Screen Print Experience Specialties Class: Advanced Shop Skills

You have the basics down, your press is set up, and tees are moving off the dryer. But what happens when a customer asks for a soft-hand discharge print, a seam-busting oversized graphic, or a high-density specialty finish? Stepping outside standard plastisol printing can feel risky, but expanding your capabilities is how you build a profitable shop. That is where our Screen Print Specialties Class comes in. Held at Ryonet Headquarters in beautiful Vancouver, Washington, this two-day hands-on experience gives you the technical confidence, artwork separation skills, and practical shop tricks needed to tackle complex jobs with complete authority.

Whether you are running a manual press in a garage or managing a full-scale production facility, learning advanced techniques opens up new revenue streams. Over two full days, our team works right alongside you to walk through advanced print placements, specialty ink systems, halftone separations, and production shortcuts you will not find in any equipment manual.

Here is everything you can expect from attending the Screen Print Specialties Class, how it helps your business grow, and what you will experience when stepping into our facility.

Is the Screen Print Specialties Class Right for Your Shop?

Our foundational Screen Print Experience class focuses on setup, exposure, registration, and standard printing. The Screen Print Specialties Class is designed as the natural next step for decorators ready for more. You do not need decades of experience to get huge value out of this training. You just need a solid grasp of basic screen printing and a desire to do more with your equipment.

This course is built for a wide range of print shop owners and operators:

• Growing manual printers: Gain the skills to offer high-margin specialty inks like water-based, discharge, and high-density formulations.
• Automated shop managers: Learn advanced artwork separation methods and halftone control to speed up setup times and reduce misprints.
• Garage and side-hustle printers: Eliminate bad habits early, refine your squeegee technique, and print with professional consistency.
• Production teams: Bring your shop crew to get everyone operating on the same standardized, efficient workflow.

Please note that for safety and hands-on tool instruction, the Screen Print Specialties Class is open to participants ages 16 and up.

RELATED: Finding Confidence in Every Pull: The Screen Print Experience

What You Will Learn: Advanced Techniques and Production Skills

Theory is fine, but screen printing is a physical trade. The Screen Print Specialties Class is completely hands-on. You will spend your time at Ryonet HQ mixing ink, burning screens, dialing in registration, and printing garments on professional press setups.

Specialty Inks and Non-Traditional Placements

Standard chest prints are great, but modern apparel trends demand unique print placements and super soft textures. During the two days in our Screen Print Specialties Class, you will work directly with specialty ink lines from Wilflex and Avient. You will learn the flash temperatures, print orders, and squeegee pressures needed to clear water-based and discharge inks clean through fine mesh.

You will also tackle challenging print locations that trip up many shops. We cover sleeve prints, hood locations, seam-busting graphics, and oversized prints so you can say yes to custom client requests with total confidence.

Introductory Artwork Separations and Fine Halftones

Great prints start in the art department. The Screen Print Specialties Class covers introductory artwork separations, halftone angles, dot gain compensation, and film output settings. You will learn how screen mesh counts, stencil thickness, and emulsion directly impact fine-detail reproduction on press. Understanding these variables keeps your fine detail crisp and prevents screen clogging during long runs.

Print Shop Flow and Practical Tricks of the Trade

Time lost on registration is profit lost on the job. Our team shares production tricks picked up over 100 plus combined years of printing experience during the Screen Print Specialties Class. Learn how to streamline screen prep, minimize flash times, dial in off-contact in seconds, and troubleshoot ink clearing issues right on press without burning through test garments.

Train on Pro Equipment and Supplies

When you join us at Ryonet HQ, you get hands-on access to the equipment and supplies used in top-tier print facilities worldwide. During the Screen Print Specialties Class, you will work directly with:

• Riley Hopkins manual presses and conveyor dryers
• Wilflex and Avient specialty ink systems
• Chromaline photopolymer emulsions
• Baselayr darkroom equipment and LED exposure units
• RevolvInk ink mixers and modulators

Working on professional equipment helps you understand how accurate press adjustments, proper tension, and correct ink viscosity come together to produce sharp, high-end prints. Attending the Screen Print Specialties Class ensures you return to your facility with new production habits that save time daily.

Travel, Location, and Class Logistics

Our headquarters is located in Vancouver, Washington, right across the Columbia River from Portland, Oregon. If you fly in for the Screen Print Specialties Class, Portland International Airport (PDX) is a short drive from our facility and nearby hotels.

We work hard to make your visit smooth and stress-free. From comfortable learning spaces to catered lunches during class days, our team welcomes you like family. Because class sizes are kept small to ensure everyone gets plenty of dedicated time at the press, seats fill up quickly. Flexible cancellation and rescheduling options are available so you can book your trip with peace of mind.