Special Effects Screen Printing – Part One.
Welcome To Cora’s Corner, where every month I am going to help you with your artwork issues. This month’s discussion is;
Special Effects Inks and Processes Can Jazz Up Your Art.
At first glance, it may seem as if the garment marketplace is running low on truly new special-effects prints. However, inks, fabrics, and printing processes are changing in response to consumer trends. For example, customer requirements for PVC-free inks and increased use of polyester fabrics are affecting garment screen-printing significantly and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.
Demand for special-effects printing is coming back right now, and most major brands have at least some graphics in each season’s lines that use one specialty technique or another. What is different is that most special-effect printing is entirely design driven rather than just technique for its own sake. The technique is secondary to a quality graphic and adds to the design rather than being just used for effect or to lend pop to a weak design. The gallery of effects shown in the images above highlights modern trends and methods and presents an overview of the techniques and consumables used.
Heat sealing with transfer paper A very smooth halftone blend was printed on top of a specially smoothed underprint and then heat-sealed using a glossy transfer paper. This really evened out the surface of the print and imparted a subtle shine to it, much the same way a clear foil might. The effect added to the design, whereas a rainbow or metallic foil might have overpowered it. Another similar method some refer to as a smoothing screen was used on press to impart surface finish. This is a screen with a high mesh count—but without an image exposed on it—that’s printed, so to speak, with a hard squeegee after a flash in the print sequence. Squeegee actions smooth the gelled ink slightly while the garment is still on the press.
Heat transfer on specialty ink A typical puff ink was used as an underprint, and a halftone blend was then printed on top of the puff after flashing. The fabric in this example had a high polyester content, so a low-bleed white ink was printed under the puff to prevent dye migration. The finished design was then lightly heat-sealed with a dull transfer paper for just a few seconds to smooth the top surface of the print slightly. This effect is much different from a solid area of highly lofted puff. This technique adds some luster and depth to the graphic.
Simulated embroidery Puff was used as an underprint, but in this case as a small portion of a much larger design to simulate embroidery on top of a print. It kept the shirt much softer than authentic embroidery could. This fairly subtle treatment doesn’t overpower the graphic.
Printing for hand You can produce soft-hand and no-hand prints in any number of ways, but consider the possibilities of using soft-hand prints as parts of larger designs or as background color components of more complex special-effect prints. A design can use many different levels of hand in the same print for different effects. In this photo, water-based inks of varying viscosity were used to produce an accurate representation of the details of a sketched illustration. Heavy-bodied ink was used where multiple layers of cross hatching overlap and in the richer colors of the illustration. Much thinner, water-based inks were used where the line work and shading in the design fade into the garment. The varying levels of hand in the print contribute to the rich look of the design. The water-based inks used in the graphic lend themselves to soft-hand printing extremely well.
Water-based effects Distressed techniques and washed simulations are popular special-effects variations of soft-hand printing. In this photo, extremely soft, water-based ink was used to simulate a heavily washed and worn print. Screens with high mesh counts, very thin ink, and very hard squeegees were used to limit the total amount of ink laid down on the garment.
Discharge printing Discharge formulations facilitate the production of distressed graphics on dark fabrics. Dye migration makes soft-hand techniques with thin inks a challenge on polyester and polyester-cotton blends. No very soft-hand inks can prevent dye migration with any reliability. Discharge fluids are not commonly used on polyester fabrics because the solutions do not remove the dye very well from the polyester fabric. This limitation is an additional challenge to any type of very soft-hand printing on some of the fabrics popular right now.
Effecting change
If you’re looking to cash in on the renewed interest in special-effects printing, keep in mind that customer demands for PVC-free inks and the increasing prevalence of polyester fabrics can limit the possibilities. New inks designed to meet these requirements also place the burden on printers to test and document their results and adjust to the corresponding changes in techniques and fabrics. As with any new challenge, this can make for an exciting opportunity to come up with innovative, new solutions, new printing methods, and product development.
Check next month’s newsletter, Special Effects Screen Printing – Part Two. I will discuss more inks and processes to give you projects a fresh look.
I would also like to hear from you about your most pressing issues about artwork. Your question may be used in a future issue of this newsletter. If you have questions, please email me at cora@qdigitizing.com. And please reference this newsletter.
Looking forward to sharing an exciting journey of discovery into the world of Art.
Cora Kromer
Qdigitizing.com
cora@qdigitizing.com