Which separation method to use
- Spot color: flat logos and vector-style art with a few solid colors. Each color gets its own screen and prints as a solid ink.
- Index: photographic or gradient art printed with a limited palette of solid inks using square pixel-dot patterns. Great on dark garments and forgiving on press.
- Simulated process: full-color art built from halftones of spot inks, usually over a white underbase on dark shirts. It gives the most detail and needs the most press control.
Match mesh count to the method: halftone-based separations generally need 200–305 mesh, while spot colors print well on 156. See the screen mesh guide and the halftone generator, then price the job with the screen printing price calculator.