Direct-to-Film (DTF) transfer printing is a quite popular topic among modern tech and design. No less, custom textile printers uplift the aesthetic clothing game due to their flexibility, being budget-friendly, and having an extensive range of color options. As the Mad Monkey Transfers specializes in such work for fashion and creativity, it is a detail-oriented procedure.
Now, if you're an entrepreneur or just want to do things on your own for the sake of hobbies, making your own DTF transfers is a great way to enjoy your individual development. Therefore, by using the right tools and following the steps in this article, you can make DTF transfers that not only look appealing but also sound professional. After that, you can print out your concluding visionary design that will be satisfying enough.
What DTF Transfer Printing Means
Before you let your creativity run wild, learn about DTF transfer printing and how it affects the custom clothing business.
Important Things To Know
DTF printing moves pictures from film to fabric using heat and pressure.
Colors made with DTF are brighter and last longer than colors made with regular screen printing and heat transfers.
Because DTF can be used in so many ways, it's a great choice for unique clothes.
How To Pick The Suitable DTF Design Software?
First off, as you want your DTF transfers to look crisp, it's important to choose the right design program. No doubt, the software application you choose will affect how detailed and accurate your drawings are. What's more, by how easy it is to make them bigger, and how well the transfer works.
Some Ideal Programs For Making DTFs
Designers who want to use vector graphics in their work usually use Adobe Illustrator. For one thing, it provides a strong base for tools, while also making complex, adaptable designs.
On the other hand, CorelDRAW is another vector-based drawing program. To say more, it's great for those who require efficient crafting with DTF Printers.
Meanwhile, the Affinity Designer application is more on the economical side. On top of that, it gives you astounding tools for designing both raster and vector images.
Lastly, Canva offers a vast library of templates and drag-and-drop features that allow even beginners to assemble high-quality gang sheets and DTF layouts with ease. Learn more about how to create your gang sheet using Canva through our guide.
The Next Step is Choosing Your DTF Transfer Form
After you've chosen the suitable software, the next step is to learn how to proceed with the DTF transfer. Now then, it's encouraged to follow the steps we'll tell you from here. For you see, the overall result will be vibrant and clearly visible to the eyes.
Important Details About DTF Transfers
Why a resolution must be taken seriously: To begin, your design needs at least 300 dots per inch (DPI) to print that flawless, smooth display. On the other hand, if you go for a lower resolution range, they can become zigzagged, choppy, and pixelated.
Hence, that is why vector graphics are more on the manual side, but give top-notch designs. Let alone, if you need to make your design bigger or smaller without losing quality. In fact, it becomes very important for big deals.
Don't Use RGB Colors
The CMYK color model is what DTF printers use, so that's how you should make your art. The RGB colors might change when you print. Learn more about what is CMYK printing through our guide.
When you do DTF transfers, it's best to use bright, deep colors. Try your best not to use pastels. When you put them on fabric, they look like they're fading.
Be careful when you work with layers and see-through things. If you handle transparent parts correctly, they won't get in the way of the transfer.
Before outlining your objects and text, you should turn them into pathways if you want them to look good when printed.
Prepare Your DTF File Ready To Print
Get your design ready for DTF printing at the end of the process. Moreover, you must not let go of such an important step. To emphasize, please check that the pattern on your shirt is based on your ideal creative vision.
To be ready with fruitful results, do the following things:
The file setup is a must-inspect: The thing about how you save your design in distinct formats matters. Additionally, these can be those vectors (.AI, .EPS, etc.) or high-resolution raster (.PNG, .TIFF, etc.) with a clear background.
Moving on, try on the clothes to see if the design fits in the first place. Simply put, buying the transfer film needs a valid assurance for making sure the clothes fit by precise measurements.
You can change the colors however you like. DTF printers may need color correction to make sure that the design matches because they use CMYK inks.
Check to see if your file is ready to print: Before getting the file ready for printing, make sure that the design and transfer adhesive layers are in the right places. Be careful when setting up dark materials because they may need white bases.
Conclusion
On the whole, your typical DTF transfers are enthralling and satisfying as you make that epic finish for your creative soul. After all, we tend to specialize them within Custom DTF Transfers. Not only that, but they also require intense and meticulous levels of attention for every precise detail.
But yes, by learning the fundamentals, having the reliable knowledge, the ideal design tools, and going after the high-standardized practices during the design and printing processes, you can make prints that are lively, bright, long-lasting, and speak professionalism with just a stare from others.