Most of You Reading This Are Morons Shirt
It'due south stained, it'due south ripped, it's total of holes… Just yous just can't seem to throw information technology out. For a lot of us, our favorite t-shirts are a way to express who we are. (And for others, they're complimentary advertising!) But how to design a t-shirt that ticks all the boxes? You'll find out below.
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 concern, or making some side income with merch? Do y'all want to commemorate a special event, like a family reunion or bachelorette party?
Nosotros've just sent you lot your free t-shirt design ebook.
Whatever your reasons, the fundamentals of t-shirt design remain the same; it'southward what you do with them that counts.
In this Ultimate Guide to T-Shirt Design, we'll run through the each step of the pattern procedure, from the inception of an idea to getting your shirt mass-produced. No thing how much (or how footling) experience you have, these t-shirt pattern tips volition give yous everything yous need to know.
How to design a t-shirt in 7 steps
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- Figure out why you demand a shirt
- Define your budget at quantity
- Know your printing options
- Screen press
- Vinyl graphics
- Direct-to-garment
- Brainstorm your design concept
- T-shirt types
- Style and imagery
- Typography
- Color
- Specialty press
- Detect a designer
- Evaluate your blueprint
- Get the correct files
- Find a boot-ass printer
1. Figure out why you need a shirt
No thing your reason for designing a t-shirt, it'll always involve a little bit of branding. If you're using t-shirts for promotional purposes, branding is your primary goal. Even if it'due south strictly fashion, you lot'll yet need to weave consistent brand themes into all your products. For personal use—like commemorating an event, for example—yous desire to make certain your t-shirt pattern communicates clearly.
If you haven't already, write out a listing of the key themes, styles, and personality traits you desire your brand 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.
Accept a quick peek at the example in a higher place. What does it tell yous about the Brewmasters company? For starters, they don't take themselves too seriously, and the wooden instruments propose a more than traditional brewing fashion that hints at a classic gustation. That's a lot of information from a cartoon.
To get the near effective design, motion abroad from your personal preference and rely more on existent, quantifiable data. Who are your target clients/customers? What make traits do they want to do concern with?
Here are 4 goals to assistance guide your t-shirt design process by helping yous understand why you need a shirt and what you want it to do.
Promotional gifts
Your t-shirts are something you give away for free to keep your brand in the minds of prospective clients/customers.
This could be something given away at conventions, conferences, other promotional events or even a leave-behind at a business organisation meeting.
Internal company usage
Employees get shirts for solidarity, appreciation or perchance even a company uniform.
The goals are similar to promotional gifts because there'south a stiff need for branding.
Merchandise
Your t-shirts are a product yous plan on selling, and so brand sure to factor in mode, marketability and business strategy.
You'll demand to understand your shirt's identify in the market, so consider conducting enquiry to find the tastes of your customers. Your ain personal tastes are a practiced first, but when it comes down to selling to the masses, quantifiable data always beats guesswork.
Event souvenirs
Special events need special souvenirs, and t-shirts are always a bang-up option.
These share many of the same goals equally shirts for internal visitor usage (solidarity, appreciation) but for a more than casual, less restrictive audience.
Regardless of their use, most t-shirts are promotional in some way. Even if you're designing t-shirts as trade, include your make logo so observers know who made the shirt if they desire something similar. Information technology should have a strong, even dominant, presence on the shirt.
Apply the same blueprint quality and cleverness as you would a billboard advertisement. More than just clothes, t-shirts provide exposure every time a person wears them in public, especially if the owner likes the shirt and wears information technology often.
Once you've adamant your goals, you tin can then prioritize the different aspects of your t-shirt blueprint. For example, fashion might be a loftier priority for merchandise tees, but not for employee gifts. You desire to tailor your pattern in a fashion 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. Merely permit's settle some details first so you can focus your design better: namely, your budget and quantity. How much you can spend and how many t-shirts you need will bear upon your design.
For instance, budget and quantity will help determine how many colors you can use. Depending on your press method, additional colors may price more coin. If your budget is tight, a practiced way to save is conserving colors.
The number of shirts you need will also influence your printing method. Some methods are platonic for printing in bulk. Others accept a higher cost per shirt and are better for small orders.
Before you begin to recollect about designing or press, programme your upkeep and quantity appropriately.
3. Know your printing options
There are a lot of things to consider when you're looking for the all-time t-shirt printing method for you. Cost, appearance, product fourth dimension, materials—they're all of import. The more yous know about each method, the easier it will be to decide which 1 is best for you.
Screen press
This is the gold standard for t-shirt printing. Your printer makes original screens of your design (one for each color) then y'all tin 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 blueprint revision (which gets costly). Colorful designs end upwards being expensive.
Vinyl graphics
Another method of heated transfer, vinyl printing uses more than durable vinyl instead of simply ink.
Pros: Extremely durable and high quality. Platonic for when you want your design to stand up out (literally).
Cons: Additional colors cost more than, so complicated designs get expensive. Not slap-up for large orders.
Direct-to-garment (or print-on-demand)
A newer option, DTG printing uses the freedom of inkjet printing, but prints direct on fabric.
Pros : Highly customizable designs with maximum detail and extensive color choices.
Cons : Utilize for modest batches or maybe a single sample. The more than yous're printing, the less viable information technology becomes. Doesn't work well on dark-colored garments.
Take a look at our guide to t-shirt printing for more than information.
4. Brainstorm your blueprint concept
Here comes the fun stuff… Now y'all become to get-go figuring out what's actually going on your t-shirt! Make sure you don't bound to this footstep commencement. The more time and attempt you lot put into preparing for this, the better.
Your design could go in a million different directions. As y'all're brainstorming, here are some tips to help focus your creativity.
T-shirt types
All this talk about t-shirts, and it'due south like shooting fish in a barrel to forget that at that place are lots of different types of shirts. Simply to proper name a few…
Remember about your audience and intended goals before deciding the correct type of t-shirt. A revealing crop top might not be the best promotion for a law firm.
As you offset sketching out t-shirt design ideas, make sure it volition translate to the actual size. Design using an 18"x18" canvas and physically identify your designs on a shirt. That doesn't mean you take to fill the whole space (like if yous're keeping it minimal with a small logo), but a realistically sized canvas will assistance you become the proportions right.
Once you have your blueprint, consider how it will look on larger and smaller shirt sizes. If yous choose a screen printing process, dissimilar sizes may require dissimilar screens, which means boosted costs.
Style and imagery
At this stage, y'all have to rely on your artistic and artistic instincts to communicate the messages you want to say. Don't forget these questions nosotros talked about before:
- What is your brand?
- Who is your marketplace?
- Why are you designing a shirt in the commencement place?
Put all of that together, and y'all're ready to start designing a t-shirt that'southward perfect for you.
For case, take a wait at Prim's dinosaur t-shirt design. This is a kid'due south merchandise brand, so the mode is cute and cartoony, appealing to its market place.
Compare that to the winning entry for the Pumpkin t-shirt design competition, by 99designs creator DiditRed.
This German language hardcore music festival is definitely not marketed to kids. That opens up their designs to edgier material, which suits their prospective clients improve.
Of course, there are more options than being terrifying or sugary sweet.
Alex Lalove shows usa how to pattern a professional, risk-free t-shirt without being irksome. His winning entry promotes the Datafinity brand with its logo front and center, but spices upwards the look and feel so information technology seems more fashionable than a standard business tee.
Also, call up that your design is being displayed on bodies. Lumpy, bumpy bodies that aren't always as symmetrical as we'd like. Think about flat, uncomplicated designs since there's no telling where the nooks and crannies volition state on your image.
For similar reasons, you lot also desire to avert detailed imagery, such equally subtle color gradients and intricate linework. Always err on the side of simple.
T-shirt typography
The fonts y'all cull say a lot nearly your brand. Serif fonts (the ones with picayune arms) or script fonts look more archetype. Sans-serif fonts arrive more modern. T-shirts offer more of an opportunity than other areas of graphic design to play with fun, crazy brandish fonts, but do keep readability in mind. If the words on your shirt are of import to communicating your message, make sure they don't get overshadowed past swirly, grungy, loopy typography.
Colour in t-shirt pattern
The chemical element of design that is best at instantly communicating personality is color. Each shade, hue and tint evokes an emotion, acting every bit a shortcut for y'all to portray something about your brand at merely a glance.
T-shirt designs have two sets of colors to keep in heed: the fabric colour(s) and the print color(s).To make sure that these two complement each other, always utilize your fabric color as the background of your pattern ideas. (And also notation that a colored canvas tin have an bear upon on what inks look like, so make certain yous talk to your printer near that!)
Because of the way t-shirt inks piece of work, printing colors can become a little catchy. The to the lowest degree expensive way to print your design will be to gauge the colors. Just know that your "teal" might not match your printer'south "teal."
Verbal 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 purchase. CMYK printing creates virtually any colour by combining Cyan, Magenta, Xanthous and Key (black) inks. Check with your printer to determine what's bachelor.
Specialty printing techniques
We've merely sent you your gratuitous t-shirt blueprint ebook.
Like any other press medium, t-shirts have their own set unique ink options.
- Plastisol— The standard ink used in screen-printing
- Foil — Shiny and reflective
- Novelty — Glitter, hologram or even a fuzzy experience
- Loftier-density — For a dimensional appearance that pops out from the shirt
- Gel — Similar loftier-density, simply with a "wetter" look
- Water-based — No feeling at all; ingrained in the fabric
5. Find a designer
Got design skills? Get crackin'! If you don't, d on't worry. At that place are tons of pros out there ready to turn your design concept into a reality.
The DIY route
The principal advantage of designing a t-shirt yourself is the price. If your upkeep is tight, the decision is already made for you. Design freedom is a huge advantage, but don't forget that professionals know the technical concerns of t-shirt design (plus a whole lot more). If you broke out into a cold sweat when we mentioned acronyms like CMYK, y'all might slumber better handing this off to a pro.
Hiring a pro
Rather than educational activity yourself marketing, branding and graphic design, why not pay someone who knows all them already?
Collaborating with a freelancer can be tricky, but also a lot of fun. Do your best to discover a designer that thinks like you lot and understands what you're looking for. Consider the designer's personality, design way and expertise. You lot tin can also try working with multiple designers at one time by launching a T-Shirt Design Contest on 99designs.
One time you've found your designer(s), you lot accept to clearly communicate your vision. Tell them what about your design ideas, messaging, and intended audience. Include details nearly colors, logos, visual mode, t-shirt type and printing specifications. Ship them images of designs that match the style you lot're looking for. Give them everything they need to know and then you can go the perfect t-shirt design.
vi. Evaluate your design
As your design options get-go 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 meridian? Is the amount of color inside your budget? Is the messaging right? This isn't but an fine art contest, but a business determination. Communicate your feedback clearly to your designer to make certain your next set of options expect even better.
Then, brand sure to run it by both cardinal stakeholders and people who don't have any connection to what you lot're doing. Fifty-fifty if information technology's simply your neighbor across the street, people non closely associated with your t-shirt design will discover things you never did.
Consider request them:
- What is the one key message you 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 information technology to. If it's not, go back to your designer and figure out what you can change.
7. Get the correct files from your designer
You've got the perfect t-shirt design. Hell yes! Now go back to that information you got from your printer and cheque to make sure yous have the right files.
You probably demand:
- Your t-shirt design in vector format. This volition likely be an Adobe Illustrator (AI), PDF, or EPS file. You'll need 1 for each dissimilar t-shirt design you lot're creating.
- Colour codes. If your printer does custom colors, make certain you have the Pantone or CMYK color codes then that everything turns out looking like y'all want.
8. Observe a kick-donkey printer
Once your design's fix, it'southward printing time! Find one that offers the method you need at a price you can afford. Of form, extra features and discounts to sweeten the bargain are neat, likewise. Sifting through printing options to find the best one for your particular project unremarkably requires experience and time… only we're going to fast-track it for you!
- Find out if the printer has an in-house fine art department. Not only does this hateful the printer does in-firm prints, simply it unremarkably means these folks benefit work. Only successful printers tin sustain an in-business firm art section.
- Asking samples of finished shirts, not pattern images. Most printing companies dear visitors! Stop by their store to see and bear upon their shirts. Remember: a printer's job is to translate blueprint to an actual print, and only a finished production reveals that.
- Start building a working human relationship with a printer yous can grow with. Discover a printer who prints half dozen or more colors. Even if you lot don't need that many for your starting time project, you might need them later.
- If you're doing a larger social club, make sure your printer offers pre-printing proofs. You won't know for sure how the design fits on the shirts until you see a sample.
- Beware hidden charges, especially with screens, films or Pantone color matching. Just like any other industry, there are a few rotten eggs. Go over all the charges before payment to make sure they're being upwards forepart.
Time to pattern an astonishing t-shirt!
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Every year t-shirt pattern and press are condign more and more accessible. They're something every concern tin can accept advantage of… as long as they know what they're doing. We hope this guide on how to design a t-shirt gave you everything yous need to interruption into the world of making t-shirts. Got questions? Ask them in the comments below.
Looking for the perfect custom t-shirt blueprint?
Piece of work with our talented designers to get in happen.
Source: https://99designs.com/blog/design-other/how-to-design-t-shirts/
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