Editor's note

James Anderson is the editor-in-chief of GRAPHICS PRO magazine. He can be reached at janderson@cahabamedia.com.

The Godfather

There isn’t a lot of research available on how many direct-to-garment (DTG) printers have been manufactured since Matthew Rhome was granted U.S. Patent 6,095,628 for his invention. One report estimates that up to 10,000 were produced per year between the mid-2000s and today. If we think about that as a span of 21 years, then we can project that more than 210,000 DTG printers have made their way into shops of all sizes.

That’s all because Rhome had an idea for a more efficient way to scale his screen-printing business. He took that idea and followed it through to a prototype, then a patent, then helped it grow into an entire industry. You can read about Rhome’s amazing journey that earned him the title of “Godfather of DTG” on page 12 of this month’s issue.

While Rhome takes us back through the history of his invention, Cole Lundstrom gives us a look ahead in his article, “How to put AI to work in your print business.” On page 48, Lundstrom shares actionable tactics he is using with AI that help his company operate more efficiently.

On the signage and printing side, you don’t want to miss Andy Everding’s look at canvas, fine art, and photo papers on page 38, where he shares the best-fit paper and canvas for specific projects ranging from wedding photos to wall decor.

As always, there’s much more inside this issue. From on-demand heat printing to Photoshop face swaps, we’ve got something for every type of graphics pro.

Thank you

On a parting note, I want to thank GRAPHICS PRO readers, contributors, advertisers, and supporters that I’ve had the pleasure to meet over the past three years. This is my last issue at the magazine as I transition back to covering an industry I worked in for nearly a decade prior to my tenure here at GP. I’m especially appreciative of Marie Fennema, Stacy Marshall, Elizabeth Manning, Tim Kedzuch, Sonya Crocker, Iveth Gomez, and Charlie Fox — a team dialed in to providing the best experience for GP’s readers, advertisers, and contributors. It’s comforting knowing that the magazine is in great hands.