Raster vs. Vector: Why Your Logo Looks Blurry When Printed
Your logo looks sharp on screen, then comes back from the printer fuzzy. The cause is almost always the file, not the printer. Here's what to do about it.
Read articleScreen Printing Vector Art
Vector art for screen printing, separated and ready.
Customers send logos as screenshots, social media images and photos of old shirts. We rebuild them as clean spot-color vector artwork, with the separations, line weights and outlined text your shop needs to burn screens without cleanup.
Separated artwork from $20 · 1–2 business days for most files
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One color, one screenClean spot-color separations
The problem with customer artwork
Why customer logos slow down production.
Screen printing needs one solid shape per ink color. A JPG has soft, anti-aliased edges, a dozen near-identical shades where there should be one, and compression noise that shows up on film. Burn that as-is and you get ragged edges and specks on the shirt.
Auto-trace doesn't fix it either. It turns every stray pixel into a shape and every shade into its own color. Redrawing the artwork by hand gives you a file that separates cleanly the first time, so your art department isn't fixing it at the last minute.
What we prepare
Built the way screen printers need it.
Tell us your shop's preferences and we'll follow them. If you don't have any, this is how we set the file up.
Spot colors, not CMYK
Each ink is a single named spot color, matched to Pantone values when you have them, so separations come out as one plate per color.
Reduced color count
Near-identical shades are merged so you're not burning extra screens for colors no one will notice on the shirt.
Printable line weights
Hairlines and tiny gaps are thickened or opened up so they hold on the screen and don't fill in with ink.
Outlined text
Fonts are converted to shapes, so the file opens correctly on any computer without missing-font substitutions.
Clean knockouts
Shapes are built so colors knock out of each other cleanly. Let us know if your shop wants overprints or traps built in.
Gradients handled
Gradients are simplified into flat spot-color steps, or kept as a single shape for your shop to halftone, depending on how you print.
What you receive
Files ready for your RIP or film.
- Editable vector files: AI, EPS, SVG and PDF, plus CDR on request.
- Spot-color separations with a color breakdown listing each ink.
- Artwork at your print size, for example a 12-inch full front or a 4-inch left chest.
- A proof to approve before the final files, with free revisions.
- DTF or digital print? Ask for a high-resolution transparent PNG alongside the vector files.
Who uses this service
For shops that print every day.
- Screen print shops clearing customer artwork before it reaches the press.
- DTF and transfer printers who need clean edges and transparent backgrounds.
- Apparel brands preparing designs before sending them to their printer.
- Promo product distributors collecting vector logos for one-color imprints.
Pricing
Separated artwork from $20.
Single-color logos and simple marks start at $10. Multi-color logos with separations start at $20, and detailed illustrations or mascot art with multi-color separations start at $40. You'll get a confirmed price after we see the artwork.
Questions
Screen printing artwork FAQs.
Can you separate a full-color photo?
Photographic artwork needs simulated process or CMYK separations, which is a different job from vector redrawing. Send it over and we'll tell you honestly whether a vector redraw is the right approach for it.
How many colors will my design need?
As few as it can look right with. We'll suggest merging shades that won't read as different on fabric, and confirm the final count with you before we finish.
Do you make the films or screens?
No. We supply the artwork files and separations; your shop or printer outputs the films and burns the screens.
How fast can you turn customer artwork around?
Most files are delivered within 1–2 business days. If a job is on the press schedule, tell us the deadline when you send it.
From the blog
Helpful reading before you order.
Short, practical guides from our team.
How Much Does Logo Vectorization Cost?
Simple wordmarks vs detailed mascots, auto-trace vs hand redraws, and the files you should expect to receive for the price.
Read articleGot a customer logo that won't separate?
Send it as-is and receive a free, no-pressure quote within one business day.