I've owned my own apparel brand for 8 years now, but took over production and purchased my own auto press 2.5 years ago. I took a class which was very helpful, but had to teach myself and learn along the way. Thank you for this video. I know I don't do thing the "conventional" way but I'm glad to see the things that i've learned on my own through trial, error and observation are infact on point and my own solutions are good solutions. Great video! Also fellow dobie owner here! Love the dog!
Been printing for 7 years now with plastisol and i must say if i had seen this video when i was starting out it could've helped me better and less headaches! This is really a step by step process! Damn! Bless up man! 💯
Mikey, u r cool ... especially with the thumps up (toes) at the end. iam coming from the graphic design industrie. workin there for more then 20 years .. but now im in screenprinting. and iam eager to know how all this works perfectly satisfying customers (as myself) .. so your channel is the only one gave me new knowledge and experiences. beside you are seems a true worker .. and just grounded and funny. wait for your next uploads.
Here's a pinhole hint for you - we use nail polish from a cheapo dollar store - use it on the garment side of the screen to catch any difficult to get at spots. Use it during production as it dries in a few seconds and is cheap and if you need to wipe the screen down during a big run it won't roll up like tape does. Love your vids - and your attitude to screenprinting (we're currently in lockdown here in New Zealand so been catching up on some your stuff but looking to get the machines cranking again next week and trying some of your stuff out)
Sir, you are great tutoring teacher, I see your video again by again, I believe to india. Good night, I learn it step by step, very good job and wonderful.
If you remember, i was having trouble with my screens getting out of registration. after thinking about it, i realized that everything is smooth metal against smooth metal. I guess i tend to spin the colors a bit too rough, and or the clamps dont get tight enough by hand, so i stuck grip tape on the print heads so theres something to grab the screens. Grip tape is sticky on one side and like sand paper that is coated do the grains dont come off. Its used mainly for steps so they arent slippery.
I know the feeling! More than likely it's the pallets and the screens shifting. I had to learn how to lightly spin it, well light enough that it wouldn't move anything.
Love your workspace, well managed workspace shows how professional the person works. Nice video tutorial too. Even the Photoshop layers are managed. 👍👍
my favorite channels ... although I don't know their language very well, I dream and plan to have my workshop and I hope one day it will be as spectacular as yours
Is your Actions Sep allow for 6 color as I only have a 6 color machine. If so do you have a demonstration video on it. Thanks for the great comprehensive videos
Any time! As long as your press is setup properly, you just center the shirt on the pallet, and make sure your art is set so it's the proper length from the edge of the pallet, so all you have to do is let the collar lay off the pallet. It's not uncommon for there to be up to .5" of shift from shirt to shirt because of the human factor.
Good video. Can you please tell me if I need to stroke/choke the white underbase (make smaller) or leave it the same size as other colors when doing these type halftone prints. Thanks
I have lines on my pallet that allow me to line up the screen quickly so we can skip that step. Nothing wrong with that method, but we prefer to do an actual print of the under base because the stencil will drag and move a hair once under pressure of the squeegee on any pres.
do you have some fans or heat source in your drying cabinet:? what type of emulsion you recomend for halftones? very good video. i will try to see more about Action seps.
Hello. Nice work. What kind of ink do you use in your printer for printing films. is dye or special ink for these kind of OHP films (foil). Gretings Thank you
Would I be able to do multiple colors with a one station machine. I am not really looking to mass produce anything.. just make some higher quality shirts here and there. I would imagine i dont need a 4 or 6 station, right? I would just swap out the screens for the different colors.. right?
@@mikeydesignssilkscreen473 thanks man. I kinda figured that out because registration would be too hard. I got the 4 color 1 station from ryonet. I think it came with a flash dryer and uv box. We will see how this goes...
@@mikeydesignssilkscreen473 I’m guessing I will still be somewhat limited with only 4 colors. Especially on dark garments where I need a white underbase? Also, please keep posting. These are probably the most helpful videos on the platform when it comes to screen printing.
@@alanaspalace4161 Thanks! I appreciate it. With a base, you'll have 3 colors to play with. But you could use red, yellow, and blue for halftones and get a wide array of colors.
The order is white base, black (if you're print on light shirts) red, blue, yellow, turquoise, purple, gray, and white. I may be missing a color, but you want your colors to mix well before they get to the gray and white.
We use plastisol inks. They just need to reach around 330º. You could use a heat press to cure them, but you'll get a glossy finish unless you use parchment paper. And curing with a heat press is less consistent.
@@mikeydesignssilkscreen473 thank you! If the ink is getting a smudging texture on solid lettering after the remainder screens are printed over wet on wet how do you avoid the smudging? Hard sqeegy & 230 screens are used.
Thanks Steven! I've been in the graphic design game since '99, even though I might not look like it. I was behind a desk for 14 years until I went full time screen printing in '14. Stick around and we'll get you doing the art part.
I used to use the Epson 4900 but recently got the Epson SureColor 600(13x19) All Black ink. Very reasonably priced and way more compact than my previous printer. Thanks for the video.
Hey Matt...do you dilute your adhesive at all? I use TexTac and straight out of the bottle is so sticky. My images become distorted when I remove the shirt from the pallet.
Hey Marvin! I don't dilute it. I just make sure not to put too much down, but enough to hold shirts above my image area. You can try taking an old shirt, and rub it on the pallet to help put some lint in the tack to reduce it's stickiness.
Well, one of the best videos I've ever seen about screen printing. Forget your high tech gear, it was a great video, my question is this. What is the minimum order quantity for screen printing to make it worthwhile?
Thanks! It just depends on how many colors are involved. More of the time for lower quantity orders is in the setup and we limited small order to how many colors we'll print. For example. We wont do less than 72 for a 6 color job. 8 colors, it's worthwhile to have 144+.
Mikey, one question here. For plastisol ink on manual spot color printing, do I have to flash the white base once I have coated the first layer or do I have to flash after two coats? As my white base doesn't gave the vibrant White that needed. Thanks Mikey 🙂
You'll print the white base and flash it, then print the remaining colors on top wet on wet. With the second white screen, it'll make the white really pop!
@@mikeydesignssilkscreen473 Thanks for your precious time☺. Can't wait to start my work as soon this madness is gone. Stay safe and God bless you Mikey
I am glad to know that I am not the only one from Philippines watching his video. If you dont mind to ask Mark what equipment do you have in your print shop? Ryonet, M&R or Anatol? Looking forward to hear from you soon. All the best and be SAFE!!!
@@JAVIER-cd8mr I am trying to get a specific print effect on my T-shirt’s, however I can’t find how to do it. If you have Instagram I can send you a video/ photo of the desired finish
Awesome Mikey!!!! but where's the link with the pallet adhesive... I need that ASAP I doing so hoodies and they keep coming up with just the PMI tape... Thanks buddy
Great video. I am currently looking into starting screen printing t-shirts. This is a great video on printing with multiple colors. I learned a lot. When will your "ActionSteps" be available?
hi mike how are you my name is Lung i have a drie fit tshirt can you help me to prin the shrit there is a crack on the shirt with the latter is that okay with you
Hi Mickey, I want to know if I can use regular emulsion paints (for wall painting) to coat the screens. And what exactly is it's function in the whole process. Thanks so much for the great tutorial 👍
Great video. Probably the most in depth and accurate instruction of printing a job from start to finish. Is your art dimension limitations of 12.5" wide based upon the pallet and squeegee widths or upon the printer for film output? Thanks, and I enjoy your channel.
Thank you!!! It's limited by our printer for film output. We don't many requested for oversized printing, but when we do, we outsource the film so we can print a larger size. Our max print size on the press is 16"x18"h.
When adding the liquid emulsion. You get the best results when using a room with a yellow light. Because white light burns the emulsion that make what you are doing.
I've owned my own apparel brand for 8 years now, but took over production and purchased my own auto press 2.5 years ago. I took a class which was very helpful, but had to teach myself and learn along the way. Thank you for this video. I know I don't do thing the "conventional" way but I'm glad to see the things that i've learned on my own through trial, error and observation are infact on point and my own solutions are good solutions. Great video! Also fellow dobie owner here! Love the dog!
Best way to learn! Just dive in and do what works.
thnx. I have a quiestion. 1:14 what is this name of the paint and 0:42 have materials name? pls answer
You do the community a great service with these videos. Thanks man.
My pleasure!
Been printing for 7 years now with plastisol and i must say if i had seen this video when i was starting out it could've helped me better and less headaches! This is really a step by step process! Damn! Bless up man! 💯
Thanks, Mikheal! I really appreciate it.
Mikey, u r cool ... especially with the thumps up (toes) at the end.
iam coming from the graphic design industrie. workin there for more then 20 years .. but now im in screenprinting. and iam eager to know how all this works perfectly satisfying customers (as myself) .. so your channel is the only one gave me new knowledge and experiences.
beside you are seems a true worker .. and just grounded and funny.
wait for your next uploads.
I appreciate that! More videos to come soon.
By far, the greatest and most complete video on screen-printing production ON THE ENTIRE INTERNET. Thanks A LOT!!! Cheers from Brazil!!! 🇧🇷🍻
Thank you!!!
i really like this channel! ur tshirts pop alot more then most other channels on yt... good work
I appreciate that!
Here's a pinhole hint for you - we use nail polish from a cheapo dollar store - use it on the garment side of the screen to catch any difficult to get at spots. Use it during production as it dries in a few seconds and is cheap and if you need to wipe the screen down during a big run it won't roll up like tape does.
Love your vids - and your attitude to screenprinting (we're currently in lockdown here in New Zealand so been catching up on some your stuff but looking to get the machines cranking again next week and trying some of your stuff out)
Awesome tip, Chris! I'll have to give that a try.
I'll be trying this tomorrow- thanks for the tip!
@@kingusmaximus Awesome!
thanks for the process on showing how its done ... most comprehensive video on screen printing i have seen on youtube ...
Thank you! I appreciate it.
شكرا لك كان بالفعل عمل متقن نقدر لك هذا
ActionSeps™ is now available! Get Your Copy of ActionSeps™ - actionseps.com
Very impressive operation.
Thanks!
To set a shop like your with all these equipments how much it's will cost ??
Just equipment wise, maybe 80k-90k.
Your Anatol looks like a really solid built machine. I like it.
It is! We love it!
Can you do the same job in a 4 color process?
Sir, you are great tutoring teacher, I see your video again by again, I believe to india. Good night, I learn it step by step, very good job and wonderful.
Nice, where i work we used t shirts to test print and to register all color for me is better
Same, when I have spare shirts laying around. :)
We're going to walk you guys through how we screen print spot or simulated process. Buckle up for the ride!
Matt! I just paused at the intro to say, That Print Is POPPIN'!
@@rpbvid Thank you!!! I really appreciate that. Apollo and Shannon said Hi!!!
@@mikeydesignssilkscreen473
😃 Hi Apollo! Hi Shannon! I❤Yall!!!
@@rpbvid Hahaha! We
Hi do you have a website if I wanted to use your services?
I love this job. Never did. But want to do
It's a pretty affordable business to get into with good profit margins.
Hello can you make a tutorial on how to make a design using an android phone coz i want to start but dont have a pc
Great Demo Matt....Thanks
Thank you!
If you remember, i was having trouble with my screens getting out of registration. after thinking about it, i realized that everything is smooth metal against smooth metal. I guess i tend to spin the colors a bit too rough, and or the clamps dont get tight enough by hand, so i stuck grip tape on the print heads so theres something to grab the screens. Grip tape is sticky on one side and like sand paper that is coated do the grains dont come off. Its used mainly for steps so they arent slippery.
I know the feeling! More than likely it's the pallets and the screens shifting. I had to learn how to lightly spin it, well light enough that it wouldn't move anything.
Love your workspace, well managed workspace shows how professional the person works. Nice video tutorial too. Even the Photoshop layers are managed. 👍👍
Thank you! I really appreciate it.
Our team thanks you for sharing innovation, craftsmanship, humbleness. Good content.
You once told a guy to "Grab a beer and relax"
Legend.
Thanks, Eric! We appreciate you watching our videos.
That's a professional video!!! Good explanation how to do it. I am beginner from Holland with a lot of open minded ideas. thanks a lot Mikey!!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
weldone what type of paste is good for jerseys
my favorite channels ... although I don't know their language very well, I dream and plan to have my workshop and I hope one day it will be as spectacular as yours
You can do it!
great tutorial.. I will be on the look out for actions seps
Thank you! I'll have it ready sometime this week.
Thanks U 4 Sharing This Video💙
Good work man.can u show us how to make your own Bullet club T shirts.
Sure!
Not in the biz... just wondering what went into printing a shirt. Have some designs thinking about doing. This was amazing to see..... thx u.
Thank you! A little more involved than most realize. :). Let me know how your designs go or if you have any questions.
Is your Actions Sep allow for 6 color as I only have a 6 color machine. If so do you have a demonstration video on it.
Thanks for the great comprehensive videos
It'll work well with 6 colors. Here's a video ua-cam.com/video/1RphjSzF_qw/v-deo.htmlsi=2YHo2SzdAMA2z_0G
Thank you for taking time to show us this. How do you make sure all shirts on the pallet board are on there the same?
Any time! As long as your press is setup properly, you just center the shirt on the pallet, and make sure your art is set so it's the proper length from the edge of the pallet, so all you have to do is let the collar lay off the pallet. It's not uncommon for there to be up to .5" of shift from shirt to shirt because of the human factor.
Whats the CIS system you are using for your 1430? and how do you maintain it ?
Just subscribed. Best video to explain screen printing! Thank you!
Awesome, thank you!
great video matt from start to finish awesome job thks
Thank you!!!
Great video. Thank you. How do I get the action seps?
Good video. Can you please tell me if I need to stroke/choke the white underbase (make smaller) or leave it the same size as other colors when doing these type halftone prints. Thanks
Both. Just depends on the graphic. You could spread certain parts of the overprint, or just choke the white base, but you may lose detail by doing so.
Nice Video, whats the name of the printer you use for transparencies ? Thanks
Thank you! It's an Epson 1430.
@@mikeydesignssilkscreen473 thanks a million :)
dude your bomb your videos mean the world to us, im happy for your success,
Thank you and I'm glad to help out!
DAMN . THE SHOP LOOK SOLID NOW.
man its been a longtime. wow.
from garage to a big shop. goodjob
Thank you! I really appreciate it. LOL, there's been a few changes and additions. :)
This is great man thinking of going to printing business now
That's awesome!
hello sir..how can i get the accurip software?
It just gets better and better guys. I'm so excited for you!
Thank you!!! I hope you're doing well. How is business on your end?
Question... Where do you get your Blanks from? I'm looking for a Wholesaler.
We get ours from SanMar, S&S Activewear, and TSC Apparel.
@@mikeydesignssilkscreen473
Thanks for the Tip. I'll check them out.
Hi why u dont use film on palet to register?
I have lines on my pallet that allow me to line up the screen quickly so we can skip that step. Nothing wrong with that method, but we prefer to do an actual print of the under base because the stencil will drag and move a hair once under pressure of the squeegee on any pres.
do you have some fans or heat source in your drying cabinet:? what type of emulsion you recomend for halftones? very good video. i will try to see more about Action seps.
I like to use Ulano TZ emulsion for halftones. It's worked best for me. amzn.to/2Vg6QVR
Sounds good! I'll have ActionSeps ready very soon.
Oh, forgot. It's just hot here in Houston so they tend to dry quickly on 230 mesh screens, using the sharp side of the scoop coater.
Hello. Nice work. What kind of ink do you use in your printer for printing films. is dye or special ink for these kind of OHP films (foil). Gretings Thank you
Thank you! We use an all black cheap ink system from eBay. Works well. Just look up CISS kit all black screen printing.
Would I be able to do multiple colors with a one station machine. I am not really looking to mass produce anything.. just make some higher quality shirts here and there. I would imagine i dont need a 4 or 6 station, right? I would just swap out the screens for the different colors.. right?
You would at least need a press with one station, and multiple print heads. Trying with a one color one station won't work out well.
@@mikeydesignssilkscreen473 thanks man. I kinda figured that out because registration would be too hard. I got the 4 color 1 station from ryonet. I think it came with a flash dryer and uv box. We will see how this goes...
@@mikeydesignssilkscreen473 I’m guessing I will still be somewhat limited with only 4 colors. Especially on dark garments where I need a white underbase? Also, please keep posting. These are probably the most helpful videos on the platform when it comes to screen printing.
@@alanaspalace4161 Thanks! I appreciate it. With a base, you'll have 3 colors to play with. But you could use red, yellow, and blue for halftones and get a wide array of colors.
@@alanaspalace4161 Nice! That'll give you some more flexibility. More videos to come! Got a real banger coming out.
So if you have an order for 5,000 pieces, you would have to manually put on and line up 5,000 shirts? How long of a turn-around time would that take?
Exactly! 5,000 would take about a few days once on press.
@@mikeydesignssilkscreen473 Wow! Props!!!
@@jnfe Thanks!
Hey Mikey, Can you make one for corel draw? Thanks you. Always a great video to share.
Thank you! Let me see what I can put together.
@@mikeydesignssilkscreen473 thanks Mikey for the hardwork. And helping other printers.
Ditto.
good day sir mikey.how would i know which color first to print for simulation process.from 1st to last?is it light to darkest?
The order is white base, black (if you're print on light shirts) red, blue, yellow, turquoise, purple, gray, and white. I may be missing a color, but you want your colors to mix well before they get to the gray and white.
What kind of ink is used and how many minutes do we put in the oven? Can we put it in a heat press for cups instead of the oven
We use plastisol inks. They just need to reach around 330º. You could use a heat press to cure them, but you'll get a glossy finish unless you use parchment paper. And curing with a heat press is less consistent.
@@mikeydesignssilkscreen473 OK thank you very much
Hey Matt, Do you use off contact with your screens when printing simulated Process?
We do! About 1/16 to 1/8".
@@mikeydesignssilkscreen473 thank you! If the ink is getting a smudging texture on solid lettering after the remainder screens are printed over wet on wet how do you avoid the smudging? Hard sqeegy & 230 screens are used.
Are you going to make a video on how to do a 3 color job that’s black white and grey. When I separate I get yellow and green but no grey.
I'll do a video on black white and gray sure!
hi iam looking for silk screen ucan get for me
What do you think about the old Yudu?
It's good for a hobby project.
very knowledgeable.. which printer you use?
Thank you! Anatol Titan ASE 9 color / 10 station.
Which printer used to print on film? Thank you
M Dd Epson 1430
Is action steps available yet and if so where could I find it??
Wich one is better, this image u do it with CYMK
Hey man you doing great I never got to do art yet but I been printing for 25 years
Thanks Steven! I've been in the graphic design game since '99, even though I might not look like it. I was behind a desk for 14 years until I went full time screen printing in '14. Stick around and we'll get you doing the art part.
NICE WORK SIR
LASHUP WORLD thank you!
Great Job, thanks
Thanks!
For the white ink, did you do a hit flash hit on it?
For the white, the base was printed with 2 strokes and flashed, then the rest of the top colors were printed.
so helpful thanks a lot
Loving the new software . Cant wait till full release .
Thank you! I'll have a training video ready to go once I release it.
What kind of paper are you using for the film?
I use 13x19 inkjet waterproof film amzn.to/2Z5T8XM
Are the Action Steps out yet? I'm working on a design and feel like these would save me a major headache before I send it to the printer!
Do you have the ActionSeps extension available?
April 5th. It'll be out.
I like your job. I have just a question which kind of printer you use to print the films to expose on the screens
Thank you. I'm using an Epson 1430.
I used to use the Epson 4900 but recently got the Epson SureColor 600(13x19) All Black ink. Very reasonably priced and way more compact than my previous printer. Thanks for the video.
Hey Matt...do you dilute your adhesive at all? I use TexTac and straight out of the bottle is so sticky. My images become distorted when I remove the shirt from the pallet.
Hey Marvin! I don't dilute it. I just make sure not to put too much down, but enough to hold shirts above my image area. You can try taking an old shirt, and rub it on the pallet to help put some lint in the tack to reduce it's stickiness.
Hi, which ink are you using
Semiu gbadebo plastisol ink. Wilflex and GSG’s house brands.
Well, one of the best videos I've ever seen about screen printing. Forget your high tech gear, it was a great video, my question is this. What is the minimum order quantity for screen printing to make it worthwhile?
Thanks! It just depends on how many colors are involved. More of the time for lower quantity orders is in the setup and we limited small order to how many colors we'll print. For example. We wont do less than 72 for a 6 color job. 8 colors, it's worthwhile to have 144+.
Awesome……. Thank you very much. 🙏🙏 🙏
Welcome!
Mikey, one question here. For plastisol ink on manual spot color printing, do I have to flash the white base once I have coated the first layer or do I have to flash after two coats? As my white base doesn't gave the vibrant White that needed. Thanks Mikey 🙂
You'll print the white base and flash it, then print the remaining colors on top wet on wet. With the second white screen, it'll make the white really pop!
@@mikeydesignssilkscreen473 Thanks for your precious time☺. Can't wait to start my work as soon this madness is gone. Stay safe and God bless you Mikey
@@mattlyngdoh78 You as well! I'm ready for this to be over too.
i'm from indonesia.
great job men
Thank you! Hello from Texas!
Un grande Paul Rudd
lol
I def would pay for action seps! If you have a beta I’d love to mess around with it! $$ in hand!
Sir, Four layer layer's of trace printout on a tutorial video slowly shows step by step, I want to learn it.
Thanks for this inspiring and detailed video! I certainly learned alot! Keep up the beautiful work!
Thank you! More coming soon.
Hello Mikey - I didnt see you tape your screens? wouldn't ink go down onto the edges of the shirt?
The pallets are 16"w and the emulsion is 18 so we don't have any issues with that and no tape is needed.
Amazing 👍🏼 i need to learn step by step.. n i satisfy to watch your tutorial.. keep up a good work sir
Mark jay from the philippines 😁
Thank you!!!
I am glad to know that I am not the only one from Philippines watching his video. If you dont mind to ask Mark what equipment do you have in your print shop? Ryonet, M&R or Anatol? Looking forward to hear from you soon. All the best and be SAFE!!!
@@capt.marloncataquis Nice! Be safe out there guys!
Thanks for shareing
Thanks for watching!
What emulsion are you using? Nice video!
Ulano TZ! We have a link in the description. :)
Great video. Fantastic explanation of the process. I learned a lot! Thanks
Glad you enjoyed it!
Very informative, ive learnt so much from just one video. Whats the typical starting price for a machine like this?
That's awesome to hear! Just depends on how many heads. I'd say 35k.
Thats great,
You are realy wonderful🙏
Thank you!
Very good, AMAZING WORK
Thank you!
I Been printing 11 years ....great vid 👍🏼
Thank you!
Would you be able to help me with an issue?
@@Ar19999 ....what’s the issue ?
@@JAVIER-cd8mr I am trying to get a specific print effect on my T-shirt’s, however I can’t find how to do it. If you have Instagram I can send you a video/ photo of the desired finish
Great video! Do your actions choke the base or give an option for that?
It has the ability to do that! Thanks!
ok Matt sending you and Shannon some love going on a Benge watch with commercials lol
LOL, we appreciate it!
Awesome Mikey!!!! but where's the link with the pallet adhesive... I need that ASAP I doing so hoodies and they keep coming up with just the PMI tape... Thanks buddy
Thank, Joe! For hoodies, use webspray. The spreadable tack won't hold them. You'll need to spray the web tack every time you load a hoodie.
@@mikeydesignssilkscreen473 Awesome. Thanks for reply. Waisting Bella Canvas hoodies aint cheap... 🤦♂️
Great video. I am currently looking into starting screen printing t-shirts. This is a great video on printing with multiple colors. I learned a lot. When will your "ActionSteps" be available?
How many minimum order in your production?
12. Thanks for watching.
hi mike
how are you my name is Lung
i have a drie fit tshirt can you help me to prin the shrit there is a crack on the shirt with the latter is that okay with you
Are you curing them long enough? Perhaps try using a higher mesh count.
Cool, I learned a lot about Simulated Spot Process and how to dance, in one time-saving video!
Hi Mickey,
I want to know if I can use regular emulsion paints (for wall painting) to coat the screens. And what exactly is it's function in the whole process.
Thanks so much for the great tutorial 👍
Thank you! No, you will need a photosensitive emulsion and film positives.
Great video. Probably the most in depth and accurate instruction of printing a job from start to finish. Is your art dimension limitations of 12.5" wide based upon the pallet and squeegee widths or upon the printer for film output? Thanks, and I enjoy your channel.
Thank you!!! It's limited by our printer for film output. We don't many requested for oversized printing, but when we do, we outsource the film so we can print a larger size. Our max print size on the press is 16"x18"h.
When adding the liquid emulsion. You get the best results when using a room with a yellow light. Because white light burns the emulsion that make what you are doing.
A darkroom would be ideal, yes. Not 100% necessary.
What I have done it use a yellow sleeve over the white light bulb. It works very good without having a dark room.