Have you printed on a sublimation printer and been unhappy with the color results? Have you printed a design on a piece of clothing or an object that wasn’t as bright as you wanted? It must have left you wondering how to make sublimation brighter. You’re not alone.
Sublimation is a process that uses heat and pressure to exchange ink with special paper, which then allows the ink to penetrate the fibers of the paper. Choosing the correct type of paper can help you make your sublimation prints even more beautiful, whether they’re on T-shirts or mugs.
The answer to how to make sublimation prints brighter is actually very simple. There are a few ways to improve the brightness of sublimation prints. You can achieve this by adjusting your printer settings, using high-quality inks, or many other ways.
The thing to keep in mind is that you can do something after your print is made. This can range from applying a certain coating type to adding extra color.
Below we are going to tell you about some possible factors contributing to how to make sublimation colors brighter. Its proper understanding will surely result in bright sublimation and popping colors.
Table of Contents
How to Make Sublimation Prints Brighter?
Is your flashier sublimation print turning out not so bright? Don’t worry; you can always make it as bright as you want. If you want your sublimation prints to be brighter, follow these simple steps.
Select the Right Paper
In order to begin your project, you must choose the right paper. You want to choose a paper with a good white base and brightens colors well. Look for papers with a bright white base or white core that will make colors pop off the page when they are sublimated onto it.
Use a Higher Quality Sublimation Ink
The type of ink that you use can also affect how bright or dull your prints look when they come out of the printer. If possible, choose an ink that contains metallic pigments or dyes so that it has a higher density than other types of ink available on the market today.
These inks will produce brighter colors than standard inks and will last longer before completely fading away from UV light exposure.
Check our Latest review: Best Sublimation Ink – Reviews and Buying Guide
Check the Color Settings on Your Printer
If your printer has color settings that allow you to adjust the brightness of each individual color in your print, check those settings and see if they can be adjusted to make your colors brighter.
Make Adjustments in Your Graphics Program
If you’re printing directly from a graphics program like Photoshop or Illustrator, there may be options within those programs that allow you to adjust the brightness of each color used in your design.
Many graphics programs also come with presets that make it easy for you to adjust color settings without having any knowledge of how they work.
Use a Good Printer
The main thing you need to do if your prints are not as bright as they should be is invested in an expensive, professional-grade printer. If you have one already that works well, then you’re good to go!
Add Flock to Your Project to Boost the Brightness of Colors
If you want your print to have more brightness, the flock is a great option. Flock is a thin, durable material that can be added to almost any surface and will help reflect light in a way that makes it look brighter and more vibrant.
Why Does My Sublimation Look Faded?
The most common reason for faded sublimation is using inferior ink. If you’re not using water-based ink, then your print will fade. This is because water-based inks are designed to be used with sublimation printers, whereas oil-based inks are not.
Another reason may be that you’ve used a lower-quality paper. Fading can also occur if your printer isn’t calibrated correctly or if it has been running continuously without being cleaned and maintained properly.
How to Make Sublimation Brighter (Method 2)
The question of how to get bright sublimation prints lies in the process itself. You’ve seen those brilliantly bright, super-saturated sublimated shirts, and now you want to create some of your own. But how do you make your sublimated prints look as vibrant as possible?
Step 1:
First, start with high-quality sublimation inks. These inks are specifically formulated to produce bright, vibrant colors on various substrates. Make sure to use inks compatible with your printer and substrate material.
Step 2:
Print your design on transfer paper using a sublimation printer. Again, make sure to use a high-quality transfer paper compatible with your printer and substrate material. This will ensure that your colors are transferred evenly and accurately.
Step 3:
Once your design is printed on the transfer paper, it’s time to lay it out on your substrate. Make sure to position the design where you want it before beginning the transfer process. If using a heat press, pre-heat your substrate material before placing the transfer paper on top.
Once everything is in place, run the heat press according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Depending on your substrate material, you may need to adjust the temperature or pressure settings to get the best results. After the press cycle is complete, carefully peel back the transfer paper to reveal your beautiful, bright sublimation print!
Following these simple steps, you can produce bright, vibrant sublimation prints to make your designs stand out. You can achieve beautiful results with high-quality inks and transfer paper that will wow your customers and clients. So get creative and sort out how to make sublimation prints brighter.
Some Useful Tips from Our Side
If your print is coming out faded or not as bright as you’d like, there are a few things you can check. Make sure you are using the correct transfer paper. We recommend Chroma Blast or Ricoh sublimation paper for the brightest colors.
Check your printer settings and ensure you’re printing at the highest quality. High-quality settings use more ink, which results in brighter colors.
Choose the right fabrics for your project. Natural fibers like cotton and linen work best for sublimation, as they absorb the ink more readily. Synthetic fabrics like polyester can also be used, but they typically don’t produce as vibrant colors.
Use a white base garment. This will help make your design pop and make it easier to see in low light conditions. Or use a lighter-colored garment. This will also help your design to stand out, but you’ll need to be careful not to choose a color that is too light, or your design may be difficult to see.
If you’re wondering how to make your sublimation print brighter in a truly unique way, consider using neon inks. Neon inks are visually stunning and will make your design pop. However, they can be tricky to work with.
Try re-applying the sublimation inks using a higher temperature setting. This might help to better bond the inks to the substrate.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)
Now let’s clear the air by clarifying some commonly wondered questions such as:
Why are my sublimation prints not bright?
The ink is not dry. Sublimation ink takes a while to dry, so if you’re in a hurry and want your sublimation to be bright, try using a heat press instead of a hand iron.
How do I get the best results from sublimation printing?
It is essential to have a good heat press in order to get the best results with sublimation printing. A cheap one won’t get hot enough, making it harder for the ink to dry properly before pulling it off the heat press.
How do you get true black when sublimating?
True black is achieved by using ink with a higher concentration of pigment than CMYK inks (cyan, magenta, yellow and black). The most common way of doing this is by mixing two different types of black ink together (e.g., Pantone Black + Pantone Black 1).
Can you overheat sublimation?
No, you can’t overheat sublimation. If you do, the ink will start burning and smell like plastic. This means that the print is ruined and should be thrown away.
Final Words
Sublimation printing is a very versatile technique that allows you to print high-quality designs on a large variety of fabrics, including shirts, tote bags, aprons, towels, and much more. If you want to make your sublimation prints more vibrant, try using a heat press.
If that doesn’t work, then you can try to apply pressure. Make sure you clean the printing surface with alcohol and make sure the temperature controls are set properly.
Fredrik Miller is the Founder of PrinterLake.com, a platform dedicated to providing information on sublimation printing. With a Master’s degree in Information Technology from Reputed University, Fredrik brings a wealth of technical knowledge and expertise to the site.
He leads a team of writers who are experts in the field and strive to deliver the best and most comprehensive information on sublimation printers, inks, and paper.