Best Way to Upload Designs to Teespread
It's stained, it's ripped, it's full of holes… But yous just can't seem to throw it out. For a lot of the states, our favorite t-shirts are a manner to express who we are. (And for others, they're gratuitous advertizement!) But how to design a t-shirt that ticks all the boxes? Y'all'll detect out below.
Do you have an killer t-shirt idea and suspect others will experience the aforementioned way? Are you looking for an alternative ways of promoting your business organization, or making some side income with merch? Practice you desire to commemorate a special outcome, like a family reunion or bachelorette party?
We've just sent you your gratis t-shirt design ebook.
Whatever your reasons, the fundamentals of t-shirt design remain the same; information technology'south what you do with them that counts.
In this Ultimate Guide to T-Shirt Design, nosotros'll run through the each step of the pattern process, from the inception of an idea to getting your shirt mass-produced. No affair how much (or how petty) feel y'all have, these t-shirt design tips will requite y'all everything you need to know.
How to design a t-shirt in 7 steps
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- Figure out why you need a shirt
- Ascertain your upkeep at quantity
- Know your press options
- Screen printing
- Vinyl graphics
- Directly-to-garment
- Begin your blueprint concept
- T-shirt types
- Mode and imagery
- Typography
- Color
- Specialty printing
- Find a designer
- Evaluate your design
- Become the right files
- Observe a kick-ass printer
1. Figure out why you need a shirt
No affair your reason for designing a t-shirt, it'll always involve a petty bit of branding. If you're using t-shirts for promotional purposes, branding is your main goal. Even if it'south strictly fashion, you'll even so demand to weave consistent brand themes into all your products. For personal use—like commemorating an consequence, for example—yous want to make sure your t-shirt blueprint communicates conspicuously.
If you oasis't already, write out a listing of the fundamental themes, styles, and personality traits you want your brand and shirts to convey. Is your brand playful or serious? Edgy or conservative? Luxurious or affordable? A focused t-shirt pattern can respond all of these questions at a glance.
Take a quick peek at the example above. What does it tell yous about the Brewmasters company? For starters, they don't take themselves also seriously, and the wooden instruments suggest a more traditional brewing way that hints at a classic gustation. That'south a lot of information from a drawing.
To get the most effective design, motion away from your personal preference and rely more on real, quantifiable data. Who are your target clients/customers? What make traits practice they want to do business with?
Here are four goals to help guide your t-shirt design process by helping you empathize why you need a shirt and what you desire it to do.
Promotional gifts
Your t-shirts are something you give away for complimentary to proceed your brand in the minds of prospective clients/customers.
This could be something given away at conventions, conferences, other promotional events or even a get out-behind at a business organisation coming together.
Internal company usage
Employees become shirts for solidarity, appreciation or maybe even a company uniform.
The goals are similar to promotional gifts because there's a potent demand for branding.
Merchandise
Your t-shirts are a product you lot programme on selling, so make certain to factor in manner, marketability and business strategy.
You'll need to sympathize your shirt'south place in the market place, so consider conducting research to find the tastes of your customers. Your ain personal tastes are a adept beginning, but when it comes downwards to selling to the masses, quantifiable data e'er beats guesswork.
Event souvenirs
Special events demand special souvenirs, and t-shirts are always a great option.
These share many of the same goals equally shirts for internal visitor usage (solidarity, appreciation) simply for a more than casual, less restrictive audience.
Regardless of their use, near t-shirts are promotional in some manner. Even if you lot're designing t-shirts equally merchandise, include your make logo so observers know who fabricated the shirt if they desire something similar. Information technology should have a strong, fifty-fifty dominant, presence on the shirt.
Apply the same blueprint quality and cleverness every bit you would a billboard advertisement. More than than just dress, t-shirts provide exposure every time a person wears them in public, especially if the possessor likes the shirt and wears it ofttimes.
In one case y'all've determined your goals, y'all can then prioritize the different aspects of your t-shirt blueprint. For example, fashion might be a high priority for merchandise tees, but not for employee gifts. You want to tailor your design in a mode that best suits your needs.
2. Define your upkeep and quantity
You're anxious to get to the actual t-shirt designing. We become information technology. Merely let'due south settle some details start and then you can focus your design amend: namely, your budget and quantity. How much you can spend and how many t-shirts you need will bear upon your design.
For example, upkeep and quantity will help determine how many colors yous tin use. Depending on your press method, additional colors may cost more coin. If your upkeep is tight, a good way to salve is conserving colors.
The number of shirts you need will also influence your printing method. Some methods are ideal for press in bulk. Others have a higher cost per shirt and are better for small orders.
Earlier y'all begin to call back nearly designing or printing, programme your upkeep and quantity appropriately.
3. Know your printing options
In that location are a lot of things to consider when yous're looking for the best t-shirt printing method for you lot. Cost, appearance, production time, materials—they're all important. The more than you know about each method, the easier it will exist to determine which ane 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 colour) so you can print in bulk.
Pros : Reliable standard for printing. Affordable and loftier quality. Ideal for big orders over 20.
Cons: New screen required for every new colour or design revision (which gets plush). Colorful designs end up beingness expensive.
Vinyl graphics
Some other method of heated transfer, vinyl printing uses more durable vinyl instead of just ink.
Pros: Extremely durable and loftier quality. Ideal for when you want your design to stand out (literally).
Cons: Additional colors price more, so complicated designs become expensive. Not great for large orders.
Direct-to-garment (or print-on-demand)
A newer option, DTG printing uses the freedom of inkjet printing, just prints direct on fabric.
Pros : Highly customizable designs with maximum detail and extensive color choices.
Cons : Utilise for pocket-sized batches or peradventure a single sample. The more yous're printing, the less viable information technology becomes. Doesn't work well on dark-colored garments.
Have a look at our guide to t-shirt press for more information.
four. Brainstorm your pattern concept
Here comes the fun stuff… Now you get to starting time figuring out what's actually going on your t-shirt! Make certain you don't bound to this stride first. The more than fourth dimension and effort you put into preparing for this, the better.
Your blueprint 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 information technology's easy to forget that at that place are lots of different types of shirts. Just to proper name a few…
Think about your audition and intended goals before deciding the right type of t-shirt. A revealing crop top might non be the best promotion for a police firm.
As you first sketching out t-shirt design ideas, make sure information technology will translate to the actual size. Design using an 18"x18" sail and physically place your designs on a shirt. That doesn't mean you have to fill up the whole space (like if you're keeping it minimal with a pocket-size logo), simply a realistically sized canvas will assist y'all get the proportions right.
Once you accept your pattern, consider how it will expect on larger and smaller shirt sizes. If you cull a screen printing process, unlike sizes may crave different screens, which means additional costs.
Style and imagery
At this stage, y'all take to rely on your creative and artistic instincts to communicate the letters y'all want to say. Don't forget these questions we talked well-nigh before:
- What is your brand?
- Who is your market?
- Why are you designing a shirt in the get-go place?
Put all of that together, and you're ready to beginning designing a t-shirt that's perfect for you.
For example, take a look at Prim'southward dinosaur t-shirt design. This is a kid's merchandise brand, so the way is beautiful and cartoony, appealing to its market place.
Compare that to the winning entry for the Pumpkin t-shirt design contest, by 99designs creator DiditRed.
This German language hardcore music festival is definitely not marketed to kids. That opens up their designs to edgier cloth, which suits their prospective clients better.
Of course, at that place are more options than being terrifying or sugary sweet.
Alex Lalove shows usa how to design a professional, run a risk-free t-shirt without existence boring. His winning entry promotes the Datafinity brand with its logo forepart and eye, just spices upwards the expect and experience and so it seems more fashionable than a standard business concern tee.
Also, remember that your design is existence displayed on bodies. Lumpy, bumpy bodies that aren't ever every bit symmetrical equally we'd similar. Think virtually flat, elementary designs since at that place's no telling where the nooks and crannies will land on your image.
For similar reasons, you besides want to avoid detailed imagery, such as subtle color gradients and intricate linework. Ever err on the side of unproblematic.
T-shirt typography
The fonts you lot choose say a lot well-nigh your brand. Serif fonts (the ones with little arms) or script fonts wait more classic. Sans-serif fonts brand it more modern. T-shirts offering more of an opportunity than other areas of graphic blueprint to play with fun, crazy brandish fonts, but exercise proceed readability in heed. If the words on your shirt are important to communicating your message, brand sure they don't get overshadowed by swirly, grungy, loopy typography.
Colour in t-shirt design
The element of design that is all-time at instantly communicating personality is colour. Each shade, hue and tint evokes an emotion, acting as a shortcut for you to portray something about your make at simply a glance.
T-shirt designs have 2 sets of colors to keep in mind: the fabric colour(due south) and the impress color(s).To make sure that these ii complement each other, ever utilise your textile color as the groundwork of your pattern ideas. (And besides note that a colored canvas can have an bear upon on what inks look like, so make sure you talk to your printer about that!)
Because of the way t-shirt inks work, printing colors can go a little tricky. The least expensive mode to print your design will exist to estimate the colors. Just know that your "teal" might not lucifer your printer's "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 purchase. CMYK press creates virtually any colour past combining Cyan, Magenta, Yellowish and Key (black) inks. Bank check with your printer to decide what'due south available.
Specialty printing techniques
Nosotros've just sent you your free t-shirt design ebook.
Like any other press medium, t-shirts accept 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 fabric
5. Discover a designer
Got pattern skills? Get crackin'! If yous don't, d on't worry. There are tons of pros out there gear up to plow your pattern concept into a reality.
The DIY route
The primary advantage of designing a t-shirt yourself is the cost. If your budget is tight, the decision is already fabricated for you. Design freedom is a huge advantage, only don't forget that professionals know the technical concerns of t-shirt design (plus a whole lot more). If you broke out into a common cold sweat when we mentioned acronyms similar CMYK, you might sleep better handing this off to a pro.
Hiring a pro
Rather than didactics yourself marketing, branding and graphic design, why not pay someone who knows all them already?
Collaborating with a freelancer tin be tricky, just too 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'south personality, design way and expertise. Y'all can likewise try working with multiple designers at once by launching a T-Shirt Design Contest on 99designs.
Once yous've constitute your designer(s), you lot have to clearly communicate your vision. Tell them what well-nigh your design ideas, messaging, and intended audience. Include details about colors, logos, visual style, t-shirt type and printing specifications. Send them images of designs that friction match the way you lot're looking for. Requite them everything they need to know then yous can become the perfect t-shirt pattern.
six. Evaluate your design
As your design options start rolling in, browse through every version and select your favorites. Don't forget your marketing and technical requirements. Will your pattern fit on a tank top? Is the amount of color within your budget? Is the messaging right? This isn't just an fine art competition, just a business decision. Communicate your feedback clearly to your designer to make certain your next gear up of options look even better.
And so, brand sure to run it by both cardinal stakeholders and people who don't have any connectedness to what you're doing. Even if it's merely your neighbor across the street, people not closely associated with your t-shirt design volition observe things you never did.
Consider request them:
- What is the one cardinal bulletin you get when y'all await at this shirt?
- Who is this shirt for?
Their answers to these questions volition help you determine if the t-shirt is communicating what you desire information technology to. If information technology'south not, go dorsum to your designer and figure out what you tin change.
7. Get the right files from your designer
Y'all've got the perfect t-shirt design. Hell yes! Now go back to that information you got from your printer and cheque to make certain you accept the right files.
Y'all probably need:
- Your t-shirt blueprint in vector format. This will probable be an Adobe Illustrator (AI), PDF, or EPS file. You'll need ane for each dissimilar t-shirt blueprint y'all're creating.
- Color codes. If your printer does custom colors, make sure y'all take the Pantone or CMYK colour codes so that everything turns out looking like you lot want.
8. Find a kicking-donkey printer
Once your blueprint'due south ready, information technology'southward printing time! Discover one that offers the method you need at a price you tin can afford. Of grade, extra features and discounts to sweeten the deal are slap-up, too. Sifting through printing options to notice the best one for your detail projection normally requires feel and time… but we're going to fast-track information technology for you lot!
- Find out if the printer has an in-house fine art department. Not simply does this mean the printer does in-firm prints, but it usually ways these folks do proficient piece of work. Just successful printers can sustain an in-house art department.
- Request samples of finished shirts, non design images. Most printing companies love visitors! Finish past their shop to come across and touch on their shirts. Remember: a printer's job is to interpret blueprint to an bodily print, and only a finished product reveals that.
- Start building a working relationship with a printer y'all can grow with. Notice a printer who prints half-dozen or more than colors. Even if you lot don't demand that many for your showtime projection, you might need them later.
- If you're doing a larger order, brand sure your printer offers pre-press proofs. You won't know for sure how the design fits on the shirts until you see a sample.
- Beware subconscious charges, particularly with screens, films or Pantone colour matching. Only similar whatsoever other manufacture, there are a few rotten eggs. Get over all the charges earlier payment to make certain they're being upwards front.
Time to blueprint an amazing t-shirt!
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Every year t-shirt design and printing are becoming more and more attainable. They're something every business tin can take advantage of… as long equally they know what they're doing. We hope this guide on how to design a t-shirt gave you lot everything you need to break into the world of making t-shirts. Got questions? Ask them in the comments below.
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Source: https://99designs.com/blog/design-other/how-to-design-t-shirts/