Wgare Does the Paper to Make Art on Hoodies Come From
It's stained, it's ripped, it'due south full of holes… Simply you just tin can't seem to throw it out. For a lot of us, our favorite t-shirts are a way to express who we are. (And for others, they're free advertising!) Just how to design a t-shirt that ticks all the boxes? You'll detect out beneath.
Do you have an killer t-shirt idea and suspect others will feel the aforementioned way? Are you lot looking for an alternative means of promoting your business, or making some side income with merch? Exercise yous want to commemorate a special event, like a family unit reunion or bachelorette party?
Nosotros've only sent yous your free t-shirt design ebook.
Whatever your reasons, the fundamentals of t-shirt design remain the aforementioned; information technology'southward what y'all do with them that counts.
In this Ultimate Guide to T-Shirt Design, we'll run through the each step of the design process, from the inception of an idea to getting your shirt mass-produced. No thing how much (or how petty) experience you take, these t-shirt design tips will give you lot everything you lot need to know.
How to pattern a t-shirt in vii steps
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- Figure out why you demand a shirt
- Define your upkeep at quantity
- Know your printing options
- Screen press
- Vinyl graphics
- Directly-to-garment
- Brainstorm your design concept
- T-shirt types
- Style and imagery
- Typography
- Color
- Specialty printing
- Find a designer
- Evaluate your design
- Get the right files
- Discover a kick-ass printer
1. Figure out why y'all need a shirt
No matter your reason for designing a t-shirt, it'll always involve a little fleck of branding. If you're using t-shirts for promotional purposes, branding is your main goal. Even if information technology's strictly mode, y'all'll still need to weave consistent brand themes into all your products. For personal use—like commemorating an event, for example—you want to brand sure your t-shirt design communicates clearly.
If you haven't already, write out a list of the central themes, styles, and personality traits yous desire your make and shirts to convey. Is your brand playful or serious? Edgy or conservative? Luxurious or affordable? A focused t-shirt blueprint can respond all of these questions at a glance.
Take a quick peek at the case above. What does it tell you about the Brewmasters company? For starters, they don't take themselves too seriously, and the wooden instruments suggest a more than traditional brewing style that hints at a classic gustation. That's a lot of data from a cartoon.
To become the most effective design, motion away from your personal preference and rely more than on real, quantifiable data. Who are your target clients/customers? What brand traits practise they want to do business with?
Hither are four goals to help guide your t-shirt design process by helping you understand why yous need a shirt and what you want it to do.
Promotional gifts
Your t-shirts are something you give abroad for free to go on your brand in the minds of prospective clients/customers.
This could be something given away at conventions, conferences, other promotional events or even a go out-behind at a business meeting.
Internal company usage
Employees get shirts for solidarity, appreciation or maybe fifty-fifty a company uniform.
The goals are similar to promotional gifts considering in that location'southward a potent need for branding.
Merchandise
Your t-shirts are a production yous plan on selling, so make sure to factor in fashion, marketability and business strategy.
You'll need to understand your shirt'due south place in the market, so consider conducting research to discover the tastes of your customers. Your own personal tastes are a good first, but when it comes down to selling to the masses, quantifiable data e'er beats guesswork.
Event souvenirs
Special events need special souvenirs, and t-shirts are always a great pick.
These share many of the same goals as shirts for internal visitor usage (solidarity, appreciation) simply for a more casual, less restrictive audition.
Regardless of their employ, most t-shirts are promotional in some manner. Even if you're designing t-shirts equally merchandise, include your brand logo so observers know who made the shirt if they want something similar. It should have a strong, fifty-fifty dominant, presence on the shirt.
Utilise the same design quality and cleverness as you would a billboard advert. More than just clothes, t-shirts provide exposure every fourth dimension a person wears them in public, specially if the owner likes the shirt and wears it often.
In one case you've determined your goals, you can then prioritize the different aspects of your t-shirt design. For example, fashion might exist a loftier priority for merchandise tees, merely not for employee gifts. You desire to tailor your pattern in a mode that best suits your needs.
2. Define your budget and quantity
You're anxious to get to the actual t-shirt designing. We get it. But let's settle some details showtime so yous can focus your design ameliorate: namely, your upkeep and quantity. How much y'all can spend and how many t-shirts you need will impact your design.
For example, budget and quantity will help determine how many colors you tin use. Depending on your printing method, additional colors may cost more coin. If your upkeep is tight, a good way to relieve is conserving colors.
The number of shirts you lot demand will too influence your printing method. Some methods are ideal for press in majority. Others have a college cost per shirt and are better for small orders.
Before you brainstorm to think about designing or press, plan your budget and quantity accordingly.
three. Know your printing options
There are a lot of things to consider when you're looking for the best t-shirt press method for you. Cost, advent, production time, materials—they're all important. The more you know about each method, the easier information technology will exist to decide which i is all-time for you.
Screen printing
This is the gold standard for t-shirt printing. Your printer makes original screens of your design (one for each color) so y'all tin can print in bulk.
Pros : Reliable standard for printing. Affordable and high quality. Ideal for big orders over 20.
Cons: New screen required for every new colour or design revision (which gets costly). Colorful designs end up existence expensive.
Vinyl graphics
Another method of heated transfer, vinyl printing uses more durable vinyl instead of just ink.
Pros: Extremely durable and high quality. Ideal for when yous want your design to stand out (literally).
Cons: Boosted colors toll more, and then complicated designs get expensive. Not great for large orders.
Direct-to-garment (or print-on-demand)
A newer option, DTG press uses the freedom of inkjet printing, but prints direct on fabric.
Pros : Highly customizable designs with maximum detail and extensive colour choices.
Cons : Use for small batches or perchance a single sample. The more you lot're printing, the less viable information technology becomes. Doesn't work well on dark-colored garments.
Take a wait at our guide to t-shirt press for more information.
4. Brainstorm your pattern concept
Hither comes the fun stuff… Now you go to start figuring out what'south actually going on your t-shirt! Make sure you lot don't spring to this step outset. The more time and effort yous put into preparing for this, the improve.
Your design could become in a million different directions. As you're brainstorming, here are some tips to aid focus your creativity.
T-shirt types
All this talk about t-shirts, and it'south piece of cake to forget that there are lots of different types of shirts. Only to name a few…
Think about your audition and intended goals before deciding the correct type of t-shirt. A revealing crop top might not be the all-time promotion for a law firm.
As you commencement sketching out t-shirt design ideas, make sure it will translate to the bodily size. Design using an eighteen"x18" canvas and physically identify your designs on a shirt. That doesn't mean you take to fill the whole space (similar if you're keeping it minimal with a small-scale logo), but a realistically sized canvass will help you go the proportions right.
Once you have your pattern, consider how it volition look on larger and smaller shirt sizes. If you cull a screen printing process, different sizes may require different screens, which means additional costs.
Style and imagery
At this phase, you accept to rely on your artistic and creative instincts to communicate the messages you want to say. Don't forget these questions nosotros talked nigh before:
- What is your make?
- Who is your market?
- Why are you lot designing a shirt in the first place?
Put all of that together, and y'all're ready to first designing a t-shirt that'south perfect for yous.
For example, take a wait at Prim's dinosaur t-shirt design. This is a child'south merchandise brand, so the style is cute and cartoony, appealing to its market.
Compare that to the winning entry for the Pumpkin t-shirt blueprint contest, by 99designs creator DiditRed.
This High german hardcore music festival is definitely not marketed to kids. That opens up their designs to edgier material, which suits their prospective clients meliorate.
Of course, there are more options than being terrifying or sugary sweet.
Alex Lalove shows us how to design a professional, risk-gratis t-shirt without being boring. His winning entry promotes the Datafinity make with its logo forepart and centre, but spices upwardly the look and experience and then information technology seems more stylish than a standard business tee.
Also, think that your pattern is being displayed on bodies. Lumpy, bumpy bodies that aren't always as symmetrical as we'd like. Think well-nigh flat, uncomplicated designs since there'south no telling where the nooks and crannies volition country on your image.
For similar reasons, you also want to avoid detailed imagery, such as subtle color gradients and intricate linework. Always err on the side of elementary.
T-shirt typography
The fonts you choose say a lot about your brand. Serif fonts (the ones with little arms) or script fonts wait more classic. Sans-serif fonts make information technology more modern. T-shirts offer more than of an opportunity than other areas of graphic blueprint to play with fun, crazy display fonts, but exercise keep readability in mind. If the words on your shirt are important to communicating your message, brand sure they don't get overshadowed by swirly, grungy, loopy typography.
Color in t-shirt pattern
The element of design that is best at instantly communicating personality is color. Each shade, hue and tint evokes an emotion, interim as a shortcut for y'all to portray something about your brand at just a glance.
T-shirt designs take two sets of colors to proceed in listen: the fabric color(s) and the print color(s).To make certain that these two complement each other, always use your textile color as the background of your design ideas. (And too note that a colored canvas can have an bear on on what inks look like, so make sure you talk to your printer almost that!)
Because of the way t-shirt inks piece of work, printing colors can go a little tricky. The to the lowest degree expensive way to print your design will be to approximate the colors. But know that your "teal" might not match your printer'south "teal."
Exact color matches are possible with Pantone (PMS) or custom blended CMYK inks—but they're more expensive. PMS uses predefined, exact ink tones that your printers can buy. CMYK printing creates about any colour by combining Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Cardinal (black) inks. Check with your printer to determine what's available.
Specialty printing techniques
We've just sent you lot your free t-shirt design ebook.
Like any other printing medium, t-shirts have their own set up unique ink options.
- Plastisol— The standard ink used in screen-press
- Foil — Shiny and reflective
- Novelty — Glitter, hologram or even a fuzzy feel
- High-density — For a dimensional advent that pops out from the shirt
- Gel — Like high-density, but with a "wetter" look
- Water-based — No feeling at all; ingrained in the material
5. Detect a designer
Got design skills? Get crackin'! If yous don't, d on't worry. There are tons of pros out there ready to plow your design concept into a reality.
The DIY route
The main reward of designing a t-shirt yourself is the price. If your budget is tight, the decision is already fabricated for yous. Design freedom is a huge reward, but don't forget that professionals know the technical concerns of t-shirt pattern (plus a whole lot more). If y'all bankrupt out into a cold sweat when we mentioned acronyms like CMYK, you might slumber better handing this off to a pro.
Hiring a pro
Rather than teaching yourself marketing, branding and graphic design, why not pay someone who knows all them already?
Collaborating with a freelancer tin can be catchy, only as well a lot of fun. Do your best to find a designer that thinks like you lot and understands what you're looking for. Consider the designer's personality, design style and expertise. You can likewise endeavour working with multiple designers at once by launching a T-Shirt Design Contest on 99designs.
Once y'all've found your designer(s), you have to conspicuously communicate your vision. Tell them what nigh your design ideas, messaging, and intended audition. Include details about colors, logos, visual style, t-shirt blazon and printing specifications. Send them images of designs that friction match the style yous're looking for. Give them everything they demand to know so yous can get the perfect t-shirt pattern.
vi. Evaluate your design
As your pattern options start rolling in, browse through every version and select your favorites. Don't forget your marketing and technical requirements. Will your design fit on a tank top? Is the amount of color within your upkeep? Is the messaging correct? This isn't just an art competition, but a business concern decision. Communicate your feedback clearly to your designer to make sure your next set of options look even better.
And then, brand sure to run it past both key stakeholders and people who don't have any connectedness to what y'all're doing. Even if information technology'southward just your neighbor across the street, people not closely associated with your t-shirt pattern will notice things y'all never did.
Consider asking them:
- What is the i key message you lot go when you look at this shirt?
- Who is this shirt for?
Their answers to these questions will help you determine if the t-shirt is communicating what you want it to. If it's non, become back to your designer and figure out what you can change.
vii. Get the right files from your designer
You've got the perfect t-shirt pattern. Hell yes! At present go back to that data y'all got from your printer and check to make sure you have the correct files.
You probably need:
- Your t-shirt design in vector format. This will likely exist an Adobe Illustrator (AI), PDF, or EPS file. You'll need ane for each unlike t-shirt design you're creating.
- Color codes. If your printer does custom colors, make sure you have the Pantone or CMYK color codes so that everything turns out looking like you want.
viii. Find a kick-ass printer
Once your design's ready, information technology's press fourth dimension! Find one that offers the method you demand at a price you lot tin can afford. Of course, actress features and discounts to sweeten the deal are great, too. Sifting through printing options to notice the best one for your item projection normally requires experience and time… but we're going to fast-runway it for yous!
- Find out if the printer has an in-firm art department. Not only does this mean the printer does in-house prints, but information technology usually means these folks do good work. Only successful printers can sustain an in-house art department.
- Request samples of finished shirts, not design images. Nigh press companies dearest visitors! Stop past their shop to encounter and touch their shirts. Call back: a printer's chore is to interpret design to an actual print, and just a finished product reveals that.
- Start edifice a working relationship with a printer you tin grow with. Observe a printer who prints six or more colors. Fifty-fifty if you lot don't need that many for your first projection, y'all might need them afterwards.
- If you're doing a larger order, make certain your printer offers pre-press proofs. You won't know for sure how the design fits on the shirts until you lot run across a sample.
- Beware hidden charges, particularly with screens, films or Pantone color matching. Just similar whatever other manufacture, there are a few rotten eggs. Get over all the charges before payment to make certain they're existence upwards front.
Time to design an astonishing t-shirt!
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Every year t-shirt blueprint and printing are becoming more and more than accessible. They're something every business organisation can take reward of… equally long every bit they know what they're doing. Nosotros hope this guide on how to design a t-shirt gave you lot everything you need to break into the earth of making t-shirts. Got questions? Ask them in the comments below.
Looking for the perfect custom t-shirt pattern?
Work with our talented designers to make it happen.
Source: https://99designs.com/blog/design-other/how-to-design-t-shirts/
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