Need help printing detailed artwork on to shirts using transfers or silk screening

184 Views 10 Replies 4 Participants Last post by BADZ925, Jun 22, 2010

BADZ925

Discussion Starter · Jun 20, 2010

I purchased $1800 in heat transfers after I was told by several different vendors at an ISS show in Long Beach, CA, that the artwork that I wanted printed via silk screening was too detailed for a four color process application. This was after I used a vendor called Broken Arrow who did a terrible job using four color process silk screening. Heat transfer vendors told me they could do it. So I bought transfers from Art Brands. One of the transfers was made to fit the entire back of a large shirt. After finding two companies that had a press to accommodate the large transfer, neither company could successfully press the transfer with out leaving it "spotty" in the middle. Spotty meaning that the transfer didn't adhere properly to the shirt and came off.

Both companies told me that I should have just found a company who could silk screen the image using a four color process. Now I don't know what to believe...

Yes, I'm new at this.

I need someone who either can press an oversized transfer on a shirt, or who can successfully print detailed art using four color process silk screening. The transfer size is 16'' X 23''.

I've already spent thousands of dollars on shirts I cannot sell.

I live in Los Angeles, CA. Anyone's help concerning this problem, in or out of CA, would be greatly appreciated!

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Paulie73

· #2 · Jun 20, 2010

The press they used was either not heating properly in the middle or they had the temperature to low, or it wasnt clean or they didnt press the shirt first. sorry to here about your situation...you have been sucked in by sales people by the sounds of it.
So is the image off a photo, does it have shading?If not then yeah screenpritning is the way to go.

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BADZ925

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jun 20, 2010

Paulie73 said:
The press they used was either not heating properly in the middle or they had the temperature to low, or it wasnt clean or they didnt press the shirt first. sorry to here about your situation...you have been sucked in by sales people by the sounds of it.
So is the image off a photo, does it have shading?If not then yeah screenpritning is the way to go.

Thanks for the response. The artwork is not a photo, but it is detailed artwork with shading. If there's shading is it better to go with heat transfers? What's the difference between printing using a four color process to a transfer then silk screening using the same method but just directly to the garment?

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Paulie73

· #4 · Jun 20, 2010

You should look around at some printers in your area and ask for samples so you get an idea of what method you should take. They can do shading screen printing up to 6 colours but it costs more if you dont print many. Also dont go out and get a whole truck load of shirts printed unless you know you will move them. Save your money, get some critique
cheers

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Rodney

· #5 · Jun 22, 2010

Can you share a small version of the image?

I think it's just a matter of finding "the right" screen printer that can tackle the job.

Check with SpreadingInk.com in Southern CA. They can do large, oversized and all over prints and they do great work.

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BADZ925

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jun 22, 2010

Rodney said:
Can you share a small version of the image?

I think it's just a matter of finding "the right" screen printer that can tackle the job.

Check with SpreadingInk.com in Southern CA. They can do large, oversized and all over prints and they do great work.

Hey Rodney! Thanks so much for responding to this thread. I really appreciate it.

Sure, I can share a small version of the image. The image has a copyright pending and the logos are registered so it should all be good. : )

The only illustration that was in a small file was one with a water mark. Sorry. I attached it anyway. It should give you a good idea of what we're dealing with though. If I knew how to change the size of the file I would send the original. The original is pretty big.

Thanks for referring me to spreadingink.com. I'll check them out!

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MX1CAN

· #7 · Jun 22, 2010

If you still want to go the heat transfers route let me recommend F&M Expressions. Their line of 4 color process transfers captures all of the detail in the illustration and the hand on the shirts once printed is great.

You will definitely need to find someone with a good heat press though.

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BADZ925

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jun 22, 2010

MX1CAN said:
If you still want to go the heat transfers route let me recommend F&M Expressions. Their line of 4 color process transfers captures all of the detail in the illustration and the hand on the shirts once printed is great.

You will definitely need to find someone with a good heat press though.

Thanks, but I already have the transfers.. a lot of them. I ordered through Art Brands. I think you are right about the heat press. I need someone with an over sized heat press, and a good one at that. If you know anyone in California, I'd like to contact them. In the meantime, I'm going to keep my options open for silk screening.

Thanks

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Rodney

· #9 · Jun 22, 2010

Thanks for posting the image.

Are you looking to minimize the use of halftones in the print so that all the fades and shading are done with actual ink instead of halftoned dots, or are you OK with some halftones?

Maybe you could also tell us what *exactly* was terrible about the job the other screen printer did. What specifically did they do that didn't meet your needs (a photo of the t-shirt they printed would also help)

I think once printers know what your expectations are, it'll be easier for them to tell you up front if they can deliver it or not. I definitely think that image can be screen printed though.

If you look at some of the detail in the photos of these screen printed t-shirts, you can see the wide amount of color range that can be done (and that's just a small sample of what's possible)

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BADZ925

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jun 22, 2010

Rodney said:
Thanks for posting the image.

Are you looking to minimize the use of halftones in the print so that all the fades and shading are done with actual ink instead of halftoned dots, or are you OK with some halftones?

Maybe you could also tell us what *exactly* was terrible about the job the other screen printer did. What specifically did they do that didn't meet your needs (a photo of the t-shirt they printed would also help)

I think once printers know what your expectations are, it'll be easier for them to tell you up front if they can deliver it or not. I definitely think that image can be screen printed though.

If you look at some of the detail in the photos of these screen printed t-shirts, you can see the wide amount of color range that can be done (and that's just a small sample of what's possible)

I'm not sure if I'd get the desired outcome if I minimized halftones for actual ink, or visa versa. I just want an image that is as close as possible to the original on a shirt. I expect that there will be a trade off between detail and cost and I need to weigh those options. I just don't know the cost of one or the other and how much detail will be forfeited or gained.

As for the shirts that Broken Arrow sold me, I no longer have any in my possession. I can tell you, that what was printed on the shirts was about 5 times darker than the image I posted on this thread. The shadow and the girls butt all blended together as one dark... image... if you will. It was nearly black, and the rest of the girl wasn't much better.

I posted a review for the company that charged me for shirts I feel I cannot sell. I listed a detailed description on what I did in the beginning of my quest to find someone to print the shirts, and how I ended up at Art On Glicee. I have pic's posted on what I felt were acceptable shirts, and pic's I felt were not acceptable.
Here's the link to that review: Art on Giclee, Inc. - Lake Forest, CA

I hope this clarifies what I'm looking for better. Sorry I was not thorough enough in the beginning of this thread.

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BADZ925

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jun 22, 2010

Rodney said:
Thanks for posting the image.

Are you looking to minimize the use of halftones in the print so that all the fades and shading are done with actual ink instead of halftoned dots, or are you OK with some halftones?

Maybe you could also tell us what *exactly* was terrible about the job the other screen printer did. What specifically did they do that didn't meet your needs (a photo of the t-shirt they printed would also help)

I think once printers know what your expectations are, it'll be easier for them to tell you up front if they can deliver it or not. I definitely think that image can be screen printed though.

If you look at some of the detail in the photos of these screen printed t-shirts, you can see the wide amount of color range that can be done (and that's just a small sample of what's possible)

Rodney! I just looked at the art from the last link you sent. Some of those illustrations came out great! Drag Specialties, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Axeman - Liquid Blue are awesome. What was used to make those? Half tones? Ink instead of dots? Both?

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Need help printing detailed artwork on to shirts using transfers or silk screening

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