Questions, answered.

ToneSmith is a DTF and DTG halftone prepress studio built by Maker Foundry. It converts your artwork into print-ready halftone separations with a live preview — so you see exactly what your print will look like before you export. It runs as a web app (no install) and as a Photoshop UXP plugin. Both are included in every subscription.

Both do the same job. Use the web app if you want to get started immediately with no install, or if you work on files outside of Photoshop. Use the plugin if you're already working in Photoshop and want to run separations without switching apps. Most users start with the web app. You don't have to choose — both are on every plan.

Go to tonesmith.makerfoundryco.com/sign-up and enter your name, email, and a password — or click Continue with Google to sign up instantly with your Google account. You'll receive a welcome email with quick start guides.

After creating your account, visit the pricing page and select a monthly or annual plan. You'll need to enter a payment method — your card is required but you won't be charged for 7 days. If you cancel before the trial ends, you owe nothing. All features unlock immediately. The trial is on the subscription plans only — Lifetime and the Founder tiers are one-time purchases, charged in full at checkout, not trials.

The 7-day trial gives you full access to everything: halftone and separation engine with live preview, background removal, white underbase generation, levels and tone controls, gang sheet builder, Photoshop plugin license key, and all quick start guides. No features are locked or limited.

Web app: Chrome, Edge, or Firefox (latest). Safari is supported but Chrome gives the best live preview performance. Desktop or laptop recommended — not optimized for mobile. Photoshop plugin: Adobe Photoshop 23.0 or later (Creative Cloud), Windows 10+ or macOS 11+.

From the main editor, click the upload area or drag and drop your file. ToneSmith accepts PNG, JPG, and TIFF. For best results, upload the highest resolution version of your artwork. ToneSmith exports at 300 DPI — if your source is low resolution, the export will reflect that.

LPI (lines per inch) controls the halftone dot frequency. Higher LPI = finer dots, smoother gradients. DTF: 45–65 LPI is a common range — start at 55 and adjust based on your printer. DTG: 45–55 LPI works well for most platens. Use the live preview to see the effect before exporting. The LPI Test Sheet on your account page is a great calibration reference.

Ink limit controls the maximum total ink coverage in any area of the print. Reducing it prevents oversaturation and muddy color in dense areas. A lower limit gives lighter, crisper prints. Recommended starting point: 85–90% for most DTF workflows. Adjust down if you're seeing bleed or smearing.

AutoTone analyzes your image and automatically sets halftone parameters based on the image content. Click the AutoTone button after uploading. It's a smart starting point — you can still adjust any setting manually afterward.

ToneSmith includes an AI-powered background removal tool designed for busy or complex backgrounds — outdoor scenes, detailed patterns, multi-color backgrounds. Click Remove Background and the tool isolates your subject automatically. If your design has a solid color background (white, black, a single flat color), you don't need background removal — the halftone engine handles solid backgrounds during separation.

Enable the White Underbase toggle in the control panel. ToneSmith generates a choked white layer beneath your color separations automatically. It's included in your export when enabled. Use the Underbase preview tab to verify coverage before exporting.

Once your settings look right in the preview, click Export. ToneSmith processes and downloads your file at 300 DPI as a PNG. If white underbase is enabled, the export includes both layers. Most files complete in a few seconds.

Input: PNG, JPG, JPEG, TIFF. Export: PNG at 300 DPI. For best quality, upload PNG or TIFF source files — JPG compression can introduce artifacts that affect halftone quality.

A gang sheet is a single large sheet containing multiple print designs packed together, allowing you to print them all in one pass. Instead of printing each design individually and wasting film, gang sheets maximize the usable area of your DTF roll — less waste, more efficient production.

Open the Gang Sheet Builder from the main navigation. Upload images by clicking the upload area or drag and drop. You can also pull from recent projects. Set the quantity for each image (how many copies) before packing.

Once images and quantities are set, click Pack Sheet. ToneSmith uses a bin-packing algorithm to automatically arrange all images with minimal wasted space, maintaining a small gap between each for cutting. You can drag images to reposition manually after packing.

Common DTF roll widths are supported: 13", 22", and 24" wide. Sheet length adjusts automatically to fit your designs. Custom widths and lengths are also available for non-standard media.

Use PNG files with transparent backgrounds — this lets ToneSmith pack images tightly without white boxes around them. Run background removal in the web app first if your images have solid backgrounds. Aim for at least 300 DPI at your intended print size.

Mockup Studio lets you preview your designs on professional garment mockups — pick a style, choose a color, drop in your artwork, and export client-ready images. It replaces bouncing out to Placeit or Canva for proofs, and it's included with every ToneSmith plan.

Multiple blank styles across brands like Bella + Canvas, Next Level, and Independent Trading, with 37 to 82+ colors depending on the style. Front and back views are independent, and more templates are added regularly. Use the "Request a template" link in the gallery to suggest styles you need.

Yes. Choose from curated saved scenes, search the Pexels photo library by keyword, pick a solid color, or upload your own background image. Image backgrounds get a crop-and-position panel so you can frame them. Leave it blank and the export has a transparent background.

Yes. The Watermark tab lets you upload a logo PNG (with opacity, size, position, and invert for white logos on dark garments) or add a text stamp like "PROOF". Both appear on every export, including the combined front + back image.

Yes. After you click Apply ToneSmith Separations in the halftone editor, choose "Preview in Mockup Studio" from the export dialog. Your separation loads directly onto the last garment you used — pick a color and export a client-ready proof without leaving ToneSmith. The Effects Studio can send designs to Mockup Studio the same way.

All exports are full native garment resolution — 2000×2000 px per side. You can export the front, the back, both as separate files, or a single wide front + back image that's ideal for client approval emails.

The Effects Studio is a live, non-destructive effects editor for your already-finished artwork. Instead of separating or halftoning, it stacks print and apparel effects — grunge, distress, vintage looks, textures, and recolors — on top of a finished design. It's included with every web-app plan (not the plugin-only ToneSmith Lite).

Six families, stackable in any order: Chromatone (gradient-map recolor), Screentone (halftone-pattern texture overlays), Patina (real grunge textures with blend modes), Throwback (vintage fade/tint looks), Grit (grunge brushes you paint by hand), and Crisp (clean up semi-transparent edges for DTF). Each layer has opacity, masking, and can be clipped to the layer below.

Yes. Every effect is a live layer you can reorder, toggle, adjust, or remove — nothing is baked in until you export. You can also Save Project as a .overtone file (downloaded and kept in your browser's recent projects) to reopen and keep editing your exact layer stack later.

No. The Grit grunge brushes (in Erase mode) and the dedicated Crisp tool produce binary-clean alpha — every pixel is fully opaque or fully transparent, with no semi-transparent edge pixels. That faint partial transparency is exactly what causes the white halo around DTF transfers, and Crisp removes it with a single threshold slider.

Yes. From the Export menu you can download a flattened PNG, save the editable .overtone project, or hand the finished design straight off to the Halftone Editor, Gang Sheet Builder, or Mockup Studio. All hand-offs pass the flattened PNG; the editor can also send a design back into the Effects Studio.

Yes — it's bundled with every ToneSmith web-app subscription and Lifetime/Founder plan at no extra charge, alongside the halftone editor, gang sheet builder, and mockup studio. The only exception is ToneSmith Lite, which is the Photoshop plugin sold standalone and does not include the web tools.

Adobe Photoshop 23.0 or later (Creative Cloud), Windows 10+ or macOS 11 (Big Sur)+. An active ToneSmith subscription and license key. The plugin uses Adobe's UXP framework and will not work with older Photoshop versions (CS6, CC 2019, etc.).

1. Go to your account page and download tonesmith.ccx. 2. Double-click the .ccx file — Creative Cloud will open and prompt you to install. 3. Click Install. 4. Open Photoshop (or restart it). 5. Go to Plugins → ToneSmith (or Window → Extensions → ToneSmith on older versions). 6. Enter your license key when prompted.

Your license key is on your account page under the License section. It's generated automatically when your trial or subscription is active. Copy it and paste into the plugin panel in Photoshop when prompted.

Try these steps: 1. Restart Photoshop fully. 2. Check you're on Photoshop 23.0+ (Help → About Photoshop). 3. Re-run the .ccx installer. 4. Check Creative Cloud desktop app — look under Plugins for ToneSmith. 5. In newer Photoshop, plugins appear under the Plugins menu, not Window → Extensions. Still stuck? Email tonesmith@makerfoundryco.com.

No — Photoshop 23.0 or later is required. Older versions don't support the UXP framework the plugin is built on. The web app at tonesmith.makerfoundryco.com works in any modern browser and provides the same functionality if you're on an older Photoshop.

Your trial automatically converts on day 7 using the card on file — no action needed if you want to continue. To confirm or change your plan before then, go to your account page and select a plan.

Same features, different billing. Monthly: flexible, cancel anytime. Yearly: billed once per year at a discounted rate (best value if you use ToneSmith regularly). You can switch between them from your account page at any time.

Go to your account page → Manage Billing → opens the Stripe customer portal → Payment methods → Add payment method. Your next charge uses the updated card automatically.

Account page → Manage Billing → Cancel plan → confirm. Your access remains active until the end of the billing period. Your files and settings are saved — resubscribe anytime and pick up where you left off.

Stripe charges the card you provided and your subscription begins — no interruption. If you cancel before day 7, no charge. If the charge fails, access pauses until the payment is resolved.

Yes. If you subscribe and decide ToneSmith isn't right for you within 30 days of your first charge, email tonesmith@makerfoundryco.com for a full refund. No questions, no friction.

No. Lifetime, the Founder tiers, and ToneSmith Lite are one-time purchases — not trials, not subscriptions. They are charged in full at checkout, never renew, and are final and non-refundable. That is why the free trial exists: take the 7-day trial on a monthly plan first, use everything at no cost, then buy Lifetime during or after it at the same price. If a technical fault we cannot fix stops you using what you paid for, email tonesmith@makerfoundryco.com and we will make it right.

The Founder's Edition is a one-time lifetime purchase that was offered at launch. Founder's Edition holders get all current and future features with no recurring charges. Contact tonesmith@makerfoundryco.com to ask about current availability.

Check that your subscription is active on your account page. Make sure there are no extra spaces when pasting the key. Restart Photoshop and try again. The plugin validates your key against our server so an internet connection is required during activation. Still not working? Email tonesmith@makerfoundryco.com with your account email.

The web app can be accessed from any browser on any device — no device limit. The Photoshop plugin license key works on up to 2 machines simultaneously (e.g. work desktop and home laptop).

No. Your license key doesn't change when you reinstall or update Photoshop. Use the same key from your account page. You will need to reinstall the .ccx plugin file, but the same key activates it.

Check the file format (PNG, JPG, TIFF only). Large files over 50MB may time out — try a smaller version. Refresh the page and retry. Try Chrome if you're on another browser. Check your internet connection.

Exports can take 5–30 seconds depending on complexity — this is normal. If it doesn't download after 60 seconds: check your browser's download settings for a blocked download prompt, disable pop-up blockers for tonesmith.makerfoundryco.com, then try again.

Chrome handles the GPU-accelerated preview best — switch to Chrome if you're on another browser. Refresh the page if the preview freezes. Close other heavy tabs to free up memory. Try resizing your source image to 3000px on the long edge before uploading.

The AI background removal works best on images with a single clear subject against a contrasting background. For very complex images, try cleaning up the source in Photoshop first. If your design has a solid background, you don't need background removal — the halftone engine handles solid backgrounds during separation.

Go to tonesmith.makerfoundryco.com/forgot-password, enter your email, and check your inbox for a reset link (check spam if it doesn't arrive). If you're still having trouble, contact tonesmith@makerfoundryco.com.

Too large/bleeding: increase the choke value in the underbase settings. Missing coverage in light areas: this is intentional — semi-transparent areas produce a thinner underbase to avoid a visible white halo. Not generating at all: make sure the White Underbase toggle is enabled before exporting.

45–55 LPI for entry-level DTF printers. 55–65 LPI for mid-range setups — best balance of detail and reliability. 65–75 LPI for high-quality DTF printers with good ink control. Use the LPI Test Sheet (available on your account page) to calibrate for your specific setup.

45–55 LPI is the most common range for DTG. Lower LPI is more forgiving since garment texture can break up very fine dots. For highly textured fabrics, lean toward 45 LPI for more robust dot coverage.

Vector-style graphics and illustrations with clean edges, character art and logos, and designs with gradients all work great. More challenging: low-resolution photos, images with very fine line details, and images with complex unseparated backgrounds.

Use PNG with transparency if your design is already cut out. Flatten to 300 DPI at your intended print size. Remove complex backgrounds in Photoshop before uploading. Avoid heavy JPEG compression — use PNG or max-quality JPG. Keep the canvas tight to your artwork.

Work in sRGB — the most common and what most DTF RIPs expect. If your file is in CMYK, convert to RGB before uploading (Photoshop: Image → Mode → RGB). ToneSmith processes in RGB and optimizes the halftone structure — final color accuracy depends on your RIP, ink, and substrate.