Hey Guys, Its been awhile…

26 Sep

This year started out a little rough with a family tragedy in February, and then relocating our shop in June which required a lot of packing and unpacking.

Now that the shop is almost completely operational again, we’re back to printing!
We ran into a few speed bumps at the beginning of the summer and learned some new things about our customers and about our policies.  We will be adjusting/updating our pricing over the next few weeks and hope to make the ordering process simpler.

We are excited to start playing with Puff, Burnout and Graphic ink in our new shop in the coming months- and some new Yeah Right! designs are in the works and will be available to order on the site.

but until then… why don’t you,

♥

Epic…

27 Dec

Yeah Right! has gone intercontinental via this photo from Antarctica.


-Thanks Chris, and Andrew from Adventuresmith Explorations

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Exposure City, I’m The Mayor…

30 Nov

Making a perfect screen that captures all the detail in a complex image and lasts for thousands of prints without breaking down, is an equation with a lot of variables but once you solve the problem, it’s a breeze.

Every image is different and it requires some thought to decide which screen is going to output it best.  If the image is very detailed and requires a high resolution screen to define every edge perfectly then you are going to select a screen with a high mesh count like a 305.  This number refers to how many threads there are in a square inch radius on the screen.  The more threads there are in the screen, the finer the spaces are in between the threads and more detail can be achieved.  If you are working with a simple text in big blocky letters with plastisol ink then you will choose a lower mesh count like 110. Sometimes you will want to deposit a thicker layer of ink and this requires a thicker coat of emulsion on the screen during the coating process.  All of these variables effect the proper exposure time to achieve the perfect final image.

Exposure times also depend on the light source you are using to expose with.  Whatever you are using to expose, whether it be a light box, lamp, or even the sun, you must develop a process that is accurate and consistent.  To find out the perfect exposure time you are going to want to perform a step wedge test using an exposure calculator.


An exposure calculator is a transparent film that has 21 one different tints/shades of black on it.  Step(shade) 21 is 100% opaque (meaning it does not allow any light to shine through). The following steps in decreasing numerical order then become less opaque and allow a little bit more light through each time.  To use the calculator you place it on the screen and expose it to UV light for a predicted time.  When the screen is washed out, the different values of tints wash out differently.  To ensure a perfect exposure you will want every step from 21-8 to wash out while 7-1 should stay solid.  If you expose the step test and it washes out incorrectly then you will use the exposure correction table (that comes with the test) to adjust your exposure time until it washes out correctly.  You must perform this test with every different mesh or emulsion type you use and write the times down for future reference.

Another thing that can greatly effect the outcome of exposure is the positive contact of your transparency film.  You must ensure that the film is 100% flat against the screen when exposed.  If the film is raised in any place light will seep/leak in and harden the emulsion where it shouldn’t and detail in the  image will be lost.  Positive contact can be achieved by placing foam on top of the screen and then placing something heavy to push down on it and keep the screen and transparency tightly pressed together.

Once the screen has been properly exposed from its light source, you need to wash it out immediately with water under UV safe light.  I use the KDL Blackline Washout booth outside so I must completely wet both sides of the screen before bringing it into the unsafe light environment outside.  Once the screen has been wet, the diazo (active ingredient that hardens the emulsion) is deactivated and it is now safe to bring under UV light.  I use a pressure washer on a low setting to wash out the stencil in my screen which requires me to keep a minimum two and a half foot distance. This distance is to maintain the amount of detail that washes out in my screen, as well as keeps me from damaging the mesh itself. When washing out detailed lines or fine halftones you should use a plastic spray bottle with a spritz nozzle, thus allowing the lowest possible pressure.

After the screen has been rinsed out you need to dry off the residual water. This water can sometimes contain diazo that will dry in the image area and block ink from passing through.  I place old newspapers on the wet screen and soak it up without rubbing or wiping.  Peel the newspaper off and repeat on both sides of the screen.  Allow the screen to completely air dry in a dust free environment (for at least an hour).  Your screen can now be exposed to UV light at any time and is ready to print with!

-Ian

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What is a halftone?

29 Nov

First, let’s define it:

Halftone is the technique used to reproduce photographs or images through the use of dots, varying either in size, in shape or in spacing. “Halftone” can also be used to refer specifically to the image that is produced by this process.

Then, let’s talk about it!

The human eye can actually distinguish millions of shades of colors. In order to create a full color image that contains an array of colors (too many colors for a single screen printing press) or to re-create images that contain shades and gradients that blend evenly, you need to use halftones. Halftones used in full color process require a set of 4 colors known as Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black (CMYK) which you can think of as your “primary colors” (Cyan=Blue, Magenta=Red, Yellow=Yellow). When you overlay these colors they can create secondary colors such as Orange, Green and Purple.

By using tiny, pixel sized dots when you overlay these colors, you can create an optical illusion that makes it appear as if you used several, to hundreds of colors, to print one image – while in reality, only 4 colors were used.

This method of halftone blending was used in the first color TVs (although televisions used Red, Blue and Green – not Cyan, Magenta and Yellow) and is still used for newspapers, books and generally any color computer printer. (That’s why you always have to buy 4 cartridges when your printer runs out of color ink!)

Halftones can be any size or shape. The most common shapes are circles, lines, diamonds, squares, ellipses and crosses. These shapes can be used simultaneously to avoid Moiré, tone-jumps and loss of highlight dots.

The photo below is an example of the optical illusion seen through the use of CMYK halftones:

Now, let’s take a closer look!
The round object in this photo is called a Loupe, it’s used to view film negatives before exposing and developing. It’s basically a 10x magnifying glass. With the use of the loupe, you can see each individual halftone dot, and how it overlays the next to create the illusion of different shades:

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

This image was printed using Water Based Enviro Process Inks Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black.
The halftones were achieved through the use of the BLACKMAX system.

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Marketing Ploy Number 2: Advertising Samples

29 Nov

Hey! It’s the holiday season! So with all those people shopping, eating, walking and driving – the best ideas for businesses is to get in as much advertising as possible. There is probably no better way to show your potential clients how valuable you are to them, than to give them FREE samples of work you can do for them!

Always Take the Extra Step! These shirts were for the Domino’s employees you see standing on intersection corners waving advertising boards. They’re also useful for the employees that leave those coupons on your doorknobs!

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Marketing Ploy Number 1: The Conversation Piece

8 Nov

I love my new Tattoo!  It is a handy dandy Blank Tshirt Template that I can draw in while I wait for orders to come in (haha).  Coincidentally, I am sure many people will ask me, ” What’s that on your arm? ”  To which I will reply, ” Oh, I’m a Screen Printer, Do you need some Tshirts printed? ” The Conversation Piece is more than just a tattoo, its an advertisement that
gets people to ask me about my business.

This Marketing Ploy was brought to you in part by SilkScreeningSupplies.com


Thats right mom… a permanent advertisement.

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Excitable

27 Oct

My favorite photographer is back.  Leesa’s camera broke while we were in Disneyland a few months back.  That is why we have been lagging with our photos.  The Buzz Lightyear ride sent our old camera’s sensor on the fritz. Darn lasers!!

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mmmm Brains….

25 Oct

Yeah Right! was honored to print this year’s Tucson Zombie Walk Tshirt.  All profits were donated to our local Brains Bank… I mean Food Bank, which is why we chose to be a sponsor. This is the first event we’ve ever helped sponsor and it was exciting to print and see our name on the backs of the shirts! And who could resist participating? You can view photos from this year’s Zombie Walk at Metromix.com


Unfortunately this is the only video we have of the event:

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Emulsion Coating

21 Oct

Lesson Two in Screen Printing!

After you’ve degreased your new screens, its time to coat them. Coating simply means to cover your mesh with emulsion. Once the emulsion dries your screen is ready to be exposed! All emulsions are light sensitive and when they are exposed to UV rays there is a chemical reaction which causes the emulsion to become hard. Any area that is not exposed to UV rays (due to blocking light with the black ink of your transparency) will remain soft and can easily be washed out – thus creating your printable stencil!

We use the CCI ProChem Dual Cure Diazo Emulsion which works with both waterbased and plastisol inks. This emulsion is more reliable and won’t break down as fast as other emulsions because it’s resistant to water and cleaning solvents. Some emulsions come pre-sensitized to light, however the CCI ProChem Dual Cure Diazo Emulsion needs to be sensitized by you before it can be used. This is a fairly simple process and allows you to have more control over the product(s) you’re using. A Diazo Sensitizer and some distilled water is all you need!

ALL OF THESE STEPS NEED TO BE DONE UNDER UV SAFE LIGHTS / BUG LIGHTS

Step One: Sensitizing the Emulsion

1) Mix about 3/4 of distilled water into your Diazo Sensitizer and shake until the powder has completely dissolved.
2) Then mix your dissolved liquid into your emulsion, trying to avoid adding too much air as you stir.
3) After most of the streaks have gone and you feel confident its been mixed thoroughly, allow it to stand for 2 hours.

After most of the bubbles have risen and the chemicals have had time to blend into your mixed emulsion, you’re ready to coat!
While I am using the floor of our darkroom to coat our screens, we suggest that you use a screen coating stand. This will provide more consistent and accurate results in your coating. You’re also going to need a Scoop Coater which is the tool that holds your emulsion while you’re coating.

Step Two: Coating your Screen (always use a newly degreased screen!)

1) Fill your Scoop Coater with sensitized emulsion.
2) Starting on the outside or “Print” side of your screen, lay your coater against the mesh, tilt it to a 90º angle and wait for the emulsion to touch your screen (this is called a bead).
3) When the bead reaches your mesh, slowly but firmly apply pressure and pull the coater up towards the top of your screen.
4) Once you reach the top you’ll need to do a sawing motion to separate the emulsion in the coater from the emulsion on the screen (don’t let it drip!).
5) Now you’re going to repeat the same steps for the inside or “Squeegee” side of your screen. Regardless of which side you start on, always ensure that you end on the “Squeegee” side/inside of the screen.
6) Lay the screen flat to dry with the print side down on supports so that nothing is touching the mesh or emulsion. The screen needs to be print side down so the emulsion can dry thicker on your “Print” side.

You’re all done!

Thoroughly clean your scoop coater immediately after you have finished coating. Always check the blade edges of your coater for any nicks or cuts before coating to avoid inconsistencies.

Screens need to be air-dried in a light safe, dust free and humidity controlled room for about 2 or more hours. Screens also need to be stored in a UV free light safe environment until after they are exposed.

Sometimes you’ll want to do two passes (two coatings) on the outside / “Print” side of your screen to create a thicker stencil. White plates or single solid colors (spot color) are a great example of when you’d want to do two passes. The thicker the stencil is, the deeper the well will be where your ink lays. This creates a thicker deposit with just one squeegee pass/swipe during printing.

If I can do it, you can do it!

- Leesa

All of the items we used in this video can be bought from SilkScreeningSupplies.com.

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Learning and Growing

15 Oct

We have finally finished our transition between servers! It took longer than we thought, but now there’s no more awkwardness when you switch between pages! (woohoo!) With every customer we have learned something new and we built our new site based on the most commonly asked questions we hear. We’d like to include a message board so that anyone can ask us a question about screen printing whenever they need to, but we’re still working on that aspect.

We are also excited to announce we will be printing for this year’s Tucson Zombie Walk! If you are unsure what a Zombie Walk is, we highly suggest viewing  images of other Zombie Walks to get an idea! They have become an international phenomenon over the last few years and we are thrilled to be a part of the Tucson walk! All proceeds from the Tucson Zombie Walk benefit our local food bank, which is why we also chose to be a sponsor!

It seems like we cannot stress enough how important it is for you be involved in your own community. Often, cities have several local and international events a year where you can meet a lot of new faces and make a lot great connections. Tucson is definitely one of those cities that is chock-full of interesting events – and since we are now a local business, we’d like to give back to the town that spends their money with us by supporting local events, and in turn, supporting Tucson!

Tucson’s Zombie Walk will start at 7 p.m. however other zombie events start at 3 p. m. on Saturday October 23, 2010.

For more information and a complete schedule of events please refer to the following:

http://www.crawlofthedead.com/crawls/info/tucson_zombiewalk/

http://www.tucsonzombies.com/

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Screen Printing 101

22 Sep

Our first lesson in Screen Printing!

DEGREASING! This is the first step to any job because in order to make a great print, you have to use a great stencil! Degreasing simply means that you will be removing any dust particles, dirt, hair or residual oils (from your hands touching the mesh or even left over from previous ink) from the screen. Degreasing your screens will allow your emulsion or stencil material to form a stronger bond with the mesh, creating a longer-lasting, more durable stencil. If you do not degrease your screens before you coat them, your emulsion will deteriorate much quicker causing problems during the print-process.

If you aren’t planning on using your newly re-claimed, or newly purchased screens in the near future, you should wait to degrease them. After the screens have been degreased and air-dried, they need to be kept in a “dust-free” environment to avoid contaminating them with particles and destroying all the work you just put into cleaning them! Since “dust-free” environments are hard to manage sometimes, its a better idea to degrease your screens a day or a few hours ahead of when  you plan on coating them.

In this video, I am using our KDL Blackline Washout booth and a pressure washer. A garden hose will also work well, and remember if you are using a pressure washer, you need to be gentle as it is easy to blow holes through the mesh or lessen the tension of your screen. We recommend the Enviro Clean Degreaser (especially for print shops in residential neighborhoods), however there is also the CCI Nutralyze Screen Degreaser. In this example I will be using Dawn Dish Detergent which required my extra attention to make sure it had no added moisturizers or fragrance. Using a non-abrasive Scrub along with the degreaser, I gently rub in clockwise patterns on both sides of my screen. Once the mesh has been cleaned I throughly rinse both sides. Try to always rinse from top to bottom so that nothing drips back down into your clean screen.

This was the 1st time I’d ever degreased a screen! So if I can do it, you can do it!

- Leesa

All of the items we used in this video can be bought from SilkScreeningSupplies.com.

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Team Dylan!

21 Sep

Yeah Right! was honored to design and print these Team Dylan Monster Truck shirts for the Diabetes walk in Idaho Falls. This is the 2nd Awareness Walk that Yeah Right! has printed for but it won’t be the last because we  love giving our support to Non-profits and people who care. Little Dylan loves monster trucks and he asked us to have one crushing Diabetes. This three color design was a lot of fun and it is always exciting to see your customers wearing your products!


If you would like info on how you can help Juvenile Diabetes Awareness please visit:

http://www.jdrf.org

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Printing with Graphic Inks!

15 Sep

This job was given to me by my friends at Dress Code who sell Band Apparel and Alternative Accessories.  I met them while promoting my band out on the streets and they were kind enough to sell our CD and T-shirts.  They just opened a new store at the Tucson Mall and needed some shopping bags printed.  The Yeah Right! shop is not currently set up for this process, however our friends at The Gloo Factory allowed me to print the bags at their shop.  It is important to understand that in this business other printers are not your enemy.   Although we are in a recession, the demand for printing is still out there and having a negative attitude towards other printers doesn’t get you more customers.  There is a vast amount of knowledge you can gain from talking to/working with other printers, especially when they are more experienced or more familiar with other printing processes.  It is up to you to get out there and market yourself, and always remember: you get what you give! So the more friends you can make along your screen printing journey, the better; because in reality – we’re all part of the same community.

Graphic Inks give off much harsher fumes than Plastisol which is why it is very important to have a facility that has proper ventilation when using it.  It is air dried and requires a respirator to protect your lungs from toxic vapors. Large wall mounted or rolling racks are needed for the drying process, as well as an overhead exhaust to create air flow and pull fumes from the room. The Graphic Inks take about 2-4 hours to dry, so planning ahead is essential. When working with paper bags, signs or sticker paper, a Vacuum Pallet will make things much easier.  It holds the item down flat and in place with suction while you print, instead of using tack or adhesive repeatedly.

The biggest problem I encountered with this project was getting an evenly printed image.  The bags have handles glued to the inside and big folds that don’t allow a perfectly flat printing surface.  This causes the image to appear to have cracking, streaking, and distressing.  It ended up giving each bag a unique look and worked out fine with this project but could be a problem if your customers don’t expect it.

-Ian

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Digitizing like a boss!

1 Sep

The first step to any print project, is to have something to print!

When I received this image I was stoked because it was drawn so neatly with fine attention to detail, but once I scanned it in, I found that it was difficult to capture the hard lines with out fuzzy digital edges (that you get from the scan).  I brought it into Adobe Photoshop 3 and darkened the lines with a Levels Adjustment.  I copied and pasted it into Adobe Illustrator 3 and rasterized the image.  From there, I did a Live Trace with the Default one color logo setting on.  The edges came out extremely jagged so I broke out the Pen Tool and traced it myself.  To get an image digitized professionally, you can’t always rely on the software presets.  Just get in there with some patience and do it in a way that will give the image the justice it deserves!

Illustrator and Corel are very similar, although I”ve been told Corel is easier for beginners.
However, if it all seems like hieroglyphics to you, here are some sites that can help:

Lynda.com Training videos for any type of art software [we highly recommend this one!]

or, you can send your art to people like me who will vector/digitize for you!
Vectormagic.com Digitizes vector images for you
24hourartwork.com They Digitize in 24 hours
Artworksource.com They Digitizes and Vectorize

- Ian

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University of Arizona AMSA

18 Aug

These AMSA shirts were a two color print with use of halftones.
This is a good option for customers who don’t wish to spend money on a 3 color print because the halftones allow you to achieve different values of whichever color you are using (in this case, black).

This project was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed designing their new logo.  I hope to be printing more club shirts throughout the school year.

Later I will be blogging about possible copyright issues you might run into when printing for Schools or other organizations with trademarked logos.

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