Issue link: https://nbm.uberflip.com/i/1451379
1 6 G R A P H I C S P R O A U G U S T 2 0 2 2 G R A P H I C S - P R O. C O M e best innovations are a combination of everything the heat printer is looking for to fill a need, Ellsworth says. "ere are quite a few options when it comes to heat transfers, including the screen- printed transfer, die-cut numbers and letters, inkjet transfers, and other digi- tal transfers," he says. "In the long run, it all comes down (to) the type of artwork you have (number of colors, complexity, detail, etc.), the number of pieces you need printed, the fabric you are printing upon, and the type of finish you want to achieve." For example, he says you may not find neon colors available for DTF transfers. Decorators would have to use a screen- printed transfer or heat transfer vinyl. Additionally, direct-to-film and subli- mation transfers work great for full color graphics, Romano says. But if you are As the heat-applied graphics industry evolves, so do the unique decoration applications that a shop can offer its customers. (Image courtesy Sandlot Sports) The fastest growing trend Adam McCauley of Sandlot Sports sees, particularly in the sports world, is heat-applied patches and flex style patches. (Image courtesy Sandlot Sports) Like with any apparel decoration method, designs with "open spaces" will be your friend . This is no different with special effect transfers. Negative spaces that let the shirt show through will help keep the decoration area light to the feel and touch while being worn. This will also allow a special effect transfer like Puff to be more visible with lots of raised areas along with low areas, to accentuate the effect. Speaking of puff, adding a standard ink, or vinyl, along with the puff will also add another way to have contrast in dimension on the print. Don't get too detailed with special effect transfers. Special effects like puff, glitter, and foil don't do as well with small, detailed areas. The area has to "hold" to the shirt when applied and keep any show-through areas from closing due to small detail. Some special effect transfers like glow-in-the-dark and glitter will do better with larger areas of ink, so the special effect can be seen, which may not be as visible with small line weights. It comes down to knowing the special effect options and thinking about what will help it be seen more and work with the materials. Good design practices are always helpful to keep in mind. A good design for the desired special effect will go a long way. Good Design Practices for Special Effects (Image courtesy Transfer Express) B Y M I C H A E L R O M A N O , T R A N S F E R E X P R E S S