Film positive studio · 86–305 mesh · runs in your browser
Screen printing halftone generator
Pick the mesh on your press and get a safe LPI, knock the black out of dark-shirt art, split CMYK, and check every dot against the mesh thread before you burn a screen.
Your artwork or a worked example — load one, then change anything
Design file vintage-black-tee-portrait
Print simulation
Free · made in your browser
Pro film pack · screen-ready files
Unlock screen-ready film positives
- 1:1 film PDF, one page per plate, with registration crosshairs, plate headers and a 10-step exposure strip
- 600 DPI 1-bit transparent PNG films with 0 grey edge pixels, including the choked white underbase
- Plate-grouped true vector SVG: real circle, path and polygon dots at print size
- Unlimited designs while your pass is active
Desktop RIP software runs $199–$495. The 7-day pass is $4.99.
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Recommended · Mesh ÷ 4.5 = 34.7
Emulsion and print size
Shadow clip
Knock-out threshold
WASH-OUT SAFE Min Dot Diameter: 146 μm Limit 96 μm = 1.5 × 64 μm thread
- Mesh
- Screen Mesh: 156T
- Output
- Output LPI: 35 LPI @ 22.5°
- Thread
- Thread: 64 μm · Opening: 99 μm
- Emulsion
- Emulsion: Dual-cure
- Risk
- Risk zones: 0 cells
- Vector nodes
- Vector Nodes: 0 dots
- Knock-out
- Knocked out: 0% of artwork
- Output size
- 11.00 × 13.75 in · 6600 × 8250 px @ 600 DPI
600 DPI 1-Bit · Grey pixels: 0Vector SVG ready
Free vs Pro, file by file
- Proof PNG Free
- Opaque shirt mockup up to 1000 px, stamped CLIENT MOCKUP PROOF ONLY — NOT FOR SCREEN EXPOSURE
- Settings TXT Free
- Mesh, LPI, angle, gain and clips to pin next to the press
- 1:1 Film PDF Pro
- One page per plate with crosshairs, plate header and a 10-step strip
- 600 DPI PNGs Pro
- Transparent 1-bit films with 0 grey edge pixels
- Vector SVG Pro
- Plate-grouped circle, path and polygon dots at print size
Settings sheet preview
Settings appear here.
How it works
From artwork to film in four steps
- 01
Load the art.
Drop a PNG, JPG, WebP or SVG, paste from the clipboard, or click a worked example. The file is decoded in this browser and never uploaded.
- 02
Set the screen.
Choose the mesh you will expose; LPI jumps to Mesh ÷ 4.5 rounded to 5. Then set dot shape, angle and the dot gain of your ink.
- 03
Separate the films.
Mode 1 makes one film, Mode 2 knocks out a black shirt with a choked white underbase, Mode 3 splits four CMYK films.
- 04
Preflight and export.
Clear any red WASH-OUT RISK cells, save the free proof and settings sheet, then export the 1:1 films for the darkroom.
Mesh and LPI
How fine can this screen go?
A halftone dot has to bridge at least one thread to survive washout. That single fact sets the LPI ceiling for every mesh.
Max LPI = Mesh Count ÷ 4.5
Round to the nearest 5 and keep it between 20 and 65 LPI.
- 156 mesh
- 156 ÷ 4.5 = 34.7 → 35 LPI
- 230 mesh
- 230 ÷ 4.5 = 51.1 → 50 LPI
- 305 mesh
- 305 ÷ 4.5 = 67.8 → 65 LPI
The studio applies that rule the moment you change the mesh, then lets you type any LPI from 20 to 65. If you go above the recommendation it warns you and keeps previewing, because some shops run 40 LPI on 156 mesh with a thin, hard emulsion and know what they are doing.
| Mesh | Metric | Thread | Opening | Mesh ÷ 4.5 | Rec. LPI | 5% dot | Wash-out limit | Suited inks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 86 | 34T/cm | 100 μm | 195 μm | 19.1 | 20 LPI | 320 μm | 150 μm | Plastisol / Metallic |
| 110 | 43T/cm | 80 μm | 151 μm | 24.4 | 25 LPI | 256 μm | 120 μm | Plastisol / Metallic |
| 125 | 49T/cm | 70 μm | 133 μm | 27.8 | 30 LPI | 214 μm | 105 μm | Plastisol / Metallic |
| 156 | 61T/cm | 64 μm | 99 μm | 34.7 | 35 LPI | 183 μm | 96 μm | Plastisol / Water-Based / Discharge |
| 196 | 77T/cm | 55 μm | 75 μm | 43.6 | 45 LPI | 142 μm | 82.5 μm | Plastisol / Water-Based / Discharge |
| 230 | 90T/cm | 48 μm | 62 μm | 51.1 | 50 LPI | 128 μm | 72 μm | Water-Based / Discharge / Plastisol |
| 305 | 120T/cm | 34 μm | 49 μm | 67.8 | 65 LPI | 99 μm | 51 μm | Plastisol / Water-Based |
Thread diameters are typical PET monofilament values (the 34-100, 43-80, 49-70, 61-64, 77-55, 90-48 and 120-34 designations in Sefar PET 1500 style mesh tables). Your supplier datasheet wins. The 5% dot is the uncompensated 5% tone at the recommended LPI; it must stay above 1.5 × the thread.
Screen angles
Angles that stay off the threads
Moiré on a shirt is usually the halftone rows beating against the mesh, not against each other.
| Plate | Angle | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Single color, elliptical dot | 22.5° | Chains run off the thread lines, so a one-color job on 156–230 mesh shows the least moiré. |
| Single color, round dot | 45° | The classic angle; fine on most meshes, but watch for moiré on coarse mesh. |
| Cyan (C) | 15° | Process plate 1, 30° away from magenta and black. |
| Magenta (M) | 75° | Process plate 2, 30° from black. |
| Yellow (Y) | 0° | The least visible ink takes the most moiré-prone angle. |
| Black (K) | 45° | The strongest ink sits on the angle the eye notices least. |
In Mode 3 the angle field locks, because each process film takes its own angle: cyan 15°, magenta 75°, yellow 0° and black 45°. In Modes 1 and 2 the chips set 22.5°, 45°, 15°, 75° or 0° in one click, and any half-degree step from 0° to 90° can be typed.
Dot gain
Starting values by ink
Dot gain is how much a dot spreads on the shirt. Compensation shrinks the film dot so the printed tone lands where the art says.
| Ink and garment | Typical mesh | Dot gain | 50% tone on film |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plastisol, light shirt | 156–230 | 15% | 36% |
| Plastisol white on black | 110–156 | 18–20% | 34–32% |
| Water-based or discharge | 156–230 | 10–15% | 40–36% |
| CMYK process plastisol | 305 | 15% | 36% |
| DTF transfer film | no mesh | 10% | 40% |
The model is the common parabola: printed = film + 4g × film × (1 − film), where g is the gain at 50%. A 25% gain turns a 50% tone into 29% on film; 10% gives 40%. These are starting points; expose a test screen with the step wedge before a production run.
Preflight
What the preflight card checks
Every number on the card is recomputed on each change, from the same engine that writes the Pro files.
- Min Dot Diameter
- Area-equivalent circle of the highlight clip tone on film: d = 1000 × (25.4 ÷ LPI) × √(4f ÷ π) μm. At 156 mesh, 35 LPI, 15% gain and a 5% clip it is 146 μm.
- Wash-out limit
- 1.5 × the thread diameter: 96 μm on 156 mesh, 72 μm on 230 mesh, 51 μm on 305 mesh.
- Risk zones
- Cells whose film dot is above zero but under the limit. They are shaded red on the garment proof.
- Vector Nodes
- Every dot across every plate — the exact element count of the Pro SVG.
- Knocked out
- Share of the visible artwork at or below the knock-out threshold, printed by the shirt itself.
Where it fits
Jobs this page is built for
Vintage tees on black
Grayscale band and portrait art printed with one underbase and one highlight white instead of a black screen.
Open the black shirt knockout toolGradient logos on light shirts
Fades that need a highlight clip so the last 1–4% dots do not vanish on 230 mesh.
Compare dot shapes for gradientsFour-color process on white
Full-color art split into C, M, Y and K films at rosette-safe angles on 305 mesh.
Run a CMYK separationChoosing mesh before you coat
Check which mesh will hold the smallest dot of a job before you stretch and coat a screen.
Use the mesh to LPI calculator
Shop questions
Frequently asked questions
What LPI should I use for my screen mesh?
Divide the mesh count by 4.5 and round to the nearest 5: 110 mesh gives 25 LPI, 156 gives 35, 230 gives 50 and 305 gives 65 (the cap). Going above that puts the smallest dots on top of single threads, where they wash out during development.
Why does the preflight say WASH-OUT RISK?
The smallest film dot — your highlight clip tone after dot gain compensation — is narrower than 1.5 × the thread diameter of the mesh. A dot that small has nothing to anchor to and rinses away. Raise the highlight clip, lower the LPI or pick a finer mesh.
Which screen angle is best for a single color?
Use 22.5° with an elliptical dot or 45° with a round dot. Both keep the rows of dots away from the 0° and 90° mesh threads, which is what causes most single-color moiré on shirts.
How much dot gain compensation do I need?
Plastisol on a manual press usually gains about 15% at the 50% tone, so a 50% tone goes onto the film as 36%. Water-based inks often gain less, heavy whites more. Start at 15%, print a test, and adjust between 10% and 25%.
Does my artwork get uploaded?
No. The image is decoded and screened in your browser. Only when you export a Pro file are the screened tone maps, the art mask and your settings sent, processed in memory and returned; the original file never leaves your device.
What do I get for free?
Unlimited uploads, the live loupe and garment preview, the full preflight, a mockup proof PNG up to 1000 px with a proof banner, and the settings TXT. The 1:1 film PDF, the 600 DPI 1-bit PNG pack and the vector SVG need a pass.
Can I print the proof PNG on film?
No. It is an opaque RGB mockup of the shirt with a banner that says it is not for exposure. Films need true 1-bit black at full size, which the Pro PDF and PNG pack provide with registration marks.
What is the difference between Mode 1, Mode 2 and Mode 3?
Mode 1 is one halftone film, optionally inverted for white ink. Mode 2 removes the black from dark-shirt art and builds a choked white underbase plus a highlight white. Mode 3 separates full color into cyan, magenta, yellow and black films.
How big can the print be?
Width runs from 1 to 14 inches in quarter-inch steps and the height follows the artwork up to 16 inches, a standard adult platen. Every Pro file is 1:1 at that size, so a 12 inch wide design gives a 7200 pixel wide film at 600 DPI.
Same engine, other jobs