Screen Printing - June/July 2019 - 18

FIGURE 4

brighten up the accent color in the
image. The last step is to select the
complimentary color areas and
then go through a similar step to
create a dramatic design solution
that still has a limited color pallet.
(See Figure 3.)
Switching hues in a design
to ones that can be blended to
reproduce additional colors is a
possible solution, but it requires
an experienced artist to suggest - and execute - this option.
Images with colors that can be
reproduced using blends of other
colors can be difficult to control
without a lot of previous testing
with inks, halftones, and overlapping images. If a design includes
a lot of reds, oranges, and yellows
on a black shirt, an experienced
separator can sometimes create
other colors like brown, maroon,
or even green (See Figure 4).
The key to editing using this
process is to understand what ink
colors can be created - and what
can't. Another concern with this
type of color reduction is that it
Consider overlapping colors such as red, orange, and yellow to create new shades like brown, maroon,
will often add complexity and
and green - without the hassle of adding additional ink colors.
separation time, so this may not
achieve the goal of cutting down
on production time for a smaller
order. For some customers, however, this type of solution can
COLLABORATION IS KEY
give them more colors, with less cost.
The last two situations (a client orders a set quantity and
Changing artwork to a stock template or premade solution
then re-orders the same design but at a lower quantity, and a
is one of the best ways to both reduce customer costs and ease
client reduces the order amount at the last minute) are best
printing issues. Having some high-quality graphics available for
handled through careful discussions among the sales team,
clients to choose from can save those lower quantity orders and
the art department, and the customer. In many cases, if it's
make production much easier. Sometimes it's simply a matter
a repeat customer, the shop might opt to print the order and
of having a customer browse through a stock collection so they
accept the lower quantity while holding the cost the same.
can pick something out, and other times it's just a quick graphic
In those situations, it's still a good idea to let the client
that already has simple colors applied. When showing art from
know they are getting a big discount so they don't make it
a collection, it's always a good idea to minimize the choices and
a habit or tell others they can do this too. Other times,
let them give you a lot of feedback during the process. If you
however, a hard discussion will have to take place about
dump hundreds of images and type fonts on a client, they will
changing the artwork or increasing the price due to the
quickly get overwhelmed. If they aren't finding something that
change in quantity. Clients that won't work within these
works right away, it might be helpful to offer to put something
policies are rarely clients worth keeping.
together for them and then have them decide at a later time.
Low quantity orders with increasingly complex
(Typically there is a small art or pre-order fee for this that can
artwork seem to be here to stay for screen printers. Using
later be applied to the final order.) Doing this can minimize the
a combination of sales policies and careful communication
time spent selecting artwork, show off your team's customer
between customers and your art department can make
service efforts for smaller orders, and, ultimately, gain a happy
navigating small orders easier and more profitable with
client with an art order approved.
fewer production challenges.
18

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