starting out

[gellydesigns2010]

Hello everyone

I am looking to start my own silkscreen business next year. I am going to build it slowly. I know allot about the business. I was a printer/artist in the industry for 11 years. That was almost 11 years ago however. Allot has changed since my apprenticeship back in the early nineties. My questions to anyone listening, is the business still profitable? I use to hear the words "cut throat" allot. What business is not anymore? Can a guy reasonably start up with little cost? (I have a friend who can do small jobs to help build capital until I can afford the right equipment myself) What piece of printing equipment would a guy lay hands on first? dryer or press? I have Adobe Illustrator CS2 Photoshop CS2,Freehand MX and Corel Draw12-x4 and well verse in them. Which package serves the silkscreen industry best? Will I need a rip for output? Is there an affordable rip that’s dependable? ( AccuRip is expensive and looks lame) There seems to be a myriad of folks selling their action and macros sets on the internet that draw things quick to line art and do halftone seps and etc. Are they a bunch of hacks or is there real programing behind there software? Can’t I just record some actions in Photoshop to make a line art piece from a photo do the same as some of these quote un-quote programmers say they have done? ( I am certainly not slamming these guys just seems like I could make my own set of actions to do seps and quick line art from photos on my own and save some money) Any helpful info would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Luc St-Pierre]

The first question you would need to answer is what market are you aiming at? Since the early 90's the wind of change (digital imaging-printing) has blown hard on silkscreen like it has everywhere else. Many parts of the market have derived to ink-jet printing, die-cut vinyls, even to flexography. Silkscreen will always remain, and it will survive best where it was always meant to be: the “crafty” printing. Forget about volume production without huge investments in a very narrow market. Concentrate on areas where craftmanship, creativity and skill are the main ingredient of the product. This will help you put together a shopping list for equipment. As far as “prepress” is concerned, Illustrator and Photoshop should be your daily bread, they carry all features one needs to execute all the manipulations you were mentioning. Get on your keyboard and start trying out the effects you need, canning your actions, saving your templates, etc.. Like I said before craftmanship, creativity and skill are your No.1 tools, use them right now. Good luck!

 

[Possumgal]

Try looking for screen printing forums, you'll get more info there. I'm currently part of a screen printing business, and it has changed in the past few years, most notably in output of positives for screen making. You'll need either CorelDraw or Illustrator for artwork, later Photoshop for more realistic work. At the very least, a good laser printer to print positives on vellum. Most seem to be printed on larger format inkjet printers these days. From what I've seen posted, kits are not the way to go, advice is usually to get good used equipment from a brand name.
Hope this helps.

 

[gellydesigns2010]

Thank you

Thank you

Thank you Luc St-Pierre & Possumgal for your helpful advice. I will concentrate on craftsmenship and uniqueness in my artwork and production flow. I was also interested in maybe learning more about the embroidery business as well. Any tips? I joined a silkscreen forum Possumgal will also seek some help there. I was also interested in lithographing technology and printmaking? would love in the future to make prints of my paintings and water colors.

Thank you guys for your incite.

 

[Possumgal]

Most fabric silk-screening websites also have sections for embroidery, because that's a natural way for screen printers to expand, at least the ones who print on fabrics.