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Making your own album art t-shirts

Started by TrenterPercenter, July 13, 2022, 09:42:32 AM

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TrenterPercenter

So I've decided to make some t-shirts of some album covers I like and was wondering if anyone had any experiences of doing this.

Anybody got any recommendations for a good place to get t-shirts printed? Do they look decent and do they last? Will someone approach me and slap me in handcuffs over copyright?

Once we've got that sorted perhaps we can share some great album/band artwork that might look good on a t-shirt.


Edit: also thinking about it we could link this up with the terrible album covers thread

Magnum Valentino

Well TP.

I've done something similar. There's a couple of places in my no-hope home town that do custom printing so I'm not even talking about online places or bigger franchises with money-back guarantees and stuff.

Years back I had two done - a comic book cover for a shirt for my wife and the PAL art for Resident Evil 2. The comic cover was a single block image with straight edges, nothing fancy, and came out really well, and has held up well over the years although it's never worn now and anything that's not worn WOULD hold up well I suppose.

The RE shirt was a case of printing white and red 'shapes' (the letters themselves, in the right font) onto black but it was a 'transparent' image that me and the woman in the shop sort of figured out how to do. It came out fucking BRILLIANTLY and I had a good few people come up to me to ask where I got it over the years. Lost now, regrettably.

So to answer that part of your question, aye, give it a go. If you give them a really good resolution image, it shouldn't be an issue. They'll usually have stock of certain shirts, which you should ask to see in advance in case they're not to your liking (Gildan Softstyle = ace, Gildan Heavy Cotton = the devil). Otherwise, provide your own, and no risk there.

Regarding the handcuffs no bad will ever come of it but it does remind me of a story about a friend who was agonising for ages at a festival about whether or not he should approach a musician he admired who he thought he recognized. When he plucked the courage up after confirming it was indeed Your Man From Neu!, he was angrily asked "IS THAT A BOOTLEG?!" about the t-shirt he was wearing.

Lesson - never mind the cops, just don't ask your idols for the craic if you know they don't do merch and you've made your own.

What shirts were you considering getting made?

TrenterPercenter

I'm thinking about a selection of late 1970s early 1980s German post-punk albums.

Thinking about doing something from the "Nichts" first (probably Tango 2000 first off).


TrenterPercenter

Anyone know anything about types of printing? or any of that faff? should I just do one of these online things?

fuck it just did it anyway we'll call this a reccy (went with the white but if it is any good might get the black also for the background match up)







justin_bennett

I do it all the time with all sorts of decent quality images. I always use Streetshirts - top quality gear and they send you vouchers with each purchase which nearly gets you a freebie. It's got a really easy interface and lets you remove colours. Piece of piss. Copyright never been a problem...

Magnum Valentino

Would you mind showing us some of yours to see the quality?

TrenterPercenter

Quote from: justin_bennett on July 13, 2022, 09:49:02 PMI do it all the time with all sorts of decent quality images. I always use Streetshirts - top quality gear and they send you vouchers with each purchase which nearly gets you a freebie. It's got a really easy interface and lets you remove colours. Piece of piss. Copyright never been a problem...

Nice one! Will see how this one comes back and perhaps give them a go

justin_bennett

Quote from: Magnum Valentino on July 13, 2022, 09:50:26 PMWould you mind showing us some of yours to see the quality?

Sure - here's a couple of randoms, just pulled from Google image searches with minimal fannying about. Big Audio Dynamite and Eevo Lute Muzique.  Have also had vests and hoodies from 'em as well.

TrenterPercenter


Magnum Valentino

Yeah those are deadly. I was thinking of getting a Mayhem hoodie done up and those have convinced me.

DJ Bob Hoskins

Quote from: Magnum Valentino on July 13, 2022, 04:42:36 PMRegarding the handcuffs no bad will ever come of it but it does remind me of a story about a friend who was agonising for ages at a festival about whether or not he should approach a musician he admired who he thought he recognized. When he plucked the courage up after confirming it was indeed Your Man From Neu!, he was angrily asked "IS THAT A BOOTLEG?!" about the t-shirt he was wearing.

Lesson - never mind the cops, just don't ask your idols for the craic if you know they don't do merch and you've made your own.

This made me chuckle, and reminded me that the only official t-shirt I've considered buying at a festival merch stand in the past 25 years was a NEU! shirt. I went to the stall, cash in hand, only to be told that Michael Rother's crew had taken all of the merch with them shortly after his performance, to be sold at his next gig.

Rother: if you're reading this - you may have helped redefine popular music but it's no wonder your fans are resorting to wearing knockoffs. Sort it out.

Frankly we should expect free t-shirts better from our musical heroes.

imitationleather


TrenterPercenter

Quote from: imitationleather on July 14, 2022, 01:32:35 AMPretty sure this is illegal, guys.

Well if any late 1970s deutschpunk bands send me a cease and desist notification then a) that wouldn't be very punk and b) I'll be able to sell my story to some local LIVE paper

Head Gardener

I've used Streetshirts a few times & the fabric is good and they are really easy to make too, I've some nice Stones & Ramones T's + this one






TrenterPercenter

I've used the imaginatively name tshirtprintinguk

I will report back when it arrives.

Nice album cover though lovely stuff.

The Mollusk

Quote from: justin_bennett on July 13, 2022, 09:49:02 PMI do it all the time with all sorts of decent quality images. I always use Streetshirts - top quality gear and they send you vouchers with each purchase which nearly gets you a freebie. It's got a really easy interface and lets you remove colours. Piece of piss. Copyright never been a problem...

Just got one delivered from these guys. Not gonna lie the quality of the print isn't amazing - there are two small nicks where a bit of the black is lifting off, which I'm sure after a couple of washes will come off entirely to reveal two tiny white spots. Also on the middle stripes the black isn't solid and there's quite a distinct fade on them.

I suppose I can't complain too much though, for £15 including delivery and a service which took a total of four days to complete and deliver. Plus the dodgy copyright infringement of my personalised design which they don't seem to give a fuck about.


Magnum Valentino


The Mollusk

Wool blend. They get a lot of compliments.

Brundle-Fly


The Mollusk

Nope, sorry to disappoint the two of you as you're clearly salivating and trembling at the opportunity to tear my poor trousers to pieces, but they are nice and comfortable.

dissolute ocelot

RE legality, I remember Sonic Youth producing images you could download and put on your own t-shirt, Washing Machine era so late 90s. 100% legal. It's also cool to produce t-shirts for a young up-and-coming band you love who don't even sell t-shirts. But if they do sell them, buy those instead.

As to making, Streetshirts seems OK. I think the difference is as much customer service and price as quality. I used Zazzle years ago and they were v. slow but that was ages ago. Definitely agree about Gildan Softstyle/t-shirt quality. If you have any existing band t-shirts, worth checking to see if they still have the label in (also, sizes seem to vary a bit so it's good to check that too).

Most companies seem to use direct-to-garment printing technology for one-offs, basically like sticking your t-shirt in an inkjet printer. I'd guess they all have the same machines. The alternative is vinyl transfers, where they print on vinyl and iron that on. Direct to garment is better if you have irregular shapes rather than just a rectangular image, while vinyl feels more like you've got a plastic sheet stuck to the front of your t-shirt, but might be cheaper.

If you want to go really old-school, the transfer sheets you get for inkjet printers actually aren't terrible. But it's better with an image with defined borders (probably square/rectangular like an album cover), else you have to cut around it very carefully or else it looks shit (and even then it might start peeling). Like commercial vinyl transfers, it's a bit like sticking a square of plastic to your t-shirt. And it might not be all that much cheaper. Basically you print your artwork, then iron on, so there's not too much skill required. If you fancy some crafting, silkscreening your own t-shirt isn't that hard either, at least monochrome, but does take a lot of time and some kit, as well as requiring a bit of thinking about design (Solarfast also sell light-sensitive dyes for printing on fabric, but they don't give very strong colours).

Magnum Valentino

Quote from: The Mollusk on July 27, 2022, 04:49:50 PMNope, sorry to disappoint the two of you as you're clearly salivating and trembling at the opportunity to tear my poor trousers to pieces, but they are nice and comfortable.

Me? I think they're class!

Head Gardener


TrenterPercenter


phantom_power

Quote from: The Mollusk on July 27, 2022, 12:28:14 PMJust got one delivered from these guys. Not gonna lie the quality of the print isn't amazing - there are two small nicks where a bit of the black is lifting off, which I'm sure after a couple of washes will come off entirely to reveal two tiny white spots. Also on the middle stripes the black isn't solid and there's quite a distinct fade on them.

I suppose I can't complain too much though, for £15 including delivery and a service which took a total of four days to complete and deliver. Plus the dodgy copyright infringement of my personalised design which they don't seem to give a fuck about.



Nice strides mate. Do they make them for men?*


*That was just a silly Chopper reference. I think they are aces

The Mollusk

Quote from: phantom_power on August 09, 2022, 02:20:21 PMNice strides mate. Do they make them for men?*


*That was just a silly Chopper reference. I think they are aces

When they ask me if I saw who butchered you I'm gonna say I was watching the bull ant

TrenterPercenter



Keke Palmer in NOPE obviously read the thread.

Captain Z

I've used tshirtstudio.com a few times over recent years and been very impressed with the results compared to price. There's a wide range of the shirt styles and quality to choose from, I usually avoid budget and go for value or premium (still only £13). Printed onto light coloured material (white, yellow, light blue etc) the results have been perfect, still lasting after many washes. The only one that didn't work so well was a light image on a dark blue t shirt, it cracked and peeled a big after a couple of washes. Also got a mug from them which still looks brand new after 4/5 years.

TrenterPercenter

Nice one Captain Z looks good might use them for my next one : )