Design Your Own T-shirt
Hello and welcome to this tutorial!
You will hopefully clear your head here and uncover your creative mind. In a step-by-step manner you will learn how to design your own T-shirts by using your own designs or ones that already exist or ones that already exist elsewhere. There are no guidelines or restrictions when it comes to the designs for this task. Therefore feel free to experiment and dare to take a risk.
You will hopefully clear your head here and uncover your creative mind. In a step-by-step manner you will learn how to design your own T-shirts by using your own designs or ones that already exist or ones that already exist elsewhere. There are no guidelines or restrictions when it comes to the designs for this task. Therefore feel free to experiment and dare to take a risk.
Materials
General Materials:
Paint brush, suggested 3 - number depending on how many colors you use
T-shirts, preferably cotton
Textile paint
A plastic sleeve
Paper
Newspaper
Baking paper
An idea/design
Materials for these designs:
3 x Paint brush
Cotton T-shirts in grey, white and black
Textile paint (pink (Popcorn-Design), light blue (Wifi-Design), red, black, orange, yellow (BOOM-Design))
A plastic sleeve
Paper- on which you will draw the designs
Copying paper-for dark materials
Pencil
Newspaper
Additional, but not necessary: sequins
Baking paper
ADVICE:
-Place your designs in a plastic sleeve. This will prevent the paper from sticking within the T-shirt later on.
-Organize your materials in front of you before you start
-Be careful when painting → not too much paint at once, rather paint over the Design several times
-Use water to determine and change the opaqueness of the paint on you t-shirts
-If you plan on using a dark-colored T-shirt, such as grey or black, use textile copying paper (Copying paper used in this tutorial is from the brand Javana)
Paint brush, suggested 3 - number depending on how many colors you use
T-shirts, preferably cotton
Textile paint
A plastic sleeve
Paper
Newspaper
Baking paper
An idea/design
Materials for these designs:
3 x Paint brush
Cotton T-shirts in grey, white and black
Textile paint (pink (Popcorn-Design), light blue (Wifi-Design), red, black, orange, yellow (BOOM-Design))
A plastic sleeve
Paper- on which you will draw the designs
Copying paper-for dark materials
Pencil
Newspaper
Additional, but not necessary: sequins
Baking paper
ADVICE:
-Place your designs in a plastic sleeve. This will prevent the paper from sticking within the T-shirt later on.
-Organize your materials in front of you before you start
-Be careful when painting → not too much paint at once, rather paint over the Design several times
-Use water to determine and change the opaqueness of the paint on you t-shirts
-If you plan on using a dark-colored T-shirt, such as grey or black, use textile copying paper (Copying paper used in this tutorial is from the brand Javana)
Selecting and Tracing a Design
1.Place all the materials needed around you
2. Cover your working area with newspapers
3. Take a white sheet of paper
4. Select a picture/slogan you would like to trace or create your own design
Tracing: place the white sheet of paper above the picture. Then use a pen or sharpie in order to trace over the picture itself. This copy can then be used for the following steps.
Own Design: You can either draw it on a separate sheet of paper as well or paint on the t-shirt right away.
5. Place the design in a plastic sleeve
2. Cover your working area with newspapers
3. Take a white sheet of paper
4. Select a picture/slogan you would like to trace or create your own design
Tracing: place the white sheet of paper above the picture. Then use a pen or sharpie in order to trace over the picture itself. This copy can then be used for the following steps.
Own Design: You can either draw it on a separate sheet of paper as well or paint on the t-shirt right away.
5. Place the design in a plastic sleeve
Copying and Painting
6. Insert a large piece of cardboard (or any other choice that is quite firm, eg. book) between the two sides T-shirt to keep it from moving – TIP: I used an ironing board plus a large book
7. Slide the plastic sleeve in between the two layers of the T-shirt (on top of the cardboard)
8. Now open the paint pot and dip your paint brush in it
9. Start going over the design you previously created with the paint or paint freely
10. It might be necessary to go over one design several times, once again depending on the opaqueness you would like to achieve
Dark materials:
Place the copying paper on the T-shirt with the shiny side facing it
Place your paper design above and go over it with a pencil- this will leave a yellow mark
7. Slide the plastic sleeve in between the two layers of the T-shirt (on top of the cardboard)
8. Now open the paint pot and dip your paint brush in it
9. Start going over the design you previously created with the paint or paint freely
10. It might be necessary to go over one design several times, once again depending on the opaqueness you would like to achieve
Dark materials:
Place the copying paper on the T-shirt with the shiny side facing it
Place your paper design above and go over it with a pencil- this will leave a yellow mark
Drying and Ironing
After you finished painting, the paint has to dry. Leave the paint dry for three days OR let it dry for 1-2 hours and then iron it (which is the easier and faster way)
Attention: When letting the T-shirt dry, make sure that the plastic sleeve is still between the two layers
To iron:
1. Take baking paper and place it on top of the design/paint
2. Now iron over it
Attention: When letting the T-shirt dry, make sure that the plastic sleeve is still between the two layers
To iron:
1. Take baking paper and place it on top of the design/paint
2. Now iron over it
Extravagancy With Sequins
In case you would like the T-shirt to be a little more extravagant or you would like to challenge yourself, by sewing sequins onto the T-shirt.
Follow all of the previous steps and then…
1. Take a needle and thread (in the color of the T-shirt or one which is the closest to that of the sequins)
2. Make a beginning with the thread
Follow all of the previous steps and then…
1. Take a needle and thread (in the color of the T-shirt or one which is the closest to that of the sequins)
2. Make a beginning with the thread
Sequins 2.0
3. Go through the hole of the sequin with the needle
4. Place it at the right spot
5. Prick into the cloth approximately 5mm away from the sequin
6. Repeat this until you are satisfied with the amount of sequins (dependant on your design)
7. Finish the path by making a loop and then go through that with the needle
8. Pull the thread tight
9. Cut the thread off
4. Place it at the right spot
5. Prick into the cloth approximately 5mm away from the sequin
6. Repeat this until you are satisfied with the amount of sequins (dependant on your design)
7. Finish the path by making a loop and then go through that with the needle
8. Pull the thread tight
9. Cut the thread off
I hope you enjoyed this pictorial tutorial and were able to follow all of the steps with ease!
Enjoy your self-designed T-shirts.
Enjoy your self-designed T-shirts.
Templates for Designs
The images in this step are the designs I used for the first part of this Instructable.