Get it right with a band t-shirt and you might just create something that’s both timelessly elegant and desirable on a scale like nothing else on Earth. By contrast, get it wrong and you’re looking at something that will make it impossible for anyone to take you or your band seriously…it could easily destroy any credibility you’ve already built up. Suffice to say therefore it’s a rather tricky balancing act to pull off, especially for an up and coming band that doesn’t have endless finances to spend on a world-class design company.
The good news however is that while it is indeed very (VERY) easy to go wrong and fall foul of all manner of clichés, it’s also pretty easy to avoid most common pitfalls by heeding a little professional advice. Whether you decide to print at home or go for professional direct to garment printing will of course make a difference in terms of quality, but in terms of coming up with an actual design that sings the right tune, the following tips should be kept close to mind at all times:
1 – Enlist Help if Necessary
As mentioned above, chances are you won’t be able to stretch to the services of the world’s leading design companies. However, this most certainly does not mean that you should rule out third-party assistance as there are thousands of talented freelancers out there that are just dying to score these kinds of jobs. In fact, for as little as about $50 or so you could advertise the job online and invite as many applicants as you like, allowing you to then choose the final design that appeals to you most and paying only for the design you use. There’s serious talent out there that’s going to waste…so use it.
2 – Focus on the Shirt
If you’re in a band that’s world famous and has millions of fans, any old piece of garbage you release by way of merchandise will be successful. At the other end of the spectrum, bands that are just starting to emerge or perhaps are largely unheard of need to think more about creating merchandise that’s desirable by way of its own merit alone. As such, with an early band t-shirt it’s better to focus on coming up with a great design that as many people as possible will want to wear because it looks good, rather than just writing the name of your band in massive letters across all sides of the thing.
3 – Simplicity Sells
It’s always tempting to come up with some kind of meaningful or overly ambitious visual extravaganza the likes of which is more reminiscent of a modern art gallery’s wall than a standard everyday t-shirt. If you get this right it can indeed work, but in 99% of instances it’s far more sensible and rewarding to go for a design that’s extremely simple and easy to remember. If you can make it so that your band’s name and music in general immediately spring to mind at the sight of a very simple logo or symbol, you’re onto a winner.
4 – Factor In the Colour of the Shirts
Long before you begin going about the actual design itself, you should be thinking about the colours of the shirts you intend to print your final design on. The reason for this is of course because there are certain colour combinations that simply do not work and others that will make the design difficult to see or interpret properly. The contrast between the colour of the shirt and the design itself will represent one of the most important elements of all, so don’t overlook it.
5 – Be Careful with ‘Inspiration’
It’s one thing to look at what the rest of the industry is doing for a little inspiration, but another entirely to rip off ideas wholesale. The problem with the latter is that not only could you find yourself in hot water in a legal sense, but chances are that anyone looking at your own design will think not of your band, but of the band you’ve clearly copied. Free advertising for them, a bad reputation and waste of money for you.
6 – Quality of Printing
Last but not least, as touched upon earlier it’s important to make sure that the quality of the printing itself is a fair reflection of the quality and effort put into the design. What’s more, when you team up with a great printing service you’re able to pick their brains for advice and guidance along the way, which could prove priceless in the long run.
