WHAT CAN BURLESQUE PRINT FOR YOU?

We are an award-winning screenprinting studio specializing in producing high quality art prints, posters, and other screenprinted works on paper. With decades of experience under our belts, our team is ready to go to work for you. Whether you’re interested in a small batch of one-color posters or a large edition of multi-color fine art prints, we are here to bring your screen printing project to life. Quality and service are the names of our game. Looking to have some print work done but have some questions? Read below to learn all about our process and drop us a line! We’re happy to help you out.

If this is your first screen printing project and you have questions, we are here to help! Read below for some details on screen printing and how to prepare your artwork for the process.If there’s anything we missed, don’t hesitate to email or call with your questions.

HOW DOES SCREEN PRINTING WORK ?

Screen printing is a unique printing method where images are exposed onto mesh screens as a stencil and squeegees are used to push ink through the open areas on the screen, one color at a time. Different variations of this process have been used for hundreds of years. While screen printing is used to print shirts and apparel, our focus is printing on paper. We’ve spent the last 20+ years refining our techniques to achieve the highest quality screen printed art prints and posters possible. Take a look at the video below for a glimpse inside the process.

ART SUBMISSION GUIDE

We accept Adobe Illustrator .AI / .EPS vector files or Adobe Photoshop .PSD layered files, CC format or lower.

Don’t see the exact size you’re looking for? Grab the template sized closest to your print, then add crop marks to indicate your final trim size. For example, use the 19 x 25” template for an 18 x 24” poster.

RESOLUTION
Photoshop art must be at a resolution of 300 dpi.

BLEED
If the image butts up to the edge of the poster, bleed should run 1/4" past crop marks, no more, no less.

TYPE
Please convert all type to outlines (Illustrator) or rasterize to pixels (Photoshop).

COLORS
Each color must be separated onto its own layer, set in the order they should be printed. We print lightest colors first (lowest layer) and darker colors last (topmost layer).

TRAPPING
Make sure to trap your colors where they touch or overlap. This means that if two colors appear butted next to one another, the lighter color should extend partially beneath any and all darker colors it touches. This provides a bit of insurance if the press is off by a millimeter or two. 3 pt trap should cover it.

COLOR MATCHING
Option 1: Match to Pantone's printed swatch books. Uncoated Pantone numbers must be selected for every color we are printing, Metallic Pantone numbers for metallics.

Option 2: Match to the monitor. Our printers have years of experience and well honed skill to make your prints look their best. Understand that this method is subjective and Burlesque of North America can not be held responsible for any perceived color differences between supplied digital files and final prints.

Option 3: Match to color swatches. You mix the colors, mail us the swatches, and we match to that. In every case, please include a flattened JPG of your final artwork as a proof.

PACKING AND SHIPPING YOUR PRINTS

Beyond just printing, we also have years of experience in packing and shipping prints of all sizes and quantities to all corners of the globe. We carefully pack up your prints to to make sure they arrive at your doorstep in the same condition they left our presses.

What is your typical turnaround time for orders?
Turnaround time varies widely depending on our workload and the size of your print job. Of course we will do our best to work within your timeline, but the more lead time on a project you can give us the better.

How will my posters be shipped to me?
We carefully pack or print orders in custom-built box(es) with layers of heavy duty cardboard, foam padding surround, and rigid corner reinforcements. UPS is our go-to shipping company, but if you have a different preferred method, we are willing to work with that. Online tracking information is provided for each shipment with automatic email updates.

What types of payment do you accept?
We prefer checks, bank transfer, PayPal, or Venmo. Payments via PayPal or Venmo are subject to an additional 5% fee. For most print projects, we ask for full payment prior to beginning the print process.

Can you just print one poster for me?
Our minimum print order for larger prints is 50 and 100 for smaller prints. Due to the time and energy involved in preparing art files, exposing screens, preparing paper, mixing ink, setting up the press, printing, cutting, and sorting, we cannot produce any fewer than these quantities of any design.

What kind of paper do you print on?
Our house paper is 100 lb cover weight Domtar Cougar White. It is a smooth, bright white and perfect for screen printing. For colored stocks, we use French Paper, and print on other specialty papers on a case by case basis. Please contact us for more details.

What format should I submit files in?
We accept Illustrator .AI or .EPS CC or lower and Adobe Photoshop .PSD CC or lower. Make sure all fonts have been converted to outlines (Illustrator) or rasterized (Photoshop).

Do I need to separate the color layers before I send in my art file?
Yes. We do not do art separations for hire in house. You will need to do that/have that done elsewhere. Please contact us if you have questions or need guidance in this department.

Do you proofread my artwork?
No. We cannot be responsible for any spelling errors in your poster artwork and we strongly recommend you carefully check all text before submitting your print-ready files.

Can I come watch you print my posters?
Due to the unpredictable nature of our work schedule and the screen printing process, it’s hard to peg down exactly when a job will be printed and we don’t invite clients to watch their own prints being produced. However, we love visitors and we are happy to give you a tour of our shop some time. You will likely catch some other projects being printed while you’re here.

“From the towering heights of the Spice Factory to the deepest depths of Stinson, a veritable lake of ink has been pushed through innumerable screens onto a vast forest of paper. I'm lucky to have had at least a grove's worth of ephemera counted among the production in that Midwestern ink thicket. Each one of those thousand-fold impressions is duly noted & appreciated, here's to yet more years in celebration of the hand-wrought and hard-won."

- Aaron Horkey, illustrator and fine artist, co-founder of THE VACVVM


“I've worked with Burlesque on many different poster designs and printing over the years for Rhymesayers, Soundset Festival, and our artists. The art, design and printing has always been the highest quality. The timing and turnaround always professional. For the record, I have multiple prints framed in my office and home right now. Always a pleasure working with this crew, Highly recommended. Minnesota's finest.”

- Jason “J-Bird” Cook, Rhymesayers Entertainment


"Burlesque is a joy to work with. Their printing is incredible and the team is super communicative. After years of working together they're like extended family to us. We love Burlesque!"

- JP Boneyard, Creative Director of Fifty-Nine Parks