Quality, based on what they require from the artist, and how badly they require the artist to mangle the art, is low from all three.

• Limited DPI: CafePress limits prints at 300 DPI for all print sizes, and Zazzle limits the print at 100 DPI for all print sizes. CafePress’s limit shouldn’t have quality issues with any of their three sizes of poser, or their three sizes of framed prints, but it may produce medium quality prints high contrast art work… 300 DPI, though, is considered high enough quality for mass production by most. Zazzle’s limit, however, will damage all artwork on any size print; it will lack detail, and makes it almost worthless to print on any size below 23×35″ or so. DeviantArt Print also limits at 300 DPI.

• Non-print Colorspace and limited color precision: All three require the source image to be in the sRGB colorspace at 8 bits per channel (ie, a 24 bit image). sRGB is a colorspace designed to match the average monitor, and it lacks a wide gamut; combined with the a low color precision of only 8 bits, it ends up being very hard to define precise colors. It also, unfortunately, is totally unsuited to do print artwork with. Most print artists prefer using a very wide gamut, one exceeding their printer’s, as to be able to use their printer to it’s fullest potential, and also to not lose quality when printing using an ICC profile for their printer and choice of media; also, only DeviantArt Print even provides ICCs, the other two don’t allow you to soft proof your work before hand.

• Lack of format choices: DeviantArt is at the extreme end of this, they don’t allow anything but JPEGs, and if you give them an image in any other format they will convert it to JPEG before hand due to their print servers not being able to handle any other format. CafePress accepts a bunch of formats (including PSDs), but as I mentioned before, they have to be in 8-bit sRGB. Zazzle handles a few formats, but lacks PSD.

These three problems are pretty much deal breakers. Zazzle’s 100 DPI limit, all three’s lack of other colorspaces, and DeviantArt’s convert-to-JPEG-beforehand problem are all unacceptable for quality print artwork.

Now, not all printing shops are this way, quite a few understand how the common digital artwork workflow works, and can accommodate my needs, but they don’t offer what these three do: they print, box, and ship the artwork for me, and they also handle the money and merchant end of things. Also, most printshops for large media require you to order in bulk up front, which requires spending money up front and waiting a long time before breaking even.

What I’d like to see is a printshop that does both… accommodates my workflow style, and can act as the merchant on my behalf. I’m afraid I just might be waiting awhile.

As noted by this trio of flickrs, CafePress t-shirts suck ass: they severely fade after one wash; however, also noted apparently Zazzle is worth using. I’ll have to check them as a possible printing company to do my art via.