Screen printers ask for vector artwork in a small number of flat spot colors, with the text converted to outlines, because each color becomes its own screen. An AI-made PNG can’t do that by itself. We redraw it with one layer per ink, outline the text and check the file against screen printers’ published requirements, and the free print check shows what yours would flag.
Run free print check for screen printing · You only pay once you approve the proof · First proof within 24 hours
What screen printers say
We read the artwork pages of nine screen printers in October 2026.
| Requirement | In the printers’ words | Printer |
|---|---|---|
| Vector, solid colors | “If client is providing artwork, it must be in a vector format in solid spot colors.” | Screen Designs Inc |
| Vector or separated raster | “The design must be either vector art or a high resolution raster file which has been color separated.” | Acclaim Screen Printing |
| Spot colors only | “Set files up with PMS spot colors only, never use CMYK or RGB colors in your files.” | ACME Screenprinting |
| Text as outlines | “All text used must be converted to outlines or paths.” | Screen Designs Inc |
| Resolution if raster | “The minimum requirement for raster art is 200 DPI at the size you want the art to be printed.” Another shop: “Raster/Bitmap artwork is acceptable as long as it is 300ppi or larger at print size.” | Acclaim; Oregon Screen Impressions |
| Web images | “Images downloaded off a web are 72dpi or less and will require complete redrawing to be screen printable.” | Maine Printing and Embroidery |
| Color limit | “We can print up to 6 different spot colors.” And on raster files: “Most rasterized graphics such as bitmaps will NOT work.” | Select Printing |
| Smallest type and lines | “no smaller than 8pt, and lines no thinner than 1 pt” | Oregon Screen Impressions |
| Gradients | “Gradients without halftone conversion are incompatible with spot color separations and produce unpredictable output.” | Printable Press |
| No embedded bitmaps | “Do not use clipping paths, power clips, transparencies, embedded bit maps or embedded objects.” | ACME Screenprinting |
Art fees for files that aren’t ready: Acclaim and Screen Designs publish $35 per hour, Maine Printing $45 per hour with a $15 minimum, Black Sheep Design Company $40 per hour. Other shops quote on request.
Not every shop agrees on the numbers. Color limits, minimum sizes and resolution vary, so we build to the numbers your printer gives us. Tell us when you order.
What we deliver
- Vector artwork with one layer per ink. Flat color areas, each in its own named swatch, with a color table.
- Text converted to outlines in the print file. Your lettering is redrawn as shapes, exactly as it looks in your image. If a close open-source font exists, the editable source also has a separate text layer for typing new words later.
- A color count checked against your shop’s limit. If your shop prints six colors and your artwork has eight, the report says so.
- An optional white-base layer for dark garments. Ask your shop how much to shrink it, because the numbers in shops’ own guidance range widely.
- A one-page print report with color mode, spot colors, line weights and anything we can’t verify, marked “check with your printer”.
- Editable source files (AI, SVG, PDF) and PNG, all included, with logo variants for logos.
Pantone numbers: if you have them, tell us. We list them in the color table. We don’t promise that a swatch matches a Pantone book on your screen.
What we don’t do
- Halftone screens. If your image has gradients, we rebuild them as flat color steps where that suits the job. A shop that halftones gradients does that step itself.
- Pick your mesh count or ink type. Your shop decides that.
- Guess what only your printer knows. The report says “check with your printer.”
How to do part of it yourself
- Ask the shop for its artwork page or three numbers: file types, minimum resolution at print size, and the number of colors it prints.
- Check your file’s pixels per inch and whether the text is outlined. The guide Why do printers need vector files? shows how.
- For a simple one- or two-color logo, trace it yourself and look at the result in outline view.
What it costs
| Your image | Tier | Price | New customer, first order |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat logo or wordmark | Flat logo & wordmark | 19 credits ($19) | 10 credits ($10) |
| Badge or mascot | Badge & mascot | 29 credits ($29) | 15 credits ($15) |
| Gradients or many parts | Gradient & complex | 39 credits ($39) | 20 credits ($20) |
| Fine texture or engraved shading | Detailed illustration | 59–79 credits ($59–79), quoted when you upload | Not included |
The hardest part of the image sets the price, and it’s shown when you upload. If your printer rejects the file because of the file itself within 30 days, send us their note and we fix it free.
Run free print check for screen printing · Pricing · Questions
Sources
Read in October 2026. Full list with exact quotes: sources.csv.
- Screen Designs Inc: https://www.screendesignsinc.com/artwork-requirements
- Acclaim Screen Printing: https://acclaimscreenprinting.net/acclaim-screenprinting-artwork-guidelines.html
- ACME Screenprinting: https://acmescreenprinting.com/art-requirements/
- Oregon Screen Impressions: https://oregonscreen.com/screen-printing-art-guidelines/
- Maine Printing and Embroidery: http://maineprinting-embroidery.com/?p=84
- Select Printing: https://selectprintingusa.com/pages/graphic-guidelines-for-screen-printing
- Printable Press, how to prepare artwork files for screen printing (2026-04-23): https://www.printablepress.com/how-to-prepare-artwork-files-screen-printing/
- Black Sheep Design Company: https://blacksheepdesigncompany.com/faqs/