Does anyone have a good resource for tee shirt design templates and vector tools? I'm not looking for the usual stock clipart, but more of a "tool kit" to use with Illustrator to build nice shirt designs. Thanks!
Not that I am aware of and, even if there was a "tool kit", I wouldn't use it. The really good shirts are "created" in the head of the designer. That creativity is not found in a box or, er, the cloud(?). Believe it or not, there is a lot of work involved in creating. Illustrator is just one of the "tools" at your disposal. Online clipper sources are also available. But the best designs are original and strikingly different than anything else out there. That, sorry to say, may require some original thoughts and ideas on your part. Mix them up with your own flair for illustration, and well you can guess the rest.
Thanks for your input. I understand what you're saying, but I'm in a small business, fast-paced production environment with few resources and many demands. I often think about where the term "starving artist" originated, and my guess is it's describing someone who focuses too much on the art and not enough on survival. I'm the business owner, and I have to focus on the big picture - getting things done, and moving on to the next project. Hence, my need for a tool kit to help the designer free up time for creativity by eliminating the "reinventing the wheel" stuff.
Don't know what you're expecting such a toolkit to do.
Everyone defines "nice" a little different. Maybe you want to give us some examples and tell us which part of them you think can be produced automatically.
Many t-shirt printers offer design services and it sounds like you fall into that category. I am a designer that works with t-shirt printers who do not have the resources or time available to invest in what the customer wants. I have many, many resources that I use to come up with a "solution" that the t-shirt printer does not have. As I said, one of the key resources is my design skills. I do understand now where you are coming from. You are responsible for customer service. Customer comes in and wants a high school reunion t-shirt. One of the resources Barbara gave you can help supply stock layouts where you would just replace name elements with the customers' and perhaps change the the colors. Onto to the next customer. I get it. In retrospect, Barbara has been very helpful in that she forwarded on to you some great resources. I actually worked inside a t-shirt company as their art director. My job was to work with the customer and deliver, spot on, what they were looking for. Many times that required an original piece of artwork "hand-drawn" and then recreated for color separations on the computer. I guess what I am saying is you will probably need someone like me so you can focus on runnning the business, if you are not already. I also found that, over time, an art archive was setup as an internal resource of artwork you could use over-and-over. There was also a focus on working with agencies where they brought in their artwork ready to be separated. Those were the profitable jobs.
I'm in agreement with jdanek. One of my first jobs was working as a designer for a t-shirt company, many years ago, so I know that jdanek is right on. A good designer who is creative and fast is a wonderful business asset.
Thank you both for your helpful input. I agree about the value of a creative - and fast - designer. I do have a designer on staff who is both, and am looking for ideas on how to help her.... and more in the area of templates and clip art than the others. i.e. why draw a banner when there are millions available.... again, minimize the reinventing of the wheel. Thanks again.
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