How to prepare artwork for t shirt printing

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW TO PREPARE ARTWORK FOR DIGITAL PRINTING, SCREEN PRINTING AND EMBROIDERY

The GOAL - Create a copy of your artwork at actual print size. For example, if you want your print to be 28cm wide on the garment, create your artwork at 28cm wide in your design software at a file resolution of 300ppi, and save it with a transparent background as a PNG file.
Then upload it to our design tool and place it on the garment.

Quick Checklist

1/ Template Sizes - Before you start to design, set up your art file with the best settings for a t shirt print. (See below)

2/ Create your design

3/ Convert Fonts to outlines - (Adobe Illustrator only)

4/ Resize artboard to the outer limits of your design
Illustrator - Edit Artboard - Shift + O
Photoshop - Image > Trim Transparent Pixels - Check Top, Bottom, Left & Right

5/ Export final design as a PNG with a clear background
Illustrator - Export as > PNG
Photoshop - Export as > PNG - Transparency checked as on

6/ Upload your saved PNG file to the 24 Hour Merchandise Design Tool

STEP BY STEP GUIDE

DIGITAL PRINTING

1/ Template Sizes

Before you start designing, set up your template at the optimum size for your design

PHOTOSHOP - (Raster Files)
- Full sized chest ot back print - make template 35cm wide x 40cm high at 300ppi (approx. 4150 x 4800 pixels)
- Pocket print - make template 10cm x 10cm at 300ppi (approx. 1180 x 1180 pixels)

Snap shot of setting up an Adobe Photoshop file template for t shirt printing

For Raster Files Adobe Photoshop is the leadiing App for creating or editing artwork files. The image above shows the optimum settings to set up a new file for a full sized t shirt front or back digital or screen print.
 

IILLUSTRATOR - CANVA - COREL DRAW (Vector Files)

- Full sized chest ot back print - make template 35cm wide x 40cm high
- Pocket print - make template 10cm x 10cm

Snap shot of setting up an Adobe Illustrator file template for t shirt printing

For Vector Files Adobe Illustrator is the leadiing App for creating or editing artwork files. The image above shows the optimum settings to set up a new file for a full sized t shirt front or back digital or screen print.
 

NOTE: This article is a work in progress as I speak with customers and learn what the questions are they need answered. I will add to this article and improve it over February/March 2024. If you have any specific questions about artwork that are not answered here yet, feel free to call me on 02 9559 2400 or email me at kenneth@24hourmerchandise.com.au

Written by: Kenneth Swan, Founder of 24 Hour Merchandise

Last update: 20/02/2024

 

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