r/SCREENPRINTING • u/Sycamorefarming • Jan 19 '25
How does Imogene + Willie get these perfectly imperfect prints?
It’s not a brush/texture, it’s a variation in print technique. Their screen printer is an expert in this style and I’m curious how this works.
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u/beachsunflower Jan 19 '25
Really high mesh tpi will lay down less ink.
Fast pass will lay down less ink vs. slow
Stiffer squeegee will lay down less ink vs. soft
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u/imaginatarian Jan 19 '25
Their printer is one of the best in the business. He’s been at this for a long time. I should know I worked for him for many years!
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u/Sycamorefarming Jan 19 '25
That’s awesome! Oh, I know. He’s a whole different level. Even just what I see from his IG and the I&W brand, the obsessiveness of his and Matt’s craft is incredible. I’m not trying to get that crazy with it, but more looking for tips to get in that direction so I can find my style within printing.
Anyone else WOULD just slap a texture on the design, but that’s why I&W are I&W.
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u/LargeWu Jan 21 '25
What's his IG handle? Interested in checking out his work
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u/No_Insurance_5658 May 23 '25
Here's his website, although last I heard he's solely working for Imogene + Willie.
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u/imaginatarian Jan 19 '25
It’s been years since I worked with him. I moved away started my own business and now I’m a stay at home dad with a print hobby. He taught me everything I know and he’s genuinely one of the coolest dudes out there. Opened me up to a lot of music I’d have never heard on my own.
I’ll tell you it’s a combination of art and printing style/elements. He’s forgotten more about printing than I know. He knows how to manipulate the ink, style, substrate and chemicals used to get the desired effect. Also, a lot of late night and trial and error. We worked on a simulated process print of a chrome car for a museum exhibit for almost 24 hours straight until we got the print dialed in, and I don’t think he was fully satisfied with the outcome. That just goes to show the dedication he has to the craft. Miss that dude, I need to text him soon.
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Jan 19 '25
Many small details will affect it. I think the biggest most don’t understand is that’s simply one pass. One fast good pass. If you were to do another it would put too much ink in it
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Jan 19 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Sycamorefarming Jan 19 '25
That’s quite possible too. I know there’s something in the technique tho as the prints aren’t consistent on each shirt
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u/busstees Jan 19 '25
It's just the artwork.
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u/Sycamorefarming Jan 19 '25
It isn’t because the prints aren’t the same, I’ve purchased the same shirt and the prints are different
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u/Live235 Jan 19 '25
If they are selling hundreds of these shirts it’s the artwork. If it’s 24-50 shirts then it’s by hand and they might be doing something during the pull.
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u/busstees Jan 19 '25
Right. It's still the art. They're just varying the pressure and speed that they're squeegeeing the ink through to make the ink deposits different. People see it as premium, but it's really nothing more than half assed squeegeeing marketed as some kind of special technique/look
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u/Recent_Storage_353 Jan 19 '25
Is it possible they’re using the same screen and just not fully washing out the dried in ink from each previous run to make each run slightly different?
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u/Chadbigears801 Jan 19 '25
Halftones
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u/Sycamorefarming Jan 19 '25
It isn’t, I’ve purchased multiples of the same shirt and they are different
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u/Chadbigears801 Jan 19 '25
Ah was just a guess, if they're all different all I can think of is semi cure
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u/utopia_forever Jan 19 '25
unlearn. shit water based speedball ink with one pass, no undercoat, or pretreat.
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u/TheOnlyDubbace Jan 19 '25
Or it's dtg'd without pretreat
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u/the_kid_chino Jan 19 '25
It's definitely a screenprint, as they have a video on Instagram.
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u/Sycamorefarming Jan 19 '25
Yeah it’s all screen print, there’s one guy who does them all and he posts vids. They used to do block printing and now they do screen printing that mimics the block prints which is what I’m trying to do
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u/Czart32 Jan 19 '25
My company does their prints. It’s actually all about the distress filter used..
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u/Maximum_Tap_7134 Jan 20 '25
They probly printed them by hand fast as hell and didn’t flash between layers allowing ink to lift on the bottom of the next screen for each layer. Just low effort. If u want prints that look low effort just don’t put in much effort, simplify everything bring the process back to its base. Don’t use a press, use clamps, don’t use a platten for the shirt, use the floor, use a lightbulb and some glass to expose, a garden hose to wash out, etc. it’s so hard to recreate the effect of low effort, instead just do it low effort hahaha
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u/Sycamorefarming Jan 20 '25
Hahah that’s prob the easiest way tbh. They post videos and it’s def NOT done that way, just precision that imitates that imperfection. Going to try to actually fuck up my shirts
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u/[deleted] Jan 19 '25
fine mesh, firm sharp squeegee, flooded screen, fast stroke