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Prepare artwork for screen printing | Chamevo Support Center
Prepare artwork for screen printing
Learn how to prepare artwork for screen printing, including color separations, halftones, spot colors, and file format requirements.
Updated April 27, 20265 min read
Screen printing pushes ink through a mesh stencil (screen) onto the product surface. Each color in the design requires a separate screen. This makes artwork preparation fundamentally different from digital printing — you work with defined color layers rather than a continuous color image.
How screen printing works
Each color in the design gets its own screen — a mesh frame with a photosensitive emulsion that blocks ink everywhere except where the design should print.
The printer places the first screen on the product and pushes ink through the open areas with a squeegee.
The product moves to the next screen station, where the next color is applied in registration (aligned) with the first.
This repeats for each color. A 4-color design requires 4 screens and 4 passes.
The ink is cured (dried) with heat to make it permanent.
Because each screen is a physical tool that must be created, aligned, and cleaned, screen printing has a setup cost per color. A 1-color design is significantly cheaper to produce than a 6-color design.
Artwork types: spot color vs process color
Spot color (simulated process)
Each color in the design is a separate, premixed ink. The artwork is provided as individual color layers — one per ink.
Use spot color when:
The design has 1–6 solid colors.
Brand colors must be exact (Pantone matching).
The design includes bold graphics, text, or logos.
Printing on dark garments (where a white underbase is needed).
Spot color example: A logo with red text, blue icon, and white background = 3 screens (red, blue, white).
Process color (CMYK)
The design is separated into Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black halftone layers. Tiny dots of each color overlap to create the illusion of a full-color image — similar to how a magazine photo is printed.
Use process color when:
The design is a photograph or has continuous color gradients.
Color accuracy per-Pantone-shade is not critical.
Printing on white or light-colored garments only. Process color on dark fabrics requires a white underbase, which complicates registration and reduces quality.
Process color requires exactly 4 screens (CMYK), regardless of how many colors appear in the design.
Simulated process
A hybrid approach that uses spot color inks (including white) but separates the artwork like process color — using halftone dots to simulate gradients and photographic detail. Simulated process can print full-color artwork on dark garments.
This is the most complex separation method. Most product customization workflows use spot color for screen printing.
File format requirements
Requirement
Spot color
Process color
Preferred format
Vector (AI, EPS, SVG, PDF)
High-res raster (TIFF, PSD, PNG) at 300 DPI
Color mode
Pantone / spot separations
CMYK
Resolution
N/A (vector)
300 DPI at final print size
Layers
One layer per ink color
Separated into CMYK channels
Background
Transparent (no background layer)
Transparent or white
Vector artwork is strongly preferred for spot color designs. Vector paths scale to any size without quality loss and separate cleanly into color layers.
If the source artwork is raster (PNG, JPEG), it must be vectorized — either manually in a design tool or through auto-trace software. Auto-tracing works well for clean logos and bold graphics but struggles with detailed illustrations.
Color separations
Color separation is the process of splitting a multi-color design into individual layers, one per ink color. This is the most critical step in screen printing artwork preparation.
How to prepare spot color separations
Identify each unique color. Count the distinct ink colors in the design. Each one becomes a separate screen.
Assign Pantone references. Map each color to a Pantone swatch (e.g., Pantone 186 C for red). This ensures the printer mixes the exact ink color.
Create one layer per color. In your design tool, put each color on its own layer. Name each layer with its Pantone reference or color description.
Set trapping where colors meet. Where two colors share an edge, slightly overlap them (0.2–0.5mm) so that minor registration shifts do not leave gaps. This overlap is called trapping.
Include a white underbase layer (dark garments). If printing on dark fabric, add a white ink layer under all other colors. The white blocks the garment color so spot inks appear vivid.
Halftones
Halftones convert a continuous tone (smooth gradient) into a pattern of dots. Smaller dots = lighter appearance. Larger dots = darker appearance.
Screen printing uses halftones for:
Gradients and fades within spot color designs.
Process color (CMYK) separations — every process color print is made of halftone dots.
Simulated process separations.
Halftone settings:
Setting
Typical value
Notes
LPI (lines per inch)
45–65 LPI
Lower LPI = larger dots, more visible but easier to print. Higher LPI = finer dots, smoother appearance but harder to hold on press
Dot shape
Elliptical or round
Elliptical dots produce smoother gradients. Round dots are standard
For most screen printing on apparel, 45–55 LPI is a practical range. Higher LPI requires higher mesh counts and more precise registration — discuss with your printer before specifying.
Design guidelines for screen printing
Minimum line thickness
Ink is pushed through mesh. Very thin lines may not receive enough ink to appear solid, or may break apart during printing.
Element
Minimum size
Positive lines (ink on fabric)
1pt (0.35mm)
Reverse lines (fabric showing through ink)
2pt (0.7mm) — ink tends to fill in thin gaps
Small text (positive)
8pt sans-serif, 12pt serif or script
Small text (reverse / knockout)
10pt sans-serif, 14pt serif or script
Maximum color count
Every color adds a screen, setup time, and registration complexity.
Specialized. Consider simulated process or DTF instead
Most screen printing shops are set up for 1–6 color jobs. Beyond 6 colors, discuss alternatives with your printer.
Registration tolerance
Multi-color designs require each screen to align precisely with the others. In practice, screen presses have a registration tolerance of about 0.5–1mm.
Design for this tolerance:
Avoid placing thin colored elements immediately adjacent to other colored elements. A 1mm shift makes the misalignment visible.
Use trapping (slight overlap) where two colors meet.
Avoid hairline registration between colors — where two colors must align with zero gap. If possible, overlap them or separate them by at least 1mm.
White underbase for dark garments
On dark fabrics, screen printing inks (which are somewhat translucent) need a white ink layer underneath to appear bright.
The white underbase is printed first.
It is typically slightly smaller (choked) than the color layers above it, so white does not peek out around the edges.
Underbase adds opacity but also stiffness (hand feel). Minimize underbase area when possible.
Ink types
Ink type
Characteristics
Best for
Plastisol
Thick, opaque, sits on top of fabric. Requires heat curing. Most common
General apparel, dark garments, bold colors
Water-based
Thinner, absorbs into fabric, softer hand feel. Air or heat cure
Light garments, soft-feel prints, fashion brands
Discharge
Removes garment dye and replaces with ink color. Very soft hand feel
Dark garments where soft feel is essential
Specialty
Metallic, glow-in-the-dark, puff, glitter
Feature accents, novelty products
Ink choice affects how the artwork should be prepared. Plastisol can hold fine detail at lower LPI. Water-based and discharge require simpler designs with fewer fine details because the ink spreads more.
Common screen printing artwork problems
Moiré patterns
Problem: Visible wavy or diamond-shaped interference patterns appear where halftone screens overlap.
Fix: Ensure each color separation uses a different halftone angle (standard: 22.5° between each). Do not use the same angle for multiple colors. Also check that the source artwork does not already contain a halftone pattern — rescreening a pre-halftoned image produces moiré.
Thin lines disappearing
Problem: Fine lines or small text do not print or print broken and inconsistent.
Fix: Thicken lines to at least 1pt (positive) or 2pt (reverse). Increase text size. For reverse text on dark garments, the underbase further reduces the gap — size up by 1–2pt.
Colors not matching
Problem: The printed color does not match the expected Pantone or brand color.
Fix: Specify Pantone references for every spot color. Do not rely on screen colors (RGB) to communicate print colors. If using process color, accept that CMYK cannot match all Pantone values. Request an ink draw-down (a sample swatch of the mixed ink on the target fabric) for color-critical work.
Ink bleeding under the stencil
Problem: Ink spreads beyond the intended design edges, creating fuzzy or thickened lines.
Fix: Usually a production issue (too much ink pressure, wrong mesh count, or ink viscosity too low). From the artwork side, avoid very fine details adjacent to large ink areas — the pressure difference can cause bleed.
Registration misalignment
Problem: Colors are shifted, creating gaps or overlaps between design elements.
Fix: Add trapping (0.2–0.5mm overlap) where colors meet. Avoid designs that require hairline registration. For complex multi-color designs, simplify or combine colors where possible.
Screen printing vs other methods
Factor
Screen printing
DTF
Sublimation
Color count
Limited by screens (1–6 typical)
Unlimited (full color)
Unlimited (full color)
Setup cost
Per screen ($20–50+ per screen)
None
None
Per-unit cost at volume
Very low (fastest method for large runs)
Consistent per unit
Consistent per unit
Best quantity
50+ units (economies of scale)
1–100 units
1–100 units
Fabric compatibility
All fabrics
All fabrics
Polyester only
Feel on fabric
Varies by ink type (plastisol = thick, water-based = soft)
Slight raised texture
No texture
White on dark
Yes (white screen)
Yes (auto white underbase)
No
Photographic detail
Limited (halftones, 45–65 LPI)
Full photographic detail
Full photographic detail
Screen printing is the most cost-effective method for large runs of simple designs. For full-color, short-run, or per-customer-customized designs, DTF or sublimation is more practical.
Q: How many colors can I screen print?
A: Most screen printing presses handle 1–8 colors. The practical limit for standard jobs is 6 colors. Each additional color adds cost (screen creation, setup time, ink). For designs with more than 6 colors, consider simulated process, DTF, or sublimation.
Q: Can I screen print a photograph?
A: Yes, using process color (CMYK) or simulated process separations. The photo is converted to halftone dots. The result will not be as detailed as a digital print — it has a characteristic screen-printed texture. Process color works best on white or light garments.
Q: Do I need to send color-separated files to my printer?
A: It depends on the printer. Some accept completed separations. Many prefer to receive clean vector artwork and do the separations themselves (they know their press capabilities, mesh counts, and ink characteristics). Ask your printer what they prefer.
Q: Why is my screen print cost so high for 1 unit?
A: Screen setup cost is fixed regardless of quantity. Creating each screen, mixing inks, and registering the press takes time. That fixed cost spread across 1 unit is expensive. Spread across 500 units, it is trivial per unit. Screen printing becomes cost-effective at around 25–50+ units. For single units, use DTF.
Q: What file format should I send to my screen printer?
A: Vector formats (AI, EPS, SVG, PDF) are preferred for spot color designs. Send the native design file with layers named by ink color and Pantone references noted. For process color, send a high-resolution TIFF or PSD at 300 DPI in CMYK. Ask your printer for their specific requirements.
