Halloween is the perfect time to get weird, wild, and creative with your prints. Whether you’re working on haunted merch, pumpkin patches, or spooky small runs, now is your chance to experiment with textures and finishes that make your designs come alive. In this video and blog, we’ll break down four killer screen printing effects to take your Halloween shirts from flat to frightening.
1. Puff Ink: Texture That Rises From the Grave
Puff ink gives your prints a dimensional texture that jumps right off the shirt. When cured, the ink expands and creates a raised surface that’s perfect for thick scars, pumpkin curves, chunky horror lettering, or cobweb textures. To make your designs pop, mix flat and puffed areas for better contrast instead of puffing the entire image.
For example, use more puff under a dripping ooze element so it looks like it’s pouring out of a jack-o’-lantern. All you need is a plastisol base and a puff additive, no fancy tools required.
- FN-INK™ Puff Additive – Easy to mix, fun to print, and perfect for bold Halloween textures.
- Avient 2570 Infinite FX NuPuff Base – Pro-grade puff base for consistent height and smooth results.
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2. Glow, Neon, and Pearl Inks: Trick the Light
Halloween is all about light and shadow. Neon, glow, and pearl inks create dynamic effects that shift depending on lighting. You can reveal hidden details, add eerie shines, or make your designs literally glow in the dark. Print them straight to fabric for subtle glows or over an underbase for that bold, classic Halloween brightness.
- Allure Galaxy Green HSA Glow Ink – Bright green glow for haunted highlights.
- Allure Galaxy Blue HSA Glow Ink – Perfect for spectral and ghostly effects.
- Allure Galaxy Violet HSA Glow Ink – Adds eerie purple light that turns heads.
- FN-INK™ Pearl Ink – Ideal for hiding secret messages or accents.
RELATED: HELPFUL TIPS WHEN PRINTING GLOW INKS
3. Black-on-Black: Subtle, Stealthy, and Spooky
For a more mysterious vibe, go dark...literally. Black-on-black printing uses sheen and texture instead of color. You won’t see much straight on, but when light hits the print just right, shapes, runes, or webs suddenly appear. It’s perfect for stealthy, tone-on-tone Halloween designs.
To create this effect, try layering gloss, matte, or clear inks on black garments. The play between finish and shadow makes your prints look sophisticated and creepy.
- FN-INK™ Black – A rich, smooth black that delivers excellent coverage and contrast.
- Wilflex Epic Matte Black – A soft-touch matte finish for true stealth mode prints.
- Avient 2440 Infinite FX HD Clear – Add a glossy overlay that catches the light at just the right angle.
- Add Avient NuPuff Base to your black for a lofted design.
RELATED: 4 WAYS TO PRINT BLACK ON BLACK
4. Texture Overlays: Add Distress and Decay
This technique is all about your artwork. Add scratches, cracks, smoke, or grunge textures directly into your design file for that decayed, haunted look. Use halftones, blend modes, and distress masks to transform clean prints into relics from the crypt with no special inks required.
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Final Tip: Mix in Embroidery for Extra Dimension
Want to push your prints even further? Mix embroidery with your screen print to add tactile depth and detail. Stitch over eyes, veins, fangs, or outlines to give your design extra character and dimension. The combination of thread and ink creates a mixed-media effect that feels both eerie and elevated. Just make sure your registration is tight and avoid thick ink deposits where the needle will pass through.
RELATED: HOW TO LINE UP EMBROIDERY WITH SCREEN PRINTING FOR A PERFECT DESIGN
Recommended Inks for Killer Halloween Prints
Want to stock up on spooky essentials? Check out the full Special Effects Inks Collection featuring Avient, FN-INK, Allure Galaxy, and Wilflex inks designed for creative finishes.
Let Your Imagination Bleed
Halloween is your time to experiment. Raise it up with puff, make it glow, distress it until it looks cursed, or layer embroidery and ink for an unforgettable mixed-media masterpiece. The best prints come from creativity and the courage to try something new.
So grab your favorite inks, load your screens, and bring those haunted designs to life. Your creativity deserves the best tools. Let’s make something amazing together.
Happy Halloween, printers. Stay creative, stay spooky, and thank you for powering the print.