If you’re looking to design a t-shirt, you most likely want something that is going to stand out from the crowd. We’ve all seen a t-shirt or design style that becomes so popular it’s no longer trendy, and next month, everyone has moved on to something new. Don’t find yourself stuck behind the times when it comes to designing your shirt–necessity is the mother of invention, and it’s definitely necessary to set yourself apart from your competitors.
Of course, you can always skip the design process altogether and hire skilled freelance t-shirt designers who have their eye on the hottest trends to help you differentiate your shirt from the rest of the pack. But, if you want to try and design your own shirt, you might wonder how to get started on finding the perfect design.
Target Your Demographic
How you design a t-shirt is all about making sure you target the right demographic and that you do a bit of market research. Fortunately, this might be as easy as going to the club on a Friday night and looking at the latest styles of the young and fashion-conscious. If your target demographic is families or middle-aged clientele, spend an afternoon at the park or shopping mall to see what your target market wears on casual days.
If you’re looking to see what’s trending with teens and young adults, TikTok and Instagram are also excellent places to start getting ideas.
Search Social Media for Inspiration
It’s no secret that social media has become a powerhouse not only for networking and marketing but also for following new styles and up-and-coming artists. Browse to your heart’s content to find thousands of unique designs that you can use for inspiration.
It’s not just about seeing what people are wearing–it’s about seeing what the newest artists are releasing and discovering new designs you’ve never thought of before. Of course, we aren’t recommending you steal another person’s work—that would be unethical.
Modify Trending Styles
A fantastic example of making your own thing out of something popular can be seen in the world of tattoos. Once a design catches on, it can spread like wildfire–but tattoo artists are averse to outright stealing other people’s designs, so they are likely to take something that’s hot but give it a little twist so it has its own unique flair that is a hallmark of that artist or so it’s more personal to the client.
Make a Mash-Up
Don’t hesitate to take two popular design styles and mash them together. Just make sure they blend well and one isn’t overshadowing the other when it comes to the overall layout.
For example, if you’re making a t-shirt for a charity event, rather than the tried-and-true “Run for Life 2023” on the front with sponsors on the back, maybe try incorporating your sponsor’s logos into patterns on the shirt or finding something relevant and funny from the internet to use as a tag line for the name of the event.
Get Opinions
Once you’ve found a design that you think you like, ask your friends what they think of it. Those looking for business t-shirt design ideas can solicit coworkers or employees for their thoughts—after all, they’ll be the ones wearing it!
Be sure and ask for honest feedback and see if anyone has any great ideas to add to your designs. That being said, don’t hesitate to stand firm if you are sure your design will be a hit.
Skip the Search for Ideas and Hire a Pro
Let’s be honest, many of us just aren’t creative types–we may be logical thinkers who are excellent at putting puzzle pieces together when it comes to running our businesses, but when it comes to design, our brains simply draw a blank.
That’s why Guru has made it easy to hire freelance professionals with just a click! Browse our selection of thousands of t-shirt design professionals and find the design artist of your dreams! Read reviews and testimonials, check out design portfolios, and browse prices to make sure your freelance designer meets your budget and needs.
