March 16, 2011 Squeegee Prints

Art Requirements

Vector artwork will give you the sharpest lines and the best print results.

VECTOR – Illustrator – *.AI *.PDF
A vector graphic is artwork made up of points, lines, and curves that are based upon mathematical equations, rather than a solid colored square pixels. This means that no matter how large or small or how close you zoom in on the image, the lines, curves, and points remain smooth.

RASTER – Adobe Photoshop – *.PSD *.PDF
Raster artwork is any digital art composed of horizontal and vertical rows of pixels. As a result, when raster images are enlarged, the image quality diminishes significantly. Typical raster file types include .psd, .tif, .jpg, .gif, and .bmp. All Photoshop files MUST be of high quality and a minimum of 300 DPI.

* Please save your graphic as your design name to make it easier to find if we ever need reprints. *

LOW RESOLUTION RASTER FILES are NOT acceptable file formats.

Squeegee Prints, along with the customer, wants the highest quality product and unfortunately these types of files do not fit the minimum requirements.

 

HAND DRAWN ARTWORK

If your artwork is hand drawn or scanned make sure it is of high quality (300 dpi or higher) and scaled to the desired print size.

Note : Usually this type of artwork needs some cleaning up to be acceptable for printing. If this is the case and the project is simple enough, we will work on preparing your illustration to the best of your preference. If the artwork needs extensive work we will not accept the project.

 

IS YOUR ARTWORK PRINT READY?

How to prepare artwork for screen printing?

To prepare artwork for screen printing, you will need to create a high-resolution file with a transparent background. This will typically involve creating a vector file in a program like Adobe Illustrator and then exporting it as a .ai, .pdf or .png file with a transparent background.

Here are the steps to prepare your artwork for screen printing:

  1. Create your artwork in a vector graphics program like Adobe Illustrator. This will allow you to create clean, scalable artwork that is suitable for screen printing.
  2. Make sure your artwork is in the correct color mode. Screen printing uses a limited color palette, so you will need to convert your artwork to a limited color mode for Pantone.
  3. Create a transparent background for your artwork. In Illustrator, you can do this by selecting the “Create New Transparent Layer” option in the Layers panel. This will allow the colors in your artwork to be printed without any background color.
  4. Export your artwork as a high-resolution (300 dpi) .ai, .pdf or .png file. This will ensure that your artwork maintains its sharp edges and fine details when it is printed.
  5. Once you have exported your file, you can then email it to us for review. Be sure to check your artwork for any errors or issues before beginning the printing process.

 

PROCREATE ARTWORK

If you’re creating artwork via Procreate; 

If you have created artwork in the Procreate app on an iPad and you want to edit it in Adobe Illustrator on your computer, you will need to export it as a file that can be opened in Illustrator. Here are the steps to do this:

  1. Open your artwork in Procreate and tap the “Share” button in the top-right corner of the screen.
  2. In the Share menu, tap “Export” and then select “SVG” as the file format. This will export your artwork as a scalable vector graphic file, which can be opened and edited in Illustrator.
  3. Tap “Next” and then choose a name for the exported file. * Please save your graphic as your design name to make it easier to find if we ever need reprints. *
  4. Tap “Export” and save the .svg file to a location where you can access it on your computer.
  5. Once you have exported your artwork as an .svg file, you can then open it in Illustrator by going to File > Open and selecting the file.
  6. In Illustrator, you can then edit your artwork as needed. Be sure to save your changes to the .ai file when you are finished.

 

TO ENSURE A SPEEDY TURNAROUND

  • Send your artwork in the correct format.
  • Make sure your resolution is at least 300 dpi.
  • If you have font in the graphic, please make sure the font is also vectorized.
  • Make a mock up on the tee color you wish to proceed with to ensure no details will get lost.
  • If your graphic will be inverted, it’s best to have your artist add a stroke instead of inverting the image.

 

If our designer finds your graphic to be unprepared for printing, there will be a design fee of $65 per design/per hour & the turnaround time will be extended.

If there have been slight changes to old artwork, there will be a separation fee of $80/design.