cmrosko

Hi,

I'd like some input on a recent project that I'm working on.

See attached pics of a DTG (Kornit) print and a subsequent screen process print developed to imitate the DTG print.
I really liked the DTG (until I started to see some peeling after the 4th wash dry cycle).
I'm not too happy with the process / halftone print, I hope the client feels better about it than I do. I thought the screen print could be more like the DTG image. I think that the process screen print lacks a wide enough tonal range of greys. From 5 feet away it's hard to make out the details and folds in the ghost image. I think it might have needed another layer of light grey half tone added.

The screen print is on a darker Navy blue fabric

Any thoughts?

Thanks


Kornit DTG

Screen Half tone

Kornit DTG Peeling

 

Reply With Quote

tlbays

Hi Christian

The high contrast in your screen print version might first be addressed with some tweaks to your screen imaging, before adding another lt.grey plate which would also work as you've well guessed.

The screen mesh count and dpi choice, exposure time and mesh tension, and squeegee hardness/sharpness can often produce dramatic improvements on dot pattern tonal range.
3-5% highlights and fine line counts are printable in the screen process.

I'm not certain of your starting points for this print, but usually suggest to clients to output a test pattern that allows an ability for ongoing adjustments towards better image reproduction:

This is normally a 1"x8" rectangle with a graduated half-tone from 0-100% lengthwise. It can be placed off to the side of any screen (blocked out after test prints) for determining if your screen image variables are adjusted to get the broadest tonal range possible.

If you wish to investigate this further, let me know.

__________________
Tom Bays
www.advancedscreen.com

 

Reply With Quote

cmrosko

Hi,

I'd like some input on a recent project that I'm working on.

See attached pics of a DTG (Kornit) print and a subsequent screen process print developed to imitate the DTG print.

The ghost design image is drawn from a photo of a mural that I designed and painted at a school in Vermont. The value range in the shades of grey on the ghost image are important to bring out the ghost effect.

I really liked the DTG print (until I started to see some peeling after the 4th wash dry cycle). The printer was contracted to produce a process color screen print that would look close to the original art and DTG print. I didn't proof the screen print files because I discussed with the printer that since they made the DTG print they knew what I wanted. I think this was a mistake. Also, as is all too common, it was a rush to deadline job.

I'm not too happy with the process / halftone print, I hope the client feels better about it than I do since I have about $2,400 wrapped up in this project. I thought the screen print could be more like the DTG image. I think that the process screen print lacks a wide enough tonal range of greys. From 5 feet away it's hard to make out the details and folds in the ghost image and the design begins to come off as basically white and dark grey. I think it might have needed another layer of light grey half tone added.

The screen print is on a darker Navy blue fabric.

Any thoughts?

I'd like to learn how to set everything up myself, half tones pantone color separations etc. . Any one know of a good source for me to learn this stuff?

Thanks



Kornit DTG

Screen Half tone

Kornit DTG Peeling

 

Reply With Quote

cmrosko

Tom,

Thanks for the response.
I'm not the printer. The printer I worked with on this project is located about 5 hrs. drive from me. They do allot of high volume work and I expected that they'd be familiar with the effects of dpi size, squeegee type and screen tension that you mention.

Yes I wish to investigate further.

Thanks again

Christian

 

Reply With Quote

tlbays

Hi Christian

I'm going to stick my neck out and state that "high volume" and "high quality" don't always go hand-in-hand.

Our customers are like our kids; some better at certain things, and the others better at what they do.

Note that some of our owner-operator shops print circles around the bigger firms when it comes to quality, but it goes both ways.

Ask around the wholesale level of the industry in your area, and you'll probably find good direction for the future.

Good luck!

__________________
Tom Bays
www.advancedscreen.com

 

Reply With Quote

PositiveDave

Probably best done as an index separation - white, black and two shades of grey, (maybe another white), printed wet-on-wet. Four colour process is likely to give colour casts etc.
You can check tutorials at somewhere like screenprint separator.

__________________
Positivity Ltd.
UK Specialist in Screenprint imagesetting

 

Reply With Quote

out da box

I agree with Dave, only I would add 4 or 5 color simulated with elliptical dots would give you awesome results in the greys.
Main thing is you need 2 or 3 greys to reproduce those subtle shades.

__________________
Ridgely, Operations Mngr. Out Da Box
Custom Screenprinting Service Greensboro

 

Reply With Quote

PositiveDave

Quote: Originally Posted by out da box I agree with Dave, only I would add 4 or 5 color simulated with elliptical dots would give you awesome results in the greys. Main thing is you need 2 or 3 greys to reproduce those subtle shades.

Actually I didn't suggest simulation! Index Seps.

__________________
Positivity Ltd.
UK Specialist in Screenprint imagesetting

 

Reply With Quote