Just saying Hi!

[hellbound]

I just wanted to introduce myself and thank you all for the much needed (by me anyways) information I have found in this forum. I am knew to the screen printing business and just purchased a manual 4 color single station press with a decent flash dryer. I do not have a screen printing company to print other peoples designs, but thought I would cut out the middle man (the screen printer) that prints all of my designs for my clothing company. What a foolish idea!
I will be prying deep within your minds and stealing every bit of useful information out of them for as long as you all will let me.

Thanks again for taking the time to make a site like this available to the stupid people.
I know how valuable a persons time really is.

Hellbound

[d fleming]

Welcome to the forum.

[Limelight Apparel]

Welcome!

I am also a newbie to the forum and find it extremely helpful.

My Background:

25 Years old

I am currently an apparel dealer, working with a couple different printers and embroidery shops. I have 5 Years of experience as a part time dealer while I was in college. My customers are mostly high school athletic teams and a few colleges, but I am starting to work at getting into the corporate end of things.

As Roadside has stated in posts before, this industry really does seem to start with the artist! I was fortunate in that my printer had 2 very experienced and talented artists, but they both recently left and I found this forum while trying to find others to help with my artwork! So far, I'd say the best advice I could give anyone would be that Great Artists = Polished Finished Product = Happy Customer = Repeat Orders & Price Insulator against competition.

I look forward to learning more and hope I can be of assistance to others!

[ROADSIDE]

Well thanks for the mention!
I agree that the artist is what really makes this industry move.
Its a shame that people are to cheap to pay their artists what they deserve. They dont call them starving artists for nothing!

So many people think.... "Well if (insert name here) can print shirts then I can do it to"
Thats not always the case. If you have worked at K-Mart all your life that doesnt mean you will be able to sell clothing you print.
Most of the time people spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars to get into this industry only to find out they made a mistake.

Glad to see you all joining this forum!
I will help as much as I can but beings I am a "starving artist" I dont always give out the really juicy secrets (unless the money is right )