t-shirts

[Mike]

Anyone know of some other, inexpensive ways to go for printing t-shirts that aren't called "CafePress"? Maybe someplace that will do it on t-shirts that aren't white?

[Phil Clark]

The best quality t-shirts are done by screen printing. So your best bet is to find a decent screen printer and ask them for a quote. But keep in mind that 4 color (CMYK) shirts generally don't look good and most screen printers will do what they call a "process color simulation" where they separate the color image into 6-10 custom colors. They may also run two whites, one under the entire design and one to strengthen the highlight colors.

I have been working for 5 months at a screen printer, and I am learning more about the process every day. The biggest thing to keep in mind is that you will have screen setup charges, and the more shirts you have printed, the better the price per shirt will get.

What are you looking to have printed? Can you post an image of it?

[Mike]

Mostly I'm looking to have either some simple, multicolor images, like with up to 4 solid colors (no blending of color in these images). Just stupid shit like this (minus the baby blue) or some abstract stuff like you'd see at http://www.threadless.com. Maybe some character type stuff, but that'd depend on what I have to work with as far as price per color.

Really, I'm just looking for cheap cheap cheap. Small runs, few colors, just for kicks. I didn't want to go with CafePress because I remember something about them charging for something or other now...

[snakeI]

there is a screen printing shop on the drag right next to where Whole in the Wall used to be, if you are familiar with the campus area....There is another a couple blocks back as well ....somewhere near rio grande and 25 th 26th....

[Mike]

Yeah, I know where that is. Have you used them before? I was thinking of going with like Miller Blueprint or something, but I know they'd probably be frickin' expensive.

[Darren Schwindaman]

for small runs you should look into buying silk screening equipment. i'm in our campus chapter of AIGA (american institute of graphic artists) we're selling mardi gras t-shirts. eBay sells blank shirts for approx. $1.40/shirt for white in cases of 100. color too, and you can mix/match sizes. you could get everything you need (screens, ink, emulsion to burn designs onto the screen, squeegee) for about $150 online. sometimes local artstores will have kits put together. silk screening is cool to me b/c since you personally are printing each shirt, you can get really experimental w/ the designs by laying different ones on top of one another, or do a stock design many times. something to think about.