Band t-shirts are interesting for the way in which they permanently traverse that very line between cliché-tat and timeless-chic. Get it right and you’re looking at a shirt that’s guaranteed to stand the tests of time and become iconic even with those that have never heard a single word of any of your songs. Case in point here would be the ever-famous Ramones black and white circular t-shirt design, which is something of a global fashion accessory of epic proportions to such an extent that the actual band the shirt represents is something of a secondary issue…something die-hard Ramones fans aren’t too happy about.
Then of course at the other end of the spectrum are the band t-shirts that are only really of any worth because they are hilarious. A thousand hair-metal bands from the 80s immediately come to mind as do a fair few that are still going, but what is it that makes the difference between these t-shirts and those that turn heads for all the right reasons?
It is indeed a tricky recipe to get right, but there are certainly a few trade secrets that could help any band out to design a truly killer t-shirt.
1 – If You Can’t, Find Someone Who Can
First and foremost, unless you’re a graphic designer or just naturally have a talent for these kinds of things, don’t just assume you can get by with a week’s Photoshop practice. This is a pretty important piece of promotional kit you’re looking to get realised here, so surely it’s worth spending the $50 or so it’ll cost you to outsource logo or picture design to a pro freelancer. There are thousands of them out there and plenty that specialise in this exact field – you might just be amazed at what they can come up with for you.
2 – Sell The Shirt, Not the Band
It’s only once somebody becomes a die-hard fan of any band that they’re then willing to buy any old t-shirt the group throws out, even if it looks like garbage. By contrast, those on the other side of the spectrum need to design t-shirts that capture the attention of folk because they actually look good – the fact that they represent the band being something of a B-Side. For example, write “Standard Four Piece Rock Band Name from Doncaster” in huge letters with little else besides and second-glances are out of the question. Create an amazing design on the other hand with the same text as a sundry item and chances are it’ll be taken much more seriously.
3 – Don’t Go OTT
Take a sample selection of 500 t-shirts from heavy metal or black metal bands and chances are 99% of them will be completely plastered with chaotic and often terrifying imagery, calligraphic fonts and weird fantastical landscapes that wrap around the whole crazy garment. Eye-catching, but also generic and unlikely to be taken seriously or stand out, which is precisely why it sometimes pays to go subtle. Careful use of all available space doesn’t necessarily mean using every last shred of it.
4 – Don’t Forget Shirt Colours
Technically speaking, you should be looking to decide on the colours of the t-shirts you intend to use long before getting started with the logo itself. The reason being that if you do things the wrong way around, you risk choosing colours for the image that either don’t sit well with the t-shirt’s colour or clash in a big way. And while it’s tempting to just go straight for the obvious black or white options, you’d be surprised how big of a difference a few brighter shades and hues can make.
5 – Toe-Treading
It’s one thing to take inspiration from the kinds of bands you aspire to be like, but if your own t-shirt looks even 1% similar to that of another band that happens to already be world-famous, you’ll be written off as a poor imitation right away. Not that this makes life any easier for you, but it does at least tell you what you have to do if at any point you think “Hey, this looks familiar”.
6 – Printing Quality
Last up, join forces with a professional printing house like DTGPrintz.com and you can be assured of results that look every bit as good as any t-shirt you’ve ever seen on a festival merchandise stand. By contrast, opt for a cheap home printing effort with the lowest-grade gear you can find and you can expect your results to be considerably more ‘rustic’ and hardly resistant to wear and tear…or washing.
