Does anyone have a recommendation for a printer that will do heat transfers from Raster art?

I've looked at several from posts here but they all require the art to be vector.

I've got an image that has a fair amount of shading that would not translate well into vector. Nothing overly complex, and only two colors but it is built in photo shop.

I did look at Transfer Express's digital transfers but they're not cost effective.

Any recommendations?

Thanks!

Try Stahls. I did a batch with them a few weeks ago that turned out great.

 

Nathin, Raster art is not a good Vehicle for T-Shirt art as you often want them enlarged. It's only about 15-20 dollars to get it converted to Vector. Half tones will look like doo doo. But with Vector printers for film will hold the dots with no image loss. Good luck, John

 

John - I'm not sure I understand your reply. The enlarging makes sense - but I have the piece as a full size .JPEG file right now. It may not fit on smaller shirts etc, but for large or XL it would fit fine.

Can you explain a bit more about half tones and he vector printers for film. The one printer I talked to said they use half tones, not gradients, and the shading wouldn't come out looking like the original piece.

Thanks!

N-

 

Half tone are dots, getting smaller and smaller to change colors from dark to light.Gradients are colors that sort of change as the pic goes down from dark to light.

 

Ok, that makes sense, but will shades of black / gray converted to vector and half tones look good when printed? For reference I've attached a thumbnail of the image. Thanks!

 

What is the resolution of the file ? If the dpi is high enough you can print as is.
What size did u want to print and what color shirt, that's the important things.

 

What is the resolution of the file ? If the dpi is high enough you can print as is.
What size did u want to print and what color shirt, that's the important things.

 

I have a printer/cutter. I like using vectors, but as mentioned - vectors do not always work. there are times where I take my vector and turn it to raster and print it. The reasoning is too long to explain, but I do it. There are no vector / raster printers there are printers. what the issues is when you need cuts and those are vector line. I add vector cutlines to rasters almost everyday. so if you know how to use your printer you can do what you need to do.

 

I'm not exactly sure what the resolution is. I'll have to check that and repost a reply. As for the size - my original thought was somewhere in the 11 x 13" range - but I'll have to check that against actual shirts to see how it works.

The image I posted is the final sketch for the concept. I have a full size image of both black and white that was to used for printing on black / white shirts. The shirt color obviously filling in the background.

My overall problem is I'm not a printer. I was planning on having this printed for heat transfer but the companies I've looked at all require the art to be in vector. . .

 

My main goal is to preserve the art in the print - specifically the shading on the landscape. I'm not familiar enough with what can be done in vector to make it come out with that shading so still digging / researching.

 

I am not sure who you are trying or their process. This can be done in raster. I only need 72dpi at print size. I still prefer lots more and although not necessary it makes me feel better. Especially if I am making posters from that same image.
Here are the issue:
You must use the right vinyl - the one I would use would be higher in price - why - because the cheaper ones have a heavier hand and are less stretchy. If you want the wearer to feel like they are wearing armor then cheap vinyl is the way to go. If you want a shirt where the wearer feels just the shirt then a higher grade vinyl. The next issue then is cost - folks want good for cheap and that usually don't work. So if you looking to put out a line of inexpensive shirts then look at screening two colors to get you shading.
The reason the printers want vectors so they do not have to worry about pixelation.

 

The size you posted is approx 6.5 x 5.5" did you create the design?if so what program did you use?

 

To Laz0924 - No, I didn't create the design, I had it outsourced and the artist used Photo shop to create the design. The astronaut was hand drawn and the landscape is shaded with what she referred to as "an air brush like" effect.

As for the size - this particular image is just the final proof. I have a file that's the full size.

 

To Idonaldson -

The first three printers I looked at were Stahls Transfer Express, FM Expressions and Versatrans. I talked to Stahls and they noted it was just a limitation with their process and it could be done from raster, just not something THEY did. (I wasn't sure where the limitation was coming in - with the industry / art / or the printer.)

Stahls does have what they call a Digital transfer but at the 13 x 11" they were $11.46 each which is really cutting into the profit margin if the shirts are selling for $20.

As for the feel - I don't mind at all paying for quality and I absolutely don't want the "armor feel." I prefer the softest hand I can get for a good price.

I've looked at your site briefly but it was really late - do you print heat transfers for garments?

Contact me via email if that's better.

Nathan.worthey@yahoo.com

And thanks for all the help!

 

I will email you but dor the benefit of all others - if you are printing transfers from rasters you will not have the shirt background fill in a color the only way that is possible is to have a bunch of cut outs and if I was doing it that would be extra. Reasoning you are printing with translucent ink Eco solvent so to have back come through you need clear and tha would only work on light color shirts. So design accordingly. Also last point you are not printing white for garments - for that you need ink.

 

Anyone with a direct to garment printer should be able to print that without a problem.