To get a custom-made t-shirt you can consider various avenues. You can either design your own T-shirt or choose from various designs that these places (stores) provide. The main motive of a custom-made t-shirt is getting the most suitable colored tee that presents a style statement that is unique to you. The next thing would be to ensure a satisfactory reproduction of the artwork or the design. Finally, what counts is the price. You would like to have all the above considerations fulfilled at a price that doesn’t pinch you.
There are various options that you can go for to get your t-shirt. Let’s discuss them one by one.
Screen-printing
The screen-printing method is also called the “silk screen” method. Opting for screen-printing the t-shirt will cost you more, as the process requires a lot of effort and time. Generally, a fixed fee is charged for a certain design but if you go for additional colors; it will cost some extra bucks. The extra cost is due to the expensive paints that are used. It is also mandatory during the process that a certain layer of color should dry completely before another one is applied.
General printing
A normal printer can also be used to design your own t-shirt. Such a method will cost you less than the silkscreen method and is also a speedier process. In some shops, you may find them using an “iron-on transfer” method as it gives a more accurate reproduction of the design. The iron-on transfer method works by scanning the design onto the computer and printing it on a transfer paper that can then be stuck through the process of ironing on your t-shirt. However, the disadvantage with this method is that the color fades away quicker than the screen printed shirts and the artwork is not as vivid as the screen-printed shirts.
Air brushing
During festivals or in shopping malls, you may come across booths that offer airbrushed t-shirts. The artists’ hand paints the t-shirts for you. A wide range of readymade designs are available and you can also suggest designs of your own. The prices vary with the designs but you will find them to be cheaper. You can get great looking t-shirts and jerseys, but you need to take care, as the longevity of the prints can be a problem.
Stencil designs
Making t-shirt designs with stencils will obviously cost you less but the graphic will be low-tech. however, it is a great option to flaunt your creativity. For creating stencil designs you need to know a graphic application like Adobe Photoshop, Corel Draw or Illustrator. Following are the steps to create a stencil design:
• After you create the design on the application, print it onto a card of required size. Make sure you match the size of your design prior to printing.
• Place the cardboard behind the chest region of your t-shirt and fix it with a tape.
• Cut out the cardboard stencil by reversing the material.
• Place the stencil onto the t-shirt and cover off the extra areas with newspaper and other masking materials.
• Spray paint the required area.
• Once dry, peel off the cardboard.
There are also various online sites that offer great designs and also allow you to upload your own. Try them…they could be great fun!
