r/SCREENPRINTING • u/North-Sea9693 • 1d ago
Beginner CMYK beginner
I’m new to CMYK and am currently using One Stroke plastisol inks. This is for a client that I have test three samples on and can’t get it quite right. Last and most clear shirt was shot at 58 dpi on 230 mesh. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you
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u/Wrngsideofdatracks 1d ago
It almost looks like your yellow screen is getting a little dirty. I always print my yellow first when I do cMYK I always print YMCK you put the yellow first and then you could save it and not waste any of the ink because it won’t get dirty or muddied.
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u/greaseaddict 1d ago
how many screens can you fit on your press?
CMYK is essentially the worst way to recreate this image. it's a six or seven color spot process péint and will run with good seps all day
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u/akdink 1d ago
On a black shirt, the limiting factor is probably not 58 LPI or 230 mesh. Standard process CMYK is translucent and is designed to be printed over white or a light ground; without an opaque white base, the black fabric absorbs the light that would make the yellow, red, and highlights look clean. That is why the image is reading muddy/dark.
For this design, first choose the workflow:
• If you want full CMYK on a dark garment, build a proper white underbase and then print the process colors over it (with a choke so the white does not halo). Test the base’s opacity, flash, and smoothness before tuning the four colors.
• If you do not want an underbase, separate it as a limited spot-color/simulated-process design and accept that some highlights and color range must be redesigned for black.
230 mesh with 58 LPI is a sensible starting point. I would keep that constant while you prove the underbase or redesign the separation. Print a small control strip of yellow, magenta, cyan, black, and a neutral gray over the same base; it quickly shows whether the remaining issue is ink opacity, flash, registration, or the art separation.