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Making DTF Look Like Screen Printing | Deep Dive with Colin

Making DTF Look Like Screen Printing | Deep Dive with Colin  | Screenprinting.com

Josh Valencia |

In this episode of Deep Dive with Colin, we take on a challenge every screen printer can appreciate: recreating the crisp, classic look of a white halftone screen-printed design on black garments—using Direct to Film Transfers (DTF).

This isn’t your average "print and go" scenario. Colin dives straight into the details, tackling dot gain, resolution challenges, and the delicate balance needed to replicate the authentic texture of screen printing.

Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just curious about the limits of DTF, this episode delivers fresh insights, surprising results, and a few lessons learned along the way.

WHY RECREATE SCREEN PRINTING WITH DTF?

This isn’t just a hypothetical exercise. Colin explains that scenarios like this pop up all the time in print shops. Say a customer needs extra garments from an old screen printed order. Setting up the screens again for just a few pieces isn’t practical, but those replacements still need to match the originals.

RELATED: HOW SCREEN PRITNING AND DIRECT FILM TRANSFERS WORK TOGETHER

This is where DTF can shine—if you know what you’re doing. The challenge isn’t just to recreate the design but to replicate the distinct texture and subtle details that make screen printing special. For Colin, it’s a chance to explore what’s possible with DTF and see just how close it can get to traditional methods.

BRIDGING THE GAP

Recreating a screen printed look digitally isn’t as straightforward as it sounds. In this episode, Colin tackled some big challenges head-on:

HALFTONE MASTERY

  • Halftones are the unsung heroes of print design, creating the illusion of shading with tiny dots.
  • In screen printing, dot size and placement must account for ink spread, aka “dot gain.” With DTF, similar adjustments are needed to control how ink behaves during transfer.

RELATED: A CRASH COURSE IN HALFTONES FOR SCREEN PRINTING

RESOLUTION WOES

  • Early attempts using 300 DPI (dots per inch) resulted in harsh patterns and artifacting.
  • Bumping up to 600 DPI and refining the halftone lines to 55 LPI (lines per inch) produced results that finally passed muster.

ADHESIVE CHALLENGES

  • The fine detail of halftones requires careful handling of the adhesive powder in DTF printing.

  • Colin discovered that too much powder (or uneven melting) could create unwanted texture or stiffness in the final print.

WHAT WORKED—AND WHAT DIDN’T

Colin doesn’t shy away from sharing his missteps, and that’s part of what makes this series so valuable.

THE WINS

  • Higher DPI: Upping the resolution to 600 DPI allowed for finer halftones without sacrificing detail.

  • Fabric Choice: High-mass, ring-spun cotton shirts (like Allmade) provided the perfect surface for delicate prints to adhere cleanly and hold up in the wash.
  • Wash Durability: After five washes, the halftone dots remained intact—a promising sign for using DTF on more intricate designs.

RELATED: 20+ T-SHIRT TERMS EVERY SCREEN PRINTER SHOULD KNOW

THE MISSES

  • Artifact Overload: Early attempts at lower resolutions led to distracting patterns that completely derailed the design.
  • Adhesive Build-Up: Fine halftone dots are prone to clumping when adhesive powder is applied unevenly, creating stiff patches on the garment.

THE RESULTS ARE IN

The moment of truth comes when Colin places the DTF print next to the original screen-printed shirt. The results? Stunningly similar. The halftones on the DTF design hold up beautifully, even in the smallest 1-2% dot areas. The texture feels soft and flexible, and at first glance, the two prints are nearly identical.

Colin does note some limitations. While the DTF method shines on high-quality fabrics, lighter-weight promo tees don’t hold the tiny halftone dots as well over time. Durability decreases as the fabric quality goes down.

WHY THIS EXPERIMENT MATTERS

For Colin, this wasn’t just about matching a design—it was about exploring the creative possibilities of DTF technology. The process proved that with the right tweaks, DTF can achieve results that rival traditional screen printing. But there’s a tradeoff. DTF works best for small runs or one-off orders where setup time for screens would be impractical. For larger orders, screen printing still offers unmatched efficiency and consistency.

RELATED: PREPPING PHOTOSHOP ART FOR DTF PRINTING STEP BY STEP

CATCH THE NEXT EPISODE

Colin’s deep dives always leave us with more to think about and try for ourselves. Whether you’re a seasoned printer or just starting out, there’s always something new to learn—and this episode delivered plenty of insight.

Be sure to catch the next episode of Deep Dive with Colin for more behind-the-scenes looks at the printing process.

Have a question you want Colin to Dive Deep on? Submit it here!