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screen printing => Ink and Chemicals => Topic started by: ericheartsu on November 13, 2014, 09:26:38 AM

Title: how do i achieve this with waterbase (tone on tone)
Post by: ericheartsu on November 13, 2014, 09:26:38 AM
I have a long time client that wants to do something like the attached image.

I've never had great success on tone on tone stuff, but wanted to see if you guys could give me some tricks on printing this, and printing it with WB?

It's a black TR401 tee.
Title: Re: how do i achieve this with waterbase (tone on tone)
Post by: Frog on November 13, 2014, 09:29:31 AM
I just want to say that that's a weak-ass black! I suspect that they don't offer a charcoal or dark gray (or I guess asphalt for them) as well, LOL!
Title: Re: how do i achieve this with waterbase (tone on tone)
Post by: JBLUE on November 13, 2014, 10:00:14 AM
You can do it several different ways. Straight black, a dark grey like 432, or even straight soft hand clear on top of a black shirt (especially a triblend) will make a similar effect. There are lots of ways but we use the above most of the time. Use a higher mesh too for a softer hand.
Title: Re: how do i achieve this with waterbase (tone on tone)
Post by: jsheridan on November 13, 2014, 12:11:29 PM
clear ink.. that's it
Title: Re: how do i achieve this with waterbase (tone on tone)
Post by: ebscreen on November 13, 2014, 12:33:49 PM
FWIW tone on tone is one of those things that can be interpreted very differently depending on who's looking.
We almost always insist on an in-person approval for anything large.

But yeah, clear base and maybe a drop or two of black.
Title: Re: how do i achieve this with waterbase (tone on tone)
Post by: Screened Gear on November 13, 2014, 02:27:35 PM
+1 for clear base. If they want 30 different colors tone on tone still only one screen and one ink.
Title: Re: how do i achieve this with waterbase (tone on tone)
Post by: ericheartsu on November 13, 2014, 02:31:55 PM
i just did a test of some soft hand base through a 156 mesh, and it didn't come out very well.

Does it specifically have to be clear base? And the mesh should be low right?
Title: Re: how do i achieve this with waterbase (tone on tone)
Post by: IntegrityShirts on November 13, 2014, 02:49:42 PM
I'd play around with 50/50 waterbased base / waterbased blank ink. Or base with 3-4% black pigment.
Title: Re: how do i achieve this with waterbase (tone on tone)
Post by: Orion on November 13, 2014, 03:33:29 PM
May be some info for "tone" prints in this old thread:

http://www.theshirtboard.com/index.php/topic,5041.msg56197.html#msg56197 (http://www.theshirtboard.com/index.php/topic,5041.msg56197.html#msg56197)
Title: Re: how do i achieve this with waterbase (tone on tone)
Post by: DannyGruninger on November 13, 2014, 10:06:21 PM
I print stuff like this every few weeks... Looking at the mockup in my shop on that blank I would print water base black with a tint of blue pigment... If we do true tonal prints we run clear base with a tickle of activator plus white or black pigment depending on if we want the tone to go to the lighter side or darker side of tonal. I'd give a black with a tad of blue in it a shot though.
Title: Re: how do i achieve this with waterbase (tone on tone)
Post by: Dottonedan on November 13, 2014, 10:24:38 PM
I like Danny's approach. Also, probably just straight waterbase black thru a 305 mesh cut back to 65-70% halftone fill to allow even more of the shirt texture to show thru even more. This would allow for even more of a softer hand than a solid black fill of waterbase.  I see in that print, you can see some pretty obvious shirt texture coming thru it.


The trick with this I imagine would be to see how "your black" shows up on that particular shirt. Some R&R might be needed before running the order and like someone else said, get approval on it before running some big order.
Title: Re: how do i achieve this with waterbase (tone on tone)
Post by: Frog on November 13, 2014, 10:37:07 PM
I like Danny's approach. Also, probably just straight waterbase black thru a 305 mesh cut back to 65-70% halftone fill to allow even more of the shirt texture to show thru even more. This would allow for even more of a softer hand than a solid black fill of waterbase.  I see in that print, you can see some pretty obvious shirt texture coming thru it.


The trick with this I imagine would be to see how "your black" shows up on that particular shirt. Some R&D might be needed before running the order and like someone else said, get approval on it before running some big order.

You feel that he needs some "rest and relaxation" before running this rather than after?  ???  LOL!
Title: Re: how do i achieve this with waterbase (tone on tone)
Post by: Dottonedan on November 13, 2014, 10:43:39 PM
 I meant R&D.  You're a cantankerous sort.  LOL.
Title: Re: how do i achieve this with waterbase (tone on tone)
Post by: bulldog on November 14, 2014, 01:15:58 AM
Here is an article with video where Lon does this effect with plastisol but I imagine the techniques would be similar for WB:

http://apparelopolis.com/how-to-faux-water-base-effect/ (http://apparelopolis.com/how-to-faux-water-base-effect/)
Title: Re: how do i achieve this with waterbase (tone on tone)
Post by: tonypep on November 14, 2014, 07:51:06 AM
Been there done that a long time ago. We call it Watermark and it uses DC and Pls. Often used as an element of design rather than the entire graphic. Picture a tonal Watermark of a theme park background with the animated characters in full color in the foreground. Background changes colors depending on the shirt ground. Did this for the mouse.
Title: Re: how do i achieve this with waterbase (tone on tone)
Post by: mk162 on November 14, 2014, 12:40:43 PM
the problem with using curable reducer is it turns to soup.

Use something like xenbase from xenon or finesse from Wilflex.

I would use a slight tint of black ink in there to darken it and wham...done.