# Illustrator line Weight for Screen Printing



## jonnygNYC (Sep 29, 2006)

First, I would consider myself an expert at using Adobe Illustrator.. - However, over the past 5 years my efforts have been focused on interactive.. Therefore I am a little rusty at print, and even more when it comes to a medium that involves fabric. Now that I am getting into this (as a side business at first), I have a few questions.

1. What is the minimum line weight (in Adobe Illustrator) for a screen print? Does this vary from printer to printer? I have looked around the forums and cannot get a conclusive answer. Most of my designs use small lines (1 point) juxtaposed with larger lines (6+ points).

2. If screen printing is not effective, what are other options which would give more detail?


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## Fluid (Jun 20, 2005)

I would not go lower than 1pt. Depending on the designs, colors and color of shirts to be printed 1pt may be too small for the mesh required for the color/job at hand.

Also depends on the printer. We can handle .5 yet some may need 2pt. Just get with your printer for their specs.


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## jonnygNYC (Sep 29, 2006)

Thanks Richard for your response. This is something that I have been agonizing over while I have been designing. I think I will try to stick to 1 point and find a printer which will suit me. Even if it costs a bit more, - I will figure out what to do.


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## Fluid (Jun 20, 2005)

Printers can hold small detail, tht hard part is when that detail in in color and needs to be on a white underbase for darks. Choking a white line that is smaller than .5 is almost impossible. Very tough as to get enough choke the white ub line would be so small you might not even get a good burn.

tryng to stay around 1pt should give you some leeway with most printers.


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## rajusa (Dec 31, 2011)

If I am reproducing a logo for embroidery, using adobe Illustrator. What is the minimum line weight that will be clearly visible on a 2" height by 1.5" width logo after digitizing. And does the digitizing software play a role in the quality and accuracy of the finished patch, if so what digitizing software is the best.

Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge.
Robert


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## BroJames (Jul 8, 2008)

rajusa said:


> If I am reproducing a logo for embroidery, using adobe Illustrator. What is the minimum line weight that will be clearly visible on a 2" height by 1.5" width logo after digitizing. And does the digitizing software play a role in the quality and accuracy of the finished patch, if so what digitizing software is the best.
> 
> Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge.
> Robert


Starting a new thread may get more responses specific to embroidery.

Jon, if by "getting into this" you mean your own screen printing then the larger the lines the better. I would suggest 2 pt upwards. Even 3 but this of course depends on your artwork. I just find 1 point too delicate but it is doable.

If you will be outsourcing then I would not mind the 1 pt. I would mind(or be wary) printers worrying about 1 pt though.


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## Sulp (Dec 7, 2010)

Digitizing is a whole different ballgame. When u want to embroider very fine lines, a run stitch is used. That's the thinnest line you can do and it's determined by the thickness of the thread. As for software, Wilcom is the best digitizing software out there.


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