In this blog, we’re taking you behind the scenes with Ryan and Colin as they fine-tune the details for the live printing of special edition "Screen Printing Is For Lovers" t-shirts, designed for Hawthorne Heights, who will be headlining the ROQfest event at Impressions 2025!
This project is more than just creating an awesome shirt for a great band—it’s about the craft & excitement of live printing, showcasing sustainable apparel, and coming together to support a meaningful cause.
The Inspiration Behind the Design
For fans of Hawthorne Heights, the band’s classic song “Ohio Is For Lovers” needs no introduction. This special edition design, “Screen Printing Is For Lovers,” reimagines that iconic vibe, perfect for their fans and anyone in the screen-printing community. With only 400 shirts available, this exclusive merch was printed live at the event, making it both a creative challenge and an exciting experience for attendees.
The Challenges of Live Printing with Water-Based Ink
Printing live is no easy feat, especially with water-based inks, which can be tricky to manage. Unlike plastisol inks, water-based inks are thinner and less opaque, which presents unique challenges. Here’s how Ryan and Colin tackled them:
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Mesh Selection:
- They used a 230 thin-thread mesh for optimal detail and a soft ink deposit. The higher mesh count ensured the design’s delicate distressing stayed intact while maintaining consistency.
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Ink Development:
- To get the design’s vibrant minty green to pop on black shirts, Colin adjusted the ink’s pigment load. They tripled the amount of pigment in the ink mixture while balancing it with Fusion White to maintain coverage without adding weight.
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Live Printing Setup:
- With only six hours to print 400 shirts manually (no flash curing between passes), they needed a strategy to prevent screen drying and maintain speed. Colin added clear core to the ink for smoother printing and reduced drying issues.
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Registration:
- Precise alignment is crucial for the multi-color design, especially when printing live. By testing the print and making adjustments ahead of time, they got the registration dialed in advance of the show to minimize any challenges when the pressure is on!
Why the Allmade AL3000 Shirt?
The t-shirts for this project weren’t just any standard blanks. Ryan and Colin chose the Allmade AL3000 Heavyweight Tee, a 100% recycled cotton shirt that’s soft, durable, and eco-friendly. Here’s why this shirt was perfect:
- Print Hand: The 20s single fabric provides a looser knit, ensuring the water-based inks sit beautifully without dye migration issues.
- Feel & Weight: Its heavyweight nature is ideal for band merch, offering both comfort and a premium feel.
- Sustainability: Made from post-industrial cotton waste, it’s an ethical choice with no polyester or synthetic blends.
RELATED: LIVE PRINTING - PREPARING FOR THE EVENT
Key Takeaways for Screen Printers
If you’re considering live printing or experimenting with water-based inks, here are a few lessons learned from Ryan and Colin’s session:
- Pigment Load Matters: Adjusting pigment percentages (up to 40-50%) can dramatically improve color saturation on dark garments.
- Distressing Covers Mistakes: Adding a slight distress to the design can hide minor inconsistencies in manual printing, which is especially helpful during live events.
- Choose the Right Tools: Using thin-thread mesh & inks with adjustable bases ensures consistent results under time pressure.
A Cause Worth Supporting
Beyond the technical challenges, this project had a bigger purpose: supporting fire relief efforts. All proceeds from these limited-edition shirts were donated to help those affected by the fires in the area. It’s a great example of how screen printers and the broader creative community can give back. Unable to go to the show but want to help? You can donate here: https://scrnprntl.ink/FireReliefDonations