Custom t-shirt design is a fun and enjoyable activity that not only gives the opportunity to create the bespoke clothing range, but also make a little money if you intend to sell the t-shirts. Whether you plan to send the design to a professional printer or print if yourself, you still need to be creative and come up with a design that has the right look and style. Here are a few things to consider in the process of custom t-shirt design:

Purpose of the design

One of the first steps is to carefully consider what the design is going to represent. If planning to make a t-shirt to showcase a personal drawing or illustration, you need to think about what it may look like when printed on the front of a t-shirt. Any illustration should be original and include the right combination of colors. A personal photo can be used. Also, a stock image can be used provided it comes with the legal rights to be used for this particular purpose.

In the situations where you are attempting to promote a brand, sporting team, band or a company, the best design option is to focus on a logo. A common design for a sports team is either the team's mascot or colors. Also, for the design that is aimed at a band, the t-shirt can display a graphic that illustrates the band's sound or style, or simply use a graphic of the band.

Choose a color scheme

A critical part of t-shirt design relates to color contrast. This relates to the way colors appear with the light or dark-colored t-shirt. Many designs often look bright and vibrant on a computer screen, but quite lackluster when printed on the front of a t-shirt. For instance, pastel colors like light pink, light blue or yellow can look fine on a dark t-shirt, but won't give the desired look on the lighter fabrics. However, an outline for the light colors is a way to avoid this type of issue.

Add dimension

Use shading to give the design more depth and appeal. Many designs can look quite one-dimensional and flat. This is avoided by using a shade that is a similar color to what you at trying to highlight.

Placement of the design

The placement of the design can have a significant impact on the all-round look and feel of the t-shirt. There are many different placement options, such as the center, as a wraparound, or the top or bottom. The center of the t-shirt is often best for a company logo.