Ordering & Production Guide: Screen Printed Posters & Prints
artwork by Kristin Tata
If you have the time and budget, a screen printed poster is one of the best printed goods you can offer your customers. It does, however, require passion and patience.
At Cracked Ego, we do not simply process files. We manage a production pipeline. This guide details the four non-negotiable stages for placing a screen print poster order, ensuring your final product aligns perfectly with the event, the artist, and your team’s expectations.
1. Initial Project Scoping & Quote Request
The screen print process is defined by its variables. To provide an accurate estimate and set a realistic production timeline, we require clear, complete specifications from the outset.
Required Information:
Quantity: The precise number of posters required (minimum order applies).
Dimensions: Exact final trim size (e.g., 18” x 24”). We can accommodate bordered and full-bleed prints up to 18” x 24”.
Paper Stock:
Weight: Due to its ability to maintain integrity after several ink layers, 100lb Cover Stock is a standard weight for most gig posters
Color/Finish: (e.g., French Paper, white, natural, black, or custom spec). Our in-house white papers are the premium Coventry Rag Smooth and the economy priced Cougar Opaque Smooth. Our preferred black paper is Sirio Ultra Black and we love the Colorplan series for any additional colors.
Ink Colors:
Specify the exact number of colors in the design. If going on a color paper, an additional white-layer may be required if white is not present in the design.
Provide Pantone Solid Uncoated callouts for each color. Please note, while we use an ink-mixing system and document any custom color mixes, some variance is inevitable when going from screen to print.
Specialty Inks?: Does the design include glow-in-the-dark, metallic, or fluorescent inks? (These factors impact production time and cost.)
Timeline: The firm in-hand delivery date. Most orders take a minimum of 14 business days after artwork approval and full-payment.
Shipping: If your prints require shipping, we require the desired shipping address. A quote will be provided during the quoting process and finalized before shipping. The finalized shipping quote will not deviate >10% on the finalized invoice.
2. Artwork Preparation: File Formats, Resolution Requirements, and Separation Prep
Screen printing requires a level of file integrity that digital printing may not. The artwork must be prepared for color separation. This process invloves breaking down the image into individual layers, one for each color to be printed.
Mandatory Artwork Specs:
File Format: Adobe Illustrator (.AI), Adobe Photoshop (.PSD), or PDF (.PDF) are preferred.
Resolution and artwork specs: Vector files must be 100% vector and include outlined fonts.
Color Separation: Cracked Ego will complete separations in-house; however, there are tasks you can complete on your end to help with the process:
If possible, each ink color must be assigned its own distinct layer.
Colors must be defined using the specific Pantone Solid Uncoated codes submitted in Section 1.
We require a 100% opacity for all solid colors. Effect Halftones, gradients, and transparency effects must be properly managed by the client before submission.
Bleed/Safety: Include a minimum 0.125-inch bleed where necessary, and ensure critical content is at least 0.25 inches from the trim edge.
Our Pre-Press Team Note: If the provided files require significant restructuring, color correction, or separation work, we will flag it. This may incur an additional pre-press fee or delay the project start. We prefer to print what you send, not what we had to fix.
3. Approval and Production Launch
Upon receipt of the complete artwork and the approved quote, we will issue the Production Agreement and Invoice.
The Final Steps:
Payment: Production begins only after the initial deposit payment is processed.
Digital Proof: We will issue a final, detailed digital proof (a PDF) showing how the artwork is separated for production and placed on the selected paper stock. This is your last opportunity for non-mechanical corrections.
Sign-Off: Your team must formally sign off on this proof and pay the remaining balance. Cracked Ego proceeds to film creation and screen burning based explicitly on this approved document and paid invoice. Any changes requested after this stage will result in significant material costs and project delays.
4. Quality Control & Final Delivery
Once printing is complete, the posters enter a critical drying and quality control phase.
Curing: Inks must be properly cured to ensure durability and prevent offset.
Trimming & Inspection: Each poster is trimmed to spec and inspected for registration fidelity, ink coverage, and paper stock integrity. Screen printing inherently involves minor variances; this is the signature of the medium. We maintain a strict allowance for these acceptable production tolerances.
Upon final QC, your project is boxed, labeled, and prepared for shipping or client pick-up. Shipping methods and tracking information will be confirmed at this stage.
A Note on Partnership
Screen printing is an investment. When you partner with Cracked Ego, you are not simply buying posters; you are engaging a dedicated production team. We manage the mechanics so your creative vision—and your event—can land with maximum impact.
Ready to print? Submit your specifications today and let’s discuss the details.
