Vastex University Classes Offered Entry level, intermediate and advanced
Whether you are a beginner or an experienced professional, outperforming your competition hinges on improving your quality, reducing your costs, and keeping your repeat customers while attracting new ones.
And it's fun!
1.1 ENTRY LEVEL ART AND SCREEN PRINTING — ONE DAY
Join our one-day introduction to the very basics of creating art, and screen printingFIRST HALF: BASIC ART PREPARATION
This introduction is designed for the art production beginner and is organized in a way that enables even the most frustrated, new screen printing artist to gain a fundamental understanding of the art creation process.
Essential for the absolute beginner in art production, this overview is a chance for you to see what is needed in basic art production for screen printing: the skills, the tools and the programs, and even the basic terminology necessary to make an educated choice about how to proceed.
Some of the items covered include:
The methods and procedures to produce basic art separations
A review of what film positives are, and how to produce them
Tips and techniques to make the art print correctly and how to build your knowledge
Basics about art programs needed to print positives in an easy-to-understand presentation, including entry level ideas and solutions
Review of screen mesh and its effect on final print
Tips on how resolution affects on the final print
Intended as an introduction to the more advanced art production classes, this portion of the entry level class will answer your art questions and provide a foundation of basic competency.
You will review the demands the print process has on art, plus basic tips and tricks to make your art easier to print. We will also help you make decisions on equipment types and computer programs.
SECOND HALF: BASIC SCREEN PRINTING
With the fundamentals of art preparation behind you, this half of the class will help you understand the basics of screen printing. Created for the absolute beginner, it is a starting point for individuals who want the chance to see exactly what happens in screen printing and be able to make an educated choice about how to proceed.
Everyone will follow the process--from film positives to screen preparation to printing of shirts-- in an easy-to-understand way. The trainer will explain each step, identifying equipment, producing positive film from artwork, choosing screen types and mesh sizes, making a working stencil, exposing screens, and printing garments with plastisol inks.
You will also learn how to coat a screen and use capillary film, and how to correctly time screen exposure. Demonstrations in a group setting show how to set up your press quickly and load the garments properly. Also covered: printing on light and dark colored garments, flash curing, and final curing. Each participant will have the opportunity to print a design on light shirts and also a design with a flash on dark shirts.
You will leave the class ready to decide if you are ready to jump into the world of screen printing and if you are ready to progress to the more detailed three day hands-on class where the "why" and "how best" is answered in depth.
Screen Printing 101 is the perfect class for anyone thinking about entering the industry. If you have completed this class and/or have already decided to become a screen printer, please consider taking the three-day class: 2.1 Screen Printing A to Z, detailed below.
2.1 SCREEN PRINTING A TO Z (MOST POPULAR CLASS)
Our intensive three day hands-on training program is a well rounded class for both newcomers to the industry and experienced screen printers who need more technical training. This class will cover the entire screen printing process from start to finish teaching every student the fundamentals of screen printing that can shave months off of the learning curve and also eliminate traditional start up struggles for newbies. Also covered will be cost saving and troubleshooting techniques that will be essential for all shops.
Perfect Fit — Newbie or Veteran. Maybe you are looking to enter the screen printing industry but have no clue where to begin. Or maybe you are an experienced screen printer who needs to overcome many of the ongoing technical problems that occur in almost every shop. No matter what your place in the industry this training class will be a perfect fit. On top of the fundamentals you will learn how to avoid the common problems many shops face that can result in months of wasted time, money and supplies. This training program is comprehensive enough to offer the most effective methods and advanced industry tips and techniques that will benefit every shop.
Hands On and Peer Interaction: Every student will be involved with the entire production cycle including taking a screen from start to printed product. Along with all of their classmates they will have the opportunity to degrease, coat and expose a screen along with all the subsequent preparation and cleaning of screen after printing. With each step you will have an open forum to interact with both the trainer and your peers. There is plenty of time to ask questions specific to your shop and situation.
VIDEO
Screen printing detailed course includes training in:
Screen coating
Screen frame choices
Mesh selection
Exposure control and emulsion choices
Identifying and solving problems
Athletic numbering
Special inks and procedures
Curing and Flashing
Screen cleaning and reclaiming
Prepress Through Reclaiming
3.1 ADVANCED ART SEMINAR
If you are a graphics professional or heavily involved in the art-to-positive graphics process, this full day art production workshop was designed for you.
Class Outline:
Reviewing vector drawing and Photoshop programs
Basic positive and stencil needs
Choosing the right positives and printer for your needs
Understanding, Preparing, and printing color separations
Printing positives and positives overview
Dots and "halftones"
Matching art to mesh and stencil
Dealing with customer provided or outside art
Screen printing limitations on graphics
Art-to-print concepts and terminology
The effects of garment color on printed graphics and how to use that to your advantage
Under-base or underlay colors
Overview of four color process
Overview of spot colors and "spot process/simulated process"
Design tips for graphics on garments
Effects of mesh and emulsion on printed graphics
Open forum to answer session specific to art production
Laptops are welcome but not required.
Prerequisite: A basic working knowledge of vector drawing and photo-manipulation programs is necessary. I.E. Corel or Illustrator. With your own knowledge base to build upon, this workshop will help you understand the specific graphic needs for screen printing.
We are hosting this class in response to the overwhelming demand we have received over the years for an advanced, technical class covering the process and demands of graphics production specific to the needs in the screen printing industry.
This graphics course goes into much greater detail than time can allow for in our full three-day screen printing class on art subjects.
Advanced Art is more of a workshop than a traditional class, in that students and Doug Grigar both suggest topics, and maintain an open dialog that benefits the group. Students are encouraged to bring lists of art-related questions to the class, where problems, solutions, special techniques and helpful tips are reviewed in detail on a projected computer screen.
3.2 MORE THAN PUSHING A SQUEEGEE SEMINAR
Greg Kitson's PROFITcycleTM class reveals proven strategies to increase screen printing production and profit. Geared towards advanced and intermediate screen printers alike, the class details an integrated 12-step plan of action designed to boost your business to new heights.
Some of the many topics covered include:
Pricing to increase profit: make more and work less
Streamlining your business from A to Z
Recognizing and maximizing your growth potential
Improving efficiency from order taking to delivery
Cutting time by using pre-press registration
VIDEO
3.3 DYNAMIC SIMULATED PROCESS PRINTING ON DARK GARMENTS
This informative session will help you understand the principles of designing for and screen printing on dark garments, including special print techniques to increase productivity. Veteran educator Charlie Taublieb will share insight into choosing the correct LPI, dot angles, screen mesh and color order to make your prints stand out. Also learn how to print on dark garments using an underlay, flash and additional colors printing wet-on-wet.
In this seminar, you will learn:
The difference between designing for light- and dark-colored shirts
How to choose the correct LPI, dot shape and angle to avoid moirés
How to select screen mesh and squeegees
3.4 WATER-BASED AND DISCHARGE PRINTING SEMINAR
This lecture will be the first of two innovative seminars. This session will cover points of interest on how to get a bigger bang for your buck from your customers using water-based and discharge ink products. Find out from this award-winning decorator how using water-based and discharge inks can be the starting point to most multimedia screen printing. By using more than just traditional plastisol inks, you can become a rock star apparel decorator and make bigger profits.
In this seminar, you will learn:
How these specialty inks are the foundation to creating exciting multimedia screen printing
How to get a bigger bang for your buck from your customers
How to take your decorating techniques to the next level and beat your competition
3.5 ADVANCED SCREEN DEVELOPMENT SEMINAR
Basic Screenmaking is learning to harden a simple line art stencil with UV energy and dissolve the image area. Advanced Screenmaking controls exposure undercutting and light scatter, high tension on modern thin thread mesh and making UV opaque positives for halftones and fine lines. All this starts with compensating for the effects of screenmaking in graphics programs like CorelDRAW and Photoshop and ends with printing tiny details on lights or darks.
In this seminar you will learn:
Simple coating experiments to decide how much direct emulsion is best
Coating trough variables effects on the stencil
Classic manual stepped exposure test
Using the Stouffer T-2115 gray scale positive to simulate exposures
Create halftone control guides in Photoshop or CorelDRAW
Inkjet positive variables & positive failure
Completely harden water resistant stencils and keep small dots open
You can make halftones with a fluorescent exposure unit, it's just harder
How to calibrate fine lines and halftones for natural exposure undercutting
Mesh selection including the benefits of modern thin thread mesh
Fast stroke speed actually prints halftones better than slow speed
The high tension, low off-contact, stiff blades combination works best
3.6 SCREENPRINT PRICING - It's NOT Black Magic
Do you know the most popular price model in screenprinting today is, "A nickel less than the other guy" ? Do not make this costly mistake!
Join industry veteran Greg Kitson as he covers the basics of both production- and market-based screen print pricing models.
Intended for professional, intermediate and entry level printers alike, the course will explain how to conduct market research and apply the results to develop a price model that keeps you both competitive and PROFITable!
The six hour Workshop consists of a PowerPoint presentation followed by a question and answer period.
Participants will receive a detailed handout of all presentation materials in outline format with space for individualized notes.
Master the decision making process as you price your products correctly.Work smarter not harder!
3.7 GETTING BACK TO BASICS SEMINAR
This workshop will focus on the basics of a smooth working shop. Starting from the point of outputting artwork, I will take you through screen frames, mesh and emulsions. We will burn screens using an exposure calculator on dual cure as well as a single part emulsion. We will washout screens using high pressure on designs with half-tones.
Once the screens are done, we will go through press set-up and registration and the squeegee selection process for light and dark colored garments.
We will all print the job that was set up. Shirts will be supplied and a list of the products used as well as a copy of the artwork.
By the end of the day, the main emphases will have been to touch on all the segments of screen-printing, giving you a taste of each part of the job. We will get into more detail on day two and go over the several options that can be used for each process.
3.8 THE SCREEN PRINTERS TOOLBOX
So maybe you're an expert printer or you have jumped into the screen printing industry without formal training... Have you taken a close look inside your toolbox lately? A screen, a squeegee, emulsion, ink... Maybe you select them because of cost, or what you've "heard" is good. Ready to step up your game and learn more about selecting the proper tools that will give you a higher quality print and turn you a profit? Well then this class is for you.
Designed to be a lecture on the "why" behind variables in products and methods used in screen printing.
Why would you choose one over the other?
Pros & cons of common types of products.
New products for an evolving industry.
Supply problems screen printers face everyday & solutions.
An emphasis will be placed on non-pvc, phthalate free and discharge inks. Reasons behind the new trend, how to score bigger clients by making the change, and niches in this industry where you can profit from the use of these inks.
The class will be broken out into five sections covering Screens, Emulsions, Exposure, Squeegee Blades and Inks.
4.1 CUSTOM ON-SITE SETUP AND TRAINING
Customized three to five-day onsite training for your shop with complete equipment installation & total technical instruction in a casual presentation to you and your staff.
No equipment purchase is necessary, however, classes can be purchased with complete shops. Onsite classes are customized for your needs, which can include:
Installation of new equipment
Staff training
Advanced techniques
Production efficiency improvement
The following is a sample schedule when all five days are purchased. Onsite training is customized to the needs assessed in your shop. The most common practice to help you set up and print your first job or two. When done in your facility on your machines the benefits are substantial.
DAY 1 SHOP SETUP DAY 2 PREPRESS DAY 3 PRODUCTION DAY 4 POSTPRESS DAY 5 ART
Computer
Printer
Assemble frames
Coat screens
Press assembly
VRS
Exposure unit
Mesh choice
Positives
Exposure testing
Wash out
Preparation
Press setup
Preparing orders
Flood and print
Flashing
Off contact
Print order
Squeegee
Ink cure
Troubleshooting
Press breakdown
Screen cleaning
Reclaim screens
Chemical use
Screen care
Screen drying
Emergency tips
Art programs
Scanner use
Positives issues
Freelance art
Clip art
Art limitations
Shirt placement
Onsite training client requirements:
Washout booth & drying cabinet that is plumbed and vented.
Electrical connections for flashes and dryers in place along with good lighting.
Plastisol inks, emulsion, scoop coater, and film for positives on hand.
Macintosh or PC with a copy of Illustrator, Streamline, Photoshop and a working scanner.
(Photoshop is not needed for basic art.)
(Once training is scheduled "pre-support" can be provided & supply needs overviewed.)
