The Ultimate Guide To All-Over Print T-Shirt Designs

how to all over print t shirt

All-over printing is a technique that covers every inch of a garment with a design, allowing designers to explore seams, hems, and zips. This method achieves a bold, eye-catching look that is currently very popular for T-shirts. There are two main ways to achieve this effect: large-scale screen printing and sublimation or dye printing. Large-scale screen printing uses a large screen to cover the entire garment and can be performed on any fabric. Sublimation printing uses heat to transfer dye onto materials, and while it produces a sharp and detailed finish, it can only be used on fabrics containing polyester.

Characteristics Values
Printing technique Large-scale screen printing, sublimation printing, or all-over sublimation
Garment T-shirts, tanks, aprons, baby bibs, etc.
Fabric Any fabric, but sublimation printing is only compatible with polyester
Colors Full color, photo quality
Design Continuous, infinite, seamless, with "bleed" to create the illusion of extending beyond the borders
Minimum order quantity As low as 12 shirts per design
Turnaround time As fast as two weeks
Durability Lasts wash after wash, year after year
Limitations Voids in the print around seams, shoulders, and armpits; creases or wrinkles can cause white spots

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Sublimation printing

To get started with sublimation printing, you will need a T-shirt with a high polyester content—at least 65%. A white Cricut polyester T-shirt is recommended for beginners. You will also need a sublimation printer, such as the Epson EcoTank ET-4760, and compatible ink and paper. For ink, consider Hiipoo sublimation ink, and for paper, A-SUB paper is a good option.

Once you have your equipment and materials, you can begin the sublimation printing process. First, create or choose your design and print it onto sublimation paper using a desktop computer or laptop. Ensure your printer settings are correct, mirroring the image and selecting the appropriate media type and print quality.

Next, prepare your print and T-shirt. Set your heat press to a temperature between 385°F and 400°F (196°C to 204°C). While the press is warming up, lint-roll your T-shirt to remove any dust or hair that could interfere with the transfer. Then, add a vertical crease to help centre the design. Fold the shirt in half vertically and press it for about 10 seconds along the crease. Open the shirt and place it face-up on the pressing area, sliding a piece of white cardstock inside the shirt under the area where the design will be to protect the back layer.

Now, you are ready to press your design. Place your printed design ink-side down on the pre-heated shirt, lining up the creases, and secure it with heat-resistant tape to prevent blurry images. Cover the design with a piece of white uncoated butcher paper, ensuring it is larger than your heat plate. Once your heat press reaches the desired temperature, apply light to medium pressure for 45 to 60 seconds.

After pressing, remove the tape and paper, and your sublimation T-shirt is ready to be shown off! Care for your shirt by washing it inside out with cold or warm water and mild detergent. Air-dry the shirt or use a dryer on a low heat setting to preserve the design's vibrancy.

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Large-scale screen printing

Screen printing is a complex art form and a large process to learn. It is a series of steps that require precision and practice. Here is a detailed guide to large-scale screen printing for all-over t-shirt prints:

Step 1: Artwork

Firstly, you need to have an image or design to print. This can be created by yourself or provided by a customer. The quality of the artwork will determine the quality of the final print, so it is important to start with a good design. If you are printing in multiple colours, you will need to separate the colours and create different screens for each.

Step 2: Film Positive

Once the artwork is ready, you need to print a film positive. This is like a transparency, which you will use to burn the image onto a silk screen. Print the image onto the film positive using black ink. You can do this at home, by hand, or use a local print shop.

Step 3: Prepare the Screen

A screen printing frame is made of wood or aluminium and is stretched with polyester mesh. The mesh holds the image and lets ink pass through when pressed with a squeegee. Before coating the mesh with emulsion, it must be cleaned with a special screen-printing degreaser to remove any dust or lint.

Step 4: Coat the Screen

The emulsion is light-sensitive, so this step is usually done in a darkroom with special light-safe yellow bulbs. Coat the mesh with emulsion and let it dry. Then, align the film positive on the screen and expose it to light for a set amount of time. The emulsion hardens where the light hits it, and the area under the image will be unexposed and soft, so it can be rinsed out with water.

Step 5: Set Up the Press

Before printing, set up the screens on a screen-printing press. The press has a base that holds printing platens and colour arms. A manual press can have between one and eight colour arms, and the more arms, the more colours can be printed at once.

Step 6: Register the Colours

If you are printing with multiple colours, you need to register the colours so they line up correctly. You can use a press with a laser guiding system or micro-registration to help with this. Then, complete a test print to ensure everything is lined up correctly.

Step 7: Prepare the Shirt

Apply pallet adhesive to the platen to help the shirt stick and load it onto the press. Flood the screen with ink and align the printhead. Lock the printhead into place and push or pull the ink across the screen to deposit it onto the shirt. You may need to do this a few times, especially if printing with multiple colours.

Step 8: Cure the Print

After printing, the ink needs to be cured or set. This can be done with a conveyor dryer or a flash dryer, depending on the type of ink. The curing temperature will vary, so check the instructions on the ink container. If the shirt is not cured properly, the ink will not last.

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Design guidelines

The first step to printing an all-over t-shirt is to get a design. This design can be an illustration, a logo, a slogan, or a combination of all three. It is important to ensure that the design is high-resolution and that the colours work well together. The design should also be legible, with the right proportions, and work with the colour of the t-shirt. For example, a design with dark colours will not show up well on a dark blue or black t-shirt.

The next step is to choose a printing method. There are several methods available, including screen printing, direct-to-garment printing (DTG), and sublimation printing. Screen printing is the gold standard for t-shirt printing and is ideal for large orders. However, it requires a new screen for each colour or design revision, which can be costly. DTG is a newer option that is ideal for small batches and allows for highly customizable designs. Sublimation printing is done by printing the design on paper and then heat-pressing it onto synthetic fabric. This method is good for ready-made garments and products prepared with the cut-and-sew method.

When creating an all-over design, it is important to plan how the design will engage with the print surface and how to measure and frame print area dimensions. The design should cover the entire product and can include large, unbroken scenes and fun patterns. It is important to avoid using negative space in the design and to apply a background colour. The mockup preview will show the bleed area near the edges where seams and other elements will be added during production. It is not recommended to place any important design elements in this area.

Additionally, there are some limitations to all-over printing. This printing method may not be suitable for designs that target a specific area of the shirt, such as cuffs and collars, as the manual cut-and-sew process can result in slight shifts in print placement. Sublimation printing only works on white fabric, so any white in the design will not be printed. To avoid visible white streaks, choose cut-and-sew-style AOP shirts for darker designs.

Finally, it is important to note that the same size design will be printed on all shirts. Therefore, some of the design may "fall off" smaller sizes. This should be considered to ensure that all pertinent information and design elements are printed on all shirts.

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Garment limitations

All-over printing is a complicated process with several limitations. Firstly, the type of ink used in all-over printing is water-based, which means that the t-shirts must be made of cotton. This is a limitation in terms of fabric choice, as other materials like polyester are not suitable for this printing method. While all-over printing is typically done on standard cotton t-shirts, some companies offer printing on other styles like ladies' v-necks and kids' tees.

Another limitation to consider is the size of the design. The same custom design is printed across all shirt sizes, with a maximum print size of 40 inches wide by 30 inches tall. This means that some of the design may be cut off on smaller-sized shirts. It is important to plan the design carefully to ensure that all pertinent information and design elements are included on all shirt sizes.

Additionally, there are certain areas of the t-shirt that are not recommended for printing. For example, the front collar area should be avoided when printing all-over back prints. Since the shirts are laid flat during printing, printing too close to the collar can cause indentations from the front collar to interfere with the design.

To minimise printing imperfections, it is also important to distress the portion of the design that goes over seams and edges. This process involves adding a pattern to the artwork to remove spots of ink, creating a vintage look and preventing ink clumping and smearing.

Overall, while all-over printing offers unique and eye-catching design possibilities, it is important to be aware of these garment limitations to ensure a successful final product.

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When to avoid all-over printing

All-over printing is a creative style of t-shirt printing that requires more custom design knowledge than other methods. However, there are times when you should avoid using this printing technique. Here are some scenarios where you might want to opt for a different printing method:

  • When printing on dark-coloured fabrics: Dye sublimation, also known as all-over printing (AOP), is not suitable for dark fabrics. This is because the dyes need to penetrate the fabric's fibres, and dark colours can interfere with this process, resulting in dull and blurry prints. White or light-coloured fabrics are recommended for AOP to achieve high-quality, vibrant prints.
  • When using cotton fabric: Cotton is not the best choice for all-over printing, especially with the dye sublimation method. Cotton is a very porous material, and using this technique can result in "bleeding," where the ink spreads beyond the intended design area. This can lead to a blurry and dull final product. Synthetic materials, such as polyester, are better suited for AOP as the ink can bond with the fabric, resulting in vibrant and long-lasting prints.
  • For small batches or single items: All-over printing methods like dye sublimation and direct-to-film (DTF) printing can be more expensive than other techniques. If you are printing a small batch or just a single item, methods like direct-to-garment (DTG) printing or screen printing might be more cost-effective. DTG, for example, has no setup costs and is ideal for printing a few shirts.
  • When you want to avoid a distressed look: One of the challenges of all-over printing is dealing with seams and edges. To minimise printing imperfections, the portion of the design that goes over these areas is usually distressed, creating a weathered or vintage look. If you want a crisp, clean print without this distressed effect, other printing methods like screen printing or direct-to-garment printing might be more suitable.
  • For designs with a small print area: All-over printing, as the name suggests, covers the entire t-shirt. If your design has a small print area and doesn't need to span seam to seam, other printing methods might be more appropriate. Screen printing, for example, has a limited printing area, making it suitable for designs that don't need to cover the entire shirt.
  • When you want to avoid heat-based methods: All-over printing methods like dye sublimation and direct-to-film printing use heat to transfer the design onto the fabric. If you want to avoid heat-based methods, direct-to-garment printing might be a better option. DTG uses an inkjet printer to print directly onto the garment without the need for heat transfer.

Frequently asked questions

All-over print is a technique of garment printing that covers every inch of the fabric, including the seams, hems, and zippers. The print extends to the very edges of the garment, filling all the space.

All-over printing can be achieved through several methods, including large-scale screen printing and sublimation or dye printing. Large-scale screen printing uses a large screen to cover the entire garment and can be practiced by hand or by an industrial machine. Sublimation printing uses heat to transfer dye onto materials, turning the dye into a gas that is absorbed by the fibres.

All-over printing allows designers to explore the entire garment without limiting the design to one localised area. It creates bold statements and an immediate impression, making the t-shirts stand out from the crowd.

All-over printing is a little more complicated than traditional screen printing and has a few limitations. It uses water-based inks, so it requires cotton tees. Additionally, any creases or wrinkles on the t-shirt during the printing process will mess up the print, leaving white spots instead of colour.

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