# Creating A One Color Halftone for Screen Printing



## EASW2013 (Apr 3, 2013)

I am trying to create screen print artwork for a customer that needs to be only one color (purple) on a lime green t-shirt. In order to jazz up the art a little and make it look like I am using more than one shade of purple by changing the opacity of the background graphics to 40%, but wanted to leave the front text at 100% opacity to make it stand out. My question is how to make the background graphics that are set to 40% opacity a halftone?

In the end, my goal is to have this artwork be burned on 1 screen for a 1 color imprint. Having both the halftone and text all on the same screen. 

Hope this makes sense! You help is much appreciated!


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## jgabby (Mar 29, 2007)

Not easy to tell you exactly what you need

the simple way is to work in grayscale, for example in photoshop

Create your artwork, separate the layer for text and backgroud

Use the eyedropper to check K (black) percentage value 

and you should read K 40% for the backgroud and K 100% for the text

If you have not the good opacity, you can adjust with the curve tool.

Who will output the film ? as you have to control dot gain, if not the 40% can become 70-80% once print.


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## TYGERON (Apr 26, 2009)

EASW2013 said:


> I am trying to create screen print artwork for a customer that needs to be only one color (purple) on a lime green t-shirt.


 What software are you using?


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## EASW2013 (Apr 3, 2013)

I am currently using Adobe Illustrator CS6, but also have access to Adobe Photoshop CS6 and Corel Draw X6!


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## TYGERON (Apr 26, 2009)

OK. Use CorelDRAW 

And assuming you don't have a RIP.

Change the background to Greyscale Bitmap
(Bitmap, Convert to Bitmap, set the Resolution, Choose Greyscale)
The go to Bitmap, Mode then choose Black and White. 
Choose the Conversion Method (Halftone)

Set the Angle, Line count and Screen Type

You'll have a monochrome bitmap that will print out as a halftone with the text. Make sure you use 100% Black from the CMYK Mode. Same for your text.


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## mrvixx (Jan 13, 2009)

Illustrator: make sure you are working with pantone solid uncoated colors. print to rip and select separations


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## rence12 (Sep 26, 2008)

I have used dots for halftones without rip and so far so good , I tried something different using lines here's what I came up with


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## rence12 (Sep 26, 2008)

I've been doing halftones without rip and so far so good,I was using dots but I wanted to try something different so I use the lines instead of dots


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## tpitman (Jul 30, 2007)

You may want to burn 2 screens -- one for the halftones and one for the solids.
depending on how large the solid area is, with only one if you make your pass with the squeegee and the solid area doesn't cover satisfactorily, you have to make another pass. It will show in the halftone areas which will then darken up and the print will look different from one shirt to the next.
This is a crutch for getting by and solving a poor squeegee technique, but since you're not in the habit of printing halftones, it's a workaround.
If you've got to get by with only one screen, make sure your off-contact is even, flood the stencil, then do a _slow, even_ squeegee print stroke. A slow print stroke will help get the solid areas filled. A push print stroke is much easier to control than a pull, also. Practice on pellons or a few old wasted shirts.


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