There used to a time when a good t-shirt design had 8 neon colors on a hot pink garment with a bullet proof bottom white base. Man those were the days. Now I know that makes me appear old but honestly that wasn’t that long ago. Trends, techniques, colors and styles change rapidly in the fashion world. As a designer you need to evolve quickly or get left behind as what I commonly refer to as a dinosaur.
You just might be a dinosaur…
• if you find yourself saying ” Those darn kids today…”
• if you miss Rubylith Masking Film
• if “alternative placement” is where you lay your xacto knife to keep it from rolling off your light table.
• if you find the computer an irritating unnecessary tool.
As the design needs and wants evolve so must the designers. One season the color trend might be brown and orange, the next it is grey and pink. Today the popular trend is grunge, scrolls, skulls, shields, patching and alternative placement. Next year it could be clean lines and sharp graphics.
It is not only the artworks that needs to evolve. The techniques for screen printing is in a constant motion as well. When designing a t-shirt today you need to not only be able to design a great print but know how you want it to print. Specialty inks, treatments, discharge inks, garment distressing, the untailored look and all over printing is becoming common place in most print shops.
Don’t become a Dinosaur! Get involved. Stay motivated by the ever-changing world around you. Listen to the youth, they are your customers today and your clients tomorrow. T-shirt designs have been and always will be a much-needed commodity. They are the perfect form of self-expression and advertising all at the same time. On average, Americans own more than 10 t-shirts each, making that over one and a half billion tees! From celebrity opinions to sports teams to just making a statement or protest, t-shirts have proven to be a powerful tool.
To get a feel for current and future trends check out some of the links below.
MAGIC “Men’s Apparel Guild in California”.
Surf Expo
Fashion Trend Setter
