How to Prepare Artwork for Screen Printing
Send it the right way and your print comes out exactly as you drew it. Here’s what we need — and what to do if your file isn’t ready.
We’re an artwork-first shop, which means we’d rather receive your art the ideal way and protect every detail of it. If your file isn’t print-ready, don’t worry — we prepare files like this every day. Here’s the rundown.
Accepted File Formats
- Vector (best): Adobe Illustrator (.ai), EPS, or PDF with all fonts converted to outlines.
- Raster (acceptable): layered Photoshop (.psd), TIFF, or PNG at 300 DPI at full print size.
- Not ideal: low-resolution JPEGs, screenshots, or images pulled from a website — these usually need to be recreated.
What Resolution Does Screen Printing Need?
Raster artwork should be at least 300 DPI at the actual size it will print on the garment — not 300 DPI at thumbnail size. A small web image can’t be enlarged into a clean print. Vector artwork sidesteps this entirely because it scales to any size without losing quality.
Setting Up Colors
Every ink color in a screen print is its own screen and its own pass on the press. So define your colors as spot colors, ideally specified as Pantone (PMS) values, and separate them onto their own layers where you can. Tell us the exact Pantone colors you need matched and we’ll match them on press.
Sizing & Placement
Build your artwork at the real-world dimensions you want it to print, and let us know the placement (full front, left chest, back, sleeve). Before we run the job, our 3D grid proofing and mannequin preview confirm placement and scale so what you approve is what ships.
Not Print-Ready? We’ve Got It.
File preparation is part of what we do — taking artwork you already have and getting it ready for press, including cleanup, color separation, and redrawing low-resolution files. We don’t do design work, so the concept stays yours. Send us what you have and we’ll tell you exactly what it needs.
Artwork Setup, Answered
What file format do I need for screen printing?
Vector artwork — AI, EPS, or PDF — with fonts outlined is best. Raster files should be PSD, TIFF, or PNG at 300 DPI at full print size. We can prepare art that isn’t print-ready.
What resolution should artwork be?
At least 300 DPI at the actual print size. Vector art has no resolution limit because it scales without losing quality.
How should colors be set up?
Use defined spot colors, ideally Pantone (PMS) values, separated onto their own layers. Tell us the exact colors and we’ll match them on press.
What if my artwork isn’t print-ready?
Common — and we can help. We prepare artwork you already have: cleanup, color separation, and redrawing low-resolution files. We don’t do design work.
Ready to send us your art?
Attach your files to a quote request and we’ll review them and tell you what’s next.