Tap to upload your art
or drop a PNG / JPG / WebP here · transparent PNG best · size it @300 DPI first
Privacy-first. Runs in your browser — artwork never leaves your device.
Knockout
Print size @300 DPI
2× and 15×19″ enlarge pixels — not AI detail. Size first, then half-tone (enlarging after half-tone makes the dots fat). Big print: 15×19″ = 4500×5700 px. Others: 12×16″ (3600×4800) · 11×14″ (3300×4200) · 10×12″ (3000×3600) · sleeve ~5×14″ (1500×4200).
Need a true-size canvas? Print size templates. Can’t get it sharp or big enough? Send it with your custom order — we’ll prep it in-house.
Preview background
Compare
Slider: drag the lime handle. Zoom with − / + (or pinch / ctrl-scroll), drag to pan when zoomed. Dots = 100% so you see the real dot pattern. Backgrounds are preview only — never baked into the file.
Clean black method
Mask tolerance — like Photoshop’s magic wand on the ink: higher selects darker / duller colours too, lower keeps only bright, clear ink. Dark murky browns/greys stay outside the mask and print as nothing (shirt black). Navy is always kept. Default 50.
Edge choke — pulls the mask edge in to trim dark/muddy fringe around shapes. Default 0.5 px.
Smooth edges — smooths jaggy JPEG edges with a clean anti-aliased cut. 0 = exact pixels. Default 1.
Clean mask keeps the real ink shapes with their original pixels and makes everything else solid black (fully clear) — murky dark bits, smudges and fringes go. Applies to Black knockout. Knock tolerance / Soft edge below are only used when “Half-tone inside shapes” is ticked.
Knock tolerance — how aggressive black/white knockout is. Lower = only near-exact blacks/whites clear. Higher = more of the darks/lights become transparent. Shop default 25.
Soft edge — feathers the knockout edge so it isn’t a hard cut. Higher = softer transition into clear pixels. Shop default 20.
Clean dark mud — clears murky dark browns / greys / olive, JPEG smudges and dark edge fringes that should be pure black, so they don’t print as dirty marks or a faint dot mesh. Bright colours, small red/white specks, navy and real fades stay. Also drops dots too small for DTF to hold. 0 = off. Default 0; higher = stronger (very dark maroon may start to clear above ~75).
Black tee mode: remove dark black only (shirt shows through). Whites, lights and colours stay — after should look close to the original. Mid greys become half-tone dots (DTF can’t do soft transparency). Proof colour shows holes; Black tee = print preview.
Full screens the shading and the glow. Fades only keeps skin, type and flat colour solid. Leave half-tone Off for solid colour / sharp graphics that only need knockout.
Halftone fade — how far into the tones dots start replacing solid ink. Higher = more dotted / softer hand. Shop default 45.
Solidify — keeps the darkest areas solid (less dotted) so line-art and cores stay strong. Shop default 65.
Dot size
Dot size (LPI) — lines per inch. Lower = chunkier vintage dots. Higher = finer. Shop default 35 LPI (25 = chunkier · 45 = finer).
Black point — crushes near-blacks darker before half-tone. Raise slightly to clean muddy shadows. Default 0.
Gamma (mids) — brightens or darkens midtones. Above 1 opens mids (more shirt show-through / softer look). Default 1.00.
White point — pulls highlights toward white. Leave at 255 unless whites look dull.
Saturation — boosts colour strength after knockout. 1.0 = unchanged.
Colour = your converted art as a PNG with clear pixels where knockout / half-tone opened up. White = choked white underbase for dark tees (built from the pre-half-tone silhouette, so it isn’t dotted). Proof / tee colours are preview only — never baked in.
Choke — shrinks the white underbase slightly so white doesn’t peek past colour edges on dark tees.
Tools helped? Optional tip — chip in for further development. Tip $5 / $10 / $25 →
Also: Tools hub · Print templates
Next: Build your order · Artwork guide · All customs
Aussie Bot Studio · Free halftone generator
Free DTF Halftone Generator
Knock out black or white so the shirt shows through — often that’s all you need. Turn half-tone on for soft transparency (smoke, flames, fades) or a softer feel / less weight. Skip it when solid colour is the goal.
Privacy-first. Runs in your browser — artwork never leaves your device.
Tool version v0.2.3
- Knockout (black / white / custom) clears colour so fabric shows — many designs stop here.
- Half-tone is optional (on/off below). Best for smoke, flames, fades — or softer feel / less weight on big prints.
- Already sized @300 DPI? Drop it in. Still need the right canvas? Use Print templates first (don’t enlarge after half-tone — dots get fat).
- We print CMYK (export RGB — our RIP converts). Big print: 15×19″ = 4500×5700 px @300dpi
Other common sizes @300dpi: 12×16″ (3600×4800) · 11×14″ (3300×4200) · 10×12″ (3000×3600) · sleeve up to ~5×14″ (1500×4200)
Can’t get it sharp or big enough? Send it with your custom order — we’ll prep it in-house (pro upscale when needed).
DTF halftone generator FAQ
Free DTF halftone generator + knockout — soft transparency (smoke, flames), softer feel, less weight.
What is a DTF half-tone?
DTF can’t print real see-through ink. A half-tone turns soft greys, fades and “transparent” edges into a pattern of tiny dots so the shirt shows through. That’s how smoke, flames, mist and soft shadows print clean instead of as a solid plastic block.
When do we use half-tone?
Mainly for art that needs soft transparency — smoke, flames, fog, glows, feathered edges — and when you want a softer feel / less print weight on larger areas. It’s a balance of look and hand-feel, not a default on every file.
Do I always need to half-tone?
No. Solid logos, text and sharp graphics often only need black or white knocked out. Leave half-tone Off there. Turn it On when the design has soft transparency or you want less ink sitting on the shirt.
What’s black / white knockout?
Knockout clears a colour so that area is open on the transfer (fabric shows). Black knockout for dark tees; white knockout for light tees. Knockout and half-tone are separate — you can knock out only, half-tone only, or both.
Should I size the image before half-tone?
Yes — size first. Get the correct print size @300 DPI in Print size templates, then come here. If you half-tone a small file and enlarge later, the dots get fat and the soft look breaks.
What size should my file be?
We work at 300 DPI. Usual big print: 15×19″ = 4500×5700 px. Also common: 12×16″, 11×14″, 10×12″, tee sleeve ~5.5×3.5″, hoodie/LS sleeve ~5×14″. Download the converted image (PNG) — we print CMYK via our RIP.
Is this free? Does my art get uploaded?
Free, no signup. Runs in your browser — artwork doesn’t upload to our servers. Download when you’re happy.
My file is soft or too small — what then?
Fit / 2× here only enlarges pixels (not pro AI). If you can’t get it sharp enough, send it with your custom order and we’ll prep it in-house — including pro upscale when needed.
Like the free tools? Leave an optional tip →