Yesterday I posted a digital file / fabric print comparison of 3 of my artworks that were printed via Spoonflower, a new website where you can upload your own art and imagery and have it printed onto fabric at a very affordable price.  To continue the examination and analysis, here are 3 more images that I had printed:

Actual fabric is above, digital file is below.

I was pretty pleased with the way this one turned out.  I think the limited color palette helped make this fabric print a success.  There was a tiny bit of heaviness around the shading of the eyes, but this isn’t a big deal.  All in all I feel that this is one of the better fabric prints that I ordered.

Next, Les Insectes Extraordinaire:

Actual fabric is above, digital file is below.

I ordered this one as a 18″ x 22″ fat quarter.  Since it was so big, I only photographed a portion of the piece, to be able to better to show the detail in the print.  The detail came out really well!  The blue was not as bright as the digital file, but that’s to be expected I suppose.  Here is a side-by-side (or top-bottom, rather) comparison of the digital file with the actual fabric (please note that the size of this close-up is only 2.5 inches square!):

So you can see how well the printing process handles detail, without any bleed or blur.  I think this fabric would be fun to use to make a pillowcase/sheets for a little boy’s room!

And here’s the last one, a tiled design featuring my famous Day of the Dead skulls:

Actual fabric is above, digital file is below.

This one turned out quite pleasing as well!  The colors of course were not as vivid as the digital file, but we’ve learned to expect that when it comes to digitally printing onto fabric.  It still looked pretty good though.  I think these Day of the Dead skulls would make great patches, and in fact I’ve already used one to patch up my favorite red jacket after accidently burning a hole in the bottom corner.

Here is a side-by-side comparison of the digital file with the fabric print:

So there you have it!  If you’re thinking of ordering some of your images as prints on Spoonflower fabric, I hope these photos were able to help you in some way see some of the capabilities of their technology.  Basically, they can indeed handle intricate detail without any problems, but be aware that colors may appear slightly duller than what you see on your screen, or from what you could get by printing onto canvas.  If you have any doubts, just order a swatch (8″ x 8″), as it’s an affordable and easy way to “proof” your images for color correctness before ordering several yards.*  There are loads more tips regarding color on Spoonflower fabric prints, in terms of what to expect and how to best prepare your files for printing, on this Spoonflower flickr discussion page.

(*Another good idea, if you have tons of swatches you would want to order, would be to paste them all side-by-side into one large file, and to order it all printed on one stretch of fabric (they currently offer up to 5 yards – 42″ x 108″ - for $90).  Then after you receive it you can cut them apart yourself, saving you money in the meantime!)

To read and view an analysis of three other art designs I had ordered as Spoonflower fabric, click here to read my previous blog post: Art on Fabric – Spoonflower Results.

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