Creating the look of duct tape on a shirt

[jvanick]

I'm doing a shirt design for a parade for a local home improvement company.

I was thinking it might be cool to make it look like duct tape.

my thought right now which I have to test would be for the duct tape areas:

I figure I want the silver screens last as they seem to get everywhere easilly.

screen 5: Liquid Silver
screen 6: Liquid Silver with puff or hd additive in a grid pattern to make the ducttape cloth pattern.

anybody care to weigh in on my thoughts before I go and waste time making art and burning screens to try it?

also, my gut is telling me that the hd additive would be better as it seems to rise straight up with a harder edge.  maybe I'd want the 'grid' underneath the main area of it so that it 'pushes' the ink up?

[Homer]

hate to say this but look through the "what have you printed lately" thread, maybe 2 years ago or so, someone posted one up that was absolutely amazing...it looked real.. I think they used real duct tape, took a picture and  sep'd that...it really was awesome, I can't think who printed it...

[jvanick]

I remember seeing that one... I don't think they would say how they created it tho?

[Dottonedan]

That one might be the one I did years ago for Danny at US Recognition. I think he did post it up.
He printed one and it really looked authentic. Then, I think he ended up doing one on a re-order or a new customer by himself that also turned out awesome. He's doing his own seps now and pretty derned good at it as you can see in the (what have you printed lately) area.


The only thing I'd mention (to make it even more authentic) is to make sure to use different pieces of duct tape when doing a photo of the Duct tape.  Take a photo or scan it in. I think I scanned it, but I only did a couple strips and then reused them in other areas. The keen eye will pick up on that, but that also helps to illustrate evidence that it's not real duct tape since (if done really well), people don't believe.

[Frog]

I think that good seps accomplish the task with the illusion of depth and texture, rather than mimicking it with special effects ink.
Two different ways to skin the cat.

Sort of like either using silver ink for chrome, or giving the illusion with reflections like green grass and blue sky, which the mind translates as silver.

Not the award Impressions winner, but here's another design with the look.

[jvanick]

Thanks Frog,  so the silence is golden shirt look was just done with  half toning of maybe a gray and white?

that is really cool (so much to learn)...

[Frog]

Thanks Frog,  so the silence is golden shirt look was just done with  half toning of maybe a gray and white?

that is really cool (so much to learn)...

Yeah, that's just one I found for sale, but that's what it looks like to me.
Of course, folks like Dan who know the nuances, know when and if they need to sneak in another color or two.

[inkman996]

Check this thread out.

http://www.theshirtboard.com/index.php/topic,5954.0.html

[jsheridan]

all I will say..

stacked high density

[Homer]

Check this thread out.

http://www.theshirtboard.com/index.php/topic,5954.0.html

Mike's got it, it was Danny...and eb, both awesome prints....Danny, I want to buy the films or seps on that -just the tape, I want to see them.....still amazed at that print...man that is cool

[jvanick]

I would totally buy the films or seps for that too...

sounds like I'm going to be doing the experimentation route...

i really wanted it to have the texture of the tape, and not just the look.  so it sounds like mixing the silver with some HD additive might work, as well as keep it 'easy' to print.

so my thoughts right now are to take some pics of the tape, knock the brightness/contrast or maybe even just 'trace' the texture lines of the tape into a a layer that would be the 'loft' of the print..

not sure if I should print the 'loft' layer under the top layer or not... but I suppose I can try it both ways.

maybe even add a touch of black or mixing white to the silver for the loft layer to give it a bit more depth.

I'm gonna give it a shot here maybe over the weekend and report back with what seems to work.

[Dottonedan]

I think I used 1 or 2 layers of Puff seps if I'm not mistaken. HD might be too rigid or hard feeling. Puff is a little more softer and more flexible.


1st layer of puff to get it off the shirt, Not too thick, you don't want it to be PUFFY, just to have some diminution off the shirt. Then semi flash, and the 2nd layer to get the higher ridges. I know I did that on one or two in the past and the also turned out realistic.


Halftone screens of color over top of the puff flattens/mats the puff down a little similar to the thickness of thick duct tape. I think Met Silver over top (not a solid coverage), but just enough to show the silver and the glitter. Some can use such a low mesh that it would obliterate your puff detail under. Then the halftone shadows and highlight screens...and then another thin screen of Gel in some areas gives it a great look.


It can be a tad tricky in the seps because you have to think in layers and in cutting back/building in for puff and building in overlap for ink on top (because the puff when it expands a little), can blow outside of your printed colors, overtaking your printed edge detail. Not too much and not too little.  Not too much flash. You only want to prevent it from sticking. Let your dryer do the curing, but also don't get your dryer too high. Too long in the dryer and the puff can expand too much. When it does this, it breaks up the solid coverage of your print...and becomes washed out looking or weaker in contrast.


Another thing about the puff screen is to be sure not to use too thin of a stencil on that first screen. You want an edge on it. Maybe coat 2:2 at least. then adjust off contact on the screens that follow so you don't smash it down too much.


If this wasn't what I did then, it will work as well.

[Printficient]

The Guru for this type of printing is Rick at Mirror Image (Ink kitchen)  Give him a shout.  BTW isn't it time you were ordering some supplies

[jsheridan]

The Guru for this type of printing is Rick at Mirror Image (Ink kitchen)  Give him a shout.  BTW isn't it time you were ordering some supplies

I had the pleasure to print a few tape jobs while I worked there.. see my post above 

[DannyGruninger]

Once I can get caught up I will post specs how I printed......Just a bit behind today as a couple guys are out so I've been busting balls on press all day.


The print that I did that is posted in that link we didn't use any special fx inks...... I'll try to jump on here tonight