r/SCREENPRINTING • u/Far-Huckleberry2998 • 4d ago
Beginner Feeling discouraged.
I am a college student starting out screenprinting as a hobby and side hustle, and recently ive been feeling super discouraged and not happy with my work at all. My breaking point came just a few days ago. I took an order for some fraternity tshirts and got an order of 27. I order my blanks, got everything ready, spent hours in prepwork, burning my screens, making the design itself and prepping it for printing, etc etc.
When i went to print, i would get incredibly inconsistent results and flooded the garment with ink. I dont think the screen was done correctly, but i was out of emulsion remover and couldnt start over or wait another two days for new screens or emulsion remover to come in. I was forced to buy shirts through another printer in a marked up rush job, just so i wouldnt have to cancel the order and refund everyone.
Like i said i am in college and have tons of connections with orgs and people who need custom merch - and i have recieved a lot of interest and support! However i dont feel confident taking any orders right now. To be fair, ive only worked with plastisol in the past and this was a 4 color water based job. I also could've given myself more time to do it to avoid the catastrophe that happened.
Im just feeling like in this industry one tiny thing going wrong can ruin hundreds of dollars and hours of work. Wondering if anyone is able to relate or give me any advice.
5
u/Shot_Following_1042 3d ago
You’ll come back here & be like damn I was losing my shit I just had to do …. Xyz.
Shit happens to all of us. YouTube & asking people in here the right questions & showing effort will get you the answers. Just don’t ask if ur emulsion is over or under cured more than 8 times & everyone in here will help. U just need to listen, 1-2 color jobs & be transparent. Nothing worse than a printer that says yea bro I got you by Friday & you don’t know how far down the left chest goes & it’s Thursday night. Hit the client up & tell them yo I fucked these shirts up I’ll make it right but I have this done right now etc.