Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - 29
figure 2
However, the degree of brightness
will vary depending on how much light
bounces off the surface underneath the
ink. A darker paper (or underbase) will
reflect less light, so the blue will seem
much duller. The whiter the underbase,
the more light that is reflected and the
brighter the colors will be. (I should
note that some inks have different
levels of opacity and pigment saturations that can affect the recommended
procedures for printing underbases.
With the majority of semi-transparent
inks, a white underbase will provide
the brightest overprinted colors.)
figure 3
When to Break the rules
figure 4
An alternate underbase color can be beneficial in certain scenarios, such as this print of a
duotone photo [Figure 1 on the previous page]. Separating the artwork in Photoshop requires
slightly different, but easy-to-learn, steps than a white underbase.
Knowing whether a design will look
better, and/or print easier, with a color
other than white as the underbase is
challenging. Here are a few clues. This
list is by no means all-inclusive, but it's
a good guideline for experimenting.
Consider an alternate color for your
underbase when:
1. The design has a consistent color
cast over the majority of the image.
2. The artwork has subtle, shadowy
details that fade into the shirt and
have a noticeable color.
3. The design has very intricate details
that scatter around the shirt like
splatters, tiny lines, or dots.
4. The artist or customer has requested
a print that looks "vintage" or washed
out and less bright.
Designs with a consistent color
cast, such as a duotone photo taken at
twilight, often benefit from an alternate
underbase color. (See Figure 1.) The
substitution can reduce the number of
colors needed for the job by creating
a tint across the entire image. It also
eliminates any concerns about a white
underbase showing through in areas of
the image that have lighter overprint ink
coverage. Another advantage is that a
colored underbase will make the overprinted colors look more worn, which is
preferable on a vintage-style design.
Separating a duotone image in
Photoshop is easy. Here are the steps,
which are specific to the use of a nonwhite underbase:
february / march 2018
29
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Screen Printing - February/March 2018
Contents
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - Cover1
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - Cover2
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - 1
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - Contents
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - 3
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - 4
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - 5
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - 6
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - 7
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - 8
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - 9
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - 10
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - 11
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - 12
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - 13
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - 14
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - 15
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - 16
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - 17
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - 18
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - 19
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - 20
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - 21
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - 22
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - 23
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - 24
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - 25
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - 26
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - 27
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - 28
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - 29
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - 30
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - 31
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - 32
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - 33
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - 34
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - 35
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - 36
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - Cover3
Screen Printing - February/March 2018 - Cover4
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