Sublimation Printing in the Libratory: Image Set-Up for Beginners
Sublimation printing is an exciting technology with a lot of cool applications, but it requires a little technical knowledge on the part of the user. This document will help you start building that knowledge by teaching you how to set up digital files for sublimation printing. Proper image set-up is among the best ways to ensure sublimation printing success, so understanding these concepts will definitely improve your results.
IMPORTANT: If you are new to sublimation printing, you must read this document before making your appointment. Patrons booking sublimation printing appointments are expected to understand how to set up their own files. Patrons booking appointments on the Libratory's sublimation printing equipment are required to have read this.
IMPORTANT: Libratory staff will not create, print, or transfer anything for you. We're happy to show you how to use the equipment, but you are responsible for creating, printing, and pressing your items.
What is sublimation printing?
Sublimation printing is a kind of printing that uses both special paper and special ink. That special ink turns into a gas when placed under heat and pressure (“sublimation” is the scientific term for the process of the solid ink dye turning into a gas). This gas permeates specific surfaces and bonds with them, making it a great way to put colorful custom graphics on coffee mugs, tumblers, mousepads, shopping bags, t-shirts, and more. Click here to see a short video on the subject.
Sublimation-ready mugs (11 oz) are available for purchase in the Libratory for $7 each
As long as you do it correctly and use the correct materials, sublimation printing is permanent; printed mugs are microwave and dishwasher-safe, and fabrics are machine-washable.
What can I transfer sublimation prints onto?
Sublimation prints can be pressed onto white or light-colored fabrics with at least 70% polyester content; sublimation printing inks will not bond with cotton or other natural fibers. The higher the polyester content, the better, but 70% is the absolute minimum. For maximum brightness and durability, use white fabrics made of 100% polyester.
Sublimation prints can also be transferred onto white or light-colored objects like coffee mugs and mousepads, but the blank mug or mousepad must be made for sublimation printing; you can't use just any item. If you're not buying your blank item for sublimation from us, make sure you purchase blanks intended for sublimation printing. If they aren't labeled as being sublimation-ready, they most likely will not work.
The Libratory has mugs and mousepads for sale, but patrons will need to source other items for sublimation themselves. Remember, if your blanks aren't labeled as being sublimation-ready, they most likely will not work, so be careful when purchasing your blanks!
What sublimation printing equipment does the Libratory have?
The Libratory has a Sawgrass SG1000 sublimation printer capable of printing images up to 11”x17”. We also have a 15”x15” clamshell heat press for flat objects, and a mug and tumbler press for drinkware.
What image types can the printer handle?
Our sublimation printer can accept all the major image types, including JPG, PNG, PDF, TIFF, GIF, AVIF, WEBP, and EPS.
However, we suggest you avoid saving your original designs as JPGs. The small size of JPGs makes them great for the Web, but they're “lossy:” they lose data every time you edit or save them, which reduces their quality. We suggest saving your files in the TIFF format. They'll be a lot bigger than JPGs, but TIFFs are lossless and very well-suited to printing.
Will the Libratory design my images for me?
Absolutely not. The Libratory cannot make or design images, logos, or graphics for you; this is not a service we offer. Patrons booking time on the sublimation printer are responsible for their own image creation and editing. Again, Libratory staff cannot do this for you. We will be happy to show you how to print your images using our equipment, but we do not offer image creation or graphic design services of any kind.
If you do not know how to create or edit an image, you will need to do one of three things:
hire someone to do it for you;
purchase an image that's print-ready; or...
learn how to do it yourself (the best option).
We've created this document to walk you through the basics of setting up a file from scratch using your choice of several free design tools usable by anyone with a modern computer and an Internet connection. Improper image setup is the reason behind 90% of the failed sublimation prints we see here in the Libratory, so this setup instruction is crucial to your success. Study it well!
All of the design tools mentioned in this document are supported by extensive tutorials. Once you have set up your image, use those tutorials to learn how to use the software to make the design you envision.
A note on computer skills...
This tutorial was written with the assumption that you have basic computer skills: you know how to save and delete files, change file names, move them around between folders and within hierarchies, and how to perform other basic computer tasks (like navigating the Web and downloading/installing software). We do not explain how to do that kind of stuff in this tutorial; basic computer operation is outside the scope of this document. The Libratory does not teach basic computer skills.
If you are not comfortable with basic computer tasks and routine file management, you can set up an “Everyday Technology” one-on-one appointment with our Reference department to learn. Call (219) 769-3541 to find out what dates and times are available. Just tell our Reference pros what you'd like to work on, and they can help you develop the skills you'll need to succeed.
Since almost everything in the Libratory is computer-driven, you'll need to develop these skills before you book an appointment to use any Libratory equipment.
What images are suitable for sublimation printing?
Most images on the Web are what we call “low resolution.” They look fine on your monitor (that's what they were made for) but they print with fuzzy edges and indistinct details. You cannot simply take a low-resolution image and change its resolution, either. Hollywood lied to you: no computer, no matter how fancy, has a magical “Enhance” button that can fix a low-resolution image. To ensure an image will print correctly, it needs set up properly when it is created. To do this, you need to understand two things: print size and resolution.
Print size, as you might have guessed, is the size at which an image will print. It's a pretty simple concept: the print size tells you the exact physical dimensions (height and width) of the image when it is printed.
Resolution is a bit more complicated. Digital images are made up of pixels; high resolution images have more pixels per inch than low resolution images. You will usually see resolution referred to as PPI or DPI, which mean “pixels-per-inch” or “dots-per-inch” respectively. The difference is that PPI is used to describe images for Web use and DPI is used to describe images intended for print (the “dots” it refers to are the dots of ink the printer puts onto a linear inch of paper). Since we want to optimize our images for printing, we want to ensure that we know what our image's resolution is in DPI.
To ensure your design prints correctly, you need to make sure that both the print size and resolution are correct. As mentioned earlier, you can't just increase the resolution of a low-resolution image and expect that to look good when printed. Your design needs to be created at the correct size and resolution. In a bit, this guide will walk you through how to set up your design file using a few different image creation/editing tools (all of them free).
Regardless of what tool you use to create and edit your design, the resolution for color images must be at least 300 DPI to ensure a clean print. If your design is a lower resolution, it may not print correctly. It must also be the correct print size for its intended purpose. If you print (or transfer) images that are not the correct resolution or print size, you are still responsible for the cost of any materials consumed--make sure your image meets the requirements before printing and transferring it. If you aren't sure, check with a Libratory staff member!
So I can't use images from the Web?
It's up to you as to whether or not you want to risk printing images from the Web, but probably not. Most images created for online use are only 72 DPI or 96 DPI, which is far below the 300 DPI required for clean printing. To get a nice clean transfer, you'll most likely need to create your design from scratch using image-editing software.
How do I get my design file to the Libratory?
To print, your image needs to be on the computer driving our sublimation printer. You cannot use your phone or your laptop to print with our equipment. This means you will need to do one of these things with your file:
Upload it to an online storage service you can access from any computer (like Google Drive, for example). Once you're in the Libratory, just access your online storage from our computer, download the design, load it into our printer software, and print.
Put the file onto a USB or USB-C thumb drive, or an SD card (full-size or micro). Once you're in the Libratory, just plug your storage device into our computer, load your design into our printer software, and print (no download required).
If you can access your email via the Web, you can email the file to yourself. Once you're in the Libratory you can login to your email, download the file to our computer from either your Inbox or your “Sent” folder, load it into our printer software, and print.
Online image-editing tools like Photopea and Canva let you save files. Once you're in the Libratory, just login to your Photopea or Canva account, download your design, load it into our printer software, and print.
Please do not email your design to the Libratory. The Libratory does not store or manage patron files. Either bring your image to your appointment or make provisions to download it once you're here.
Free Image Creation/Editing Software
There are lots of software tools that can be used for image creation and editing. The most well-known is Adobe's Photoshop program, but it requires a monthly subscription.
Luckily, there are a number of free image-editing tools that can be used instead of Photoshop, and they are packed with Photoshop-like features. While the Lake County Public Library has no affiliation with the makers of these tools, and makes no guarantees regarding them, we've identified four tools that Libratory patrons may find useful for creating images for sublimation printing.
Photopea (www.photopea.com)
A browser-based Photoshop clone with tons of useful features, the free version has all the editing tools needed, including support for in-image layers (a key feature of expensive software like Photoshop). Photopea doesn't come with much online storage space, though; if you want more, you'll have to pay for it. An excellent resource, Photopea is sophisticated enough to satisfy most image creation/editing needs. Because it's browser-based and doesn't require installation, Photopea can be used on any of the library's public computers. Skip to instructions for setting up an image in Photopea.
A terrific Photoshop imitator, Paint.net has to be downloaded to your computer and installed like most software. It's still free, though! It also has just about all the standard editing tools, including support for in-image layers. Paint.net can do pretty much everything most users will want it to do. However, because Paint.net requires installation, it is not usable on the library's public computers—this one's for use on your personal device. Skip to instructions for setting up an image in Paint.net.
GIMP: GNU Image Manipulation Platform (www.gimp.org)
GIMP has many of the same features as Photoshop (including layer support), but it's free and open-source. You will need to download the software and install it on your computer. GIMP has a steeper learning curve than the other tools we've highlighted here, so it's arguably better suited to more advanced users. That said, it's a powerful tool that can do quite a bit once you master its intricacies. GIMP is pre-installed for patron use on the library's public computers. Skip to instructions for setting up an image in GIMP.
Canva (www.canva.com)
Because it's browser-based and doesn't require installation, Canva can be used on any of the library's public computers. If Photopea, Paint.net, and GIMP are too advanced for you, Canva might be a good place to start your design education. Canva's free version will do the job for many users, but understand that some of the tool's best features are only available to paying users, and the free version offers very limited user control over image settings. Because of this, we recommend using Canva only if you cannot use one of the other tools described here. If you can use one of the other tools we've recommended, do that. Those tools are free and, frankly, a lot more versatile. Skip to instructions for setting up an image in Canva.
While it's simply not possible for us to teach you how to design images (that's a whole field of study!), this document will walk you through the process of setting up your file to meet the requirements for sublimation printing. Setting up the file correctly is the most important step in the image creation process, and we've got instructions for how to do so using each of the four tools we just described. (For further instruction in the use of these tools, see the developers' websites for links to tutorials.)
Once you've learned your way around these tools, you may discover there are other ways to do the things we're about to show you. In these instructions we've gone with the simplest, easiest-to-understand options, but don't be afraid to experiment and figure out your own workflows!
So which tool is the best?
Honestly, that's up to you! They all have their strengths and weaknesses, and all are capable of generating usable files. Different people will find different things to like and dislike about any piece of software, so we suggest trying them all until you figure out which one works best for you. It won't take long for you to determine which of these tools best suits your way of thinking.
Image Set-Up Instructions
Tool 1: Setting up an image in Photopea (www.photopea.com)
Photopea is browser-based, so there is nothing to download or install (installation is an option, but it's not necessary). This makes it perfect for use on the library's public computers. Just open the web browser of your choice and head to www.photopea.com. To get started, either click the “File” drop down menu in the upper left corner of the screen and select “New,” or click on the “New Project” button near the middle of the page, under the Photopea logo.
You should see a pop-up window (pictured below) offering you lots of options, including pre-made images (on the left) and blank images of standard sizes (in the middle). The options we're interested in are on the right side of the window. When this window first opens, the data in these spaces auto-fills for you. We're going to change all of that stuff.
In these fields, we can name the image (we can also do this later if you forget, so it's not a big deal), establish its print size, and set its resolution. We also have some controls that let us set the background transparency and the color mode. Our main focus should be on the width and height of the image, and the resolution.
Let's set up our image! Photopea makes it easy: everything we need to set is in this one pop-up window.
First, set the DPI to 300; that's our resolution.
Next, set the unit of measure for the width and height to inches, then set the dimensions to your desired finished print. In this example we are setting up an image for sublimating onto a coffee mug, so we know our print size: the width should be 8.5” and the height should be 3.5” (if you don't know how big your image needs to be, check with Libratory staff; we can usually figure that out for you).
You can use this opportunity to make the image background transparent. This is not required, but some designers prefer it.
We can also change the color mode from RGB (the color mode best used for creating images that will be viewed on screens) to CMYK (the color mode best suited for printing) and increase the number of bits per channel if we wish. These steps are not mandatory either, but advanced users may find them useful (for reasons beyond the scope of this tutorial).
Once everything is set, click on the “Create” button.
Once we click “Create,” our image will be set up! Your screen should now look something like this, with a blank image awaiting your creativity:
Now that your file is set up, you can add text and other visual elements to your design. We can't teach you how to design an image, but you can click the “Learn” link at the top right of the Photopea window for detailed tutorials on how to use the program to bring your idea to life.
Just remember: while working on your design, do not reduce the size or resolution of your file for any reason. Once the file is set up, there is no reason to change the resolution or the print size; keep these the same during your entire creative process.
Once you've finished your design, you're ready to print! Libratory staff will show you how to import your design into our printing software.
Tool 2: Setting up an image in Paint.net (www.getpaint.net)
Paint.net is not browser-based; it must be downloaded and installed on your computer. Because of this, Paint.net is not usable on the library's public computers. Users in the library will need to select one of the other tool options in this tutorial. This option should be fine for your personal device, though.
To get the Paint.net software, use an Internet browser to visit www.getpaint.net and click on the download link at the top of the page, under the product logo. Ignore all those other download buttons; they're for different products! Use the link we've circled in the image below, then install the version that matches your operating system.
Once you have Paint.net installed, open the program. There are a couple of different ways we can proceed from here. Paint.net creates a blank image for you when you start it up, but let's ignore that image for now.
Click on the “File” drop-down menu, then click “New.”
Once you've clicked “New,” you will see a pop-up window with options for setting your resolution and print size.
Once again, we'll create a transfer for a coffee mug, so our print size will be 3.5”x8.5”, and we want to set the DPI to 300.
...and once we've done this, we should see an image of the appropriate size awaiting editing!
Now for an alternate set-up method. Remember when we first opened Paint.net and it created an image for us? Because nothing has been done to that image yet, we can actually modify it to suit our needs instead of creating a new file. Once the program opens and the blank image appears, click on the “Image” drop-down menu, then select “Resize.”
You will see this pop-up window, which will already be populated with data describing the image in its current form. We can use this window to change the parameters to what we want. In this case, we're again setting the DPI to 300, the width to 8.5”, and the height to 3.5” to create our coffee mug transfer.
...and once we've done that, we'll see our image resized and ready for editing!
It does not matter which set-up method you use: whether you create the image from scratch (method 1) or resize the default image (method 2), you'll be ready to design your image. Just remember that you can't resize your image after you start editing it; this second method is only usable for set-up when creating the file.
Also remember: while working on your design, do not reduce the size or resolution of your file for any reason. Once you've got the file set up, there is no reason to change the resolution or the print size; keep these the same during your entire creative process.
Once you've finished your design, you're ready to print! Libratory staff will show you how to import your design into our printing software.
To learn your way around the various tools in Paint.net, visit https://forums.getpaint.net/forum/18-tutorials-publishing-only/ for user-generated tutorials and various tips and tricks. If this is all new to you, start with the “Beginner Tutorials” sub-forum at https://forums.getpaint.net/forum/20-beginner-tutorials/.
Tool 3: Setting up an image in GIMP (www.gimp.org)
GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is not browser-based; it must be downloaded and installed on your computer. Just visit the website www.gimp.org to get the software (there are multiple “Download” links on the main page, including a link on the top left of the page, a button next to the GIMP logo, and another download link on the bottom of the page). If you're using one of the library's public computers, you can skip this! GIMP is already installed on our computers; just look for the shortcut on the desktop.
Once you have downloaded and installed GIMP, start the software and get ready to set up your first design. You should see a window that looks like the image below. Click on the “File” drop-down menu at the top left of the GIMP window, then select “New” and “Create New Image.”
The new image window will pop up. Here we can see the image's print size and resolution. In this window, you can set the print size, the orientation, and the unit of measure. We'll be using the coffee mug transfer dimensions again, so set the image to 3.5” x 8.5”. The resolution should be 300 (you may have noticed that it says PPI and not DPI; don't worry about this—just set the PPI to 300 and it will print at the correct DPI).
If the resolution is not correct when this window opens, we can click on the “Advanced Options” link to access more controls. You should see an expanded list of options, including the option to set the resolution (it should be the same on both the X and Y axes).
If you scroll down a bit once you've accessed the Advanced Options, you can set the background layer's transparency. This step is optional.
Once you've set your parameters, you should see your blank image, ready for editing!
GIMP also has online tutorials to teach you how to design your image once you've got the file set up. You can either click on the “Tutorials” link at the top of the GIMP website:
...or you can click on the “Help” drop-down menu inside the program itself:
Just remember: while working on your design, do not reduce the size or resolution of your file for any reason. Once you've got the file set up, there is no reason to change the resolution or the print size; keep these the same during your entire creative process.
Once you've finished your design, you're ready to print! Libratory staff will show you how to import your design into our printing software.
Tool 4: Setting up an image in Canva (www.canva.com)
The last of the free tools with which we'll show you how to set up a print-ready image is Canva. Canva is browser-based and easy to use, but it has the fewest features and options of all the tools we've demonstrated here. Because the free version of Canva lacks the fine controls we have access to in our other tools, setting up your image in Canva looks a bit different from the previous examples.
To get started, direct your web browser to www.canva.com. To start creating your design, either click the “Create” button near the top left of the window, or click on the “Custom Size” icon near the right end of the row of icons below the search bar.
If you clicked on “Create” on the last screen, the next screen you see will look like the screenshot below. Click on the “Custom Size” option near the bottom of the list under “Create a Design” on the left side of the window. (If you clicked the “Custom Size” icon on the first page, you will not see this screen; you will be taken directly to the next one.)
Once you have clicked the “Custom Size” option, you will see the following window. Here we can set our image's print size.
You may have noticed that Canva doesn't give you the option to set the resolution. A lot of Canva's features are reserved for the paid version, and the ability to change resolution is one of those features. Unless you pay for more options, Canva will only export images at 96 DPI, which is nowhere near the 300 DPI we need to ensure a quality print. To compensate for this, we're going to set the print size much higher than we need it to be so that when our finished image is exported from Canva it looks nice and sharp.
Once again, we will set our dimensions to create a transfer for a coffee mug. We know those dimensions to be 8.5” x 3.5” thanks to our previous examples, but we need to make up for the low resolution the image will be saved at when we're done. Since we need the DPI to be 300—a little more than three times the resolution we're going to get—we will multiply our desired dimensions by three (since we need to essentially triple the size). So, in the screenshot below, we see that 8.5” becomes 25.5” and our 3.5” dimension becomes 10.5” to preserve the correct aspect ratio (the mathematical relationship between the width and height of an image). This won't change our resolution, but it makes our digital canvas much larger; when we export it, we will be shrinking a large image into a smaller one, which should account for the lower resolution of the final image.
Every time you set up a new design for sublimation printing in Canva, you will take the step of tripling the desired final print size.
Once you have set your dimensions, click the lock icon to the right of the “Units” field to lock the design's aspect ratio. Then click the“Create New Design” button.
Now we have an image ready for design work! Your screen should look like the screenshot below. Once you have finished your design, you can export it for printing by clicking the “Share” button on the upper right of the Canva window.
Once you click the “Share” button, select the “Download” option.
You should now see the download settings in the screenshot below. Choose the PNG option under “File Type.” (Yes, JPGs are typically smaller, but they're much lower quality. We want the best print possible!)
The slider for the size cannot be adjusted. Resizing images is only possible in Canva when you pay to unlock that feature. The “Resize” button on the working screen accesses more size-changing options, but they too are for paying users only (you might be able to use these features temporarily if you sign up for the free trial, but to do so you must enter payment information, then remember to cancel before you get charged).
Notice the dimensions under the size slider. These dimensions probably won't match the dimensions you established when setting up the image. Again, this is because Canva exports at a much lower resolution than we need; the software resizes the image before it is downloaded, whether the user wants it to or not. That's why we work on a file three times bigger than we need it to be: because the final image exported by Canva is only about one third our desired resolution, we need to make sure the image contains enough data that it will still print cleanly even when reduced to 96 DPI.
Like the other tools we've demonstrated, there are online tutorials to teach you how to use Canva. Though the free version of Canva is a lot more limited than all the other tools we've shown you here, many casual users find that Canva suits their needs just fine.
To access Canva's tutorials, click the “...” icon on the lower left of the site's main page, then click the “Design School” link in the pop-up that appears.
How do I know what the print size of my image should be?
Because there are so many things you can make with sublimation printing technology, it can be tough to figure out the size of your image. Many sublimation blanks are available in standardized sizes, though, so as long as you know what size blank you've purchased, you can determine what size your image should be. (Remember, you can work bigger than your desired print size, but not smaller—and make sure you maintain the correct aspect ratio!)
For example, the 11-ounce coffee mugs we stock here in the Libratory come from the same manufacturer every time. In the screenshot below, we can see the manufacturer's website lists the mug's maximum “imprint area” (the space onto which a design can be placed): in this case, 8.2” x 3.7”.
Your design doesn't have to fill the entire imprint area, but it shouldn't exceed said area; anything outside the maximum dimensions is not going to transfer to the object. That being said, sometimes the stated imprint area is a little smaller than it is on the actual object itself: for instance, we've determined that we can get images up to 8.5” in width onto the 11 oz. mugs we carry. You should not assume every blank has more space than advertised, though! Pay attention to the manufacturer's specs and, once you have the object in-hand, measure it yourself to figure out how much free surface area it has.
One tip for putting images onto flat objects: if you want your image to go all the way to the edge of the item—leaving no blank space around it—you do need to make your image a little over-sized. The image needs to overhang each edge of the object by no less than 1/4” so there's no gap left around the image once it's pressed onto your blank. Since we want that overhang on every edge, images for transfer onto square and rectangular items should be a total of 1/2” wider and 1/2” taller than the blank onto which they are to be placed.
If you are uncertain how big your image should be, check with Libratory staff. While the final size determination is entirely up to you, we can help investigate the matter.
Ready to book your appointment?
Contact the Libratory at (219) 769-3541, ext. 354 or email us at lab@lcplin.org to schedule a 2-hour appointment. The general rules governing Libratory eligibility and use can be found here. See you soon!