You can try a service like vectordoctor or artworksource.com to have them convert your raster image into a vector image for a small fee (if you don't have vector software like coreldraw or illustrator to convert it yourself)
Need help with plastisol design
Hello fine people,
I emailed firstedition.com about doing a design for me in plastisol and they emailed me back explaining how I would need to change my design to meet their needs and I am pretty confused.
Can anyone explain to me what it is they need me to do with this design?
First here is my design....
http://www.t-shirtforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=83&d=1153522261
and here is their email to me.....
Thomas,
What you have is four color process and we don't print our transfers
using those colors: magneta, cyan, yellow and black. What we would need
is a spot color design of this job and something in a vector format.
Everything that is red on the artwork would be a PMS red. You wouldn't
have the different reds on your original like the one you sent to us.
Unless you wanted different reds you would have to make them different
PMS colors for the design.
A lot of the fine detail will have to be removed as well from the
design. We will get some of it to print but not all of it. The skull
will have a tendency to probably fill in parts of it. Especially where
there is a lot of the dark areas on the bottom right and left.
I know that I am not much help in describing this to you but my mind is
fried right now.
Sorry that I am now just getting back to you on this but it has been a
crazy Wednesday!
Matt
Thanks for any help you can give.... by the way I am not to sure about how to do vector images.
Thanks
Thomas
I emailed firstedition.com about doing a design for me in plastisol and they emailed me back explaining how I would need to change my design to meet their needs and I am pretty confused.
Can anyone explain to me what it is they need me to do with this design?
First here is my design....
http://www.t-shirtforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=83&d=1153522261
and here is their email to me.....
Thomas,
What you have is four color process and we don't print our transfers
using those colors: magneta, cyan, yellow and black. What we would need
is a spot color design of this job and something in a vector format.
Everything that is red on the artwork would be a PMS red. You wouldn't
have the different reds on your original like the one you sent to us.
Unless you wanted different reds you would have to make them different
PMS colors for the design.
A lot of the fine detail will have to be removed as well from the
design. We will get some of it to print but not all of it. The skull
will have a tendency to probably fill in parts of it. Especially where
there is a lot of the dark areas on the bottom right and left.
I know that I am not much help in describing this to you but my mind is
fried right now.
Sorry that I am now just getting back to you on this but it has been a
crazy Wednesday!
Matt
Thanks for any help you can give.... by the way I am not to sure about how to do vector images.
Thanks
Thomas
1 - 20 of 43 Posts
I have adobe illistator. Is it as simple as opening the layered photoshop(.psd) file and saving it as a vector file?
I think you might have to use the trace tool in illustrator to covert it to vector, but some of the fades not work as a vector file.
I'll let someone that knows more about graphics and vector conversion chime in here
I'll let someone that knows more about graphics and vector conversion chime in here
You will need to trace the whole thing with the pen tool. It takes alot of practice.
Your design looks very complex, so it may be best to send it to a graphic designer.
Your design looks very complex, so it may be best to send it to a graphic designer.
It is a complex design, because it has lots of gradients and tiny details.
In order to vectorize it, the person who drew this(or some other artist) has to trace over the image using a vector program like Illustrator for example. You can actually use any kind of tool (the pen tool, the brush, pencil ect.) as long as it makes your job easier, just do it in Illustrator (or any vector program) and keep inmind the specifications that they told you.
Now..a question for the senseis:
But I thought plastisol transfers were good for "anything you can imagine"?
What If I have a complicated design like say.... this one?
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g137/seburbia/Girly_by_chupatoster-1.jpg
In order to vectorize it, the person who drew this(or some other artist) has to trace over the image using a vector program like Illustrator for example. You can actually use any kind of tool (the pen tool, the brush, pencil ect.) as long as it makes your job easier, just do it in Illustrator (or any vector program) and keep inmind the specifications that they told you.
Now..a question for the senseis:
But I thought plastisol transfers were good for "anything you can imagine"?
What If I have a complicated design like say.... this one?
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g137/seburbia/Girly_by_chupatoster-1.jpg
I agree with Jon that you're best off sending it to a graphic designer for now.skulltshirts said:Can anyone explain to me what it is they need me to do with this design?
Plastisol transfers are screenprinted, so they have all the limitations of that medium.3leches said:But I thought plastisol transfers were good for "anything you can imagine"?
What If I have a complicated design like say.... this one?
The design you linked to wouldn't be practical to screenprint. You'd want to simplify the colours to lower the cost.
skullshirts
Your graphic reminds me a bit of the cover of the HELL-ROCKING Dictators comeback album "D.F.F.D" - though only in general sentiment and mood. If ya want a bloody emphatic demonstration of your "True rocknroll never dies" logo, grab a listen to that album and give humble thanks for what these guys have managed in middle age, over 20 years after their previous release. The Dictators would have to be one of the best and most criminally underrated rock bands ever. American rock at its best.
Your graphic reminds me a bit of the cover of the HELL-ROCKING Dictators comeback album "D.F.F.D" - though only in general sentiment and mood. If ya want a bloody emphatic demonstration of your "True rocknroll never dies" logo, grab a listen to that album and give humble thanks for what these guys have managed in middle age, over 20 years after their previous release. The Dictators would have to be one of the best and most criminally underrated rock bands ever. American rock at its best.
This would have to be redrawn using the pen tool in order for it to be vector. Your options are to try and redraw it using the pen yourself and assign each shape a pms color or hire someone to do it for you. You will however loose some of the detail particularly the shading. What I would do if it were me, I would make the shading solid black line art to indicate the shading. When you do this in spot color using PMS (pantone matching system) you should limit your number of colors for cost purposes. What you have there could be done doing this and still look really cool but if you don't have experience with pen tool I would hire someone, as this is not a simple vector conversion. In the future create your art in a vector program susch as illustrator when you are going to be using spot color for the printing.
Got it, but what if I cant lower the colors without losing the whole piece's integrity.Solmu said:Plastisol transfers are screenprinted, so they have all the limitations of that medium.
The design you linked to wouldn't be practical to screenprint. You'd want to simplify the colours to lower the cost.
How do they do shirts like this: http://www.t-shirtking.com/pcatalog/954267/76f7ae554442653041626de42eaa1e75#
They dont feel like paper transfers. They feel like actual ink on the shirt.
You can screenprint a photo (or other full colour art) using four colour process printing (i.e. CMYK, like in a computer printer); there's a decent chance that's what would have been used on that AC/DC shirt. It's generally not very cheap, so it's mostly used by large companies (who can order in the kind of quantity that will get costs in line).
I'm not sure if plastisol transfers can be process printed, but I can see how that would introduce some problems (first edition mention in the e-mail quoted above they don't do four colour process).
I'm not sure if plastisol transfers can be process printed, but I can see how that would introduce some problems (first edition mention in the e-mail quoted above they don't do four colour process).
skulltshirts,
would you mind posting a larger image of your design ? kind of hard to see the detail etc.
footnote: a lot of times peeps create great designs for postcards, posters etc....
designing garment graphics is a total other side of design. You need to account for the overall look of the garment, it's properties and who will be wearing it.
It is common even for Brands to alter/adjust their logos/designs etc. when printing them on different type items.
would you mind posting a larger image of your design ? kind of hard to see the detail etc.
footnote: a lot of times peeps create great designs for postcards, posters etc....
designing garment graphics is a total other side of design. You need to account for the overall look of the garment, it's properties and who will be wearing it.
It is common even for Brands to alter/adjust their logos/designs etc. when printing them on different type items.
I think you can color trace the design in Corel or Flexi and then clean it up. The art is very similar to what I have seen from Image wear as far as layout, design and color. It would be nice on this forum to have a how to do this section from folks that know how to do it. I get spot color and color trapping but fades and color blends seem to be lost in my mind. I think colors can be halftoned to create different values from dark to light . Obviously saving money as you are simply using one color instead of four to create different tonal values. Why would the AC/DC shirt be expensive? I ask because I have no idea why it would be any more expensive than any other four color print job? A screen for each CMYK color and maybe a screen for toner black. I realize in production the shirt could be lighter, darker, yellower, redder etc. If anyone could shed light on this it would be helpful for all. I know if I want to order custom transfers, I surely want transition and fading or else everything will look like a University of Somewhere T-shirt in one simple color with zero dimension.
The ac/dc shirt would be more xpensive because it is 4 color as opposed to spot color. Using an auto trace on the image skull created will probobly not produce very good results or work very well as a spot color job. There would be so much clean-up involved you would probobly be better off redrawing it in a vector program.
I agree with the trace period. I think recreating the art from the ground up in vector is the right way to go. Question...Is a four color job a four color job reguardless if its spot or CMYK?Logo-Mechanix said:The ac/dc shirt would be more xpensive because it is 4 color as opposed to spot color. Using an auto trace on the image skull created will probobly not produce very good results or work very well as a spot color job. There would be so much clean-up involved you would probobly be better off redrawing it in a vector program.
Sorry 4 color is a little vague, I mean a spot color job can have more than 4 colors. When I say four color I mean CMYK vs. PMS, pms is a spot color which basically mean each color will have a seperate screen while 4 color process (CMYK) is a whole other ballgame, which is what you would use to print an actual photo in full color. Spot color will work with skulls design and he will only loose a minimal amount of detail depending on how much he is willing to spend to have it printed. With spot color the more colors you use the more expensive it gets because each color needs it's own screen. Although I am not the best at explaining things I have a pretty good grasp of how this stuff works. I do alot of shirt design from 1 color on up as well as print design for 4 color process printing.
Well lets stick with 4 color spot and CMYK. A screen for each color is basic. Why would it be more expensive to print CMYK?
I have only created the art but I am thinking it has something to do with the process and equipment and know how being more expensive.
1 - 20 of 43 Posts
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