# Neon Color Capabilities Direct to Garment Printers



## KRAZA1 (Jul 20, 2008)

Just wondering if anyone knows if DTG printers are capable of producing true neon colors yet? I am not refering to a CMYK production either. I have had a few sources try to produce a neon color out of the standard cmyk ink and had miserable results.

Any insight on this subject would be appreciated!


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## FatKat Printz (Dec 26, 2008)

KRAZA1 said:


> I have had a few sources try to produce a neon color out of the standard cmyk ink and had miserable results.


DTG color profiles will have to be adjusted to achieve better results but you may not get the expected results of BRIGHT NEON




KRAZA1 said:


> Any insight on this subject would be appreciated!


DTG is a CMYK production based printer look at these color codes to "try" CMYK Selected Color Codes

Color Conversion (RGB/CMYK): Lime green | web.forret.com


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## zoom_monster (Sep 20, 2006)

The best way to understand, is to print colors/design to a desktop printer (CMYK only) using cheap paper (not photo). If you can't get the color there it's not possible on DTG. That being said it's possible that with some of the new printers out there, they could start offering spot color, but the ink developers for textile will need to jump in.


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## Don-ColDesi (Oct 18, 2006)

Neon colors are by their nature reflect light - process colors are illuminted by light because they are translucent - it is a case of "you can't get there from here". Z is correct that it would take a spot color to produce such colors. The challenges with this are that it would call for the elimination of a white channel (which means slower dark garment prints), a good working knowledge of how to generate files with a "spot color layer" (sometimes called an alpha channel), a commitment to a specific spot color (as changing between them would waste a good amount of ink). Lastly - what spot colors to choose?


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## ROYAL SAVAGE (Feb 18, 2009)

KRAZA1 said:


> Just wondering if anyone knows if DTG printers are capable of producing true neon colors yet? I am not refering to a CMYK production either. I have had a few sources try to produce a neon color out of the standard cmyk ink and had miserable results.
> 
> Any insight on this subject would be appreciated!


You Should read this Color space - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 


Look at the difference between RGB on you monitor and CMYK [media]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/RGB_and_CMYK_comparison.png[/media]


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## KRAZA1 (Jul 20, 2008)

That is the best reference I have ever seen, great post Royal! When i had someone try to give me the brightest green possible using DTG technology, the green in your image is exactly what I got. I just wish the DTG printers could produce loud and colorful designs! CMYK is such a buzzkill, after producing an image in RGB.


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## ROYAL SAVAGE (Feb 18, 2009)

KRAZA1 said:


> That is the best reference I have ever seen, great post Royal! When i had someone try to give me the brightest green possible using DTG technology, the green in your image is exactly what I got. I just wish the DTG printers could produce loud and colorful designs! CMYK is such a buzzkill, after producing an image in RGB.


Ink *technology*, and that's what it is, is changing rapidly. You can get phenominal DTG prints with great color. Screen printing is in the same boat when CMYK is used. The gamut is not where we would like it to be. In the graphics art printing business, printers using machines such as Epson 7900 get incredibly bright prints with the addition of green and orange. Screen printers resorted to simulated process with custom mixed colors to increase vibrancy. DTG will catch up at some point. You can't wait for everything to be perfect if you are serious about jumping in. Printers already in the business will naturally have a major leg up as technology changes. There is no perfect time.


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## KRAZA1 (Jul 20, 2008)

We are printing single piece orders, with an athletes name and number, using an old school vinyl process. We cater to customers that demand loud neon green colors, pink and orange colors. 

I am looking to get my feet wet in DTG, but not sure where to start. The Neoflex machine seems to win lots of "competitions", but the cost is $22k for a unit and the greens didn't seem to be that spectacular. There seem to be other machines on the market for less than $15k, but unsure of where to begin looking.

Any advice relative to an entry level machine, decent for single piece runs - we don't need a machine that does 3 or 4 at a time, just something basic with good resolution and colors. You mentioned the Epson 7900, maybe a manufacturer that makes a unit with that model.


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## zoom_monster (Sep 20, 2006)

KRAZA1 said:


> We are printing single piece orders, with an athletes name and number, using an old school vinyl process. We cater to customers that demand loud neon green colors, pink and orange colors..


 
Truth of the matter is that "athletic" printing is usually on poly and nylon. On top of that they are hardly ever white garments. Current technology will not allow you to get great results using a white underbase on this type of fabric.

process printing (CMYK or Hexachrome) in itself will never have a gamut of colors any better than what it could do on say photo paper. Even with white ink, you are still going to have a comprimise in color strength. CMYK has been around for about 80 years? but there has been very little inprovement to what colors it can produce. This is why we have CMYKlclmlk and hexachome ink sets to begin with. Without spot colors, DTG will never give you "those" colors.


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## KRAZA1 (Jul 20, 2008)

Thanks for all of the insight from all. I cant wait for the spot color technology, it will surely take it all to the next level that i am sure lots of consumers are hungry for, i know my customers are.


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## KRAZA1 (Jul 20, 2008)

One more question - Solvent Inks vs Water Based Inks - do all DTG printers use water based inks? Pro's / Con's? Looking for opinions and insight.


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