8 Color Printed in 6 colors

This was a design for Donnie Miller that I originally

sepped in 8 colors,  but he requested it in 6 colors.  I 

usually split the black and red solids because of gain on

the press.  It takes a veteran like Donnie to pull this off

and make it look good.

The first image is the White Base before the Flash.

I split the layered Channels from the single black and

white so you can see how the film positive looks as each 

color is applied. This also simulates how it will develop on

the press.

Next is Yellow.  To simulate process,  this will blend with

red and black to make oranges, creams and browns as you

will see in the following sequences.

This is the Red which is an overpowering color.  As I 

mentioned before,  I normally split the solids from the 

blending sections for less problems on the press.

This is the Blue. Nothing complicated.  I use the Highlight

White to control the lighter areas.

Black is great until you start getting the dot gain on the

press.  This is why I split the solids from the rest. 

This is the Highlight White.  I usually put this between

the two black. In this situation I would have put it before the

black.  I'm just guessing on Donnie's printing sequence.

Ba-Bam!!

On the left is the Photoshop art and the right is the actual

print on the shirt.  Nice printing, Donnie!

6 Color Separation on a Black Shirt

 This was created for a popular restaurant  in Austin.

The design was named after one of their popular

tacos called Dirty Sanchez.

 A based down black is the first color that I pull

out of the design.

 Next,  I pull all of the reds out of the

design, then split the solids from the mixing red.

 Since red is a very overpowering pigment, this

will give more control on the press with the color and screen

mesh count with the two separate screens.

 Next is the yellow to mix in with the different degees

to make  browns, oranges, golds and  other warm colors.

 The base will make or break a design. This will 

 make the contrasts, the depths and thicknesses of

different parts of the design to help establish more

dimension and brightness to the print.  

 The highlight white strengthens the white areas

of the design and at the same time blends and controls

other colors that will overpower in the printing process

by the dot gain.

The first image was the design in Layers.  This

image is only the Channels after separating the 

colors.

10 Color Photoshop Channel Separation

This was a collage I made for the client's idea for a shirt. The 

following shots are the process of separating the

colors in Photoshop channels that will be made

into individual screens on a T-shirt press.

The first color in the sequence that I pulled was red.

Next was a pink/magenta.

Third color is yellow.

Next was a red shade blue.

Then a medium green.

I added an additional darker green that I would 

normally mix the other with black, but I had a dark green

logo that I needed to add, so I took advantage

of it.

Next is a cyan for the greener and lighter blues.

This is a based back black that is for shading and 

very week to prevent darkening from dot gain.

Then a highlight white or hot white as some call

it. this is to smooth out and mix to  overcome some colors that

will gain on the press.

Last is the more dense black that is only used in the darker areas 

and any type that needs solidity.

Next, the channels are copied and saved as a composite

and brought into Illustrator where vector graphics are

applied. Colors are assigned to those from the Photoshop

colors. Then registration, and a legend with the PMS and print order 

that is suggested, but may be altered on the press.

Then the the final. A print on the shirt. Note that the

green on the logo is a dark green that is not good 

to mix. Otherwise it would have been a 9 color.

Don't judge me on the design!  Not my choice.  :)

How to create a great design from simple elements.

First, I began with simple elements in Illustrator

Then, I warped a few of those elements.

Put them together, changed color and added some strokes.

I brought those into Photoshop and made a few changes.

I added some bevel effects.

I changed the background and added gradients and a glow.

A few shadows for depth.

Add a few shadows for depth

A few stars, type and a color overlay and BA-BAM!!

Simple.