ASI Show Chicago Education Tracks
  Multi-Decoration Design & Production   Contributing Sponsor – Digital Art Solutions, asi/14970  
TUESDAY, JULY 9, 2019 • EDUCATION DAY
       
10:00 a.m.-
10:50 a.m.		   Mastering Multi-Decoration Apparel With a Vinyl Cutter & Heat Press
 Multi-decoration is the process of combining multiple decorating techniques to create dynamic, highly profitable apparel and personalized products. A vinyl cutter and heat transfer press are the ultimate production tools to create multi-decoration apparel. This session will outline the basic design and production concepts for multi-decoration in an interactive learning environment. You’ll see the multi-decoration process from start to finish with a vinyl cutter and heat-transfer press using the industry-leading Digital Art Solutions Multi-Decoration System. You’ll also:
  • Identify what you need to start producing multi-decoration apparel
  • Gain an essential skill set in the operation of a vinyl cutter and heat press
  • Examine specialty heat-transfer films including glitter vinyl and metallic films.
About Craig Mertens
       
11:00 a.m.-
11:50 a.m.		   Producing & Selling Profitable Rhinestone Multi-Decoration Apparel
 Rhinestone multi-decoration apparel is here to stay. This class will explore design and production techniques for creating multicolor rhinestone transfers; it will also outline profitable business opportunities for rhinestone multi-decoration apparel, including the school market and corporate apparel, as well as specialty markets. You’ll see the process of creating rhinestone apparel with a vinyl cutter and heat-transfer press from start to finish using the industry-leading Digital Art Solutions Multi-Decoration System. You’ll also:
  • Identify what you need to start producing custom rhinestone apparel
  • Gain an essential skill set in the production process of creating rhinestone transfers
  • Examine the different types of rhinestone motifs, including rhinestuds, pearls and simulated rhinestones with specialty heat-transfer films.
About Craig Mertens
       
Noon-
12:50 p.m.		   Profitable Opportunities in Monogrammed Wearables & Personalized Products
 Custom monogramming is one of the hottest trends in apparel decoration and personalization. In this session you’ll learn how to create custom monograms with specialty heat-transfer films, sublimation, embroidery and appliqué. You’ll also discover profitable opportunities for monogramming drinkware and personalized products. Plus, you’ll see the process of creating custom monograms with a vinyl cutter and heat-transfer press from start to finish using the industry-leading Digital Art Solutions Multi-Decoration System. When you leave, you’ll understand:
  • What you need to start producing custom monogrammed apparel and personalized products
  • Design and production techniques for creating monogrammed personalized products and wearables
  • How to identify sales and marketing opportunities for custom monogramming, including group sales and fundraising programs.
About Craig Mertens
       
2:10 p.m.-
3:00 p.m.		   Essential Graphics Skills for Apparel Decoration and Personalization
 This class will outline an essential skill set for the design and production of apparel graphics and personalization, focusing on vinyl cutting, digital printing, embroidery, print/cut, screen printing, laser engraving and sublimation. You’ll explore innovative design techniques, tips and ideas for improving the quality of your graphics, and compare traditional production methods in CorelDRAW or Illustrator with state-of-the-art techniques using popular add-on tools, including the Smart Designer Pro software from Digital Art Solutions. You’ll also learn:
  • The secret success template used by the industry’s elite companies to increase sales using graphics
  • How to gain new clients and sell more to your existing clients using automated sales proposals and virtual-sample technology
  • Ways to enhance your creativity, streamline your production workflow and increase your bottom line.
About Craig Mertens
       
3:10 p.m.-
4:00 p.m.		   Maximizing Sales in the School, Team & Sports Markets
 The school, team and sports markets are huge buyers of customized apparel and personalized products. This session will focus on design, sales and marketing techniques for maximizing design quality and sales efficiency in this competitive market space. The class will feature CorelDRAW, but will also be useful to users of the Adobe Creative Suite. You’ll leave knowing:
  • Design techniques that add visual value to your apparel graphics
  • How to successfully compete with online businesses by engaging clients on a personal level
  • The basics of crafting fundraising programs with custom apparel and personalized products
  • The true power of custom sales proposals, virtual samples and personalized email marketing campaigns.
About Craig Mertens
       
4:10 p.m.-
5:00 p.m.		   Converting Vector Artwork to Embroidery & Appliqué Without Digitizing
 This session will explore vital skills for creating graphics in CorelDRAW for embroidery, appliqué and monogramming. You’ll discover the advantages of using vector artwork to produce embroidery and find out how to convert vector graphics into production-ready sew files for embroidery, appliqué and monogramming without digitizing. You’ll also compare traditional digitizing techniques to state-of-the-art vector-to-stitch conversion technology. This class is designed for anyone who wants to become more productive and profitable with embroidery or appliqué, and you’ll learn:
  • How to evaluate vector graphics for suitability for embroidery
  • How to use 3-D renderings of embroidery and appliqué to create highly effective sales proposals
  • The production process of cutting fabric or twill for appliqué with a vinyl cutter
  • How to convert vector monogramming templates in CorelDRAW into production-ready sew files for embroidery and appliqué.
About Craig Mertens