Production Artist

Sharprint; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 48,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Sharprint, a Chicago-based decorated apparel manufacturer, is hiring a Production Artist to turn customer art into production-ready files and create mockups for the sales team. In this fast-paced role, you will prep art for production, generate color separations, and contribute to basic design tasks.

The position sits at the center of art and production, requiring sharp attention to detail and teamwork with sales, CSRs, and production.

Qualifications

• Strong Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop skills.
• Solid understanding of screen print production: spot color, separations, underbase, halftones, print dimensions.
• Sharp vector skills for building print-ready art from rough customer files.
• Excellent color sense with Pantone/PMS matching.
• Detail-oriented and calm under deadline in a high-volume shop.
• Team player across art, sales, and production.

Responsibilities

• Build accurate mockups and proofs: garment, placement, sizing, and color.
• Prepare customer art for production: clean up, vectorize, resize, and lay out to spec.
• Create and send color separations (seps) to the separator, print-ready.
• Handle basic creative tasks: simple designs, layout tweaks, logo edits.
• Maintain color accuracy: PMS matching, underbase, halftones, print dimensions.
• Keep the art library organized with naming conventions and version control.
• Collaborate with sales, CSRs, and production to keep proofs moving.

Skills

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Photoshop

Pantone/PMS color matching

Vector illustration

Print production understanding

Tools

Separation Studio

Spot Process

Job description

Sharprint is a Chicago-based decorated apparel manufacturer with more than 40 years in the business. We run high-volume screen printing and embroidery for promotional products distributors and major program clients across the country. Quality, speed, and getting the details right are what we’re known for, and our art team is a big part of how we deliver.

The Role

We’re looking for a Production Artist to join that team. You’ll turn customer art into production-ready files, build the mockups our sales team sells with, hand separations off to our separator, and jump in on creative work along the way. It’s a fast-paced, detail-heavy role that sits right at the center of our art and production flow.

What You’ll Do

• Build accurate, realistic mockups and proofs: garment, placement, sizing, and color
• Prep customer art for production: clean up, vectorize, recreate, resize, and lay out to spec
• Prepare and send color separations (seps) to our separator, print-ready every time
• Help with basic creative work: simple original design, layout, logo tweaks, and adapting art
• Keep every job on spec: color counts, PMS matching, underbase, halftones, and print dimensions
• Keep the art library clean with consistent naming and version control
• Partner with sales, CSRs, and production to keep proofs and approvals moving

What We’re Looking For

• Strong Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop skills
• A real understanding of screen print production: spot color, separations, underbase, halftones, and print dimensions
• Sharp vector skills for building print-ready art from rough customer files
• A great eye for color, including Pantone/PMS matching
• Detail-obsessed and calm under deadline in a high-volume shop
• A team player across art, sales, and production

Nice to Have

• Experience in a screen print, decorated apparel, or promotional products shop
• Familiarity with separation software (Separation Studio, Spot Process)
• Exposure to embroidery, DTG, DTF, or heat transfer
• ShopWorks or similar shop-management experience

The Details

• Full-time, on-site in Chicago, IL
• Competitive pay based on experience