How to Prepare Your Design for Screen Printing – A Step-by-Step Guide

Getting your artwork ready for screen printing is one of the most important steps in ensuring your final print comes out clean, vibrant, and exactly how you envisioned it. Whether you're a first-time designer, a small business, or a seasoned apparel brand, preparing your design properly will help you avoid common printing issues and maximize the quality of your final product.

At Avodroc Custom Printing, we work with hundreds of clients weekly who send in designs ranging from professional vector artwork to hand-drawn sketches. Over time, we’ve seen what works, what causes delays, and what leads to amazing results. This guide walks you through exactly how to prepare your design for screen printing — from file format to color selection, resolution, and beyond.

1. Use the Right File Type

Always submit your artwork in a vector format when possible. Preferred file types include:

  • AI (Adobe Illustrator)

  • EPS

  • PDF

  • SVG

If you’re using raster files (JPEG, PNG, PSD), make sure they’re at 300 DPI at actual print size. Low-resolution images can appear pixelated, blurry, or cause screen registration problems during the print process.

2. Convert Fonts to Outlines

If your design includes text, make sure to convert fonts to outlines or embed them. This ensures the artwork appears exactly as you intended, even if we don’t have the font you used.

In Adobe Illustrator, select the text and go to:
Type > Create Outlines

3. Separate Each Color

Screen printing requires a separate screen for each ink color. So, if your design includes three colors, we’ll need three separate layers (and screens). Use spot colors instead of RGB or CMYK to make this process easier.

For multi-color jobs, keep your design clean and limit the number of colors when possible to reduce setup costs.

4. Keep Design Within Print Area

Know your garment's print area and make sure your artwork fits. The standard print area for a T-shirt is approximately 12" wide x 14" tall for front prints. Oversized or all-over prints may require custom setup and additional charges.

5. Avoid Thin Lines & Tiny Text

Screen printing has its physical limitations. Thin lines, intricate details, or small fonts below 8pt may not hold well during printing. Keep lines bold and readable to ensure the cleanest possible outcome.

6. Use Pantone Colors for Accuracy

If color accuracy is crucial (especially for branding), provide Pantone (PMS) values for each ink color. This allows us to match your vision with precision.

7. Remove Backgrounds

Your artwork should have a transparent background unless you want the entire background color printed. Use PNG files or remove background layers in your design software.

8. Provide Print Notes

Include notes like:

  • Preferred print size

  • Print location (front, back, sleeve, etc.)

  • Pantone colors if needed

  • Any special instructions (like puff ink, metallics, etc.)

9. Check Spelling & Alignment

Before you submit, double-check your spelling and make sure everything is centered, aligned, and ready to go. This will save time and avoid misprints.

10. Ask for a Mockup

At Avodroc, we offer digital mockups for every screen print order. Reviewing a mockup helps catch issues before production and ensures everyone’s on the same page.

Why This Matters

Preparing your file correctly leads to:

  • Sharper prints

  • Faster turnaround

  • Lower setup costs

  • Better customer satisfaction

  • Fewer production errors

Need Help?

Not sure if your design is ready? Our pre-press team will check your file and offer feedback — and we can assist with minor edits, resizing, or vector conversion when needed.

By following this guide and partnering with Avodroc Custom Printing, you can feel confident your screen-printed apparel will come out looking exactly how you imagined — or better.