News

There’s no sign of Winter here in Houston, Texas, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t welcome the springtime!

Coming up in March, Flatstock will make its appearance in Austin, Texas, in celebration of the all-mighty screen printed poster. For the uninitiated, Flatstock is a gigposter convention and sale which coincided with South by South West. Participating artists and print shops register with the American Poster Institute, and roll our their wares for the general public to check out and purchase. Where else could you add 5 unique pieces of art to your collection for around $100?

Being in the thick of the t-shirt industry, a lot of people forget that screen printing is responsible for much more than just ink on fabric. For example, the process finds a home in the manufacturing plants which produce many of our electronics. Modern circuit boards, touch screen membranes, and other internal components can’t be produced with out resorting to the “black art” of printing.

Similarly, many forget to think about products also producible by screen printing when planning out a foray into print. Business cards? Art Prints? Custom labels and packaging? Screen printing can add a twist to any of them in a way that only adds value. Also worth mentioning is the ease at which screen printing can “get along with” other print mediums. Still need the ease of CMYK printing without the cost of screen printing, or potential loss of detail? Consider printing CMYK elements of the design via digital or offset, and then add screen printing into the mix for unique spot colors, embellishments, and more.

Designers and artists should also take note when planning out how to monetize their products. Although your brand may be rooted in street wear and fashion, stop and ask yourself what makes a design successful on a shirt. Is it because of the shirt, or the artwork? If the latter is what really pulls together the look, doesn’t it make sense that people might want to buy it as a print? The same artwork, printed on a good paper stock, can be produced without a heavy investment into t-shirts (often at $3-$4 per shirt), and often sold for the same price.

Scared of taking a chance on something new? Material costs on printed editions are almost next to nothing, so it’s not going to break the bank. With a healthy edition size of 50 or more prints, it’s easy to recoup the production cost by selling 5-10 prints.

So, looping back to our celebration this month of all things Flatstock, we’re offering several price specials on prints. All specials include screen fees, ink, and paper (either on our 100# cover white stock, or on chipboard), and begin at $180 for 50, 2-color 18×24″ prints, or $240 for 50, 3-color 18×24″ prints. Additional color runs, different size pricing, and more are available as well. All you need to do is send the artwork and description of the project to us via our “Services” page, or direct to production@blackswanscreenprinting.com.

Happy Spring from Spring Street Studios in muggy Houston, Texas!