Art
Our graphic arts department handles everything from design through pre-press, including the latest in 4 color process, simulated process and index separations. Whether you need us to create a logo, revise your existing artwork or just prepare your art for printing, we’re happy to help!
Art Requirements
Digital Art Requirements for spot color printing.
Minimum specifications are required to achieve good print results. Please follow the instructions below. If you need help creating art, please visit art services.
- Digital artwork must be submitted in accepted formats only.
- All files must be in .EPS format.
- All fonts must be converted to outlines.
- All colors must be converted to spot colors with correct Pantone numbers.
- Please submit files with images SIZED for printing.
- Compress large files (over 20 MB) using Stuff-it or Winzip.
- Flatten all files.
- Send additional .JPG version of file to communicate color representation if file does not display color the way you want it printed.
Applications Accepted:
- ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR – our preferred file format. Create outlines for fonts. Save as .EPS
- FREEHAND – Convert text to paths. Save as .EPS.
- COREL DRAW – Convert text to paths. Save as .AI file.
- ADOBE PHOTOSHOP – Should be used only for photographic images, not great for type or logos.
- QUARK – Must include all font files and placed images.
Placing a scanned image (or an image created in another program) into an Illustrator file does not make the file a vector image.
Applications NOT Accepted:
The following programs do not allow us to create proper separations:
- POWERPOINT
- WORD or any word processing program
Digital Art Requirements for process color printing.
Minimum specifications are required to achieve good print results. Please follow the instructions below. If you need help creating art, please email us at tshirtpros@manhattanstitching.com
Adobe Photoshop is the standard for photographic digital imaging.
- Files should be presented in photoshop, .PICT, .TIFF or .EPS formats only.
- NO .GIF or .JPG files for separation purposes. Send additional .JPG version of file to communicate color representation if file does not display color the way you want it printed.
- Resolutions should be between 200 – 300 dpi at initial creation of file.
- Send a printed color hard copy to use as a “target” in the separation process since all monitors are different.
- Please submit files with images SIZED for printing.
- Compress large files (over 20 MB) using Stuff-it or Winzip.
- Flatten all files.
Why Screen Printing
There are several techniques used to decorate garments.
At T-ShirtPros.com we utilize only direct to garment screen printing. (The terms “silk screening” and “screen printing” are used interchangeably.)
This is by far and away the best method for reproducing images in true-to-life color. And screen printing is the most cost effective for large quantity print runs.
The screen printing inks we use are of the highest quality and the most durable. And we guarantee that the print will outlast the garment. This cannot be said for the following other decorating techniques.
Digital imaging or direct to garment ink jet printers have been on the market for nearly two years. (And many of our competitors use this technique so be sure to ask how they are going to decorate your t-shirts.)
The quality of the finished product cannot compare to custom screen printing.
Much more vibrant color can be produced with silk screen printing. And it is easy to see when you look at the same image side-by-side.
Direct to garment ink jet printers may provide an option if you have photographic artwork and are in need of just a few t-shirts, but you will still not achieve the quality of a direct to garment screen print. Reproducing full color images is our specialty!
Iron on transfers – where your artwork is imaged on special paper fed through a digital printer and then ironed onto the garment have all but been replaced with direct to garment ink jet printers. The problems with this process, like direct to garment ink jet printers, is that the colors are muted and the image deteriorates after just one or two washings.
So if you want a professional looking t-shirt, sport shirt, sweat shirt, tote bag or towel imprinted with your artwork or logo, insist on quality screen printing. Insist on T-shirtpros.com. Serving your custom tshirt needs since 1989.
Ink Colors
Below are the stock ink colors that we carry. The name of the color is below the swatch. (We have indentified the closest Pantone color number).
If you would like to use a color not identified here, we can custom mix by Pantone number for a fee of $15.00 to $18.oo per color.
White
Lemon Yellow
108 c
Yellow
115 c
Light Gold
1235 c
137 c
156 c
165 c
1665 c
179 c
1795 c
1797 c
185 c
1945 c
200 c
211 c
229 c
234 c
2665 c
2695 c
2748 c
2767 c
2925 c
294 c
299 c
320 c
322 c
3425 c
348 c
367 c
430 c
5185 c
5395 c
7524 c
black 4c
coolgrey 4c
Spot vs 4-Color
Most logos are line art graphics and should be created in a vector based program such as Illustrator or Freehand. The Developer Workbench and New York Mets logos below are examples of line art graphics. These are printed using spot color inks.
Photographic images should be created in a pixel based program such as Photoshop or Painter. These images are printed using process color inks. Process digital art requirements
Because photographic images are much more complicated to reproduce, we have set a minimum quantity of 144 shirts per image for these types of graphics. Until we view your image we are unable to give you an exact estimate of costs. Send a low resolution version (72 dpi) of your image for us to quote.
To send art files for evaluation:
Art Services
Our art department can handle all of your graphic needs. If you do not have camera ready art our art deparment will be happy to create an image or logo for you.
Camera Ready Art
We gladly accept camera ready art that was created on a computer.
The information below will help you prepare your artwork so that problems (or additional costs) can be avoided in preparing your film. These are general guidelines. Specific questions about your art can only be answered after viewing your image. Please feel free to email a low resolution copy for us to review.
SUPPORTED APPLICATIONS: We print color separations/film for images from: Photoshop, Illustrator, Freehand, and QuarkExpress. Files created in other applications can be read if they are constructed properly and saved in a Macintosh .EPS format. Correll Draw files should be saved as .ai (Adobe Illustrator) files. Word processing and presentation applications do not allow for separating colors. We cannot use art created in these programs. We can recreate or make your art “printable” from these applications for an additional fee.
What program should I use? Click here to see samples of various images and the programs used to create them.
When printing camera ready art from digital files, it is important that your file be constructed properly. Screen printing textile requirements are very different than those for printing on paper.
WEB IMAGES: Most images that are displayed on web sites are created at very low resolution in order to transfer or download quickly. Typically web site graphics are 72 dpi and physically small (1-3 inches wide).
Images for screen printing must be at least 150 dpi at the size you wish them to print on the garment
If you want to use a web graphic, contact the designer for a high resolution version. If you want to use a graphic found on someone elses site, most likely we will be unable to use it.
SPOT COLOR: The following information applies only to spot color jobs. If you are unfamiliar with the differences between 4 color process and spot color printing techniques, please read the page entitled Spot vs. 4 Color Process.
COLOR SELECTION: When assigning colors please use Pantone or custom colors (not CMYK) so that your files separate and print properly. Do not create separate files for each ink color.
FONTS & TYPE: Please convert fonts to curves (create outlines) before sending your files.
IMAGE SIZE: It is best to present your files with the image at the size you want to print on the garment.
HALF TONES: We use halftone line screens between 35 lpi (lines per inch) and 65 lpi. Most spot color halftones are printed at 45 lpi. When combining solid line art images (bold type or graphics) and very fine halftones (55+lpi) in the same design/ink color we are often required to separate them and print them independently. This requires the use of two films and two screens for that one ink color.
GRADATIONS AND BLENDS: Halftones assigned a percentage of a color between 1% and 14% print as 0%. And conversely, those assigned between 85% and 99% print as solid. (Be sure that your colors are Pantones or custom colors NOT CMYK!)
TRAPS & KNOCK OUTS: For screen printing t-shirts we use a wet-on-wet process. We use butt traps (no traps) and knock outs so that one ink color does not print on top of another ink color. Most programs do this automatically.
RESOLUTION / FILE SIZE: Scanning resolutions (from original photographs or graphics) should be 2.5 times the line screen. For example: If we are to print a black and white photo at 45 lpi then you should scan it at 113 lpi. Do not present files or images with a resolution over 300 lpi. Higher resolutions greatly increase the file size hence the time it takes to transfer and print without benefit.
Artwork for screen printing needs to meet minimum specifications in order to reproduce well. One of the requirements is the quality of resolution.
Most graphics created for web sites are made in very low resolution formats (72 dpi) so that they may be transferred quickly over the internet. These images are NOT usable for screen printing.
Our logo below is shown at 3.5 inches wide. The resolution is 72 dpi for web site use only.
This is our logo enlarged from the file above. It shows how pixelated the image becomes when we enlarge it for use on a t-shirt.
Professional artists that create web graphics normally begin the process in a format that is printable. They may use Adobe Illustrator or Freehand. Then the graphic is converted to a low resolution format for use on the web.
You may be able to obtain a usable version of your logo for our purposes from your graphic artist. If not, we’ll be happy to recreate the image for you.