2020 – Welcome to Dane Clement

We’re in This Together!

Are you ready for the LARGEST virtual event in the decorated apparel industry? Want to hear from top business owners and experts in sales, marketing, and operations?

Register for the Shirt Lab Summit on June 1-3, 2020 and get access to all that and much more! Join Dane Clement and over 30 leading experts as they share their top secrets to achieving success. Gain knowledge on how to hit the ground running when your doors open and have your business thrive like never before.

Tune in each morning at 10AM (EST) for new interviews and education. Don’t miss the chance to expand your expertise and learn insider tips and tricks to amp up your business!

Click here to claim your FREE ticket!

Sublimation Ready Artwork

Don’t miss out on the custom face mask market because you’re not sure how to create artwork for them. These new Face Mask Artwork File Packs from Dane let you quickly and easily create stunning all-over designs for face masks. This full color artwork is available in 14 categories, from Americana, Election Year and first responders, to zombies, bearded faces, and more.

These designs are ready to print or you can further customize them with text or logos. Then simply print them out with your sublimation printer and heat apply to your masks. These designs were created for use with five mask styles, including STAHLS’ Single-Ply Face Masks, but if you have art skills, you can also adjust the artwork to fit any size or brand of mask.

If you don’t have a sublimation printer, upload the designs to STAHLS’ and they’ll deliver sublimation transfers ready to heat apply. The designs are high-resolution PNG files, 3-per pack, and ready to print in both adult and youth sizes.

Watch this quick video to see how it’s done!

https://youtu.be/omMczanZ9B0

Dane Clement has been an art guru for over 20 years and his passion for educating is no secret. This webinar was created to help you break through design hurdles and have you producing the ultimate artwork for your customers with ease! Dane will give you tips and tricks and share insider secrets that help you create killer designs from the very first print. Create the art you want — quickly, efficiently, and with confidence.

Learn how to create clean, scalable art — any size and any output
See why Photoshop® is the industry standard in digital art creation
Easily identify your customer’s art file type
Discover the difference between hi-res and low-res
Prevent banding in your art

If you’re new to printing DTG, don’t miss out on Dane’s newest book, Artwork for DTG. This book expands on even more details and ways to create art for DTG printing, with easy referencing — right at your fingertips!

No matter your printing method, Dane has you covered! Check out the other available resources and get ready to build your skills.

If you haven’t had a chance to check it out already, industry expert Dane Clement has a featured article in this month’s Impressions Magazine. The article, titled The Importance of Artwork, walks you through understanding artwork trends and breaks down how to create great art for use with various materials and processes.

Artwork trends come from many different areas and paying attention to these trends – keeping your finger on the pulse – is important to your long-term success. As a decorator, you want to offer your customers what they want when they’re ready to buy it, and not have them go elsewhere to find it.

But on top of understanding and staying on top of trends, Dane stresses, “It’s important to realize how each decorating method requires you to think differently about the art you will design so that embellishing products is an easier task.”

Knowing what kind of art you need and where you’re going to put it is probably the most important thing to consider. The type of fabric and garment color affects how artwork is prepared and which artwork you’ll choose. In this article, he walks you through the types of printing processes available and what goes best with which material.

For example, Dane mentions “each decorating process has its own strengths and weaknesses, with vinyl cutting being the easiest and probably most versatile.” He then goes on to discuss the two popular trends of polyester and performance materials as well as the new trend of water-based, high-solid acrylic inks.

You’ll definitely want to check this article out if you’re looking for more information about artwork trends and how to create great art on many different materials.

Heat printing equipment? Check. Excitement for an apparel decorating project? Check. What else would you need? Why, awesome artwork!

In this business, artwork can prove to be a top challenge. Factors to consider when deciding on the right design include cost versus quality and the complexity of the design.

More often than not, the cost of artwork is dependent upon how long it takes to create it. An experienced designer may charge more for their services but require less time; whereas a designer that has less experience may take longer, but ultimately cost more. Customers can also play a role in the cost of artwork by wanting a design that is very detailed and/or unique. Money can be wasted trying to fulfill a customer’s wish. To avoid this, be sure to ask a lot of questions, provide a lot of examples, limit the number of revisions, and get the customer’s artwork approval in writing.

Having an understanding of artwork categories can prove to be invaluable. These categories provide a guideline to use when determining what level of artist you will need and how much the artwork will cost. Here’s the breakdown:

Category 1: The budget-conscious customer needing a simple line art design using one color.

Category 2: A customer needing multi-color artwork.

Category 3: A customer that takes Category 2 to the next level by needing a series of complimentary designs or multiple versions of the same design.

Category 4: This customer needs a lot of detail and process colors in the artwork; this is the most expensive of the four categories.

It’s vital to know what you need and how fast you need it when choosing artwork that works best for both your business and your customer. Click here to read the full article from Printwear magazine.

Figuring out where the artwork comes from and how to properly convert it to be used by the desired output device is one of the first steps a decorator must take for imprinting apparel. With digital printing, artwork is sent to a printer and either printed directly on a garment or on transfer paper which is then heat sealed to the garment.

There are four types of printing processes:

Digital Transfer (sublimation, inkjet, and color laser printer) – This is an indirect printing method where the artwork is printed onto a carrier paper to create a transfer. The transfer is placed on the garment and heat pressed to seal it.

Digital Direct-to-Garment (DTG) – With this method, the artwork is printed directly onto the garment with an inkjet device.

Vinyl Cutting – This is an indirect printing method that requires a vinyl cutter. Sheets or rolls of vinyl are inserted into a cutter and a blade cuts out shapes that make up the artwork. These shapes need to be weeded (remove the excess vinyl from the design) then heat applied to a garment using a heat press.

Printer/Cutter – This printing method combines the process of a digital transfer and vinyl cutter. A design is printed onto material and then cut to the contours of the design.

Raster art is recommended for digital printing. Vector art can be used, but avoid using vector art when the design has any large solid areas. It’s also recommended to use RGB color mode versus CMYK. The size and resolution for digital artwork is the same as screen printing. Typically, the artwork should be prepared no smaller than 300 dpi at 14 x 14 inches; this is considered a high resolution file. When the artwork is created, it should be done as a mirror image. Otherwise the text/graphic will appear backwards once applied to the garment.

A best practice is to avoid designing anything with a solid flat area of color, which can sometimes result in banding or streaking when using an inkjet or toner drum. This can be very obvious and take away from the desired design. Another best practice is to remove edges and background areas around the perimeter of the design so you don’t have a solid border around the artwork; this creates a more free-flowing look.

Vinyl cutting is a great way to achieve a layered look, however, limit yourself to three layers to avoid a heavy-handed design. Also, use graphics and text that are weed-friendly so you don’t have to struggle pulling out non-essential pieces of your artwork. A tip for creating artwork that will be cut with a vinyl cutter is to include little “connectors” from one part of the design to another so the excess can be pulled off in one motion. Try to limit the amount of cavities within your design to make weeding less tedious. If you have lines in your artwork, make sure the line weights are thicker so they stay on the carrier and don’t curl up when you are trying to heat apply. To cut your design in a continuous outline, make sure to merge separate elements together.

Regardless of the printing process you choose, there will always be some trial and error. But with the tips above, you now have a head start.

Click here to read the full article featured in the Fall 2017 edition of the SGIA Journal.

Regardless of the garment decorating process you use, understanding how to get your artwork ready for digital printing is critical. Below are suggested steps so you achieve the best results:

Setting Up Your File

Making the right choice in the type of art, raster or vector, is key for digital printing. Raster art is preferred as it is a continuous tone, pixel-based artwork; I prefer to use Photoshop to create raster art. Vector art, created with programs such as CorelDRAW or Adobe Illustrator, uses a series of nodes and paths. Vector art can be used, but doesn’t maximize the full color capabilities offered with digital printing.

Knowing the artwork’s purpose and how it will be produced also has an impact with digital printing. For example, quality can be lost when starting out with a smaller image that later needs enlarging. With this in mind, make sure the image is created at the size and resolution needed for the largest item being decorated.

Enhance Your Artwork

Because digital printing’s output is in full color, take advantage of this by adding more dimension to your design. For example, add texture to a solid area within your artwork or add a shadow or beveled edge.

Change Your Color

When using Photoshop to create your artwork, changing the color is an easy adjustment by changing the hue/saturation levels. This feature allows you to either recolor the entire design or selected pieces.

Optimize Your File

How the artwork was created won’t matter if it isn’t optimized. Optimizing your artwork ensures you get the best print possible. Photoshop’s Adjustment Panel will be the go-to tool for this. The options within this panel allow you to change elements of the artwork such as the hue and saturation levels, brightness and contrast, and the image’s sharpness.

The technology of digital printing is ever-changing and evolving. Using this technology to its fullest will set you apart from your competition. Being able to offer your customers high quality, full color designs is a sure-fire way to increase customers, which in turn increases profits.

Click here to read the full article featured in the February 2018 issue of Impressions magazine.

You’ve seen it on everything from tattoos to T-shirts. The “torn to reveal something under the surface” look has become increasingly popular in the past few years. For many people, it’s a form of self expression that says to the world, “Hey! There’s more to me than what you see.” We want to help you create this popular look for your customers. Here are the step-by-step instructions for creating a torn shirt image.

There is certainly more than one way to set up your files to create this look. In this tutorial, we’ll be using Photoshop® CC 2018, but the steps can be recreated in the program you’re most comfortable with. If you’re looking for a shortcut, at the end of this article there is a Photoshop .psd file that will allow you to drop your artwork into the pre-created layer mask and save your file for production. It is truly production-ready!

Remember, you can click on a photo to enlarge it for more detail.

Let’s get started!

Step 1:

Open the “G6372-DIGITAL.png” file in Adobe® Photoshop®.

Step 2:

Create a new layer (Layer 1). Place it below the artwork layer (Layer 0), and fill it with white. This will make the next step a bit easier to do as you trace the opening of the tear.

Step 3:

Before we start, with the Pen tool selected first make sure the “Path Operations” (the button next to “Shape” at the top left of the Photoshop interface) is set to “Combine Shapes.” Now with the Pen tool, we can begin to trace the opening of all the torn areas to create a path. Your Work Path can be found in the Paths palette. If you need to adjust your path, you can do it at any time by using the Direct Selection tool.

Once you have traced the entire opening, you’ll need to save your path. Click on your Work Path and choose Save Path. You can choose what to name it (we chose Rip Opening) but the default is “Path 1.”

Step 4:

Now that you have created and saved your path, right-click (or control-click) on the path and choose “Make Selection” from the menu. Your path should now be a selection.

Step 5:

With your path selected, go back to the layers palette and make sure you are still on Layer 1 – the white fill layer. Then, go to the Layer menu at the top of the screen, select Layer Mask and choose Reveal Selection in the sub-menu. Your selection, sometimes called “dancing ants” or “marching ants,” should now be visible.

Step 6:

Back in the Layers palette, add a new layer – Layer 3. This is the layer where you will add your logo or any other type of artwork you’d like to see behind the tear. In our example, we’re using the Great Dane Graphics logo.

Step 7:

Go back to your white layer (Layer 1), and select the Mask icon to mask this layer. Then, while pressing the Alt key (or Option key on Mac), click and drag the mask to your logo/artwork layer. Both layers should now be masked.

Step 8:

Click the chain icon that sits between the two thumbnails on the logo/artwork layer. This will allow you to adjust the artwork within the mask. Don’t forget to click on the artwork before moving the image. This will ensure you move the art and not the mask.

Step 9:

You can now change the background fill color (Layer 1) and adjust your artwork while maintaining the mask.

Step 10:

Save your file, and get ready to print your new torn-shirt design!

Bonus

As mentioned at the beginning of this article, included with the Digital Printing version of the Torn Shirt art, is a pre-setup Photoshop® file. All you need to do is place the artwork you’d like to use on the layer labeled “PLACE YOUR ART HERE.” Simple enough! We’d love to see what you’ve created! Share your pictures with us in the comments or on social media (be sure to tag us).

Last week, I introduced all over printing techniques. The post focused on sublimation, its benefits, and what to consider when prepping artwork.

Today’s posts continues on the topic, specifically highlighting how to print and apply your designs using transfers. You can either order a custom transfer or print it yourself. The process involves digitally printing the image in reverse using dye-sublimation ink on compatible heat transfer paper.

All over printing sublimated motorcycle shirt (front).

All over printing sublimated shirt motorcycle (back).

The transfer is then heat pressed onto the fabric, which activates the ink and causes it to change from its solid, printed state to a gas that bonds with polyester fibers. If you opt to have another company do the printing, you’ll need to send them a digital Photoshop® software file for the front and back and one for each sleeve. The files dictate the colors.

Pressing also can be handled in several ways. Oversized flat beds and large, roller presses are available, but they’re expensive, with the latter being found mostly in larger operations where they’re used for applications like beach towels. One option is to contract out the pressing. Although all over printing of finished garments can be done on a standard heat press, it requires multiple applications. What helps with application of oversized images is typically the transfer paper has a slight tack. This doesn’t affect printing because the inks are inkjet sprayed on and nothing touches the surface; but it helps keep the transfer in place on the garment during pressing.

After application, you simply raise the upper platen and peel the carrier sheet off hot. Then you can flip the shirt over to do the other side. All over printing lends itself to various markets and has been met with success in the racing, resort, and wildlife arenas, as well as bowling and tournament shirts. If you’re looking to stand out with unique designs that command attention, and are willing to explore a different type of approach, this may be the edge you’re looking for.

Photographed: Motorcycle Sublimated Shirt

Front: Crown Glory Chopper, MC90009; Crest & Skull, C-3060

Back: Rockin’ Chopper, C-3503; Snake Tattoo MC90012

Not all graphics are created equal. Your decorating method determines the type of art file you need to use to design graphics for apparel. So how exactly is our artwork production-ready for your print/cut system?

Watch this short video on our printing/cutting stock art graphics to find out. You’ll see how bleeds and cutlines are already included in these full color designs, eliminating a huge production step for you. It also eliminates the need for a white outline, which customers hate.

If you’re ready to dig a littler deeper on using our printing/cutting graphics, we also have a recorded webinar from STAHLS’ TV showing how to customize our printing/cutting files using Adobe® Illustrator® software. Watch the video learn how to select and download the right file and then customize it in Illustrator®.

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Join Dane for the Shirt Lab Summit Virtual Event

Year: 2020