkscreening... but it does look messy to me. Airbrushing on the other hand... does not seem too bad as I have used it before.
5) Metallic colors -
Gold and silver... There are airbrush paint that have gold and silver.. but I am not sure if they too will also fade over time and how they will both look.
Thanks for any input.
Last edited by AreYouAMac; July 8th, 2008 at 10:48 PM.
Do both, what you cant do, with one, you can do with the other, I dont believe our business is about just doing one thing, I too have airbrushed everything from garments to beach scenes on finger and toe nails.
what we learn we always know, we will never lose it, and one day we will look at a design and say , wow , I could screen print that skull and wings, but i could also get my airbrush in there and add that extra, shadow, sparkle, ect....
Have fun, think outside the box.
Sandy Jo
Another question is quantity - how many shirts of a particular design do you want to make? If it's only a few, then airbrush might be better, but if it's many, then I'd have to say screen print.
Also, I'm sure you didn't mean that you shouldn't screen print on 100% cotton, right? Just that 100% cotton isn't required?
And for the metalic, shimmer, and other specialty colors, you can get inks like that to screen-print as well.
BUT- I have no experience with airbrushing, even though I have a friend who does it. I don't know about the durability of the paints etc.
Quality air brush paint, like Createx, will give a good result. It requires proper application and heat setting at 375 degrees. Air brush or screen print is a question the customer should answer with your help. "Fun" style designs often look better with an air brush design. Large volume, detailed, or uniform designs usually work best with screen printing. My cheerleading customers usually prefer air brush designs, but my plumbing customers prefer screen printing. It's a matter of taste.
I agree, as far as wearablity and design lasting, that is determined by how we do our designs, but equally important, is How they take care of the Design, On my Tags, it
Says, If you love this shirt today, Keep it that way.
Wash in cold water inside out, Hang to dry.
Sandy Jo
I agree with a lot of what the others have said.
In addition, I'll add that I've been airbrushing for many years (30) and the longevity of the airbrushed work on clothing depends on #1 the application/and heat-sealing
#2 the paint, itself (yes, Createx is excellent)
Also, the metallic paints don't have the same flexibility as the transparents or semi-transparents and they will break down and crack.
The same with screenprinting metallics. They'll look good for a while, but they just don't have the lifespan of standard screenprinting inks.
The aspect of complexity of design doesn't enter into it, except for the artist's skill.
Airbursh OR silkscreen/screen print Shirts? 
