How to Prepare CMYK Art for Poster Screen Printing

Creating stunning CMYK screen printed posters requires more than just beautiful art—it takes precision file prep, an understanding of how ink interacts with paper, and a solid printing strategy.

This guide walks you through setting up CMYK artwork in Photoshop, with tips for managing dot gain, ink load, and achieving vibrant results on paper.

🎨 Step 1: Patterns in Grayscale to Bitmap

When converting a grayscale image to bitmap, you’ll always introduce a pattern. Even stochastic dots from RIP software have structure. Whether using halftones or bitmap diffusion, you're working with patterned dots—so choose a style that fits your design and mesh count.

🧠 Step 2: Why Paper is Different

• Paper expands when wet, affecting registration.
• Too much ink can cause smearing or paper buckling.
• Most poster printers don’t use dryers—just racks.

That means controlling ink volume is key for clean results.

RELATED: Best Practices For Printing Posters

⚙️ Step 3: Photoshop Color Settings

1. Go to Edit > Color Settings.
2. Load your CMYK profile. For Aurora Force Inks, download the profile online.
3. Set dot gain to 20–25%.
4. Limit total ink coverage to 200% for paper.
5. Adjust black generation to reduce black in highlights.

🖼️ Step 4: Artwork Adjustments

• Use Curves and Shadows/Highlights for tonal balance.
• Resize your design to fit paper size (leave 0.5" margin).
• Set final resolution to 200 DPI (great for 230 mesh).
• Optionally, remove a color like Cyan to reduce ink layers.

🖨️ Step 5: Create Bitmap Separations

1. Duplicate each channel into a new grayscale file.
2. Convert to Bitmap using Diffusion Dither.
3. Convert back to Grayscale, then to RGB.
4. Make each channel a Spot Color in Channels panel.

🧾 Step 6: Final Prep in Illustrator

• Place your channels in Illustrator.
• Add registration marks and cut lines.
• Export for film output (wax printer or RIP).

🛠️ Supplies Mentioned

• Aurora Force CMYK Inks
• Baselayr Premium Red Glue Frames 230 Mesh
  
• Photoshop, Illustrator, RIP Software (optional)

✅ Final Thoughts

CMYK on paper isn’t harder than on fabric—it’s just different. With proper setup, smart ink control, and thoughtful adjustments, your poster prints can be vibrant, clean, and professional.

Need help troubleshooting dot gain, separations, or film output? Drop us a message—we’re always here to talk shop.