
Printing designs on T-shirts is a complex process that requires specialised equipment and techniques. While there are various methods for printing on T-shirts, such as transfer printing, screen printing, and ink dye, creating a chrome effect on a T-shirt using Plastisol ink and screen printing techniques is a unique challenge. This process involves using metallic silver ink and carefully manipulating gradients to achieve the desired chrome appearance.
What You'll Learn
Printing on a black or dark-coloured shirt
Choose the Right Transfer Paper
Firstly, you need to select the correct transfer paper. There are two types of transfer paper: one for light-coloured shirts and one for dark-coloured shirts. Make sure to choose the transfer paper suitable for dark-coloured shirts, which will allow the image to be transferred exactly as it appears.
Select and Prepare Your Image
Choose a high-quality image for your T-shirt design and save it on your computer. If you have a physical image, scan it or take a photograph and transfer it to your computer. Mirror the image if you are using transfer paper for light-coloured shirts, but not for dark-coloured shirts. Print out a test piece on ordinary paper to ensure the image is not mirrored.
Print and Cut Out Your Image
Before printing, check the preview to ensure the image fits onto your paper. If it is too large, adjust the size in an image editing program. Print your design onto the transfer paper, ensuring you print on the blank side if the paper has two different sides. Cut out the image using a ruler and an Exacto knife to create a clean image with no excess paper.
Prepare Your Work Area
Cover a hard, flat surface with a cotton pillowcase. This will serve as your work area. Set your iron to the correct temperature and turn off the steam function. Empty the water from the iron and allow it to heat up.
Prepare Your T-Shirt
Place your T-shirt over the pillowcase and iron it until it is completely flat, removing any wrinkles that could affect the ink transfer. Wash and dry the T-shirt beforehand if necessary.
Apply the Transfer Paper
Place the image onto the T-shirt, lining up the centre of the image with the centre of the T-shirt neckline. For light-coloured shirts, place the image face down; for dark-coloured shirts, place the image face up.
Iron the Image
Firmly press the iron over the T-shirt, applying significant pressure. Follow the instructions provided with your transfer paper for the recommended duration. Try to provide constant heat without moving the iron around too much.
Remove the Paper
Allow the T-shirt to cool for a few minutes until it reaches room temperature. Then, carefully peel off the transfer paper to reveal your printed image.
Additional Tips:
- Use a high-quality, smooth print surface. Higher-priced shirts made from 40 singles combed and ring-spun cotton tend to yield better results.
- Use the dark canvas to your advantage. Treat the black base of the T-shirt as "negative space" to create shadows and intensity in your design.
- Master your grayscale skills. Black T-shirts influence grayscale art for a big impact. Work on your underbase skills and then transition to full colour.
- Try the print-flash-print technique for printing white as a single vibrant colour on a dark garment. This technique involves printing the second layer of ink on top of the first layer to achieve better contrast.
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Using Plastisol ink for a chrome effect
Printing a chrome design onto a black or dark-coloured t-shirt can be achieved using Plastisol ink. This method is called screen printing, and it involves using metallic silver ink for the chrome areas as the last screen to be printed. Gradients merging into gradients can create the simulation of chrome parts.
Printing Plastisol ink over a base white will produce a chrome effect, but it's important to carefully control the ink deposit to manage the print detail. For the brightest look, a 156 mesh screen should be used, and for finer details, a 230 mesh screen can be used.
Plastisol ink is a low cure ink, meaning it takes longer to reach a full cure as the flake in the ink reflects heat. To ensure the entire print reaches a full cure, increase the dwell time (retention time in a conveyor dryer) or the temperature at which you cure. It is important to perform a wash test to ensure the print was properly cured. If the print washes out or the ink cracks, the print is undercured, and adjustments to dryer settings should be made.
Plastisol ink can be modified with the addition of a curable reducer or a stretch additive. It is also possible to mix colours with Plastisol ink to achieve different effects, but it is important to test the mixture before committing to a large batch to avoid wasting ink.
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Printing from an Android device
- Open the desired file — This can be a file stored locally on your device or on cloud services like Google Drive or Dropbox. You can also print directly from a webpage on Chrome.
- Tap the three vertical dots — These are usually located in the top right corner of your screen.
- Select the Share option — This will open a menu with various options, including Print.
- Choose the Print option — If you are printing from a local file or cloud storage app, you may need to press a dropdown arrow near the top of your screen to find the Print option.
- Select your printer — Choose the printer you want to use from the list of available printers. If your printer is not visible, you may need to add it manually by going to Settings > Connected devices > Connection preferences > Printing and following the prompts to add a new printer.
- Tap the Print button — The button should look like a small image of a printer.
You can also print using email on your Android device. Here's how:
- Open your email client — This could be Gmail or any other email app you prefer.
- Create a new email — Address it to the printer's email address if it has one, or enter your own email address if you plan to send the file to yourself.
- Attach the file you want to print — This can be done by selecting the Attach button, which may look like a paperclip or a similar icon.
- Send the email — Once the file is attached, tap the Send button.
By following these steps, you can easily print from your Android device, whether it's a local file, a webpage, or an email attachment.
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Printing from an iPhone or iPad
The simplest method is to print through Apple's AirPrint, which supports a wide range of devices. However, if your printer is incompatible with this method, you can use an app from the printer's manufacturer or a cloud printing service.
Using AirPrint:
- Confirm that your printer supports AirPrint.
- Connect your iPhone or iPad and your printer to the same Wi-Fi network and ensure they are within range.
- Open the app you want to print from.
- Tap the app's Share button or the Actions button.
- Tap the Print button. If you can't find the print option, check the app's User Guide or Help section.
- Tap "No Printer Selected" and choose an AirPrint-enabled printer.
- Choose the number of copies or other options, like which pages you want to print, and then tap Print in the upper right corner.
While printing, you can:
- View your print jobs or cancel them through the App Switcher.
- Open the App Switcher, then tap Print Center to view a print job.
- Open the App Switcher, tap Print Center, then tap Cancel Printing to cancel a print job.
Using a manufacturer printing app:
Most printer manufacturers offer a free app that can be used to print. For example, HP offers HP Smart, Canon has Canon PRINT, Epson provides Epson iPrint, and Brother supports Brother iPrint&Scan.
Using a cloud-based printer app or service:
You can also print from your iPhone or iPad via the cloud using apps such as ezeep Blue or Cloud Ready Printer.
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Using transfer paper
Transfer paper is a great way to create custom t-shirts. The process involves printing a design or photo onto a sheet of transfer paper, then placing the paper onto the t-shirt and applying heat and pressure using an iron. There are two types of heat transfer papers: one is for light-coloured fabrics, and the other is for dark-coloured fabrics. Both have different characteristics and methods of application.
Step 1: Prepare your workplace
Find a hard, flat surface that can withstand heat. This is where you will work with your heat transfer paper. Cover the surface with a cloth or any material to protect it from the heat. Do not use an ironing board, as you won't be able to apply enough pressure.
Step 2: Load your heat transfer paper
Load your heat transfer paper into a regular inkjet or laser printer, with the white side up. This is where the designs should be printed. Ensure that you have set your printer to "mirror image" or "reverse page orientation" so that the image will be correct when transferred onto the t-shirt.
Step 3: Print your design
Print your chosen design onto the transfer paper. Ensure that your printer settings match the specifications of your heat transfer paper. You may need to use landscape mode if your image is wider than it is tall.
Step 4: Prepare the t-shirt
Choose the t-shirt you want to customise. The type of transfer paper you use will depend on the colour of the fabric. Light-coloured fabrics need light transfer paper, while dark fabrics need dark transfer paper.
Step 5: Cut your design
Use scissors or a cutting machine to cut out your design. Cut as close to the design as possible, leaving little space. Any light-coloured space left around the image will be visible after you press it onto the t-shirt.
Step 6: Iron the design onto the t-shirt
Place the t-shirt on a flat surface and iron it until it is completely flat. Any wrinkles will show up in the transferred image. Then, place the cut-out design onto the t-shirt, with the image facing down for light transfer paper or facing up for dark transfer paper. Cover the image with parchment paper, then press the iron firmly over the clothing, applying pressure with your whole hand. The iron acts as a heat press to transfer the image onto the t-shirt.
Step 7: Let it cool and peel off the paper
Let the t-shirt cool for a few minutes, then peel off the transfer paper to reveal your image. Congratulations! You've just created your own custom t-shirt using the iron-on transfer method.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, it is possible to print chrome on a T-shirt. One way to achieve this is by using Plastisol ink, which can create a metallic or chrome effect on dark-coloured shirts.
Screen printing is recommended for printing chrome on a T-shirt. This method allows for more control over the outcome and can create smooth and convincing gradients that look like chrome.
Metallic silver ink is recommended for creating a chrome effect. This can be used as the last screen in the screen printing process to achieve the desired chrome areas.
Transfer paper is not recommended for printing chrome, as it is better suited for one-time projects or quick printing. Screen printing or specialised methods like Inkodye are more suitable for achieving a chrome effect.
Yes, there are other methods available, such as using Inkodye, which can create a chrome effect on light or dark-coloured shirts. This method involves painting the dye onto the shirt and exposing it to direct sunlight to dry and transfer the image.