The Ultimate Guide to Screen Printing Artwork: From Vector Files to Simulated Process

February 16, 2026

Stop sending low-res JPEGs.

If there is one thing that separates a "meh" t-shirt from a retail-ready masterpiece, it’s the artwork. At Battle Born Clothing, we live and breathe ink, but we know the hardest part of the process happens before we even touch a squeegee.

Whether you are a brand owner trying to figure out why your printer is asking for a ".AI file," or a novice printer trying to understand why your white ink looks dull on black shirts, this guide is for you.

We’re breaking down the technical barriers of screen printing—from resolution and traps to the "Screen Print vs. DTF" debate.

TL;DR / Quick Reference for Clients

Best File Type: Vector (.AI, .EPS, .SVG) or Raster (.PSD) with layers.

Resolution: 300 DPI at actual print size.

Colors: Convert RGB to Pantone (PMS) Solid Coated for accuracy.

The Golden Rule: You cannot "upscale" a small image from Instagram to fit a t-shirt. It will look pixelated.

1. The Foundation: Resolution and File Types

Keywords: Screen printing artwork requirements, vector vs raster for printing

Garbage in, garbage out. Screen printing is an analog process that demands high-fidelity digital input.

Vector vs. Raster: The Showdown

Vector (Preferred): Files ending in .AI, .EPS, or .SVG. These are made of mathematical paths, not pixels. You can scale them from the size of a business card to a billboard, and lines remain razor-sharp. Best for: Logos, text, and sharp graphics.
Raster (Acceptable if High-Res): Files ending in .PSD, .PNG, or .JPEG. These are made of pixels.
- The Rule: Must be at least 300 DPI (Dots Per Inch) at the exact size you want it printed.
- The Trap: Do not just change the settings in Photoshop from 72 DPI to 300 DPI. That just adds blurry pixels. You need the original high-res source.

Battle Born Pro Tip: If you zoom in on your artwork to 200% and the edges look jagged (aliasing), that is exactly how it will print on the shirt.

2. Advanced Prep: Traps, Chokes, and Registration

Keywords: Screen printing registration, choking the underbase, trapping colors

Screen printing involves printing one color at a time. Because fabric moves and stretches, "perfect" registration is physically impossible. To prevent gaps between colors, we use Traps and Chokes.

The Mechanics

Spreads (Trapping): Expanding a lighter color slightly so it prints under a darker outline. If the registration is off by a hair, the overlap hides the gap.
Chokes (The Underbase): When printing on dark garments, we print a white "underbase" first. We choke (shrink) this white layer by 1-2 pixels (approx 0.5 points).
- Why? If the white base is the exact same size as the top color, any slight misalignment will show a thin white line peaking out the side. Choking ensures the white stays hidden.

How to do it:

Illustrator: Use the Pathfinder tool or Stroke attributes (set to overprint).
Photoshop: Select your channel > Select > Modify > Contract (2px at 300 DPI).

Deep Dive: Avoiding Common Screen Printing Mistakes

3. Color Separation: Spot vs. CMYK vs. Simulated Process

Keywords: Simulated process printing, CMYK screen printing, spot color separation

How do we get the image from your screen to the shirt? It depends on the complexity.

Method	Best For	The Verdict
Spot Color	Logos, text, cartoons (1-6 colors).	The Industry Standard. Uses pre-mixed ink (Pantone). Clean, vibrant, and precise.
Simulated Process	Photorealistic images on dark shirts.	The "High-End" Choice. Uses halftones of specific spot colors (Red, Gold, Blue, Grey, White) to blend and simulate millions of colors.
CMYK	Photorealistic images on white shirts only.	The "Old School" Choice. Uses Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black. It relies on transparency, so it looks muddy on dark fabrics. Simulated process has largely replaced this.

The Reddit Debate: Why is Simulated Process better than CMYK?

CMYK inks are translucent. Simulated process inks are semi-opaque. This means Simulated Process prints are brighter, hold detail better on black tees, and feel more "retail."

Learn more about Pantone Matching here .

4. The "Dark Garment" Reality Check

Keywords: Printing on black t-shirts, white underbase screen printing

Printing on a white tee is like drawing on paper. Printing on a black tee is like painting on a blackboard—you need a primer.

The Underbase: This is a layer of white ink printed first, then "flashed" (partially cured) to create a solid surface. Colors are printed on top of this base.
The Consequence: Prints on dark garments will always feel slightly thicker (heavier hand) than prints on light garments because there is physically more ink.
The Limitation: You cannot print CMYK on black shirts without a complex white base, which is why we usually switch to Simulated Process for darks.

Full Guide: Printing on Dark vs. Light Fabrics

5. Battle of the Methods: Screen Print vs. DTF vs. DTG

Keywords: Is screen printing better than DTF, durability of screen printing

We get asked this daily: "Should I just use DTF?" Here is the honest breakdown.

Screen Printing ( The King of Bulk)

Durability: 50+ Washes. The ink physically bonds with the fabric fibers.
Feel: Can be heavy (Plastisol) or nonexistent (Water-based/Discharge).
Verdict: Best for orders over 24 pieces. It gets cheaper as you buy more.

DTF (Direct-to-Film)

Durability: 40-60 Washes. Extremely stretchy and crack-resistant.
Feel: Feels like a thin, smooth sticker or vinyl patch. It sits on top of the shirt.
Verdict: Excellent for low quantities, complex color gradients, or difficult placements (like tags or sleeves).

DTG (Direct-to-Garment)

Durability: 30-50 Washes. Fades faster than screen print.
Feel: Very soft, almost no "hand."
Verdict: Good for one-off photos on 100% cotton. Struggles on polyester.

See the full showdown: Screen Printing vs. DTF vs. DTG

Final Thoughts for Clients & Printers

For the Clients:

If you want the best results, trust your printer's specs. If we ask for a vector file, it’s not because we are being difficult—it’s because we want your brand to look professional. Always approve your mockups on a computer screen, not a phone, to check color accuracy.

For the Novice Printers:

Don't cheap out on screens. High tension (20-25 Newtons) solves 90% of print issues. And please, for the love of the craft, do not use a heat gun to cure your final shirts. Get a conveyor dryer or a proper flash unit.

Ready to start your project?

At Battle Born Clothing, we handle the technical headaches so you don't have to. From high-end simulated process separations to simple spot color logos, we’ve got you covered.

👉 Get a Custom Quote Today

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