Jay Busselle present fundamental skills in CorelDRAW for the production of custom graphics. This class is designed for anyone who is new to CorelDRAW and wants to obtain an industry-specific introduction to the basic skill sets of the program. Although the class was designed for beginners, intermediate users may benefit from the reinforcement of core skills. The goal of this seminar is to outline a general set of skills required for the creation of graphics for screen printing, CAD cutting, sign making, embroidery, direct-to-garment printing and sublimation printing. Topics include: * Overview of the CorelDRAW workspace * Overview of the CorelDRAW toolbar * Bitmaps versus vector graphics * Spot colors versus process colors * Importing and editing clip art * Working with text

Have you given serious consideration to expanding your business by adding dye sublimation? Have you recently purchased a sublimation system that continues to sit in its original box? Have your questions on processes, supplies, technology and applications prevented you from getting started? Sublimation Specialists Matt Woodhouse and Kevin Lumberg will overview this amazing digital technology and provide insights into the fundamental areas that are essential to your success. You'll learn about technical applications, equipment options, products you can easily make and sell, designing tips and tricks, selling tactics, profit-margin management and more. Matt and Kevin will help you understand what your next step should be, show you how easy it can be to get started, and explain the opportunities that are available by adding sublimation to your business.

Do you find it difficult to precisely convert the masterpiece on your monitor to your apparel or substrate? Let Ray Smith provide his valuable insight on color separations and conversions, Photoshop tips to enhance efficiency, and various tips and tricks worth investing in. With more than 30 years of on-press and art experience, Smith can help with special ink applications, the secret to choosing whites, and many other main stream issues that plague artists and press operators alike. You will walk away with information you can immediately implement into your current practices, and the confidence to know where you can improve.

In this class, Michael Kaminsky will take us back to the basic heat transfers and show how technology advanced into sublimation printing and transferring and explain what works with what in the industry to produce quality products!

This class is designed for CorelDRAW users who have successfully mastered the basics of CorelDRAW. This is an intermediate level class that outlines specific production techniques for the creation of graphics. This is not a class for beginners. If you already understand the basics of CorelDRAW, this class will enable you to step up your production skills for screen printing, CAD cutting, sign making, embroidery, direct-to-garment printing and sublimation printing. The class will not only focus on production skills but will also present the idea of using CorelDRAW to create proactive marketing campaigns. Learn how the versatility of this powerful software program can enhance your bottom line.
Topics include:
* Logo cleanup and converting bitmaps to vectors
* Working with Photos
* Creating advanced effects
* Color correction and advanced color editing
* Creating Virtual Samples for proactive marketing campaigns
* Creating PDF files and file conversion
* Third Party graphics tools that assist art production

This class will answer all the questions you are afraid to ask: who is the buyer/decision maker; what products work in what businesses; how do I ask for the opportunity in working with other businesses in the ad specialty/promotional fundraiser industry?

The possibilities with dye sublimation are limitless – especially with experienced professionals to show you the way. John K. Barker, Jr. reveals 10 ways to improve your sublimation business – including unique ideas for products, techniques for pressing and printing, and proven display and marketing approaches.

Today, customers embrace frugality with a vengeance and limit buying decisions to the bare essentials or the very best deals. Selling in this new economy will take a special kind of sales strategy that melds innovation, sincerity and responsiveness in order to beat the competition. Vince DiCecco shares from a rich list of ready-to-use, easy-to-master tactics and techniques for you and your overall sales effort. Join Vince in a thought-provoking discussion about the impact of networking, pre-call planning, handling customer indifference, and much more. This spirited, idea-filled seminar is a must for all business owners and salespeople.

Direct-to-Garment, Dye Sublimation, Print & Cut, Heat Transfer. There are so many technologies to consider. Before you start investing your hard-earned capital into a digital technology, stop, look and take this seminar. Learn about all of these technologies from an independent resource. Learn the 20 tough questions you should ask every potential vendor. Learn how to pick equipment. Find out little tricks about setting up your shop that will save you thousands of dollars in work flow. You will also have the opportunity to review multiple digital samples from all of these technologies. Walk into the exhibit hall with the confidence of knowing exactly what you need in a system to be successful.

Screen printing, embroidery, transfer, direct to substrate, rhinestones, foil, appliqué and more—pick two or three… or four. Today’s top designers and brands are mixing more than one medium to create that $80 retail T-shirt. Find out the tricks to producing these hot retail trends without the brain damage associated with mixed media. Specialty applications expert Lon Winters will walk you through some simple techniques and applications you can offer to customers without a tremendous investment.

Have you ever wondered how to take your business to the next level? Maybe it is time to make sure you have the tools for success. Learn what you need in your Business Tool Box, from nailing down the client who wants to beat your price to creating the forms it takes to make your business run smoother. Does your business make money even when you aren’t there? Is your business one that someone would want to buy? Everyone needs a system in order to make their business run profitably, and this is your time to sand the edges and start thinking smarter. Learn from the stories and experiences of someone who has been in business for over 50 years and is willing to share with you some of the answers to getting your business tool box in order.

Richard Greaves teaches why the screen-making loop is the essential to creating superior prints, presenting the all the steps including screen mesh selection, mesh preparation, frames, emulsions, capillary film, all-important tension, stencil exposure, screen cleaning and re-claiming.

What do you need to get started in the world of embroidery? Join Helen Hart Momsen as she shares what is essential—and what can make your stitching life easier. From how and where to buy a machine to the shopping list you need to get that stitching on the garment, Helen shares tips and tricks for saving money on your initial purchases as well as your ongoing supply of goods and garments, and even shares some marketing tips. This class will allow you to enter the embroidery market with ease.

Add the hottest specialty inks—including high density, discharge, water based, foil, all over printing, and more—to your current offerings and add sizzle to your sales. They're easier to use than you might think. Lon Winters takes the perceived complexity out of specialty printing and demonstrates how it can be used to increase your bottom line. Learn valuable techniques to add unique textures and dimension to your prints and offer these dynamic results to your customers. Move beyond special effects and into become a specialty printer.

Our visual communication industry has tons of opportunities for great design, but how do we find it and put it all together? In this class Raymond Chapman will explain the differences between vector and bitmap clip art and how to use each effectively. He will also share sources for great, unique fonts and how to adapt each to successful layouts. Chapman will show how you can design logos using readily available clip art and fonts. You will also learn how to improve your business image through the proper use of layout and design.

Are you pricing your products and services to capture enough business to ensure healthy growth? Are you aware of how much cash flow your business must have to cover its overhead and discretionary costs? In this fast-paced session, Vince DiCecco reveals how to develop a "winning" pricing strategy that's tailor-made for your customer-minded business. You’ll also learn how to effectively handle price pressure and what to do when you hear, “I can get the same product down the block cheaper” or “Is that your best price?” This is one seminar you can’t afford to miss.

Rick Williams uses his 34-years of experience to help commercial sign business owners recognize and address the “Life and Death” challenges, pitfalls and critical problems of running a small- to medium-sized sign business. Subjects will include maximizing productivity and profitability, minimizing mistakes, improving customer relations, employee motivation, shop safety, dealing with subcontractors, and other subjects critical to operating a successful commercial sign business. This seminar is ideal for owners, managers and valuable staff members as well.