Introduction to Printing Techniques for Creative Printers

Discover what you can create — before deciding what you need.

Want to start making personalised products, but confused by all the different printing methods?

Sublimation, DTF, HTV, transfer paper, printable stickers, vinyl, UV DTF… what does it all mean, what equipment do you actually need, and what can you make with it?

Our hands-on Introduction to Printing Techniques for Creative Printers is designed for beginners who want to understand the different ways personalised products can be created using affordable, small-scale equipment — including techniques where the printing itself can be outsourced.

Duration: Approximately 3½ hours
Includes practical training, Experience Kit, printed reference guides and 3 finished products from your chosen focus area.

PART 1 — The Printing Techniques Experience

Before we start designing or operating equipment, we explore 9 different printing and decorating techniques.

You’ll see, touch and apply real examples while learning what each technique is used for, what equipment you need and its advantages and limitations.

You’ll experience:

Sublimation
Learn how sublimation works, what products can be sublimated and why the correct blanks, inks and papers matter.

DTF – Direct to Film
Discover how full-colour DTF transfers can be used for garments and how you can offer DTF products without owning a DTF printer.

UV DTF
Learn how UV DTF can be used to decorate suitable hard surfaces without a heat press.

HTV – Heat Transfer Vinyl
Learn how cut vinyl is used for clothing and fabric products, including cutting, weeding and heat application.

Dark Fabric Transfer Paper
See how an ordinary inkjet printing process can be used to create transfers for suitable dark fabrics.

Light Fabric Transfer Paper
Explore an affordable printing option for suitable light-coloured fabric products.

Permanent Sticker Vinyl
Learn how cut vinyl can be used for signs, decals, containers, gifts and other hard surfaces.

Gloss Printable Paper
Explore small-scale colour printing for inserts, cards, packaging and other creative products.

Gloss Printable Sticker Paper
Learn how printed stickers and labels can be produced on a small scale.

Your Printing Techniques Experience Kit

You’ll work with physical samples during the training and take your Experience Kit home as a reference.

Your kit is designed to help you remember not only what each technique is, but how and where it can be used.

PART 2 — Preparing Artwork for Printing

You don’t need to be a graphic designer to start creating products.

We’ll use Canva to introduce the practical artwork skills a creative printer needs.

You’ll learn about:

• Setting up artwork to the correct size
• Basic image quality and resolution
• Resizing and positioning artwork
• Working with text and images
• Backgrounds and basic image preparation
• When artwork needs to be mirrored
• Preparing artwork for printing
• Basic preparation for vinyl cutting
• Preparing files for outsourced printing such as DTF and UV DTF

The goal isn’t to turn you into a designer in an hour.

It’s to help you understand how to take an idea or image and prepare it for the printing technique you want to use.

PART 3 — Choose Your Practical Focus

For the final part of your training, you choose what you want to explore further.

Choose one focus area:

Sublimation

Learn the basic print and press process and produce 3 sublimation products to take home.

Inkjet Printing

Explore practical applications using small-scale inkjet printing and produce 3 finished products.

HTV

Learn the basic design, cutting, weeding, positioning and pressing process and complete 3 practical products.

Sticker Vinyl

Learn the basic design, cutting, weeding, masking and application process and complete 3 practical products.

You Don’t Leave With Just Notes

Your training includes a collection of printed A5 reference guides that you can keep beside your equipment and refer to when you start working on your own.

Your guides cover printing techniques, application information, useful heat-press settings, artwork preparation and other practical information from the training.

You’ll also take home your Printing Techniques Experience Kit and the 3 products you make during your chosen practical session.

For more detailed processes, our printed guides work alongside our online product instructions and tutorials — so you have a quick reference when you need it and more detailed help when you want it.

Who Is This Training For?

This course is suitable for complete beginners, people considering starting a small creative business, existing crafters wanting to explore more techniques, people who already own equipment but aren’t sure what else they can do with it, and small businesses wanting to add personalised products to their existing offering.

You do not need to own printing equipment to attend.

In fact, if you’re still trying to decide what equipment you need, this is an excellent place to start.