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Master Screen Printing Pre-Press: Best Techniques for 2024

Name: Master Screen Printing Pre-Press: Best Techniques for 2024
Rating: 5.0 (4 reviews)

Set your career or print shop on a course of unfounded success with these rare skills guaranteed to ignite your future.

Created byColin Fleming

Last updated 1/2024

English

What you'll learn

History of Screen Printing
The modern pre-press techniques
Create the perfect proofing template, disclainers, Dealing with Screen Print Spoilage, and
Colour theory, RGB, CMY, CILAB (LAB), rendering intent, gamut, and colour space
Colour Management, Colour Matching, Pantones, and Callibration
Halftones, Moire, Screen Angles, Dot Gain, Dithering, FM/Stochastic, LPI, PPI, DPI, and Dot Shapes
Screen Printing, Screen Mesh, Squeegees, Exposing, Machines, Inks, and Accessories
Simulated Process Colour, Index Colour, CMYK, Grayscale, and Spot Colour Separations
Making a colour cromalin, an exact simulation was made from the separations to depict the printed result dot for dot.
Pre-press, producing film positives, laser and inkjet printers, imagesetters, making positives without a RIP or postscript
Safety in a print shop, Etiquette, and Motivation
Updated modern prepress techniques for 2024 and beyond.
Why you must think CMY instead of CMYK: Lean to unlock the key in process separations.
Advanced techniques in CorelDRAW and Photoshop related to pre-press
Making print-ready PDF separations for remote work
The Underbase, Clipping, Knocking out Black, Selectice Underbase, Vector Underbase, Highlight White, and the Key ("K" or "Black" in CMYK)

Course content

12 sections • 41 lectures • 8h 12m total length

About Colin Fleming: A Journey Through the history of Screen Printing's Legacy4:05
Get to know your grand master instructor, Colin Fleming, a highly sought-after teacher and innovator in screen printing prepress, with over 30 years of experience in the industry, some history, and his lineage dating back to the 1960s when his father pioneered screen printing in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The rise of the Screen Printing Pre-Press Technician4:35
This little-known, secretive, and highly sought-after profession is about to become known in a big way!
The Modern prepress techniques1:17
Where we are today, which is in fact not much further than we were around 1990, why then, that until now, there was so little innovation and growth?

CorelDRAW - The only choice for the Screen Printing Industry!2:47
An overview of why this app is considered the #1 for screen printing for vector graphics.
Adobe Photoshop - Simply the best!2:05
An overview of why this app is considered the #1 for screen printing for creating advanced colour separations, despite the recent removal of Pantone
Adobe Acrobat Pro - The unsung hero!2:28
An overview of why this app is considered the #1 for screen printing for sending layouts, sharing print-ready artworks, and producing print-ready separations with halftones to print remotely

Color theory - RGB & CMYK9:29
This section provides a solid foundation for understanding the basics of color theory, which is crucial for anyone working with colors in design, printing, or digital media.
CIELAB (LAB)2:12
This explanation simplifies a complex concept like color spaces, making it accessible and understandable to a broad audience.
Pantone, Hexachrome, Freetone and Adobe - the Saga!5:10
An in-depth lesson on using Pantone and other free alternitives to Pantone.
Color theory - Colour Management6:57
This lesson effectively covers the complexities of color management while maintaining clarity and relevance. It's a valuable resource for anyone looking to understand the intricacies of maintaining consistent and accurate colors across various digital platforms and devices.
Calibrating Monitor and Printer1:44
By following these additional tips and making use of calibration tools and software, you can achieve even more precise and consistent color representation in your design work.
Test you knowledge

Screen Printing 1013:34
This guide serves as a valuable resource and overview for prepress technicians and anyone interested in the art of screen printing.
Screen Mesh3:01
An extensive and informative guide on screen printing mesh count and its crucial role in achieving high-quality prints. This information is incredibly valuable for prepress technicians and anyone involved in screen printing
Screen printing squeegees1:27
This comprehensive guide serves as an excellent resource for prepress technicians and screen printers,
Common Machines and accessories1:23
This overview guide serves as an excellent resource for prepress technicians and screen printers,
Inks5:54
A comprehensive overview of over 20 various screen printing inks, their properties, and applications. This information is invaluable for prepress technicians and anyone involved in screen printing.
Cromalin4:46
This term was coined by Colin Fleming recently, after the Dupont Cromalin that's been around since the 70's. As the name is no longer in use, he thought it best to reuse it for screen printing, except that our Cromalins are digital.
Test you screen printing skills

Halftones & Pixels11:14
These insights into halftones, particularly within the context of screen printing, are both informative and thought-provoking. You will gain a deep understanding of this subject and be willing to explore innovative approaches to improve the printing process.
Dot Gain1:58
This explanation of dot gain is thorough and valuable for anyone involved in the printing industry.
Moiré pattern4:05
An excellent explanation of moiré patterns and how they can affect screen printing—this detailed lesson of the causes of moiré patterns in screen printing, such as the angles of halftone screens, screen mesh grain, and substrate fabric—is very informative.
Greyscale with and without grey.1:43
A clear and informative explanation of the challenges faced when attempting to reproduce grayscale images in screen printing and the solutions to overcome these challenges. We breakdown the different methods, including using black alone and the CMY color model, and highlight the limitations of each approach.

The Underbase4:37
This explanation of underbases in screen printing is incredibly detailed and informative.
Practical: Creating an Underbase in Vector Graphics16:20
This is the only practical that I will be doing with vector graphics, as this is an intermediate course that requires you to know the basics of Coral Draw and Photoshop before signing up. So it is assumed that you already know how to trace and vectorize graphics and know your way around these apps.
Practical: Making Halftone Separations and Cromalin without a RIP38:21
This lesson will teach you to create halftones, a vital skill for your career. Even if you have a RIP or Postscript printer, mastering halftones is necessary for creating cromalin colour proofs. Uninstall the RIP and learn about this system that prevents downtime on the press—saving time and money! My decades of experience uncovered a system not many people know about, so mention it in your next job interview.

The K in Black is the Key to separating award winning prints5:23
This detailed lesson and practical guidance on configuring Photoshop for CMY-only printing in screen printing are valuable for those in the industry looking to improve color control and reduce complexities. By focusing on CMY as the core colors, screen printers can achieve more predictable and accurate results
Applying CMY + Underbase3:56
This lesson emphasized the importance of customization, experimentation, and the blend of artistry and technical expertise in achieving exceptional results.
Practical: CMY + Underbase Separations1:04:08
Unique only to this course are the practical steps in creating the ultimate separations for practical full colour on a dark garent.
Practical CMY + Underbase + Spots50:47
We are now venturing into the wondrous and unknown world of pre-press wizardry, an otherworldly realm where few mortals dare tread. Your friends and family won't understand a word you say, so don't bother trying to explain the nuances of this master class. Learn how to conjure up spot colours with process colours in Photoshop, as you make your first foray into a mysterious universe known only to screen printers and pre-press technicians.

Simulated Process Color separations7:15
You are about to achieve "God-Mode" in advanced screen printing prepress techniques. An exhaustive and meticulous guide on creating simulated process colour separations for screen printing, as well as step-by-step instructions that cover all the essential aspects of this technique, will guarantee your success. You'll learn about the essential importance of colour theory, underbase, black and halftoning. With these invaluable tips and considerations, you’ll be able to undertake this process with confidence and triumph.
Practical: Simulated Process Color separations (Part 1)29:24
Practical: Simulated Process Color separations (Part 2)46:22

Requirements

This course is presented in CorelDRAW and Adobe Photoshop, but can be performed on most professional graphics apps.
You must know how to remove backgrounds from images with Photoshop.
You must know how to manipulate objects, change print settings, and add or edit colours to graphics with CorelDRAW.
You must know how to vectorize or trace logos and graphics in CorelDRAW or similar vector apps.
You must have a passion and drive to be among the elite of screen printing pre-press technicians after mastering this course.

Description

In order to print a T-shirt, there are many processes required. It's true that anybody can create a design for a T-shirt, and anybody can print a T-shirt, but somewhere in between those steps lies a world of true wizardry and mastery, requiring knowledge, creativity and skills that no formal education has been able to offer. In fact, these skills are mostly well-guarded secrets, as having this edge in a competitive market can make or break any screen printer and, in many cases, set a small print shop on a course of rapacious growth and a lifetime of success that leaves the rest in their shadow, as most do not understand, don't know how, or have given up trying to reproduce prints that require decades of patience and spoiled goods to fully learn and apply correctly.

Elevate your career brand or printing business with award-winning screen printing pre-press mastery on an industrial level.

In the world of design and printing, mastering screen printing pre-press isn't just an art—it's a strategic leap that can transform your career and business in a way where you will never go without work again. This course, written and presented by Colin Fleming, a distinguished grandmaster screen printing pre-press technician with three decades of experience, is your gateway to unlocking the secrets of colour separations. Through these techniques, you'll tap into a lineage of expertise dating back to Colin's late father, who was the first person to screen print in Johannesburg over 60 years ago.

Colin's journey is woven into the fabric of Johannesburg's history. From his father, who pioneered t-shirt printing in the city, to his own extensive career servicing renowned print shops with colour separations and training, some are even closed for good today as the owners took early retirement. This course is a testament to a legacy of excellence that has shaped the industry. As you learn from Colin, you'll not only inherit time-honoured techniques but also a piece of history that spans continents and eras.

Screen printing is more than a craft; it's an agent of change. Just as Pop Art revolutionised the perception of art in the 1960s and propelled individuals like Andy Warhol to artistic stardom, screen-printed t-shirts have been at the forefront of countless movements, from cultural revolutions to political campaigns in South Africa to global social justice causes.

Through Colin's guidance, you'll tap into this transformative power, learning how to channel your designs into impactful statements that resonate through history.

Even in the face of digital advancement, the authenticity of a well-crafted screen-printed t-shirt remains unparalleled. The allure lies not just in the vibrant colours or intricate designs, but in the stories they tell and the emotions they evoke. As digital inks command prices that surpass even gold, the timeless charm of screen printing endures. It's a testament to quality over quantity, a nod to the undeniable worth of craftsmanship. Screen printing is NOT going to be replaced by digital ever, and the person who is willing to join the ranks of this rare and highly sought-after career choice as a screen printing prepress technician will be offered a lifetime of success and a guaranteed stable income for a lifetime.

Whether you're a freelance graphic designer seeking to elevate your portfolio or a print shop owner aiming for success, this course empowers you with invaluable skills. By mastering advanced colour separations, you're not just learning a technique—you're embracing a legacy, propelling your journey with knowledge that spans generations. Embrace the past, seize the present, and carve a path into the future of screen printing excellence.

Enrol today and embark on a transformative journey that fuses artistry and business acumen into an unstoppable force.

What you'll discover:

Types of Colour Separations: Delve into the world of colour separations, exploring spot colours, index separations, simulated process colour separations, and CMYK. Explore not only established methods but also cutting-edge advancements still in development.
Photoshop Techniques: Master the art of colour separation using Photoshop's powerful tools. Learn to employ colour range selection, manipulate channels, and harness the potential of layers to create precise and vivid separations.
Halftones and Solid Printing: Develop an expert understanding of underbase, highlight white, and split black halftones. Uncover the secrets of translating intricate designs from digital to print, ensuring stunning results every time.
Advanced Colour Matching: Acquire the skills to seamlessly blend different colour separation techniques, enabling you to produce top-tier screen prints tailored to various applications.
Quality Control and Troubleshooting: Learn to create a Cromalin colour proof that mirrors the final print, enabling you to troubleshoot and approve your design before committing it to the press.
Innovative Printing Approaches: Discover how to print halftones without a RIP or Postscript printer. Unlock the ability to print on a variety of films using a range of printers.
Learn how to make a Cromalin colour proof from your separations that is dot-for-dot like it will print, to troubleshoot and approve before setting up on the press.
How to print your halftones without a RIP or Postscript printer on just about any printer that can print on films

Who this course is for:

Screen Printers
Graphic Designers
Pre-press technicians
Screen printing pre-press technicians
Screen-printing employees
Anyone wanting a career as a master screen printing pre-press technician
Any screen printing pre-press technician wanting to polish and upgrade their skills for 2024
Screen printing enthusiasts

Master Screen Printing Pre-Press: Best Techniques for 2024

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

HELLO AND WELCOME3 lectures • 10min

SOFTWARE NEEDED FOR THIS COURSE, AND WHY3 lectures • 7min

COLOUR THEORY YOU MUST KNOW5 lectures • 26min

ALL ABOUT SCREEN PRINTING6 lectures • 20min

DIGITAL PROOFING2 lectures • 12min

HALFTONE DOTS, INDEX PIXELS, DITHERING AND FM STUFF4 lectures • 19min

THE UNDERBASE, RIP TO THE RIP, AND HELLO CROMALIN!3 lectures • 59min

FULL COLOUR PROCESS SEPARATIONS, CMY (with a little black, but no Key)4 lectures • 2hr 4min

INDEX COLOUR SEPARATIONS (TRADTIONAL AND NEW 2024 METHODS)3 lectures • 1hr 48min

TRUE SIMULATED PROCESS COLOUR SEPARATIONS YOU CAN USE ANY COLOURS WITH3 lectures • 1hr 23min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: