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So, what you are saying, Master Splinter, is that its a bit more complicated than the one off screen prints I did back in highschool in art class?
I think we just cut our designs straight out of a piece of poster card then layed the screen over the top of that and squegied away.
The process is basically the same (still the frame and squeegee) for short runs, but the stencil is done by a photographic emulsion unless you really like the idea of cutting out thousands upon thousands of tiny holes in your bit of cardboard if you are doing four colour work...then repeating the process for the other three colours...and getting it in register to a few tenths of a millimeter.
Grab a magnifying glass and look really closely at a full colour picture in a newspaper or magazine; you'll see its made up of lots and lots of cyan, magenta, yellow and black dots (shortened to CMYK in the print world). This is the amount of detail your stencil needs if you are doing four colour work!
I was going to suggest the iron route also. Here, both HP and Avery offer transfer materials to be used with ink jet printers. (Never seen the Xerox product though.)
I know that there are a couple of community colleges here offer classes in the making of silk screens. Perhaps this is an option in OZ?
Also in tourist areas there are 'Custom' "T" Shirt shops that can print up almost anything on a "T" shirt. You might consider one of these tourist trap shops to get your shirts made. Just be sure to ask for the Resident prices. :D
You could try contacting a "craft person" rather than a "trady". Someone who does textile design. I would know where to send you in Vic but can't help you in W.A. Is there a craft incubator or some place where a lot of crafts people have studios? Is there a textile design course at a uni over there? They may know where past students have studios. Or, the is "Craft Victaria" over here that would be able to send you somewhere. Is there "Craft West" or something like that? Or go into craft art type shop and read all labels of hand printed tea towels and the like.
Thanks for all the suggestions.
Found a friend of a friend to do the shirts and has offered to do the designing for free.
Ah! The good ol' friend of friend. They are great aren't they. :2tsup: