I've become overly aware (sensitive) to paying clothing companies to advertise for them by buying stuff with huge logos. I like plain, no logo or design shirts better anyway, so that's what I buy. But every once in a while I want to express myself on the outside, and when I do, I make my own shirts.
There's many ways to decorate a t-shirt. The easiest is by printing your computer-designed graphic onto an iron-on transfer and ironing it onto your shirt of choice. They've come a long way from the mirror-image transfer sheets my mom used to put on my T-ball uniform. Now you print in "positive", the colors are vibrant, picture sharp, and will work on dark shirts (or other mostly cotton textiles). Look for "Dark T-Shirt Transfers" (Avery is one brand). Office Max or Staples should have them where a kit with 5, 8x10 sheets costs about $10. This is how I've done shirts in the past.
As great as those are, you are limited to very simple shapes (although what you print on it is limitless), they don't do too well after being washed several times, and they just don't have the same 'feel' as a professional silk screened graphic. The method that follows is much closer to silk-screening and, because you are using the same inks, are just as durable. This is also the cheapest method, assuming you already have a few things.
What you'll need
Supplies:
-printer paper
-Silkscreen fabric paint - found at art and craft stores. Speedball is the leading brand. ($6)
-Paint brush - it should be as wide as the largest area to be painted ($2)
-parchment paper - used for baking, found at good grocery stores. ($3)
-Freezer paper - also called butcher paper. My market didn't sell it so I begged a butcher for some. (free)
****note: Wax paper won't really work. Freezer paper has one side non-waxy so you can print on it.
-Graphic / Design
Tools:
-Household Steam Iron and ironing board
-Exacto Knife
-ruler or straight edge
-blow dryer (optional)
-A printer and some way of printing the graphic (i.e. web browser, photoshop, illustrator, word)
*note: You could alternately hand draw the logo
There's many ways to decorate a t-shirt. The easiest is by printing your computer-designed graphic onto an iron-on transfer and ironing it onto your shirt of choice. They've come a long way from the mirror-image transfer sheets my mom used to put on my T-ball uniform. Now you print in "positive", the colors are vibrant, picture sharp, and will work on dark shirts (or other mostly cotton textiles). Look for "Dark T-Shirt Transfers" (Avery is one brand). Office Max or Staples should have them where a kit with 5, 8x10 sheets costs about $10. This is how I've done shirts in the past.
As great as those are, you are limited to very simple shapes (although what you print on it is limitless), they don't do too well after being washed several times, and they just don't have the same 'feel' as a professional silk screened graphic. The method that follows is much closer to silk-screening and, because you are using the same inks, are just as durable. This is also the cheapest method, assuming you already have a few things.
What you'll need
Supplies:
-printer paper
-Silkscreen fabric paint - found at art and craft stores. Speedball is the leading brand. ($6)
-Paint brush - it should be as wide as the largest area to be painted ($2)
-parchment paper - used for baking, found at good grocery stores. ($3)
-Freezer paper - also called butcher paper. My market didn't sell it so I begged a butcher for some. (free)
****note: Wax paper won't really work. Freezer paper has one side non-waxy so you can print on it.
-Graphic / Design
Tools:
-Household Steam Iron and ironing board
-Exacto Knife
-ruler or straight edge
-blow dryer (optional)
-A printer and some way of printing the graphic (i.e. web browser, photoshop, illustrator, word)
*note: You could alternately hand draw the logo
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Signing UpStep 1: Print the design / graphic
First, cut the freezer paper. Unless you are hand drawing the design, it has to fit in your printer. Use a piece of printer paper as a guide, the ruler as a straight edge, and the exacto knife to trim the butcher paper. Print the graphic. The freezer paper has a shinny side and a papery side. Print on the papery side. The design I'm using as an example is is from a local band, Killola. Their blog has a DIY t-shirt thing too. The print should be black and white with distict edges (monochrome).
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bowl - The enclosed oval or round curve of letters like 'D', 'g', b', and 'o'. In an open bowl, the stroke does not meet with the stem completely; a closed-bowl stroke meets the stem.
from http://www.proximasoftware.com/fontexpert/terms#b
The term is a holdover from the days when type was printed using physical blocks. The letters were raised, and the areas as you described had to be removed, leaving a "bowl".
Just a little typographic info for you! Thanks for the ible. Used to do this with sheets of contact paper back in high school. Feel like I ought to get back to it, make some shirts with my own message to impart to others, once again.
I am glad that you are bringing back some of this old school flavor. Getting dirty fingers and being creative. I want to take a stab at your question. My brother and I used to use stencils like these for airbrushing and the bombest way to keep the silly stencils on was a light coat of 3M magic spray, the best part is if you goof up the alignment, its removable and sticks back on again without having to spray it once more. Good luck! I plan to teach a class with your cool method very soon. I'll send you some pics.
Cholos Locos 4 ever
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