It can be rewarding putting together a successful T-shirt design. Seeing people proudly purchase and wear what you’ve made. Knowing you’ve managed to make an income on your creativity alone.
But it can also be a pretty difficult process, especially in the initial stages. You can’t exactly just snap your fingers and come up with a new design, after all. It takes thought, effort, and trial-and-error.
And it can be frustrating, especially if you’re suffering from a creative block. Today, we’re going to explore a few things you can do to help you with the creative process. A few words of advice which will ultimately help you create better T-shirt designs.
Don’t Be Afraid to Take a Break
The most important thing you need to understand about creativity is that it’s not something that can – or should – be forced. It’s something that should be nurtured and enjoyed. If you’re constantly mapping out designs you aren’t satisfied with, you might consider just taking a break from the creative process.
Otherwise, you’re basically just slamming your head repeatedly against a brick wall. Sure, you might eventually make some sort of progress. But you’re far likelier to end up frustrating and nursing a splitting headache.
So our first and most important piece of advice is to know when to step back and let yourself recharge. Go for a walk or run. Spend time with friends and family. Do something you enjoy.
Let yourself relax, and you might be surprised at how quickly your brain snaps back to creative mode.
Always Explore Your Concept in Full
When you’re brainstorming a new design, take your time. Mull over the concept you’ve come up with. Even if you have something you like, you don’t need to fully commit to it.
You’re well within your rights to explore variations on it. Look at what other people are doing. Keep on chipping away at it until it feels more than right – until it feels perfect.
Or at least as close to perfection as you can get.
Don’t Overcomplicate
As the old adage goes, less is more. It can be tempting to draw up a complex, intricate design for your shirts – and in some cases, such a design can actually work. Most of the time, however, you’re just going to wind up with something that looks busy, gaudy, and ugly, in spite of the artistry you put into it.
Keep your designs simple, and focus on a few core details. A few things you want to draw focus to, a single message you want to convey, and so on. There’s an artistry to simplicity as well.
Get Out There And Start Creating
And there you have it. A few quick and simple tips to help you design better T-shirts. Why not put some of them to practice in our design studio?