Graphic Designs for T-shirts (Part 2)

Graphic Designs of T-shirts (Part 2)

Graphic Design Requirements of T-shirts

In the last blog, we talked about the general categories of T-shirt graphic design and its basic principles. Today, we’ll continue to discuss the main-streaming design requirements.

Due to the limitations of both the manufacturing techniques and material processing, the graphic design of T shirts also has its limitations and requirements.

1.      Color

From the aesthetic principles of decorative graphics, generally speaking, it is better a graphic includes maximum colors of 4. Considering the requirement of processing equipment, the color number shall not exceed 6 within one single graphic. In order to control the cost based on optimizing the cost performance, the colors also should not be too complicated.

2.      Size

Restricted by printing equipment, the biggest size of a design shall be no bigger than 40 cm. Meanwhile, due to the fabric texture of T-shirts, word designs shall be no smaller than 2 mm. For small images, colorful halftone screen printing should not be applied as the screentones can't give their full play of fine performance in small images. Usually, the colorful halftone screen printing works best and displays its best performance with bigger graphics of 30 to 40cm.

3.      Position

Because graphic design is applied to ready-to-wear garments, there is a very important principle, which is if the printing position keeps flat, images can be transferred to anywhere you like, chest, hem, sleeves, collar or back, anywhere is OK. Actually, an ordinary pattern can become creative just with the printing position changed.

4.      Dyes

There are 2 different dyes for fabric dyeing in general: the common dyes and the reactive dyes. The common dyes have bright colors but the color fastness is poor. It’s easier to fade when the fabric is been worn or washed. And it’s hard to apply to the garments with many colors. However the cost is lower than that of reactive dyes. Reactive dyes have bright colors as well. The colors are fresh with strong color fastness. So the graphics do not fade. The reactive dyes are more used on clothes with both light and dark colors. But the cost is very high.