[ProTipKnit]

So i use Adobe Illustrator CS6 to vectorize and clean up my art.
I just started this whole screen printing biz and im about to start my first round of prints.
Before i do that though i need to know if converting your image to a halftone is necessary before laying it out on the screen... or can i just vectorize and then print on my film as is?
Does the color of the garment matter for this as well?
Thanks in advanced.

 

[NoXid]

It depends on the art and what you want it to look like. Halftones are for gradations of tone/color. For example, you could print a black and white photograph as a one color halftone, with the dots providing the gradation to give the appearance of different shades of gray. But if the art is made up of areas of pure white and areas of a single color/shade of green, then there is nothing to halftone. The other scenario is if the art includes more colors than you can, or want to, print. For example, red, yellow, and orange. You could print the orange as a halftone of red and yellow.

As to the garment color. If you will only be printing on one color of shirt, then you can usually opt to let the garment provide that color to the finished print. So a black shirt could provide the black pupils in a face. But print that on a green, gray, white, purple shirt?

Clear as mud?


There is also nothing magical about vectors. Your art does not necessarily need to be vectorized, though many, including me, generally prefer to work with vector tools.

 

[ProTipKnit]

It depends on the art and what you want it to look like. Halftones are for gradations of tone/color. For example, you could print a black and white photograph as a one color halftone, with the dots providing the gradation to give the appearance of different shades of gray. But if the art is made up of areas of pure white and areas of a single color/shade of green, then there is nothing to halftone. The other scenario is if the art includes more colors than you can, or want to, print. For example, red, yellow, and orange. You could print the orange as a halftone of red and yellow.

As to the garment color. If you will only be printing on one color of shirt, then you can usually opt to let the garment provide that color to the finished print. So a black shirt could provide the black pupils in a face. But print that on a green, gray, white, purple shirt?

Clear as mud?


There is also nothing magical about vectors. Your art does not necessarily need to be vectorized, though many, including me, generally prefer to work with vector tools.

VERY helpful. thank you!