Follow these tips to make 10 bold graphics from one piece of art.
Multitasking your graphics is an excellent way to add value to a design collection. With a little imagination, you can wring a lot of mileage from one good vector image. In this article, I'll demonstrate how to take one vector design and use it creatively to print 10 distinct garments.
November 01, 2008
Order cutter material in bulk to save thousands.
As rising gasoline prices increase freight costs and with the uncertain state of the economy, everyone is looking for ways to save. Leveraging pricing when purchasing cutter materials is one way to cut costs.
October 10, 2008
Clients will make a quicker and more confident purchase decision if they can see their artwork placed on a shirt.
It can be frustrating to try to describe over the phone exactly how a client's design will look after printing. How much better would it be if they could just see it and approve it? If you send them the graphic file on a page, they are bound to call back with questions such as, "How big is this going to look on the shirt?" or "Where is this going to be printed on the shirt?" and "Will it look right?"
September 01, 2008
Computer-to-screen systems save time and eliminate numerous production steps, but integrating one into your shop's workflow requires a bit of a learning curve and a lot of trust.
Integrating a computer-to-screen (CTS) system into your shop's workflow can be challenging. After all, you're dramatically altering the way you do a significant part of your production process. Though you must still coat a screen with emulsion and expose it, with a CTS system you save time by sending images from the computer to the CTS unit, which uses an inkjet printhead to image directly onto unexposed emulsion.
August 01, 2008
A contract printer shares the real-world experience of how this expensive, cutting-edge technology improved screen-making speed, print quality and profitability.
Like many mid-size contract screen printers, my shop, Mind's Eye Graphics in Decatur, Ind., has faced numerous challenges in recent years that led us to rethink the way we do business. As average order sizes have dropped, it has become more important for us to work efficiently and complete orders as quickly as possible.
July 01, 2008
Sophisticated effects appeal to trained artists, yet can be easily used by anyone.
One of my favorite programs, and one which I use to create many of the images included in my line of stock artwork, is Corel Painter X.
May 01, 2008
Follow these procedures to lay the foundation for great inkjet prints.
The secret to producing the best possible quality dark shirt print with a digital direct-to-garment printer relies on your ability to create a good underbase. This ensures the print has a soft hand and the colors are vibrant. Creating an underbase is not difficult, but most people don't know how to do it. They rely on the RIP software that came with their printer. RIP is an acronym that stands for raster image processor, and not all RIPs automatically create a good underbase for digital direct-to-garment printing. This article will show you how to control your RIP to produce the best prints from your inkjet garment printer.
April 01, 2008
ISS Long Beach saw the debut of no less than six significant developments in apparel decorating software
While it may not be news that the personal computer has revolutionized apparel decoration, the Long Beach Imprinted Sportswear Show in January was the scene for a half-dozen software-related developments that could significantly impact the industry.
March 01, 2008
Unusual decoration placements, such as the inside of a hoodie, can set your design apart from the competition's and boost your bottom line.
The hoodie has invaded the marketplace; you see them everywhere, from sport club fundraisers to hip, urban boutique racks. Apply some creativity to decorating hoodies and you can be out in front of the trendiest retail fashions with a high-margin item your customers will love. In particular, you can produce these high-dollar decorations by sublimating hoodies with unusual placements and techniques.
February 01, 2008
A vinyl cutter can create numerous new opportunities for your apparel decoration business. Here's how to pick the perfect one.
At first blush, it might not seem obvious how a sign vinyl cutter can improve your apparel decoration business — less obvious than, say, an embroidery machine that embroiders textiles or a screen printing press, which applies ink to them. Well, did you know that a sign vinyl cutter can actually cut different types of materials to be applied to apparel with a heat press or an embroidery machine? This method of indirect garment decoration is now recognized by manufacturers, dealers and businesses like yours, revolutionizing this traditional sign-making tool into an indispensable piece of equipment for garment decorating. Consequently, I am coining a new term, "garment graphics cutter," for this versatile piece of equipment.
January 01, 2008
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Learn the Newest Digital Decorating Tips from Impressions
The apparel decorating business is constantly evolving. Each year apparel manufacturers look for the most up-to-date digital techniques and methods for advancing their apparel decorating businesses. Subscribe to Impressions and get all the information you need about the latest innovative digital decorating process.
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