News
How To Dial In Exposure Times Using An Exposure Calculator
Figuring out exposure times is one of the most difficult tasks in screen printing. If you're struggling, you're not alone. The best thing you can do is invest in a 21-Step Exposure Calculator. How does it work? Let's dive in.
How to Print White Plastisol Ink on a Black Shirt with a Smoothing Screen
Printing white ink on black shirts is a popular design combination. For this design choice to be most effective, the ink needs to be clean and bright. For the best results, printers should use a smoothing screen. Want to learn how to do it? Print expert Colin Huggins has the answers.
3 Ways to Create Soft Prints with Plastisol Ink
Soft hand prints are best achieved with water-based ink but can be done with plastisol ink as well. Between the inks you choose to use, the garments you're printing on, to the available ink additives, achieving soft plastisol prints is possible. Let's take a look at three ways to create soft hand prints with plastisol ink.
Best Practices to Ensure Proper Ink Curing with 4 Curing Methods
Curing your prints is one of the last steps of the screen printing process, but it is one of the most important steps. Ink needs to be cured properly so it sets into the garment. If the ink does not cure fully, it will crack, fall apart, and not last for long. Printers use either heat guns, heat presses, flash dryers, or conveyor dryers to cure inks. Let's take a look at how each curing device works.
Control Print Shop Temperature with these 3 Tips
Temperatures in screen print shops can get uncomfortable. Whether you’re sweating in the summer or shivering in the winter, controlling the temperature in your shop makes a big difference. There are plenty of ways to keep your shop’s temperature comfortable, from venting conveyor dryers to simply opening a window. Let’s dive in.
The Basics of Mixing Emulsion and Coating a Screen
Not all emulsions respond the same when coating screens: some emulsions require adjustments in pressure and speed, depending on the emulsion thickness and the type of mesh you're working with on your screen. The end result should give a nice glisten that makes a great stencil for your next screen printing job. Darkroom expert Colin Huggins is on the case.
A Guide to Firing up Your T-Shirt Printing Side Hustle
Need some extra cash? Want to diversify your income? Starting a side hustle is a great way to earn some extra money while doing something you love. Screen printing is a great side hustle to start up. Dip your toes in with a small press and take the craft as far as you want. Let’s talk about why you’d want a side hustle, what you’ll need, and how to be successful at it.
Screen Printing Hoodie Basics
It’s hoodie season again! Got questions about printing on everyone’s favorite cold-weather garment? Josh Wells walks through the basics of printing on hoodies, proudly provided by SanMar, and answers questions from real printers about the ins and outs of hoodie screen printing.
How Riley Hopkins Screen Printing Equipment Evolves to Benefit Printers
Since 2005, the Riley Hopkins press has evolved 11 times. If you look back into Riley Hopkins's history, there’s been a lot of improvement. Over the years the engineers behind the press have consistently turned up the heat to match printers’ demands. Every press is built like a race car to improve at top speed from lap 1 to 499.
Riley Hopkins presses are constantly being upgraded to make printers’ crafts easier. Chris Drury, Director of Manufacturing and Warehouse, walks through a timeline of Riley Hopkins presses.
Missed the Live FN-INK™ Specialties Q&A? Here are the Highlights
Print Expert Colin Huggins went live on YouTube to showcase two rad specialty inks from FN-INK: FN-INK Gold and FN-INK Silver. Couldn’t make it to the live stream? Don’t worry. We’ve got you covered. Here are some highlights and popular questions printers had about the FN-INK metallic inks.
A Guide to Creating an Underbase in Adobe Illustrator
Creating an underbase for your art is important to make sure your design comes out as clean and vibrant as you imagined it. Want to know how to do it? Screen Printing Expert Colin Huggins walks you through the process of creating the white underbase in Adobe Illustrator.
CMYK vs. Spot Color vs. Simulated Process Printing
Okay, so you’ve heard their names, CMYK Process, Spot Color, and Simulated Process, but what are they? What sets them apart from one another and what is the best use for each? Let’s go through them, one by one!
