While Honing our Craft
Hello In Stitches Family,
Around here, we don’t really go with a word of the year but we do go with a goal. What is your goal for the year?
Our goal this year is to improve the finished product for our clients. We are going to do this by focusing on improving techniques, exploring new decoration methods, and having fun in the process!
Want to get a look inside some of our experimenting with color?
Screen printed designs are by far our most requested type of t shirt so we want them to be exactly what you had in mind when you ordered them. We’ve been experimenting on how to do that.
Take a look at what we’ve learned.
But first, can we do a quick refresh on how screen printing works?
- Each color is a different screen and each screen can take about 1-½ hours to make. BUT once we’ve made the screen, we can print a lot of t shirts from that screen.
- Screens come in different mesh counts that determine what the end result will look like.
- We use a process called “ripping” to break out each color that we need for a design. Our software lets us blend colors to get the perfect hue.
Here’s an example of how the screen printing process works:
Ok, onto what we’ve learned about color.
Lesson #1 – Different fabrics can effect the end result
Take a look at this design. It’s the same screens, same ink, same day, but all on different fabrics. Can you see the difference?
Even if you can’t see the difference, we can so now we know what t shirts will work best with a design like this.
BUT, what’s also nearly impossible to show through pictures is the feel of the garment with the ink on it. In our industry, that’s called “hand”. For us, the starred ones have the best “hand.”
Lesson #2 – Using the color of the shirt in the design doesn’t give a great end result
I do want to give an “exception” to this though. Sometimes this can work, but as a general rule, we don’t like it.
Can you see the difference? The shirt with the black printing is a sharper design.
We also really like the look of the tiger on the black shirts rather than the red shirt. What do you think?
Playing with color has been a lot of fun while we’ve improved our processes for you!
Is a screen printed job in your future? Let us know!