Back in May of 2018, we had one of those milestone moments that every shop dreams about, Upstate Merch was featured in Impressions Magazine for our work on a firehouse-themed shirt called “Shamokin.” The spotlight was all about realistic flames and photo-level detail that made the design jump off the shirt.
The design featured Truck 32 blazing through a dramatic backdrop of bright, intense flames, capturing that energy in a screen print wasn’t easy. We created this art using 6 colors on our M&R Sportsman, with two of those stations dedicated to the flash and a cool down. Of the six colors we used, one was a shimmer gold, which helped the text and accents really stand out.
Instead of relying on solid spot colors, we used simulated process printing of halftones to bring out the depth and realism of both the fire truck and the flames. This approach gave the art texture and movement without falling into that “sticker look” that sometimes comes with process prints.
Here’s how Impressions Magazine described it:
“The realistic look of the truck and the flames really make [the design] pop,” says Dylan Gilligan, owner of Upstate Merch. “Using a shimmer gold helped the text stand out as well. It’s just a really fun fire-company shirt. The fire is my favorite part. I love the challenge of making things look realistic while staying away from the ‘sticker look’ that you get in some process prints.”
This wasn’t just about a flashy print. It was about problem-solving through technique. From consolidating a photorealistic design into a printable color palette to applying years of experience in screen pressure, registration, and ink choices. Brian Crosier, who handled the artwork separations, played a huge role in dialing in the final look.
Being featured in Impressions was a huge honor, and a reminder of why we do what we do. Every shirt tells a story. Some just happen to tell it in flames.
You can check out the article HERE.
Here are some more examples of our Print Work.