Why does a screen printer nowadays need to have special effects printing in his arsenal? In one word: profits. Customers prefer shops that can give them original or unique prints. The more diversified your shop, the better poised you are for earning money and gaining new clientele. We often find that printers who take the initiative to seek out new or better ways to entice customers by offering special effects, have better overall print capabilities.
How can your shop stand out? Today, there is a wide selection of specialty inks to choose from, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming or complicated. Refuse to be intimidated by all the choices. Allow yourself some time to play with the options and experiment with how the various specialty inks print and look.
There is a lot that can be added to a regular print to get just a tiny amount of bling, such as metallic gold, silver or even clear (Crystalina) shimmer inks. Or what about getting creative with glow-in-the-dark ink, or gel? What about the popular dimensional inks such as puff or High Density? Before we go more deeply into the options, let’s talk about the different inks available for special effects and the level of expertise they require.
Puff or suede inks
For the beginner, puff or suede inks can add a simple ‘wow’ to an image. Puff will add a nice dimensional aspect to a print. Try using a tone-on-tone design for which part of the design is printed with a particular color, while the same color is then mixed with a puff additive to print other parts of the design. The puff will slightly lighten the original color, creating a nice contrast.
Simple print using Puff Additive 220 to add texture to a print
Both the puff and suede additives do their magic once they are exposed to heat in the dryer. Experiment with multiple strokes or thicker emulsion to get more loft.
Glow-in-the-dark inks
Another easy-to-use special effect ink is glow-in-the-dark as it can be printed in exactly the same way as standard inks are
Most glow-in-the-dark inks are tinted a greenish yellow, but other colors are now available as well. Even though the greenish-yellow version can be tinted a little, be aware that adding too much pigment will diminish the glow effect.
Alice Cooper poster by David Edward Byrd, printed with Glow-in-the-Dark 108 ink
Metallic inks
Using metallic inks, such as gold, silver or copper metallic are another easy way to add bling to a design. Simply print these inks through a 110/43T mesh. The ultra-fine metallic flakes reflect light with a fine sheen as a result. Use it to enhance a logo or try a silver metallic to outline parts of a motorcycle design to give it a chrome look.
Shimmer inks
For the intermediate printer, try glitter or shimmer inks. Glitter prints come out best when a thicker emulsion layer is built on the shirt side of the lowest mesh count screen required to pass the glitter. A thicker emulsion can be achieved by adding layers of emulsion or by simply using a capillary film, such as a 200 micron-thick film. The thicker emulsion and lower mesh count allow the glitter ink to flow beneath the threads of the mesh and fill in the voids. Otherwise, it would look like a checkerboard.
What is the difference between a shimmer ink and a glitter ink? Usually, it’s the size of the flakes that makes the difference. The shimmer ink typically has smaller-sized flakes than the glitter ink has. The shimmer ink also creates a more subtle bling effect. Print the glitter or shimmer ink last.
One of my favorite shimmer inks is Crystalina. It contains holographic-type flakes in a clear base. The ink can be printed as such or over other colors. If, for example, the ink is printed over a pink color, the shimmer flakes will reflect both the pink and the silvery and gold tones.
Pink Heart design with Crystalina Shimmer 155 added
Reflective inks
Another special effect worth trying is the use of light-reflective inks. Reflective inks contain microscopic glass beads that reflect when hit by a beam of light. Typically, a catalyst needs to be mixed in with the ink to properly adhere the glass beads to the fabric. This will improve the washing fastness of the print. Mix only enough ink as you need for the print job. For the best results, use a lot of pressure to force the liquid ink into the fabric. This will filter the glass beads to remain on the surface. Once you have an even coating of glass beads (usually one stroke with heavy pressure), stop printing. More layers than that will simply add more costs and will in fact make the reflectivity diminish. More is not better!!
Reflective inks are on the pricey side but allow for a cool effect when printed correctly. Again, you don’t need to use it over the entire design. Try it in an outline of a design for that extra something or use it on a logo on the back of a jacket.
Emblem design printed with Optilux Enhanced Reflective 507
High density inks
For the more advanced printer, try high-density inks or color-changing inks called photochromatic inks. For high-density effects, make sure you use a high-quality. One thing that I frequently see when I am working with customers who use a low-quality, high-density ink is that the ink starts to liquefy on press. What this means is that the ink is nice and creamy at the start, but that its thickness starts to reduce when the print runs uninterruptedly, which is usually after about 100 prints. This is more noticeable on long runs and automatics. The resulting print looks messy with no sharp edges.
For this technique, I would recommend a 110/43T mesh using either a 200 or a 400 micron capillary film of emulsion. Keep the effect to a minimum. When used creatively, a slight height should be sufficient to wow the customers. Experiment with double stroking, then flashing, then double stroking the ink. This will create a nice dimensional texture.
Gel gloss
One more ink I would like to highlight is the gel gloss. Use this ink to accent small areas of a design or to draw attention to a focal point. The print method is similar to that of the HD ink, but instead of creating sharp edges, the gel will create a doming effect. Some gels (FX Gel Gloss Clear) can also be used as an adhesive, to add flock fibers, caviar beads (tiny plastic or glass beads) or glitter flakes. Simply add a catalyst to the ink when using it as an adhesive.
FX Gel Gloss 3809 added as accent
Remember that ‘a little can go a long way’ when using special effects. Just a hint here and there can be enough to add the extra value that your customers will appreciate without putting a dent in your wallet.
