Author:
Randy Alexander
Date Of Creation:
25 April 2021
Update Date:
1 July 2024
Content
Designing your own t-shirt is a fun and creative activity, and can also provide you with a small income if you sell your designs. Whether you intend to print your t-shirt or send it to a professional printer, you can create your own t-shirt designs at home.
Steps
Part 1 of 5: Plan your design
Think about what you want your design to represent. Maybe you're promoting your favorite cleaning company, rock band, or sports team. Maybe you plan to use your own drawing. The purpose of the design determines the design itself.
- If you're promoting a company, sports team or brand, you'll probably need to focus on the logo. For example, the Nike logo is a simple yet effective design. Sports team designs may include signature colors or team mascots. Design for the band can focus on the image of the band or a graphic that shows the band's own style or sound.
- If you are making a T-shirt featuring your own drawing or illustration, you will need to focus on how it will look when printed on the shirt. Think how specific this drawing will be and how the colors will be used on it.
- Consider using photos in your designs. Use your own photos. You can use pictures taken by others, but only if you have the right to use them legally. You can also purchase copyrighted photos.
Choose a color tone. When designing a t-shirt, you need to think about color contrast. This means what certain ink colors will look like when printed on light and dark t-shirts. Certain ink colors will look very vibrant on a light or dark background when viewed on a computer, but printing will be different.- When printing on light-colored shirts, avoid colors like bright yellow, light blue, or pale pink. These colors are still visible on the shirt but will be very faint when viewed from a certain distance. If you plan to design a shirt with the logo, make sure you can still see the logo from afar.
- If you're going to use light colors, use a darker color for the border to highlight the text, making it easier to read.
- Dark colors will match with light inks. However, be careful when using dark colors on a dark T-shirt background such as dark blue, dark brown, or dark green. These colors may look great on a computer or drawing, but when printed, the shirt color may mislead the ink color. As a result, the ink color will be browner or duller.
- If you're designing with Adobe Illustrator, setting the Global Colors can be of great help in choosing colors.
Add depth to the design. When adding color to the design, it can look nice, but slightly flat. To add depth to certain areas of your design add a color that is the same shade as the one below it. This will make the design look brighter and have more depth.- If you are going to use professional editing software (like Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, Gimp, Adobe Illustrator or Paint Shop Pro), you can take a standard image and edit it to suit your needs.
- Creating vector contours on Inkscape can be an extremely effective way when you need to tweak the size of an image.
Create balance for the design. This means combining all the parts or elements to form a harmonious whole. How this works will depend on the structure of the design. Maybe your design has many small details like stars, trees or animals. Or maybe it's a large design with a main image or illustration.- Think about how you can harmonize your design. A harmonious image will attract the eyes of the viewer.
Determine the print position of the design. Do you find your design in the middle, in the upper left corner or will it be more beautiful to print it completely?
- If you design a T-shirt for a brand or company, a simple design in the middle of the shirt may work best.
- Don't forget that you can also use the back of your shirt to add a slogan (eg Nike's "Just Do It"). Or you can print the lyrics of the group you're designing for them.
Complete a final template for the design. It's best to sketch out your ideas before actually printing them on your shirt. Try out a few different designs and color combinations. Pay attention to color contrast and depth. Make sure your shots are balanced and consistent.
- If you do not feel comfortable, please consult others. Ask a friend, relative or co-worker if they like the design and color tone the most.
Part 2 of 5: Creating digital images for designs
Use Adobe Photoshop to edit paper sketches. If your paper drawings are not of high quality or drawn with clear lines, this method may not work. Follow these steps if your drawing is of high quality:
- Scan drawings to computer. Then edit with Photoshop.
- Collapse lines. Use filters, color, brightness, contrast, color intensity and other effects at will.
- Add lines, textures, water splashes, and other decorative details to make your design more balanced and vibrant (add only if needed).
- Make sure the entire drawing is a solid block by keeping the proportions, style, and colors consistent.
Use computer software to create designs. If you are not satisfied with the quality of your paper drawings, use computer software to draw them in Photoshop.
- If you have a drawing tablet, you can color and draw straight onto Photoshop software or a similar program.
Find a font that flatters your entire design instead of making it all go too heavy. This font must match the images in the design to create a harmonious whole.
- Think about fonts on some famous logo or design. The font should lead to the overall style of the company or brand. For example, Nike's Just Do It slogan is bold and simple, similar to their bold and simple logo. Conversely, the font used for a sports team or an obscure rock band can be more elaborate.
- Make sure the filters you use on your design will also work with the font. If you are using layers in Photoshop, you will need to drag the font layers below the effects layer.
- You can use free fonts on sites like defont.com. You can also access free stroke designs on brusheezy.com.
- Learn how to add fonts on your desktop, Illustrator or Photoshop if needed.
- If you're adventurous, you can design it yourself.
Create templates. The easiest way to do this is to print your design out and use your iron to print it on a plain T-shirt. However, if you want to check the quality of your design, you can hire a printing company to create a professional template.
- Manufacture of shirts. For small scale, you can use hot method.
- If you want to do larger-scale production, you can hire a professional printing company.
- If you want to do larger-scale production, you can hire a professional printing company.
Part 3 of 5: Screen Printing Method
Gather the necessary supplies. To screen-screen your designs at home, you will need:
- Blank T-shirt
- 50ml of degreasing agent (available at handcraft shops)
- 1 liter of cold water
- Large paint brush
- 500ml photo emulsion
- A small bottle of sensitizer
- A silk screen printing ink bottle
- Water sweeper or tray
- A small wooden stick
- Hairdryer
- Cellophane
- Silk-screen printing table
- You can buy a screen printing table at a craft store. Or you can make your own by buying a small mesh and frame to stretch the canvas. Stretch the mesh cover over the frame and fix the edges with pins. For the standard design a 110-195 mesh sheet is suitable. For sophisticated designs in a variety of colors, use the 156-230 mesh.
Prepare for screen printing. Dissolve the degreasing agent in cold water. Dip a paintbrush in the mixture and apply it to the screen printed surface.
- Make sure you scan both sides. You just need to apply a thin layer to the surface.
- Let dry.
Dissolve the photo emulsion and the sensitizer. Pour 20 ml of water into the sensitizer bottle. Mix well by shaking for one minute.
- Dissolve the sensitizer into the image emulsion.
- Use a small wooden stick to mix the sensitizer and the photo emulsion.
- The image emulsion color will change from blue to green. In addition, small air bubbles will form.
- Gently close the cap of the photo emulsion bottle and place in the dark for about an hour. After an hour, check to see if the air bubbles are gone.
- If not, let the mixture sit for another hour until the bubbles disappear.
Spread the photo emulsion on the screen printing table. In a room with dim light or red light, apply a small amount of photo emulsion onto the frame surface and sweep the surface with water plants.
- The emulsion will flow through the photo printing table so scan both sides.
- You can also use the tray to evenly distribute the image emulsion onto the print table. Place the printing table on a clean, slightly inclined towel. Place the tray on the bottom edge of the print table and carefully pour the emulsion onto the surface, while pulling the tray up towards the top edge.
- Allow the emulsion to dry in a completely dark room for about 20 minutes. Use a fan to make it dry faster.
Place the cellophane upside down on the surface of the printing table. You are ready to print your image onto the emulsion. Place the printing table on a flat surface, place the cellophane upside down, and press a sheet of glass on the cellophane to make sure it doesn't move.
Print the photo onto the emulsion layer. A 500 watt bulb will cause the image on the cellophane to print onto the emulsion for 15 minutes.
- The exact length of this process will depend on the type of bulb and emulsion you choose.
- The direction of the light you need to place will be guided on the packaging of the photo emulsion.
Surface of the printing table. Let it soak in water for about 2 minutes. Then wash off the residual emulsion with a shower or a water jet.
- Stick the waterproof tape around the bottom edge of the print table. The flat side will be facing the T-shirt, and the framed side will be where you will use the ink.
- To ensure that ink does not leak around the frame, use waterproof tape to place the print-side over the frame.
- To ensure that ink does not leak around the frame, use waterproof tape to place the print-side over the frame.
Place the t-shirt on a flat surface. Make sure there are no wrinkles on the shirt. Place the print side on top of the t-shirt where you want your design to be printed. Place the print side on top, make sure your print side and design match.
- Fix your shirt on a cardboard. This will ensure the shirt stays flat and free of wrinkles. It will also be easier to move the shirt to another place to dry it.
- If possible, have a friend print the print side down and apply ink.
Pour 1 tablespoon of silk screen ink onto the printing surface. Use a water brush to spread the ink evenly from top to bottom.
- The mesh can be quite thick so this step will be for the lining.
- Press with light pressure so the ink does not seep through the other side of the print.
Scan print side. Once the print side has spilled ink, you can start printing the design onto the shirt.
- Hold the water sweeper with both hands at an angle of 45 ° for even pressure. If possible, ask you to keep the print side steady.
- Pull the ink across the printed surface on the design.
Dry the squid. Use a hairdryer, apply heat evenly over the entire design for a few minutes.
- Fusing the ink before using the next print side to print another layer of texture with a different color.
- If you correct your screen printing technique, your T-shirt will be washable in the washing machine.
Wash your print table after you have finished using it. Use cold water and a sponge brush to let the ink wash away. Let dry. advertisement
Part 4 of 5: Penetration method
Gather the necessary materials. To transparently print your design onto a t-shirt, you'll need:
- Black and white print of the design. It is important that you use black and white print for easy focus.
- A tracing paper or cellophane
- A craft knife or a paper knife
- Blank T-shirt
- A cardboard is large enough to cover the front of the shirt
Paste the design onto a tracing paper. Tracing paper is a transparent type of paper used to wrap books. It is of normal size and one side is peelable. You'll stick your design on the peelable side so it can see through the front of the tracing paper - the side isn't sticky.
- You can also use a cellophane. Stick it to your design print with tape.
Use a sharp knife to cut the black part of the pattern. Place the paper on a flat surface, like a table.
- Use a hand knife or a razor to cut according to the contours of the design. Note that the black parts you cut out will be the painted parts.
Peel off the sticky side of the tracing paper. Remove the normal paper with the design from the tracing paper. Place the sticky side on the t-shirt, making sure it is flat and not creased.
- If you're using cellophane instead of tracing paper, attach the cellophane to your shirt with tape.
Put the cardboard in the shirt. This separates the front and back, so the toner will not seep from front to back.
Use a foam brush against the fabric surface. Paint only on the cut out parts on tracing paper - those parts will be painted dark on the shirt.
- Let the paint dry. Check by gently touching painted part. If the paint gets on your hand, it is not yet completely dry.
Peel off the tracing paper from your T-shirt when the paint is dry. You will have a printed shirt.
- You can use this technique to print another shirt if you want.
Part 5 of 5: Methods of using bleach
Use safe bleach. Printing bleach shirts is a fun, easy, and inexpensive way, especially for typographic designs. But remember that bleach is very toxic, so keep it out of the reach of children.
- Always protect eyes, clothing, and open wounds from contact with bleach.
- If your skin is sensitive, use kitchen gloves when printing bleach shirts.
Gather your tools. You will need:
- Household bleach is safe for fabric
- Plastic bristle brush (use the cheap one, because you will make it color away)
- Porcelain bowls or glass bowls
- White towel or rag
- White chalk
- A cover sheet
- Cotton t-shirt in dark colors
- You can try this method on light colored tops, but dark colors will give better results.
Place the shirt on a flat surface. Then, slip the cover into the shirt. The cover plate will act as a cushion when you outline your design and the ink will not seep into the back.
Use white chalk to outline your design on your shirt. This could be your favorite statement, your idol's name or your company's logo.
- Don't worry if you smudge the chalk and have to redraw it. The chalk lines disappear once you have finished printing with bleach.
Fold the sides of the shirt under the cover. Secure the shirt to the cover with small or elastic clips. This way, the cover won't stray while you are erasing.
Prepare the bleach. Pour a few cups of detergent into a glass or ceramic bowl. Use a towel to wipe off any spills. Do not let bleach get on your clothes.
Dip a brush in bleach. Swipe the bowl to avoid spilling.
Follow chalk lines with moderate pressure. For a more even contour, dip the brush in bleach every 5 cm. The fabric will absorb the liquid quickly, so you'll need to be quick, but still be even.
Finish the stroke. After that, take a break to let the bleach work on your shirt.
- Take a look. Is there any place that bleach is soaked or pale? If so, blot the bleach with a brush and work again evenly.
Leave the shirt in the sun for at least 1 hour. That way, the bleach should take effect and lighten its color.
- Depending on the amount of cotton in the shirt, the design colors will be dark red, orange, pink or white.
Hand wash clothes. Enjoy your bleach-finished design.
- Please wash this shirt as colored. The chalk contour will be washed away, leaving only the bleach print design.
Advice
- Note that digital printing is the easiest way to print multiple t-shirts at once.Screen printing, printing through and home bleach printing are suitable methods if you want to print only a few t-shirts.
- Once you have your digital design in place, you can have a silk-screen printing company print for you.
- When using images online, print out transfer paper for better quality.
- If you plan to sell t-shirts, make sure the images you use are not copyrighted and that you are allowed to sell them. If you use images that belong to someone else, you could damage the reputation of your store and get sued.
