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How to Create a T-Shirt Design

by Alice Jackson Tweet - in Tshirt Design

How to Create a T-Shirt Design

From Gen Zs to millennials to old-school folks, everyone loves a good t-shirt design. This casual fashionwear is the wardrobe staple that no one can get enough of. Whether for personal styling or business, creating t-shirt designs that turn heads is always a win-win for both. While trendy t-shirt design adds to one’s personality, a simple design goes a long way in adding to the style quotient. In this blog, we will discuss ways and tips to make t-shirt designs that stand out. 

How to make t-shirt designs that stand out: 

Here are some time-tested tips when pondering on how to make t-shirt designs:

Have a unique design idea

The first step to creating a t-shirt design is to have an idea that stands out. The design will only catch the audience’s attention when it looks impressive and different of course. However, when thinking of how to make designs on a shirt, you must research the niche for inspiration. 

unique T-shirt design idea

One of the ways to get the design idea is to find its purpose. Before you start designing, know exactly why you want to design. It could be to make a fashion statement, or you want the design to generate social awareness regarding an issue. Or is the design for brand promotion? 

So, when you know the purpose of the design, you can pinpoint a design idea that’s unique from others.  

Know your target audience

Once you have the design idea, find out for whom you need it or who will flaunt it. Who are the people that your design wishes to target? 

Know your target audience

You should research your market niche to find potential customers for the t-shirt design or any promotional products you sell. The purpose is to know precisely the people interested in your design and brand. 

For instance, while thinking about designing t-shirts for music lovers, research the audience accordingly. You can use music-related elements in the design. If your target audience is avid readers, use designs inspired by fiction, fantasy, literary quotes, comics, etc. Each genre has a specific customer base that you’ve to identify and target. 

Get Inspiration 

It is advisable to get inspiration to create a unique t-shirt design. You can drive inspiration from several sources such as nature, magazines, internet, and so on. So, explore as many sources as possible to understand how to make t-shirt designs cool and unique. 

Here are the sources to explore for t-shirt design inspirations:

  • Online platforms – Go through Dribble, Pinterest, Behance, and PrintShop by Designhill. These sites have many new designs to trigger new ideas for creating t-shirt designs
  • Art and illustrations – Visit art galleries, local exhibitions, and museums that are excellent sources for inspirational ideas.
  • Famous quotes – Quotes from famous designers give us hope during our difficult times and give us respite from monotonous lifestyle. 
  • Nature – Get inspiration from nature, which is in abundance around you. Take a look at beautiful landscapes, flora and fauna as your source of inspiration for t-shirt designs. 
  • Magazines – Design magazines have images of trending designs and a lot of articles on them. You will have some great design ideas by flipping through the magazine pages. 
  • Take it lightly – Sometimes, a bit of humor also becomes inspirational. Think of jokes, one-liners, and punch lines to create funny t-shirts. 
  •  

If nothing works out, you can take inspiration from 65 funniest t-shirts slogans and coolest t-shirts of all time

Use the right typography

the right typography for t-shirt design

Typography is useful in a t-shirt design when you use a quote, text, or brand name related artwork. While a comic sans typeface is perfect for a funny quote, a serif or sans serif is ideal for motivational statements, quotes, or text. Retro fonts are also perfect to use to bring back nostalgia. 

Choose the right t-shirt fabric

the right t-shirt fabric

While creating an exciting t-shirt design, ensure your t-shirt fabric is print-friendly. Ensure that the fabric quality and weight are just perfect. This is important as customers prefer durable tees. Most of them prefer cotton t-shirts as they are environmentally friendly and comfy against the skin.  

Know your printing options

Next, find the best printing technique that suits your budget and design. There are several printing options available today. But there are two popular options, DTG printing and DTF printing that you can explore. Ensure that you use the right printing options when making your t-shirt designs. 

DTG or direct-to-garment printing is ideal when a design has many colors and details. The print soaks well into the t-shirt fabric. For best printing results, choose a cotton t-shirt for DTG. It is also ideal for printing on fabric blends or 100% polyester. 

DTF, or direct-to-film printing, transfers graphic design onto t-shirt fabric using a heat pressing technique. This technique suits cotton, nylon, fleece, and various fabrics. Printers use DTF for color vibrancy and to preserve the smoother look of the design. 

Create your design

When starting your t-shirt design business, consider its vital aspects to make it look outstanding and vibrant. Here are some tips:  

  • Use mesmerizing visuals – A t-shirt design attracts its target audience’s attention by stunning visuals. So, explore different mesmerizing patterns, illustrations, and portraits for maximum attention.
  • Place elements strategically – Make sure that each design element is at the right place on the t-shirt before sending it to the printer. Balance each element carefully for a better visual appeal. 
  • Decide on the right colors – Choose the colors that reflect your brand’s personality and message. Your color palate should be distinctive to express emotions and moods. 
  • Consider your brand – When choosing design elements, consider your brand and its message and personality. Find out how you want your brand to appear in front of the audience. 
  • Pay attention to printing requirements – Whichever printing technique you adopt, strictly follow its printing guidelines. These guidelines will help in avoiding color inconsistencies and blurry graphics. Find out if the fabric color and print match well and if the typography evokes your brand personality. 

Get a t-shirt printing partner

Lastly, find out the right printing partner who has the latest printing technology. Talk to the printer about the right technique to print multiple colors, fonts, and other elements. Explore different state-of-the-art techniques and discuss it with your printer.

You can use online t-shirt maker tool from PrintShop by Designhill and other platforms to create a t-shirt design on your own.

Conclusion 

Making a t-shirt design for personal styling or selling isn’t hard. You can do it on your own by using a t-shirt maker tool or take help from professional designers. But before making a t-shirt design, it’s important to consider the target audience, elements to be used, and brand personality that has to be reflected. Once you get everything right, you end up with a t-shirt design that people love to have. 

Alice Jackson is a business consultant, blogger, social media enthusiast, online market analyst, amateur designer and an avid author at Designhill. She has written on several topics including social media marketing, SEO, content marketing, startup strategies and e-commerce. When she’s not writing, she loves spending her time reading romantic novels, Connect with her on Twitter: @jackson_alice1

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