How to Make Screen Print Transfers for Beginners
Delving into the intricate craft of creating screen print transfers can be an intriguing endeavor. This guide will enlighten you on the nuances of how to make screen print transfers, offering you a foothold in this captivating world of screen printing.
The Fundamental Components of Screen Print Transfers
Screen print transfers, colloquially known as plastisol heat transfers, involve creating inverse screen printed images on transfer paper. These are then positioned face down against a garment, subjected to heat, and subsequently peeled off to reveal an impressive print. Screen print transfers can significantly amplify your business offerings, enabling you to cater to a wider clientele.
Understanding the Screen Print Transfer Process
The first stage in the screen print transfer process involves printing on paper. The key here is to ensure good screen tension, which you can achieve by using roughly an 8th or 16th inch of off-contact. This will allow the screen mesh to release ink onto the transfer paper efficiently.
You'll want to apply medium pressure at a squeegee angle of around 70-75 degrees. This process is followed by the flash curing of the ink, where the temperature should be kept between 180-260 degrees Fahrenheit. Avoid letting it exceed 280 degrees, as this may lead to overcuring of the ink.
For multicolored designs, print the final color while keeping the ink wet. This offers the adhesive powder something to cling onto. Once the powder is adhered, run the design through the dryer, ensuring that the transfer ink reaches approximately 275 degrees Fahrenheit. Overheating could hinder the design's release onto the garment.
Before heat pressing the print transfer, inspect the paper for any unintentional markings. If you discover any, make sure to cut them out. Set the heat press to around 330 degrees Fahrenheit, hold it for about 10-12 seconds under medium pressure, and then peel back your transfer sheet to uncover the final print.
The Perks of Screen Print Transfers
Screen print transfers come with a multitude of benefits. Their convenient portability makes them ideal for offsite events. They're also perfect for on-demand printing, and can simplify handling last-minute orders. Screen print transfers can be single or multicolored, which means you can easily customize transfers to meet client preferences.
Moreover, this process allows you to create a stock of pre-printed designs. When you receive a print job, all you need to do is heat press the required design onto the garment. This method is particularly useful for printing on items that are challenging to work with using a direct-to-screen or direct-to-garment printer.
Hot vs Cold Peel Transfers: What's the Difference?
The heat transfer process works by printing plastisol ink onto transfer paper, which then releases onto the garment when heat pressed. Hot peel paper, often known as hot split transfers, is commonly used on light-colored garments and has a soft hand.
Once the transfer is applied, it's removed within a few seconds, splitting the ink onto the garment and leaving some leftover on the transfer paper. On the other hand, cold peel transfers aren't peeled off until the print has completely cooled. These don't leave any residual ink on the paper, ensuring a full ink deposit on the garment.
Making Screen Print Transfers: The Preparation
Preparation is crucial when making screen print transfers. You need to create a thicker stencil to lay down more ink on the design. Unlike printing on a shirt, transfer paper needs a heavier ink application to ensure a high-quality finished design.
Coat both the outside and inside of the screen with a 1:1 coating method using the round side of the scoop coater. This deposits a thicker emulsion layer onto your screen. Remember to print the reverse image of your design. This can easily be achieved by choosing the mirror button when printing out your image on film or a direct-to-screen printer.
Multicolored Transfers: A Step Further
Multicolored designs require a few additional steps. You should preheat the transfer paper and put it through the dryer at a standard temperature to prevent shrinkage during the flashing process. A vacuum platen can be useful if you're creating multiple transfer prints, as it ensures consistency with each print. However, if you don't own or want to buy one, you can simply use spray tack for adhesion.
Bear in mind that your design should have adhesive properties to print plastisol transfers. You can use adhesion powder, an adhesion additive that you mix into the ink, or an adhesive screen printable glue. If using adhesion powder, ensure that there's wet ink on the background of your shirt, as the adhesive won't stick to dry ink.
To wrap up, the art of creating screen print transfers may initially appear daunting. However, by understanding the intricacies and dedicating time to master the technique, you can seamlessly make screen print transfers. Embrace the process and delight in the vibrant and detailed prints you can create, adding a unique touch to any garment.
How do I create a screen print?
Creating a screen print begins with the artwork. Whether you're designing a simple one-color logo or a complex multi-colored graphic, ensure your design is high resolution and clean. For multi-color prints, each color requires its own screen.
Start by outputting your design onto a film positive, a piece of transparent film with your design printed in black ink. The density of the black ink is vital as it will block the light in the exposure process. Each film positive corresponds to one color in your design. If you have a three-color design, you'll need three film positives.
Next, prepare the screen. Screens used for printing are covered in a light-sensitive emulsion. When you place the film positive on the screen and expose it to light, the light will harden the emulsion. The black areas on your film will shield the emulsion underneath from the light, keeping it soft.
Once you have exposed the screen to the right amount of light, it's time to wash out the unhardened emulsion. Where the film positive blocked the light, the emulsion will wash away, leaving a stencil of your design on the screen. This stencil allows ink to pass through the screen, reproducing your design on the garment.
After the screen is washed out, it needs to be dried and post-exposed to fully harden the emulsion. Once completed, it is mounted onto a screen printing press. Here, each screen is carefully aligned to ensure all colors in the design will print in the correct position.
Now, you're ready to print. Ink is added to the screen and a squeegee is used to push the ink through the stencil onto the garment. For multi-color designs, the garment is usually flash cured between colors to prevent them from mixing.
After the final color is applied and cured, the garment is run through a conveyor dryer to ensure the design is durable and wash-fast. This meticulous process is how you create a screen print, a tangible piece of art that can be worn with pride.
What is the Difference between DTF and Screen Print Transfers?
Venturing into the realm of garment decoration, you will stumble upon various methods to transfer designs onto your clothing items. Two notable methods are Direct-to-Film (DTF) and Screen Print Transfers, each carrying its unique characteristics, advantages, and challenges.
Direct-to-Film (DTF) is an innovative technology that has emerged recently in the sphere of textile printing. The process involves printing your desired design onto a specialized film using eco-solvent inks. The design is then coated with an adhesive powder and heat pressed onto the garment. The beauty of DTF lies in its versatility and adaptability. It is capable of printing full-color, detailed images onto a multitude of materials - cotton, polyester, leather, and more. The lack of a weeding requirement makes DTF a preferred choice for complex designs. It also proves beneficial for low volume or single-piece orders without imposing additional costs.
Screen Print Transfers, meanwhile, are entrenched in the tradition of textile printing. The process requires creating a screen bearing your design and using it to apply layers of ink onto the transfer paper. The printed transfer is then heat-pressed onto the garment. This method finds its strength in high-volume orders due to its capability of rapidly and efficiently reproducing the same design. It ensures highly resilient and vibrant prints, especially on cotton and cotton-blend materials. However, it might falter when dealing with extremely detailed or photographic designs, unlike DTF.
The determination between DTF and screen print transfers largely depends on the demands of your project. If you are dealing with a bulk of identical designs, screen print transfers may be your ally. Conversely, if you are navigating through complex, full-color designs or experimenting with a diverse range of materials, DTF might prove to be a better companion.
Therefore, as a garment decorator, comprehending the differences between DTF and screen print transfers is not just beneficial but essential to choose the most suitable method for your specific undertaking.
In summary, this guide has laid out the essential steps and considerations on how to make screen print transfers. As you explore this art form, remember that patience, practice, and creativity are key in crafting vibrant, long-lasting designs.