Screen Print Studio — Color Separations & Trapping
Screen-print prepress in one place: reduce a design to spot-colour screens, add choke/spread trapping so misregistration doesn't show, and stamp registration marks — exporting print-shop-ready separation plates.
Credit Usage
Options & Settings
| Setting | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Colours | Slider | Spot colours to reduce to — one screen each. 2468 |
| Trapping | Slider | Pixels each plate spreads so adjacent inks overlap and hide misregistration. 0124 |
| Registration Marks | Toggle | Stamp corner and centre crosshair targets on every plate for press alignment. |
When to Use
- Preparing spot-colour screens for apparel printing
- Separating a logo or graphic into plates for vinyl or screen
- Adding trapping before a manual-registration press run
- Counting screens and setups to quote a screen-print job
Pro Tips
Most prints use 3–6 colours — each colour is one screen and one setup cost
1–2 px trapping is enough for manual presses; use 0 for digital or precise registration
Keep registration marks on for manual alignment; off for single-colour jobs
For photographic or gradient art, halftone it first, then separate the result
What to Expect
Best Results
- Flat or semi-flat artwork (logos, graphics, illustrations)
- Designs with distinct spot colours
- 2–8 colour jobs
Limited Results
- Photographic or gradient art (reduces to hard bands)
- 15+ colour designs
- Anti-aliased edges (may add colours)
Real-World Examples
T-Shirt Graphic
A 4-colour graphic was reduced to four spot-colour screens with 1 px trapping and corner registration marks, ready to burn.
Hiding Misregistration
A two-colour design got 2 px trapping so the inks overlapped slightly, eliminating the bare-fabric gap a manual press would otherwise leave.
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