You’ve just entered the world of dimensional printing—where decoration techniques can add depth, texture, and new possibilities to your work.

Screen printing with plastisol inks is the bread and butter of most decorator shops. It’s a reliable technique that helps you keep the lights on and your staff happy while providing a consistent cash flow.

The inspiration for adding dimension and texture to traditional screen printing is drawn from retail, where there’s increased interest in special effects graphics and unique hand feel. While some methods of special effects printing are as simple as ordering a new consumable ink—glitter, glow-in-the-dark, etc.—dimensional printing often takes more finesse, caution, and testing to make sure your prints make the right impression on your customers.

If this is a new world for you, not to worry. By the end of this article you’ll know what works best and what to watch out for.

Let’s explore a few of the most common dimensional screen printing techniques.

Puff Printing

Puff printing is also known as 3D Printing. Like adding a catalyst or stretch additive, this is a relatively straightforward process that can enhance bold designs with a raised, textured look to really make them stand out on 100% cotton or cotton blend styles.

What you’ll need for puff printing:

• Puff additive – add this into your plastisol ink, typically 10-20% by weight. Measure this additive-to-ink ratio out carefully to ensure success.
• Lower mesh count screens – 60–110 works best.

Accuracy in cure temps also plays a big part here. Over-curing can result in a collapsed effect, while under-curing the print will result in cracking. A puff additive will expand the ink upward and outward once cure temps hit about 270–300°F.

Simple designs are your best bet. Designs with fine details can turn blurry or produce lost detail altogether when the ink expands.

High Density

Printers can take dimensional printing a step further with high density (HD) effects. They create a rigid 3D effect that can deliver a more dimensional, retail-inspired look.

Here’s what helps in the HD printing process:

• Dedicated high density ink – this is a high-viscosity ink.
• Low mesh count screens – highly recommended to allow the thick ink to pass through easily.
• Capillary film – aim for 200–400 microns. This creates a deep stencil which acts as a well for the ink.

  * High density emulsions also exist, but many printers find convenience in simply using film—a ready-to-go product that removes the guesswork of scoop coating emulsion properly.

The printing process includes a large initial flood stroke to overwhelm the stencil, followed by a soft squeegee with high pressure force to push the ink through. You can then perform a print-flash-print method to increase the height of the ink deposit as you stack prints to your desired thickness.

Always make sure you’re test curing on fabrics prior to a full production run to ensure that the print is durable.

For beginners, this process is best applied to simple logos. As a printer builds up their skill level, high density printing can transition over into more complicated artwork.

Clear Gel

Clear gel can highlight all or part of a design printed on a substrate. This special effect is printed as the final screen in a design, on top of already cured or flashed plastisol inks.

Here’s what you’ll need for it:

• Clear gel screen printing ink – applied as an overprint to an existing design.
• Squeegee – use a sharp-edged squeegee for detailed designs, or a squeegee with a rounded edge for heavier gel deposits.
• 86–160 mesh count screens – the gel product you’re using may have a more specific recommendation.

Gels will provide a high-gloss, or wet, appearance to the ink colors it is lying on top of.  The more you deposit, the more raised in appearance it will become, creating a high-density effect.

With this effect you can add realistic highlights to elemental designs on a garment, like water, or help aspects of a logo pop by increasing the gloss and vibrancy of colors underneath.

HD Silicone

Printing on highly technical fabrics, such as elastane, nylon, or lycra, usually means using silicone ink.

These inks are high performing, durable superstars that create a wonderful soft hand feel, stretch well, and naturally resist dye migration. On less absorbent fabrics like nylon, even just one pass of a silicone print can create a dimensional appearance for the design.

Here’s what works best:

• Bonding catalyst – this is mixed with the ink base to start the curing process. Once this catalyst is added, you’ve got 4 to 6 hours to use it. Make sure the job you’re working on is set up prior to mixing!
• Capillary film – you may require a thickness of 600 microns or more due to the thickness of the ink.
• 80–160 mesh count screens – this can be further adjusted depending on the specifics of your artwork.
  • 80–100 mesh count for bold, high-density art
  • 110–130 mesh count for a mix of text and moderate detail
  • 150–160 mesh count to capture finer details

Popular colors for HD silicone, like black or white, can be purchased from some suppliers in ready-for-use formats.

Just like high density prints above, you’ll use the film to create a stencil for the ink, and you’ll want to take multiple passes to apply it—a large initial stroke to fill the stencil, then a high-pressure pass with a soft squeegee to push the ink through.

The finished product will give you a luxurious hand feel that catches your fingers as you run them across the design, while adding dimension to the print itself.

Printing HD silicone is extremely technical and is best approached once you feel comfortable with traditional high density prints first.

Sell with Confidence

Exploring the third dimension of screen printing sets your work apart from the traditional block-and-tackle of the everyday printing world.

It’s important to do your honest, time-tested R&D on these unique printing processes. Curing dimensional prints takes some planning, so make sure you test each run before production to ensure consistent results.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to your ink and press room suppliers to discuss the products they have available, and additional best practices for locking in these unique decoration procedures.

And of course, the Decorator Solutions team is always here to help and answer your questions.

With care, caution and creativity, opening the door to dimensional printing may also open the door to new opportunities for you.