Introduction

Nothing captures attention quite like a bright, eye-catching sublimation print—yet too often, they come out dull and lifeless. Blaming the heat press is sometimes the easy option but it takes more than the heat press settings to create bright sublimations that stand out from the crowd. This article aims to simplify what seems like technical jargon to help both beginners and experienced sublimation artists brighten prints and make them more visually appealing.

Sublimation prints look vibrant and amazing, but only when done right. So, what makes your prints look dull? Most related problems crop up during the printing stage, but it can also be a result of using the wrong materials and settings when transferring. These are some of the common reasons that reduce the brightness of sublimation prints:

Keep in mind that designs will look dull by default after printing on a sublimation printer. You should only judge the vibrancy of the sublimation print after pressing it.

Sublimation needs a certain amount of heat and time to fully vaporize the ink and transfer it to the substrate. If the heat is too low, only a small amount of ink sublimes and bonds with the substrate, producing a dull print. Sublimating for a short time cuts the amount of ink that bonds with the substrate. When there is less ink for the transfer than expected, the result will be dull and faded.

Your sublimation printer uses the inputs from the settings. Having the wrong color profile, using a generic ICC profile, causes an inaccuracy of colors and tones.

If you pick dull colors, the print will automatically be dull. Using the low ink density or low-resolution setting reduces the amount of ink used in one round, resulting in a dull print.

The ink quality degrades with time. Low-quality and cheap inks might also not have very accurate tones. There is no telling what the quality of the results will be after you use either of these to print.

Sublimation works best with a high polyester content, preferably over 70%. If done on material that isn’t polyester, the coating should be a high percentage of polymer. If the coating is poor or the polyester content is low, the results will be dull because the ink won’t bond properly.

Luckily, there’s a way to avert the disaster and create bright and vibrant sublimation prints. You can:

Premium sublimation inks contain more concentrated pigments, providing more vibrant colors and ensuring consistency in tone. They are also designed to go hand in hand with specified printer profiles for more accurate results.

High-quality sublimation papers have good ink-release capacities, meaning that they release almost all the embedded ink onto the substrate during pressing. More ink translates to vibrant colors. They can also support fine details, reducing smudged colors and blurred prints

Although high-quality printers are somewhat costly, they’re worth the investment. A good printer is reliable and fast, supports different substrates, and produces professional and bright prints. It should support high-resolution printing, above 1440 DPI, and a wide color gamut for accurate color reproduction. It should also have customizable ICC profiles for better color management.

A consistent printer with fast ink delivery means its printhead technology is precise. This is another aspect you should look for in a printer because consistent ink deposit prevents dull spots and distributes ink evenly, producing uniform and bright prints.

You’re a step closer to getting bright prints with a quality sublimation printer. But you should know how to tailor it for good results. The first step is to set the print quality to high. Although this step is obvious, it’s often overlooked. This setting, which should be 1440 dots per inch ensures the designs are fine and optimizes the ink density for better color output.

Secondly, disable color management if you’re using an ICC color profile. This gives you full control of the color balance. Lastly, select the type and paper size. The printer uses this information to determine how to do the ink delivery. For example, if you are using glossy transfer paper, the printer will adjust the settings to match the surface and thickness for a fine and detailed print.

As explained earlier, the substrate’s characteristics directly affect the absorption of the sublimation ink and how it bonds with the material. Polyesters absorb sublimation inks the highest; hence the substrate should be polyester or have a heavy polymer coating. Pre-treated substrates are also fine to use for bright results.

Sublimations are brighter on light-colored substrates because the dye is translucent. Dull-colored substrates overpower the ink, making the sublimation dull and faded.

Sometimes screen colors are perceived differently than when printed. However, you can make adjustments to your design software to get detailed results with vibrant colors.

First, use RGB color mode instead of CMYK. RGB has a wider color gamut, allowing brighter colors to be printed. If your printer only prints in CMYK, you can convert the final design later.

If you are anticipating any dullness in your prints, increase the brightness in your design to compensate for it. Increasing the contrast also helps colors stand out better making the final print crisp and vibrant.

If the sublimation print still looks dull after printing and transferring, don’t worry. It is still salvageable.

Laminating your substrate after the transfer helps reflect more light, making the print look brighter. The extra layer also protects the print from UV light that fades the colors over time keeping the print vibrant for long.

You can either do a cold lamination, where no heat is needed to adhere it to the substrate, or a hot lamination, where the substrate is heat-resistant.

Other than laminating, add an extra layer of coating like sublimation-specific or glossy coatings to enhance the brightness and depth of the colors. They also act as a layer of protection against scratching, UV rays and other environmental conditions.

If your first transfer appears dull, repressing can intensify color saturation by reactivating unused ink. Proper curing- allowing the ink to cool and fully bond- prevents dull patches and ghosting, making your prints brighter. Fully cured prints are also more resistant to fading after washes, giving them a long-lasting brightness.

If your first transfer had dull colors, consider pressing it for a second time. This technique should be done correctly and precisely. In a case where the ink had not fully sublimated, repressing helps sublimate and reactivate the unused ink and drives it deeper into the substrate for better bonding.

The additional heat and pressure from repressing also intensify the color saturation and even distribution for bright results.

If you know your way around sublimation printers and design software or have been sublimating prints for a while now, look into these advanced tips to help you brighten up the sublimations.

ICC is a custom color profile specifically tailored for your printer, sublimation paper and ink. The profiles help reduce color shifts and accurately represent the colors for brighter results. This works by helping the printer know the exact amount of ink to release for every color and consistency.

ICC is a custom color profile specifically tailored for your printer, sublimation paper and ink. The profiles help reduce color shifts and accurately represent the colors for brighter results. This works by helping the printer know the exact amount of ink to release for every color and consistency.

It also allows you to tailor a variety of printing settings for different materials, textures, coatings and thicknesses.

To use a custom ICC profile, download and install it to allow it to work alongside your design software. After designing, send all the files to the printer via the profile, then choose the profile when printing for accurate and bright results.

Printer settings are the loudest when determining the sublimation prints’ quality. It should have the correct resolution or above 300 DPI. Turn off the default color profiles that most printers come with for better settings control.

Some printers come with a “paper type” setting, so remember to keep an eye on that one too. Remember to toggle on unidirectional printing, so that the printhead moves in one direction when printing, for consistency.

When dealing with dark-colored materials, creating a contrast helps the ink colors stand out making them brighter. To apply this layer on fabrics, use transfer film or white vinyl.

For hard surfaces like wood, ceramic or metal, use a white sublimation coating which is mostly white spray. Most precoated items already have clear backgrounds, ensuring that whatever colors are bright and stand out more.

These are some main questions that beginners and even experienced artists ask about sublimation printing.

By following these tips, you can take your sublimation prints from faded to fabulous! Invest in quality materials, adjust your settings, and don't hesitate to experiment with advanced techniques to achieve the brightest, most vibrant prints possible.

Read our blog "Sublimation Paper Guide" for more