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3 Mistakes To Avoid When Printing Custom T-Shirts

T-shirts are one of the most popular clothing items for both men and women. The right t-shirt can easily transform a simple pair of jeans into a trendy outfit. If you want to capitalize on the demand for t-shirts, you can easily print your own designs onto shirts that can be sold to the public. In order to ensure your custom t-shirts appeal to the masses, you must avoid common mistakes that could compromise the quality of your design.

1. Improperly Sized Graphics

Size matters when it comes to the design of a graphic that will be printed on a t-shirt. There are many important factors that must be considered when determining how large your graphic should be. You should take into account the shape of the graphic. Anything that is geometric in design will look best when printed in standard sizing on a t-shirt. Abstract designs can be printed on a larger scale while still maintaining a pleasing aesthetic.

You will also want to determine how t-shirt sizing will affect your graphic. If you intend to offer custom t-shirts in both child and adult sizes, consider scaling down the size of your graphic on the smaller sized shirts to maintain the right proportion.

2. Create Good Composition

Many t-shirt designs feature multiple elements that work together to create a cohesive graphic. The placement of these elements in relation to one another is called composition. While good composition is somewhat subjective, there are some basic rules to keep in mind if you want your t-shirt graphic to look great. Don't place individual elements too close together, but don't space them too far apart. Use each element to create balance within the design as a whole. If you create a good composition in your initial design, your printed t-shirts will be visually appealing.

3. Use Color Carefully

Many of the most memorable t-shirt designs are colorful. If you intend to incorporate color into your design, be sure that you start with your intended printing method in mind. T-shirts that are printed using screen printing can be expensive to produce if you utilize multiple colors. You should talk to your printing company about using halftones, which can reduce the cost of color screen printing. T-shirts that will be printed using a direct-to-garment method can feature more colors without significantly raising production costs.

Be sure that you understand the cost restrictions associated with your chosen printing process before you incorporate multiple colors into your custom t-shirt design. Contact a t-shirt printing service for more information.