Project Manchild - conclusion

Well the shirts went over pretty well, just look at that happy recipient. It bothers me that "skateboards" curves upwards slightly, but for now I can live with it as long as I get it right next time.



For now I don't know when my next update will be as I'm moving upstate October 1st. I don't know how long it'll take to get an internet hookup once I get there. So I guess toodles, for now

Project Manchild part 4

So close I can taste it. Today I did the face image on the back of the shirts, they came out pretty well if I do say so myself. Now all thats left is to let them dry heat set and wrap it all up. What else can can I tell you?

Project Manchild part 3

Okay, so I managed to so something with my first printing mishap (see part 1). After getting the right black ink I printed the Manchild logo in the big gray blob. Then I filled in the letters using one of the shimmery jacquard fabric pants and added some white paint just because I can.


Its okay, I guess, but I personally feel its a little too "homemade" rather than "hand crafted"

I've managed to rebound from this mistake quite successfully though. I took my time, I had all my supplies at hand and I'm very happy with the result.

Time to get back to work

Project Manchild part 2

Last night I was able to accomplish making a new screen with smaller text that won't go off the shirt (yay!). This morning upon waking up and drinking my coffee I made a quick test print of the screen on a plain navy blue tank that I got for 3 bucks just a few days ago. Somehow I feel that by the end of this project I'm going to have an unofficial merchandise line due to the test prints I've been making. I know I could just do test prints on a piece of paper, but wheres the fun in that? now that I'm looking at it I'm thinking I should make another screen so I can do a nice semi-professional looking 2 color print.

New Screen


Test Print on a ribbed knit t-shirt

Thats all for now, I've got to start working on packing the apartment up.
Toodles.

Project Manchild part 1

Next weekend I'll be heading down to the city with the BF to see a friend of ours for his b-day. Our friend has recently started out his own business- Manchild Skateboards, and we figured he would appreciate some D.I.Y. shirts. As such it seemed only right to use this as an excuse to try out the mod podge/embroidery hoop method of "screen printing. I took his logo from the website, loaded it up and made a simple black and white image of the text and the face thing, then printed it out. Not really thinking at the moment I started to trace the text onto the screen (neon green fine mesh nylon given to me by the bf, formerly a green screen). Once I finished tracing "manchild" I realized skateboards was too long to fit horizontally. I thought I was pretty smart and started to trace the letters vertically, having the words intersect at the "A", but once again realized that it wouldn't fit. New solution...smaller text...heh.
{shown: screen of "Manchild" and part of "skateboard"


My impatience is most certainly my down fall. I had planned and planned to do a test print prior to printing on the actual shirt I tossed that plan right out the window. Curses!
My impatience led me to discover that I bought the wrong black ink. I picked up a fabric dye rather than a printing ink. It bleed, oh how it bleed through that knit cotton fabric (at least I printed with something in between the front and the back side of the shirt). The other colors I picked up will work just fine, but now I'm left with a little (big) mistake.

For the moment its hanging up, I'll take a look at it later and see if it could possibly be salvaged. I managed to get to the local art supply store and pick up the proper black ink.

First thing I did upon returning was make a test print on a ratty old t-shirt of mine. From the looks of it I just need to take my time and apply a nice even coat. Well, heres to seeing what tomorrow brings.