| Screen printing t-shirts using traditional means often | | | | photographs or graphic designs using complex color |
| produce simple designs composed of as many as | | | | separations surely require the help of technology. |
| three to four colors only. However, technological | | | | Direct-to-garment inkjet t-shirt printing is the best |
| advancements in t-shirt printing and new formulations | | | | option for these types of t-shirt designs. |
| of textile inks have brought color separation | | | | Duotone And Tritone T-Shirt Printing |
| techniques to higher levels of sophistication. Today, | | | | Duotones and tritones are often seen in sepia or |
| there are, at least, five color separation techniques. | | | | black and white photographs. The effect can be |
| Simple Spot T-Shirt Printing | | | | achieved through the skillful use of white ink, or |
| The simple spot printing is the most commonly used | | | | through the discharging method, which often |
| technique. It needs one screen for each color and | | | | produces earth-tone colors in fabric. |
| the application of ink follows the size of coverage for | | | | Four-Color Process T-Shirt Printing |
| each color. This is good for simple designs that | | | | Four-color process t-shirt printing, or CMYK color |
| require no halftone coloring, such as cartoons, line art, | | | | separation, is the one that has been in development |
| or vector art. | | | | for many years. CMYK stands for Cyan (Blue), |
| Dark fabrics printed using simple spot t-shirt printing | | | | Magenta (Red), Yellow, and Black, which are the only |
| will need either discharging or underprinting. | | | | colors used to produce different shades and hues. |
| Discharging is the process of reducing or removing | | | | T-shirt printing experts are continuously improving on |
| the fabric’s color through bleaching for the textile | | | | the technique to produce the desired results, |
| ink to remain vibrant when applied. | | | | although many factors affect the outcome of the |
| Underprinting, on the other hand, is the technique | | | | t-shirt printing process. One of these factors is the |
| screen printers use to maintain the opacity of the | | | | thickness and type of fabric, which affect the ink |
| top layer of colors. They apply an under layer of light | | | | coverage and image resolution. There is also the |
| color and have it dried through flashing. The shirts are | | | | question of how much pressure should be applied to |
| exposed to high heat from in-line infrared or quartz | | | | saturate the weave of the fabric. |
| heating units. | | | | Many t-shirt printing companies have proprietary |
| Complex Spot T-Shirt Printing | | | | techniques in producing photo-realistic images on |
| Some designs in t-shirt printing require more colors | | | | fabric without resorting to digital printing. The process |
| than the available hues of textile inks. Halftones and | | | | is labor intensive and time consuming, which makes it |
| secondary colors are produced by mixing one layer | | | | expensive to implement. |
| of color with another (halftone) or integrating the | | | | These are just five of the many techniques available |
| original color of the fabric with the ink to produce | | | | for t-shirt printing companies to use. Some printers |
| new shades of color. | | | | use a combination of techniques to match the t-shirt |
| This process needs a deeper understanding of the | | | | design with the original artwork. |
| color separation process and intuitive skills in matching | | | | In fact, what determines the quality of the t-shirt |
| colors and applying the ink on specified areas of the | | | | printing output is the original artwork’s quality. It |
| design. To produce the complexity of the design, | | | | should be in clear JPG format and a soft copy in |
| t-shirt printing companies now use modified inkjet | | | | Adobe Photoshop should be given to the screen |
| printers for direct-to-garment t-shirt printing or digital | | | | printers of the t-shirt printing company you have |
| screen printing. | | | | ordered t-shirts from. |
| Photographic Spot T-Shirt Printing | | | | Make special occasions memorable with custom |
| Direct-to-garment t-shirt printing is the one technique | | | | printed t-shirts. Printed tops, printed hoodies and |
| t-shirt printers use when they need to produce | | | | printed sweatshirts are also available. Call 0800 046 |
| photographic designs. Images made from | | | | 7633 for a free quote on personalised t-shirts in UK. |