The best way to prepare your masterpiece is to send us digitial, computer-generated artwork. We prefer Apple Macintosh files because, most art, graphic design, printers and other creative businesses tend to use this system. Propaganda primarily uses Macintosh computers too.
Preferred File Formats
•We prefer Adobe Illustrator (AI) or Adobe Illustrator EPS files. We currently use Illustrator 9.0, but prefer using Illustrator 8.0.
•We can also take Adobe Photoshop (PSD) files, TIFF (TIF), Quark Express, Freehand, Adobe Streamline, Adobe InDesign and Corel Draw files.
Don't Forget! When you send a file, whether via e-mail or on disk, don't forget to include any other related pertinent files. This includes scans, placed files ,logos, or fonts. Always double check to make sure.
What are your print sizes?
We have the ability to do custom large or irregular sizes. Let us know your print requirements, and we will give you a custom quote.
Our standard imprint sizes are:
Item Width Height
Full Front or Back - Adult 10-12" 10-14"
Full Front or Back - Youth 9" 10"
Crest Print 4" 2"
Pocket Print 3.5" 3"
Hat 4" 2"
Sleeve Print 3.5" 4"
Long Sleeve Print 3.5" 14"
Sweatpant Leg Print 5" 14"
Maximum T-shirt Print 15" 17.5"
What are your rates for creating artwork?
Our artwork preparation fees are $40/hour for artwork, typesetting, graphic design, clean-up or recreating artwork. A minimum $10 fee applies.
I'm making my own film. What are your film specs?
Film Specs:
•Positive, Right reading, Emulsion Up
•Elliptical Halftone Dots.
•Screen Frequency: 55 LPI recommended for light shirts; 45 LPI recommended for dark shirts.
•Trapping: approximately 2 strokes on all overlapping areas.
Note: While we discourage it, we do accept customer provided film and separations. However, we do not take responsibility if the print quality is less than acceptable because of it.
Are there any files you cant take?
There are some file formats that we discourage customers from sending us as their artwork. These formats include JPEG, GIF, PDF, Word, Powerpoint, Paint and other PC files.
These type of formats, especially PDF, JPEG and GIF are excellent for proofing artwork or just to show to us to quote a job. But, these files tend to be very low resolution and are either difficult to utilize or impossible to use. We STRONGLY discourage the use of any of these file formats except for proofing.
What do I need to know about making files in Photoshop?
•Save file psd (5.0 or less), or as a TIFF.
•If the file is one color, make sure EVERYTHING is the same color
What do I need to know about making files in Illustrator?
•Save files as eps (8.0 or less), or as an Illustrator file. (PC users should see an ".ai" extension at the end of their files
•If the file is one color, make sure EVERYTHING is the same color
•If the file has 2-7 colors, make sure EVERYTHING is those 2-7 colors
•If there is a gradient, we can make the gradation into halftones
What if I'm using some other program?
If you are using a different art program that we haven't covered, your best option is to always try to save your files as vector art. (Usually, these files will have "eps" or ".ai" extensions. Note that if you save files as BMP, JPEGs GIFF or PICT, we may have to rework your file to make it suitable for our printing process. This may result in higher charges for artwork...And remember, if you have the option, always try to save your artwork at the highest resolution possible.
I work on a PC. Can you take PC files?
Files from Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and Corel Draw for PC usually can be opened in their Macintosh counterparts. However, it never hurts to, in the SAVE AS, part of the FILE menu to save the file as MACINTOSH format. This will only increase your chances of a successful file exchange.
•Save Illustrator documents as eps (8.0 or less), or .ai
•Save photoshop documents as .psd (5.0 or less), or TIFF
What do I need to know about "process color"?
Propaganda is quite experienced at printing full-color or four-color process artwork. With nearly 10 years of experience printing process on both light and dark garments, we consider Propaganda to be one of the country's best process screenprinters.
Overview
The overwhelming majority of T-shirts are screenprinted in spot color. In other words, each color you see printed on the shirt is a solid flat color printed from an individual screen. Process color is a much different method of reproducing artwork. In general, this method is employed when trying to reproduce full-color images like color photographs, paintings, CD album covers, magazine covers, etc.
With four-color process, an image is digitally separated into a minimum of four colors--the three primary colors--red, yellow, blue and black. Using halftone dots, the film separation builds color by combining these four colors (CYMK) --yellow, red (Magenta), blue (Cyan) and black to print images with the full spectrum of the rainbow.
Sometimes, in order to get the best possible reproduction, additional colors may be required. This usually occurs with extra bright colors (bright reds, fluorescent colors) or very unique or specific Pantone colors or with areas of text in order to make the type more opaque and readable. These additional colors, of course, would require additional film separations and then the corresponding additional screens.
In most cases, we encourage our customers utilizing process printing to do a press check before we print the entire run just to insure the finished printed T-shirt accurately reproduces your design.
Advantages and Disadvantages
The advantages of four-color process are that you can take an image with many colors and reproduce it with a minimum of colors.
The main disadvantage is the cost. Film separations run $250-$500 per set depending on the size and complexity of the design. In addition, because production setup takes more time and effort, we charge a premium price for this type of printing. In fact, we recommend that a customer do no less than 144 pieces when printing a process job. In our opinion, printing less than 144 pieces ceases to be a good value for the customer. In other words, the more the better.
The other disadvantage is that process printing tends to lack the vibrancy of spot color printing.
White vs. Dark T-shirts
Four-color process looks best and is easiest on white or very light colored shirts. Process printing on dark garments is possible but can be even more expensive than process printing on light shirts. Not only are separations more costly, but the printing process is more expensive as well.
Summary
Four-color process printing on T-shirts can give you a great looking T-shirt design if done properly. However, it tends to be more expensive than spot color printing, so we encourage all our customers to understand as much of the basics as possible.
Because of the technical difficulty of process printing, please feel free to direct any and all questions regarding this type of T-shirt printing to any of Propaganda's sales or art staff. If you need samples of our work, please contact us and we'll be happy to show you the examples of the great work we do.
How Should I send you the art?
If possible, we always recommend sending color hard copy output proofs, or grayscale or black and white output with color instructions.
To send artwork via e-mail, click on the icon of the envelop on the left side of this page.
We suggest sending an e-mail with any additional or special instructions in the body of the e-mail. In addition, it doesn't hurt to refer to the JOB #, your Purchase Order and/or the Client Name or Job Name in the text or in the subject line. We also encourage sending an Adobe Acrobat PDF file for proofing purposes.
After sending your artwork, you'll get a confirmation of our receipt of the file. If you do not get confirmation, please call or e-mail to insure we have received it. We do not take responsibility for unreceived e-mailed files.
To send artwork on a disc:
•If USB, make sure long filenames carry over.
•If CD or DVD, then everything is grand |
