T-Shirt design comes with a series of concerns; the file type has to be right, the size has to fit the garment, and the ink has to last. Among these concerns is how to get a breathable print that doesn’t feel heavy. Imagine having a beautiful print, but it feels like you’re wearing an oil painting on your chest - not comfy, not fun.
Here is how you can keep artwork in tact without weighing down your garments with a ton of ink. These steps don’t only make your design wearable, but can also ensure a longer lasting print!
Step 1 - Check Your Sizing
Step 2 - Minimize Layers & Color
Step 3 - Utilize Your Garment Color
Step 1 - Check Your Sizing
The first step to a breathable print is keeping surface area in mind. A bigger print means more ink, which means a heavier, blockier print. If you want to keep the artwork the same, but don’t want it to be too heavy on the garment, consider sizing down a bit, or changing to a chest print, small back print, or sleeve print so that the wearer is more comfortable.
Step 2 - Minimize Layers & Color
Once you have an appropriate size, it’s time to see how many colors you can cut down. Minimizing the complexity of your design will help you cover less surface area. For example, this logo before has black, white, and purple with overlapping elements. We can simplify it by getting rid of the white layer around the design and allowing negative space within it. Try to keep only what you need for the design with as little color and overlap as possible.
Step 3 - Utilize Your Garment Color
Now that you’re down to the simplest design you can get, consider how your garment color can fill the negative space in your design. This is important because it uses less ink and allows water to flow through the design instead of hitting against it, making it last through more washes! See below how if we take away the purple layer, but put the design on a purple shirt, the design looks great even though we use less ink!
Work With Us to Make the Perfect Print for You!
Now your print should be ready to go! Remember: Less ink = Less Weight AND Longer Lasting Prints. If you are ready to make your design a reality OR if you need help from a printing pro, contact us here to get started.
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Happy printing!
-Kick Print Team