# Black On Black Printing - HELP!



## Rubicon Apparel (Dec 29, 2010)

Hi All,

I'm new here so im sorry if this has come up before, but i cant find an exact answer to my question. 

Basically i was wondering how you can print black on black and make it look good. 

E.g. Johnny Cupcakes / Shop Details

Is it more of a grey mix? Or is it a white screen print with black on top like when printing colours onto a black garment. 

Many Thanks!


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## PrintsCharming (Jan 21, 2009)

Rubicon Apparel said:


> Hi All,
> 
> 
> E.g. Johnny Cupcakes / Shop Details
> ...


exactly, it's not black ink.


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## Rubicon Apparel (Dec 29, 2010)

Ok, thanks 

But the printing technique to get a dark grey on black is what? Direct grey or white below?

Thanks


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## taricp35 (Dec 10, 2008)

Yep I agree, I do it all the time. I mix my black ink sometimes with grey ink, sometimes with white ink. I have no formula for mixing, I just mix until I get a color I like. When I like it, I jot down the mixture parts just in case I want to do it again. I am sure there is a better way to mix the inks but the shirts are usually for myself so I don't really care all that much. If someone comes in wanting it then I will have the place that I buy my inks from mix it.


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## macumazahn (Jan 11, 2007)

I basically use the same process. In fact will be doing a dozen of that process this weekend. I start with black ink and add small amounts of white until I get the desired color. I also add reducer to thin it out for a slightly better hand feel.


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## foot print (Jun 2, 2010)

Rubicon Apparel said:


> Ok, thanks
> 
> But the printing technique to get a dark grey on black is what? Direct grey or white below?
> 
> Thanks


 NO you do not need to under base (white ink under dark grey) just print your grey ink directly on the shirt..here something cool..take a empty container put it aside. Anytime you have junk ink, contaminated ink, just ink you don't want to put back in your bucket. Don't toss it in the trash toss it into your empty container after a while you will have a bunch of crappy ink. Mix it up and you will get this really cool greyish,brownish, color and it actually looks really cool on black tees.


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## cv.graphink (Nov 25, 2010)

well i guess i would say plastisol and not waterbase. a soft squeegee because you want it to lay down the ink on the garment. no you don't need a base for the black ink. if you have the time make yourself a screen for the black ink and another screen for a white underbase. print a test rag with the underbase and without the underbase, and then decide which one you like more. i don't know what your printing but i don't think you would need an underbase for black plastisol ink on black shirts. 

as for inks: if your trying to mix inks, starting to have customers, and starting to deal with artwork designed by someone else then the supplies here at this link will help out big time Water Based Pantone Mixing System, Plastisol Pantone Mixing System, Ink Color Matching. printing a dark gray on black isn't all that crazy either. we are currently printing a design that has a gray background with waterbase discharge ink, and then a logo in the corner with plastisol - white underbase, light green, a darker green, and black ink(in that order). a pantone guide book is an extremely important tool to have in any screen printing shop


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## jayarrsteiner (Aug 8, 2009)

Just print standard black plastisol on a shirt. It has a natural shine to it so the shirt will look all black but in the right light you'll see the slight shimmer of the design. Just my personal experience.


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## hawaiianphatboy (Apr 28, 2008)

I have used high density clear on black shirts. It gives a shiny black appearance and visible at all angles. It is a pretty cool effect. Aloha


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## BroJames (Jul 8, 2008)

I print some military type of shirts and sometimes I can get away with all sorts of ink-shirt color combination. Usually, I use leftover colors to come up with a new color. Usually, I add black ink to the leftover ink to print on very dark shirts. I have no fix formula but often get it close to the shade of the shirt or close to black.


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