So I went to get a quote for a certain design I have and the lady wanted an amount much larger than my budget. She said that it was due to the fact that there were so many colors... With that being said, I want to know how to turn the image into the 4 base colors of the design. I have tried posterizing, quadones, etc. and can't seem to figure out how to do this... I think the term is "separating colors"? Im not too sure, but I have looked online and have yet to find a way... If anyone could help, that would be GREATLY appreciated . thank you in advance
How to turn an elaborate design into 4 colors???
[Photoshop] -
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I don't know if you can see the image because it wouldnt let me upload to the forum for some reason, but here it is:
[media]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2nBykTI4Q5I/UzcHGKB9CTI/AAAAAAAAAB4/XdYsVXVSITA/w551-h550-no/Dokuji+-Koil+Shirt.jpg[/media]
ok, thank you.... but my question is how do i turn my image into only 5 colors? or 4 on a white tee? I understand simplifying will lose colors...
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Simulated process, If I had to do it not less than 6 colors, possible with 5 on dark or white.
If you subcontract the printing, then it will be your screenprinter job to separate the file and print.
If you want to learn, there is some book about the process and video on youtube
If you subcontract the printing, then it will be your screenprinter job to separate the file and print.
If you want to learn, there is some book about the process and video on youtube
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Your screenprinter should be the one that does the separations as another has said, if they don't, probably best to find a different person.
What people are referring to with 5 or 4 color is known as "process" color, which is essentially how your desktop color printer works in that it turns all the colors into CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key/Black) values and overlays the dots on top of each other to simulate a wide range of colors. The screen printer then usually using either a RIP or separating via design program will pull each color out individually and burn a screen for it.
Where the 5th color comes in is if you're using black the CMYK inks will need a white underbase (aka CMYK+W).
Imagine if you sent a black piece of paper through your inkjet printer with your design, your design would be barely visible, you'd actually just end up with a black piece of paper with hints of very little color (essentially it'd just be "blacker" than the other black) due to the transparency of the inks. Underbasing with white gives you the opacity to print the other colors on top of it.
What people are referring to with 5 or 4 color is known as "process" color, which is essentially how your desktop color printer works in that it turns all the colors into CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key/Black) values and overlays the dots on top of each other to simulate a wide range of colors. The screen printer then usually using either a RIP or separating via design program will pull each color out individually and burn a screen for it.
Where the 5th color comes in is if you're using black the CMYK inks will need a white underbase (aka CMYK+W).
Imagine if you sent a black piece of paper through your inkjet printer with your design, your design would be barely visible, you'd actually just end up with a black piece of paper with hints of very little color (essentially it'd just be "blacker" than the other black) due to the transparency of the inks. Underbasing with white gives you the opacity to print the other colors on top of it.
I see.... so if the image is already 4 colors (+underbase), why would she say that there are many colors and would have to charge me $135 for setup? or am i missing something, and that is a pretty standard price for a screenprint with a design like mine?
hm...sounds interesting.. would simulated process screenprinting be cheaper, as it loses some detail due to the use of fewer colors? I did my research and saw that simulated process is harder to do than regular screenprinting, and it seems that the quality of ink being used is downgraded as well.
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Depending on the order size that maybe generous. I have a 12 shirt per color minimum per color. $20 per screen charge. I would probably do 5-6 screens. If you don't meet the minimums you still pay for the print charge or $10 setup fee per color. Print charge starts out $1 first color and .55 for additional color. It can get much cheaper with higher quantities. There is a lot of work that goes into screen printing to get setup.
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Simulated process is just mixing inks to make more colors while printing. Same inks as spot color printing. CMYK printing use a translucent ink although there is really no quality difference. You quality though differs greatly from brand to brand of inks.
So from what I am understanding about your reply about screenprinting charges, the price i am getting for setup charges ($135) is reasonably priced, correct? & you are saying that you charge $1 (+.55) for the number of screens/colors that must be produced for the design? so assuming 6 screens, $20*6 + $1(+ 0.55*6) would be the price you would charge me? Im just asking because I am new to the T-shirt making business and want to find out average prices that screenprinters charge.
&& regarding the reply about simulated process, you are saying that basically it is the same as a screenprint, right?
thank you, again for the information
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sben is a master on this forum.
i know printers that say they don't charge set-up fees but it's all in the wording.they'll make up their cost in the price of the shirt.
once you have your screens burned most printers will keep your screens around and warehouse them until you need another order so it should only be a one-time fee.
the prob is that some customers only want the one run and don't meet the minimum requirements (qty) to make it worthwhile for the printer to give you a good price on a 5 color job.
if you are really serious about printing something like that on a dark color shirt be ready to open up your purse strings.
i know printers that say they don't charge set-up fees but it's all in the wording.they'll make up their cost in the price of the shirt.
once you have your screens burned most printers will keep your screens around and warehouse them until you need another order so it should only be a one-time fee.
the prob is that some customers only want the one run and don't meet the minimum requirements (qty) to make it worthwhile for the printer to give you a good price on a 5 color job.
if you are really serious about printing something like that on a dark color shirt be ready to open up your purse strings.
I think it depends about storage of screens. Would you leave 5 brand new newmans sitting on a shelf for over a year because a customer tells you they will 'definitely' want to order more? Infact, the more someone tells me they definitely will order more, the more inverse the likelihood it is that I will ever hear from them again!
Apart from the cost of storage space, it wasn't so much of an issue with cheap wooden frames, but I think there is more of a trend for quality print shops to reclaim their quality screens because otherwise they end up with thousands of dollars of investment stored away and unavailable to use.
We try to be as efficient as possible and that means reclaiming screens. I know a local shop that probably would save screens away, but you should see the screens they use for that - floppy, warped screens with detached mesh in several places. The prints are terrible. So now their regular customers get the worst screens and prints because they want to keep their best ones in circulation! Now obviously this isn't true of every shop, and perhaps it is a one-off case, but on the face of it, they are the better shop because they offer storage and we don't. But then their process prints also come out looking like mud.
We get round the issue by offering a pre-paid monthly screen subscription fee. We'll reburn fresh screens. That way, anyone entirely serious about re-ordering can get matched, tensioned screens at a discounted rate.
So if a shop does not offer storage, ask why. Perhaps there is a very good reason for it. It's not necessarily a bad thing
Apart from the cost of storage space, it wasn't so much of an issue with cheap wooden frames, but I think there is more of a trend for quality print shops to reclaim their quality screens because otherwise they end up with thousands of dollars of investment stored away and unavailable to use.
We try to be as efficient as possible and that means reclaiming screens. I know a local shop that probably would save screens away, but you should see the screens they use for that - floppy, warped screens with detached mesh in several places. The prints are terrible. So now their regular customers get the worst screens and prints because they want to keep their best ones in circulation! Now obviously this isn't true of every shop, and perhaps it is a one-off case, but on the face of it, they are the better shop because they offer storage and we don't. But then their process prints also come out looking like mud.
We get round the issue by offering a pre-paid monthly screen subscription fee. We'll reburn fresh screens. That way, anyone entirely serious about re-ordering can get matched, tensioned screens at a discounted rate.
So if a shop does not offer storage, ask why. Perhaps there is a very good reason for it. It's not necessarily a bad thing
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i must be a real newbie (admittably)......
i thought the days of set-up fees was long gone.
all the 'high-end' big name on line printers don't charge set-up fees. i guess they do enough volume to compensate for the charges?
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Not true. Some either just combine the cost into print charge or don't advertise it. I don't "charge" setup/screen fees I just include into my price of the shirt. If its a low quantity I explain that how I come to the price so the customer understands. Depending on the number of colors to the number of shirts and customer attitude I will start lowering the screen cost.
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