Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ

SCREENPRINTING FAQ

Q: How much will this cost?

A: Your artwork begins with either a drawing on paper or computer generated art. This artwork then has to be computerized and separated by colors onto a clear film positive. Since each positive needs its own screen, the fewer colors in your design, the more affordable it will be.

Q: What is the most economical way to go?

A: Black ink on white shirts (or light coloured shirts) is always less expensive. When printing white ink on a dark garment, the ink must be flash dried between coats in order for the print to be crisp. Black or dark ink usually only requires one coat and therefore saves you money.

Q: How long will it take?

A: This depends on the type of design you’re looking for, if your design involves simple lettering, we can usually do that within a week or so. If your design requires clip art or custom logo drawing, it can take 2 to 3 weeks. Remember, we can’t start printing until we have your approval of the artwork. If you’re in a hurry, let us know and we’ll do our best to accommodate you!

Q: What is the best size to print my design?

A: As a general rule of thumb, left chest designs (or right) are usually no bigger than 3.5" wide and full front (or back) no bigger than 10" wide. This helps to keep your design where it’s most noticeable. If you have a specific location, ie. below the collar or above the hem, be sure to let us know.

Q: Is it best to send digital or non digital artwork?

A: We accept both digital and non digital formats. We prefer digital since they can be processed more quickly. The digital file format is best determined by the content of your design and the program that generated it. Artwork in a vector format is great, preferrably in .AI or .EPS or .PDF (these are Adobe formats). We can work from .JPG or .GIF, though these are less desirable as image formats can occasionally lose unexpected detail or color. If you are using a .GIF or .JPG file as your finished work, please make sure that the image is made to the size that you want to print it and has a resolution of 300 dpi (dots per inch) or greater. If the artwork is not available in these formats or not in the computer, then we must re-draw them to create a vector format that we can work with to make our positives and our screens. Once we have the artwork as a vector image, we can then work with it to separate the different colors.

Q: What format should I use for a simple Logo or text?

A: If your design consists of one or two colors and crisp shapes such as text or a logo, it is best to send them as a vector based file format such as those above. If you have used an unusual font, please send us PC font file (.ttf true type font) or convert your fonts to vector (curves).

Q: How can I send you my digital files?

A: You can send them as an e mail attachment or you can mail or deliver them on a CD or Floppy disc.

Q: What non digital media do you accept?

A: Please do not send us your original art in order to prevent loss or damage. A good quality black and white copy (plus a colour copy so we know what you want your design to look like) is sufficient.

Q: Can I fax you my art?

A: Yes, we accept faxes, however these require a bit more work. The quality of faxed images is usually poor and we must recreate the design in order for it to be camera ready. This adds additional costs and time. Don’t forget to include your name and phone number and/or email address on your fax. Our fax number is (604) 885-4274.