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Illustrator line Weight for Screen Printing

26K views 6 replies 5 participants last post by  Sulp  
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
First, I would consider myself an expert at using Adobe Illustrator.. - However, over the past 5 years my efforts have been focused on interactive.. Therefore I am a little rusty at print, and even more when it comes to a medium that involves fabric. Now that I am getting into this (as a side business at first), I have a few questions.

1. What is the minimum line weight (in Adobe Illustrator) for a screen print? Does this vary from printer to printer? I have looked around the forums and cannot get a conclusive answer. Most of my designs use small lines (1 point) juxtaposed with larger lines (6+ points).

2. If screen printing is not effective, what are other options which would give more detail?
 
#4 ·
Printers can hold small detail, tht hard part is when that detail in in color and needs to be on a white underbase for darks. Choking a white line that is smaller than .5 is almost impossible. Very tough as to get enough choke the white ub line would be so small you might not even get a good burn.

tryng to stay around 1pt should give you some leeway with most printers.
:)
 
#5 ·
If I am reproducing a logo for embroidery, using adobe Illustrator. What is the minimum line weight that will be clearly visible on a 2" height by 1.5" width logo after digitizing. And does the digitizing software play a role in the quality and accuracy of the finished patch, if so what digitizing software is the best.

Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge.
Robert
 
#6 ·
Starting a new thread may get more responses specific to embroidery.

Jon, if by "getting into this" you mean your own screen printing then the larger the lines the better. I would suggest 2 pt upwards. Even 3 but this of course depends on your artwork. I just find 1 point too delicate but it is doable.

If you will be outsourcing then I would not mind the 1 pt. I would mind(or be wary) printers worrying about 1 pt though.