Greyscale done as just black and white?

[Gilligan]

Some guys (friends) want me to print up a shirt for their disc golf tournament and I agreed.

Shot them some prices based on one color front and back.

They send me a 5 color front.  I clear up the miscommunication (between their members) and they send me a grey scale version of the same art work.

So...  it's at least 5 different tones.  I'm doubting this will work as just straight halftones but I'm willing to try.  I'll mock something up and send them a digital "sample" so they can understand what will be done.  But so far I'm not very happy with the results.

Am I just trying to do too much and will I end up with a bigger mess come production time by trying to do this?

Here is the greyscale "original".

[Dottonedan]

Are you looking for feedback as to how to adjust the art so that it prints better/easier? Do you want someone to adjust it for you?

[Shawn (EIP)]

I would explain to the customer what a 1/2 tone is, many times they'll just want the outline printed. 1/2 tones are a bit ugly as a 1 color print if it's not a photo.

[Dottonedan]

This is an example of opening up the tones to that it prints a little easier. If you need me to do it, send it on over. no charge.

I'd make sure the darkest (halftone) was no darker than 60-65%.  I don't even like to go darker than 60 when printing on a manual press.  I'd also make sure that the turkey bill was at 10% so you do not lose those dots.

[Frog]

ooh ooh, I can see the wheels turning and the next round of questions about RIPs and outputting halftones in the works already.   
Ghostscript anyone?


Old Gilly will keep these boards (and himself) busy! 

[Gabe]

i thought Dan was going to make a tut on tricks for the industry
if a remember correctly

[Fluid]

What color shirts will this print on?  Printing as black in will be fine as long as you use a really high mesh frame and as small a halftone as you can handle.

I would print as a one color black ink using a 55-60 LPI, elliptical dot, 25° 305 or 355 yellow mesh.
I would also suggest using either 100% true four color process black ink or a mixture, 50/50 of regular plasticol black and true four color process black inks.

The four color process ink will help with holding your halftones better than regular platicols.  The mixture, 50/50 helps with opacity that you generally loose with 4 color process inks yets retains the awesome quality and halftones 4 color process inks have/yield.

[inkman996]

I am with Fluid that will print perfectly fine as a gray scale one color black especially the advise about the 4cp black. I almost exclusively use 4cp black except for athletic black on team stuff. The 4cp black is much nicer to print, clears the screen well and holds detail.

[Gilligan]

@Dan... That is of course very sound advice.  I'd like to attempt to do this myself but if push comes to shove I'll gladly take your VERY generous offer.  Oh, I'll be printing this on a manual.

@Frog... I've been reading about all this stuff already, going through archives of you talking about ghostrip already. :p  I'm looking for all angles here.

@Fluid and Inkman and really, anyone else...

Would I NEED process ink?  I only ask because I don't have any and I do have a gallon of regular UnionInk UltraSoft black that will take me forever to use at my rate.   I have some curable reducer from that last job... would that help achieve a similar thing?  What ratio?  It's Union Soft 9000g or whatever.

Would I be better served by maybe just throwing in a second screen (for free) with some "homemade" grey vs buying more ink?  It's only an 80 piece job so it wouldn't be much trouble.

Oh, and the shirts will be white... they are trying to keep cost down.

[blue moon]

@Dan... That is of course very sound advice.  I'd like to attempt to do this myself but if push comes to shove I'll gladly take your VERY generous offer.  Oh, I'll be printing this on a manual.

@Frog... I've been reading about all this stuff already, going through archives of you talking about ghostrip already. :p  I'm looking for all angles here.

@Fluid and Inkman and really, anyone else...

Would I NEED process ink?  I only ask because I don't have any and I do have a gallon of regular UnionInk UltraSoft black that will take me forever to use at my rate.   I have some curable reducer from that last job... would that help achieve a similar thing?  What ratio?  It's Union Soft 9000g or whatever.

Would I be better served by maybe just throwing in a second screen (for free) with some "homemade" grey vs buying more ink?  It's only an 80 piece job so it wouldn't be much trouble.

Oh, and the shirts will be white... they are trying to keep cost down.

your first question should be, "can I print halftones?" If you can not all of this is a moot point. Halftones require a decent film/exposure/screen setup that you might not have gotten around to yet. Try to print some halftone films and burn a screen of to with a a mix of halftone percentages just to make sure this is something you can tackle. If all works out there, than the actual print will not be that hard and we can throw some suggestions your way to make your life easier. But . . . try the half tones first!

pierre

[mk162]

No, I actually prefer not to use process black.

[Gilligan]

Good point Blue...

My films look good (to me) but without a lot to compare to it's hard to say.  I've done the exposure test http://www.theshirtboard.com/index.php?topic=1748.msg19876#msg19876  Not sure how that compares to doing halftones.

BUT you bring up a good point that I forgot to mention in the other post.  As of right now the highest mesh I have is 200.  This job will need to be done before the 26th obviously (if you read the artwork)... so I'm not sure I'll be in a position to change that variable.

[Frog]

So, fire up the 'puter (as if it's ever off, lol!) in Illy or Draw, or whatever you use, make yourself a series of 2"squares, and fill them with 5%. 10%. 15%. etc halftones.
Set up your Ghostscript, and output a film.
With a 200, I'd go with 40lpi at 22.5 or 25 degrees. Most seem to prefer an eliptical shape dot.

I am always intrigued and amazed at how quickly newbies seem to  jump almost immediately from simple one color black prints to more demanding challenges like opaque inks, multicolor wet on wet, and, you guessed it, halftones, both pre-press, and printing.

All challenges that one will eventually overcome, but perhaps should not be automatically accepted as paying jobs (even with friends) until mastered.

There is a certain process that all successful printers and perhaps all business people learn, and it's the art of "no"'.
Learn when to turn down a job.

I'm not saying that you can't do this, but as has been pointed out, you have a series of procedures and processes to master before you can do it well.
You do have the time to accomplish this, but I suggest, that unless you lowballed ridiculously on the job, that you have a plan B, of sending it out to a helpful, experienced member who takes this size contract job.
Knowing his or her guidelines, timeframes, and setting this up as an alternative will greatly reduce any stress, and allow you to know that your friends will receive the job on time.

[inkman996]

No, I actually prefer not to use process black.

Why?

[mk162]

1.  It eats squeegees.

2.  There is less opacity in process inks

3.  They feel crisp on the shirt with any decent amount of coverage.

4.  I hate the way it turns to liquid in the screen.