There are plenty of great places, both on the internet and locally, to get items silkscreened with a design of your choice. However, if you have some artistic ability and the inclination to do it yourself, have some fun, and save some money in the process, the Artists Image Resource (AIR) might be just the thing you're looking for. Located in Pittsburgh's North Side, AIR is a print shop with a 10,000 square foot facility that has the capabilities for etching, lithography, screenprinting, digital imaging, and even a gallery and archive space. They even help artists with tasks such as bookbinding, paper-making, and almost anything else a visual artist could need. By day, AIR is an artist run shop, tailored towards professional artists and educators. However, the thing that sets AIR apart is its stance on interaction with the community as demonstrated by this excerpt from their website:

"AIR creates learning environments for artists, students and the community primarily through Its Open Studio/Open House/Open Study Initiative.

AIR's educational programs and artists' projects come together to create a platform for the community to engage in all aspects of the art process. Through various innovative events and exhibitions AIR provides many opportunities for the community to be part of the creative process.

By inviting visitors to take part in art making, art viewing and collaborating in the hands-on creation of work, AIR supports the community while engaging and challenging its members."

Every Tuesday night from 7:00-11:00 PM, AIR hosts an open house where anyone is welcome to come and use the facilities. Staff is on hand to teach the basics of the process (usually silk-screening), use of the equipment is free, and materials can be obtained on-site for a small fee. I've been to AIR a few times now, and on my most recent visit, I brought my own ink, a design in photoshop, and 12 shirts to silkscreen. I was able to print the transparancy I needed, burn the screen, and use the equipment all night for a very reasonable six dollars. This is an amazing resource for any local artists, especially bands, to print on t-shirts, posters, CDs, or any other medium cheaply. AIR also hosts a high school, youth, and family night on Wednesdays for the younger crowd that wants to learn.

All this information and more can be found at AIR's website, http://www.artistsimageresource.org.