Do I own the design with a paid art charge?

No. Art fees are a service charge or usage license for that particular order. Special arrangments may be made to transfer ownership upon your request.

How big will my graphic be on the back?

A typical back imprint is 13 inches wide & 16 inches tall, We accommodate a maximum width of 15 inches & max height of 18 inches. Special sizing can be accommodated on a case by case basis. We always welcome special requests.

May I change my artwork?

Yes. Several color proofs may be needed to finalize your order. You will work directly with our staff to oversee all your revisions. Art charges may apply depending on the requested work.

Can I bring you my own artwork?

Yes, we welcome all types of art and have printed thousands of designs brought in from clients.

Can you match PMS colors for screen printing?

Yes, We have an ink matching system that utilizes the Pantone Color swatches.

How is artwork costs calculated?

Art fees are calculated by an hourly rate. Our artist strive to keep your initial expenses low & reasonable. Some jobs may require upfront material costs or setup charges. We can provide you with a detailed art quote before any work begins.

Can you get the idea out of my head?

Yes. Our artist can ask the right questions for putting any idea to paper. Many times we will start off with simple black & white sketches for a step by step creative process. This is a great time for you to be really creative and enjoy seeing your thoughts manifest in full color. Our artists’ skills in illustration, photography & design have elevated Xpertees as a nationally recognized trendsetter.

Can you print only one shirt or provide an actual sample?

No and Yes. We do not print single t-shirts for a single order. On selected accounts we will provide a printed sample for larger quantity runs. These printed samples can be a valuable tool in the proofing process.

Can you print on children's T-shirts?

Yes. We commonly print on a wide range of apparel as small as infant onesies on up to the Youth XL.

Can I have different colored shirts?

Yes. Our service and competitive prices allow you to fill a single order with assorted garments. Your apparel print will be mechanically setup to print on light and dark fabrics within the same run.

Can I have different shirt sizes on my order?

Yes, you can mix and match shirt sizes within the same order.

Is there a minimum order?

Yes. We offer low minimums. Depending on the time of year, our required minimums per order will vary. In season ordering must meet or exceed 12 dozen. Fall and winter orders will require a lower 6 dozen minimum.

How much does it cost for artwork?

Typically art fees are assessed by time spent on the creative process. The fewer hours used on revisions, changes and multiple color comps, the lower your art cost. Our experienced graphic designers still make it very affordable for you to take advantage of Island Xpertees’ high-impact graphics. Typical art fees for simple designs can range from $50 up to $200. Complex and custom illustrations may range from $200 to $700 for a one time art charge.

How long does it typically take for my order to be printed?

Once you have placed your apparel order & the Art Department has an approved color proof, anticipate your order to be out on the presses, boxed and ready for delivery or shipping in 10-13 business days. * Under certain circumstances we can accommodate deadline emergencies & shorter lead times, upon approval. Assorted specialty items ( glassware, imprinted plastics & trinkets etc. ) may need much longer lead times, 2-3 weeks on certain products. Your sales contact will inform of these requirements before placing an order.

What is screen printing?

Screen printing is a process of mechanically shearing inks through a framed stencil that’s adhered to a mesh material. This process allows the possibility of printing on most fabrics available, including ridged materials. Compared to other printing processes, screen printing is the best method for flexibility and long-term durability. Screen printing can also be advantageous if you are looking for very bright or neon colors to be printed.

What are Vector files?

Vector graphics are images not comprised of pixels. Instead, vector graphics are built of path lines, which are defined by a start and end point, along with other points connecting curves and angles. Because vector-based images are not made up of a specific number of bit dots, they can be scaled to a larger size and not lose image quality. vector graphics are ideal for logos and typography, which can be small enough to appear cleanly on a business card or smoothly scaled up to fill a billboard. We prefer that all type files be in a vector format and fonts converted to outlines. Adobe Illustrator is a popular vector based design program.

Who retains rights to the custom graphic design?

Island Xpertees retains all the rights to the graphic design artwork it creates. The paid art fees give permission for use on the apparel we print for you. Customers may reuse the graphics with our permission in other mediums. You retain rights to all artwork inwhich you provide.

Can you recreate my existing graphic design?

Abosultely Yes. We prefer to have the original art file, which will speed up the work time considerably. Otherwise we may need to do some extensive drawing to re-make the design.

What if I have my own idea for the custom t-shirt graphic?

Any idea that You may have will help our designers create a new graphic to your satisfaction. Please be sure you describe exactly what you want in as much detail as possible to eliminate the need for multiple revisions.

What kind of turnaround can I expect for my design?

Some turnarounds may be directly related to the size and complexity of your project. Island Xpertees strive for completed color art proofs ready for review in about 10 - 14 business days. Quicker turnarounds can be accommodated on a job by job basis. We always strive to work with you to meet all deadlines.

What computer file formats do you prefer?

Computer art files from major software brands are best. All Mac/Apple platforms generally work great. PC platforms generally work well, but occasionally some incompatability issues may arise. Desirable program files: Quark XPress, Illustrator ( BEST ), Photoshop, Pagemaker and Freehand. Less Desirable: MS Word, Powerpoint, video formats and image files formatted for the web. For more information, please contact our Art Department.

What files do I submit?

Art files should be submitted in their native formats. Be sure the appropriate image or document originated from an accepted layout program. Save all fonts and graphic files in separate folders for placed (embedded) images. To avoid program conflicts convert all type to outlines before submitting.

Do you price artwork by color?

Yes, A multi-colored design will be priced by creation time plus materials ( film postives ). Custom artwork can be very affordable with some prior planning. Gather together lots of reference and finalize your thoughts or ideas as much as possible for a smooth and efficient creative process.

Can you scan in my pictures?

Yes. We can scan up to 11" x 17" in a single pass. Larger images will require a little more time to mosaic a seamless image.

Can I get a color proof?

Yes, Our clients will see a pre-press color rendering of their artwork for final approval before starting the printing of your job. A proof will show dimensions, colors and position on your individual order. For convenience, emailed proofs work very well for customers out of our local area.

What type of artwork do I need?

Send us your photo’s, drawings, sketches, transparencies and electronic files through the mail or email and we can get started. We can also accept art from a computer disk (CD), thumb drive and camera ready art. If you have no artwork, we can work with you to create it.

Getting Informed

There are so many other questions that will not be discussed here, but we hoped to touch on some basics to give you a better idea of how copyrights are misunderstood and what they actually do. Doing more research and getting more detailed information will make you an informed and well educated client. A knowledgeable client is a happy client that we look forward to working with on future projects.

Who owns the physical items needed to print a shirt?

After having discussed the ownership rights of the actual artwork we now divert our attention to who owns the actual separations, computer graphics and screens. Xpertees would be the owner for all the preparatory work and materials that are associated with creating T-shirts for any job. The screens, film positives, and computer files all fall under the ownership rights in this manufacturing process. Setup costs do not give the customer the right to ownership of the screens, the actual film separations or the actual computer graphic files. The setup fees only cover the disposable materials and labor involved in a printing job. Understanding these rights and ownerships in our creative process is our utmost goal.

Who actually owns the artwork created for hire?

Well, lets say you have hired an outside artist - a free lancer who occasionally does artwork for you. You've paid the artist for the time he or she spent creating this artwork. You now own the artwork, right? Wrong. "Under the copyright law, the creator of the original expression in a work is its author. The author is also the owner of copyright unless there is a written agreement by which the author assigns the copyright to another person or entity, such as a publisher. In cases of works made for hire (see Circular 9), the employer or commissioning party is considered to be the author.". So, unless you get the artist to sign an agreement that specifically states the transfer of his ownership of the artwork to you, they still retain the rights to the artwork even though you paid them to create it.

Do I have to register a copyright?

The new artwork is inherently protected by the Copyright Law the instant it is created. Artwork created dose not have to actually be register with the Copyright Office to retain it’s implied protections, however it can come in extremely helpful in a situation where a copyright infringement suit goes to court. "Registration “ is recommended for a number of reasons. Many of our clients choose to buy from us the created works ownership and apply for proper registration.

What is a copyright?

Copyright as defined at the official copyright web site is as follows: "Copyright, a form of intellectual property law, protects original works of authorship including literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works such as poetry, novels, movies, songs, computer software and architecture. Copyright does not protect facts, ideas, systems, or methods of operation, although it may protect the way these things are expressed. See Circular 1, section What Works Are Protected.".

Copyrights - Artwork Ownership?

The whole copyright issue can be a very touchy issue with a lot of people, but it really is not that difficult to understand. Many clients have a great misunderstanding about who actually owns artwork created. By understanding what the Copyright Law actually says you can educate yourself and secure your creative products. It is these misunderstandings that really can create problems for you and us as a printer. You can visit the official U.S. government web site on copyrighting. This online resource contains a lot of information you’ll need to know about this important facet of your business.

Tips To Improve Your Company Identity

Your company identity is a collection of all you have told your customers, directly or indirectly, about your company. Corporate identities are visual shorthand, an expression of an organization's personality. A coordinated identity helps establish your company firmly in the minds of customers and gives them a lasting impression of the quality they can expect from you. A company identity may start with your logo. It should be a simple, easily remembered icon that represents something unique about your specific business. Use your logo to make and reinforce a statement about what makes your business special. Ease of use is very important. Use a simple design style that doesn't require expensive print, foil or processes to look good. It should be effective both in color or black and white and translated well onto different media and products. Once you have established a logo, make sure you use it at every chance. Blend it thoroughly into everything you do. Island Xpertees’ custom graphics on the promotional products we use every day let you take advantage of this opportunity to communicate with your customers?

Image Files Suggestions

Image files ( psd, jpg, tiff, etc. ) must have a resolution of 300 dpi or higher when close to print size. Please name the file with something related to the customer order. (We get lots of files named "T-Shirt Art"!) Please be sure to label your disk or include with your e-mail your company name and job name or P.O. number. Also include a contact name and phone number for questions.

*Please note: If any of the above requirements are not met, we may require extra time to process your order and additional charges may apply.

Adobe PDF ™ (Portable Document Format)

Please be advised that PDFs MUST be saved at "PRESS" settings to be usable. A good rule of thumb: if you can still email that 20 x 30 poster to us, you probably saved the PDF as "WEB" or "PRINT". If confused, feel free to call us or simply save the file in any other preferable way below.

Adobe PhotoShop ™ When scanning or designing an image for either importing to another file or for directly printing please use the suggestions above to determine what resolution is needed for optimum output. The file should be RGB and saved as an EPS, TIFF or PSD.

Adobe Illustrator ™ All files are prefered in Spot Color mode. Select all text and convert it to outlines.

Quark Xpress & Adobe InDesign ™ Note: Adobe Indesign files are preferable to Quark Xpress file for their reliability. We do not accept all versions of Quark Xpress. Insure that the file is set up proportionately and the imports are all RGB and follow the chart above for resolution guidelines. With Quark all imports must be provided in separate folders for all embedded images. All fonts for both printer and screen must be supplied before we can print your file. When using FPO (for position only images) be certain that the height and width of the FPOs are the same as the high res files and that the indicator clearly states the letters "FPO" over the target image.

Corel Draw ™ Set files up in CMYK not the RGB (default) mode. Files must be saved or exported as Illustrator EPS or AI: text must be converted to curves for Macintosh

Why Vector Art

Vector Art is computer art that is built ( actually drawn ) in a vector or object based program such as Adobe Illustrator, Corel Draw, or Freehand. Each object can be selected and individually manipulated independently from the rest of the image. Common exported file extensions for this type of file include .ai, .eps & .cdr. When providing such files, it is important to convert fonts to curves or create outlines out of all text used. If we have a true vector art file ( ie. Adobe Illustrator file with no placed images ) resolution is not a concern.

Photographic Art (bitmap)

Photographic Art ( or photo realistic imaging ) is Art that incorporates scanned in imagery, or art that is built in a pixel based program such as Photoshop or Photopaint. Common file extensions for such files are psd, tif, jpg, & gif. This includes any art built in a vector-based program, such as illustrator, that also incorporates embedded or placed photographic elements. In order to reproduce a photographic image, we require a file or scan with a resolution of 300 pixels per inch at actual size.

How To Re-order

Place re-orders with your service representative and you will be promptly scheduled for the presses Setup charges and art fees will not apply to re-orders.  

General Art File Setup & Information

Use PMS (Pantone Color Matching System™) colors for requesting specific colors. Do not convert to custom colors or CMYK values if a color-match is needed. For large printing all files must be set up proportionately to the final output. Files should be at one of the magnification ratios from the chart below. Always calculate proportions when submitting a file.

Shirt Color

If your design has lots of varying colors such as a in a photograph, you might want to consult carefully with our designers for limitations and special processes for achieving the desired results. After all a t-shirts is a very rough surface at the macro level and present numerous challenges to keep imprints bright and highly detailed.

Design Colors vs. Printed Colors

One of the driving cost factors in screenprinting is the number of colors needed replicate a design. Each major color in a design usually equates to a screen in the press. Every screen is aligned to the sequential frames containing additional ink colors. This printing process of shearing the inks one on top of another will build the finished apparel imprint. A typical screen printing press will max out at 11 colors.

Design Location

Your design may be printed almost anywhere on a shirt except on a seam or zippers. The most common location for a front print is a 3 1/2 inch logo on the left chest area or over the pocket area. Back prints are typically 13 inches, filling the center area of the t-shirt.