How To Put Lettering On A Shirt

Download Article

Download Article

Printing designs onto T-shirts is an involved process that allows you to design your own T-shirts. While the printing methods might feel tricky at first, information technology should get easier once you've had some practice. Transfer printing is the all-time pick for a one-time project. Screen printing requires more specialized supplies but allows you to print many shirts from a single prototype. Inkodye is another pick for quick 1-time printing that's more than substantial than iron on prints.

1. 1

   Purchase T-shirt transfer paper. You lot tin can use transfer newspaper to practise dye sublimation printing, which is one of the nearly pop methods. Special heat transfer paper can be found anywhere yous tin can purchase stationery or printer paper. In that location are two types of transfer paper, one suitable for white or pastel shirts, and one suitable for all darker colors.

   • Dye sublimation printing means printing out the image and then using estrus to infuse the image onto a surface, in this case your own T-shirts.
   • Most transfer paper is the same size as your regular printer newspaper (Letter of the alphabet size or A4 depending on your country). Before purchasing an unusual size, make sure your printer tin handle information technology.
   • Light transfer paper is used for light or white shirts.^[i]
   • Dark transfer paper is used for whatever shirt that is darker.

   Tip: This printing method is adequately like shooting fish in a barrel. Your inkjet printer volition do most of the work for you lot!

2. 2

   Select a high quality paradigm for your T-shirt design. You can apply whatsoever image saved on your reckoner.

   • If you only accept the prototype in a physical form, scan information technology and save it to your computer as a jpeg file. Alternatively, accept a photograph and transfer it to your calculator.
   • If you lot're going to be selling the shirts through your own online T-shirt business, only use your original designs or photos.

   Advertisement

3. 

   3

   Mirror the image for light-colored shirts. Transfer paper for light-colored paper creates a mirror image on your shirt. Look for a "reverse" or "mirror" setting in the print options window, or flip your prototype in MS Paint or another paradigm editing programme.^[2] If yous skip this step, all text in your design will be unreadable.

   • Practice non opposite the image if y'all are using transfer paper for darker shirts. This blazon of transfer newspaper transfers the epitome exactly as it appears.
   • If you're not sure whether the opposite setting worked, print out a test piece on ordinary paper. Information technology should come out equally the mirror prototype of the look you want.

4. 4

   Print your design onto the paper. Earlier press, bank check the preview to confirm that the image fits onto your paper. If it's too large, select "fit to scale" in the print options, or scale it down in an paradigm editing program.

   • When printing with your transfer paper, yous need the right kind of printer similar an inkjet printer.^[three]
   • If the two sides of your transfer newspaper look different, print onto the blank side. One side may have a logo, design, or thermal indicators on it.
   • Switch to "landscape mode" if the prototype is wider than it is tall.

5. five

   Cut out the image. Any newspaper you exit effectually the image will show up equally a thin film on the shirt. To create a clean prototype, cut out the image.

   • To go an accurate cutting, employ a ruler and an Exacto pocketknife.

6. 

   six

   Cover a hard, flat surface with a cotton pillowcase. Clear a table or countertop, then clean and dry out information technology if necessary. Lay a cotton pillowcase over this surface, covering enough space to lay out the area of your T-shirt you'll be printing.

   • Nigh ironing boards are not suitable, due to the metal bars or grating on the surface.
   • Apply a surface that tin withstand rut. Don't try to iron over a laminate countertop. A cutting board tin likewise work.

7. 7

   Set your atomic number 26 and then yous can use it as a rut press. Check the instructions that came with your transfer paper to observe out which settings work best for your product. If no advice is listed, select the "cotton" or high-temperature setting; select "dry" or turn off the steam; empty all water out of the iron. Requite the iron a few minutes to warm up.

   • For best results, utilize an iron with at least 1200 watts of power.^[4]

8. 

   8

   Iron the shirt. Identify the shirt over the pillowcase. Iron information technology until it is completely flat. Any wrinkles will evidence up in the transferred image.

   • Wash and dry out the T-shirt first if necessary.

9. 

   9

   Identify the newspaper onto the shirt. If using transfer paper for light shirts, place the prototype face down. If using transfer paper for nighttime shirts, identify the image faceup. Line upwardly the center of the prototype with the middle of your T-shirt neckline.

   • Placing the image face down will allow the image to exist transferred and then that it'due south not a mirrored image when information technology gets transferred to your shirt.

10. 

    10

    Fe the prototype onto the shirt. Press the fe firmly over the clothing, pushing down with your whole manus for significant pressure. The iron acts as a heat printing to transfer the image onto the shirt.

    • Iron from 30 seconds to several minutes, according to the instructions that came with your specific transfer paper.
    • Try not to motility the iron around as much as yous normally would when you're ironing dress. You do desire to provide oestrus to the entire surface of the image, but you need to provide constant heat to ensure the iron-on sheet binds to the shirt.^[5]
    • Some types of transfer paper have thermal indicators that will change colors when the area is hot enough.

11. 11

    Let the expanse absurd then peel the newspaper off. Permit it cool for at least a few minutes, until the paper reaches room temperature. Y'all've just created your own custom T-shirt!

    • Peel off the paper to reveal your prototype underneath.

Advertisement

1. i

   Lay your shirt on a flat surface and iron information technology. To become the all-time results, you should iron your shirt to smooth out whatever wrinkles that could mess up the ink transfer.

   • Inkodye works best with cotton shirts and so be certain to prepare your fe to the cotton setting.
   • Atomic number 26 the shirt until you've removed all wrinkles, especially on and around the expanse you plan to print on.
   • Utilize a dry ironing method without steam.

2. 

   2

   Insert a piece of foam core or cardboard into your shirt. Place the cardboard inside your shirt and smoothen out the surface area again.

   • Cardboard works well because it's flat and won't allow the ink bleed through to the other side of the shirt. Plus, when you're washed, yous can just throw it abroad.

3. 

   3

   Create a frame where you want to place the image. You lot can utilise a piece of paper-thin or plastic frame that you've fabricated or simply utilize blueish painter'southward tape to record off the expanse.

   • The area inside your frame is where you'll paint on the ink. The frame ensures that no ink gets exterior of the area.
   • If you don't desire any extra inked area around your photo, use a frame that's slightly smaller than your paradigm. A smaller frame ensures that the ink won't bleed out past your photo.
   • Make sure not to tape the epitome down. It volition become stuck. And run your fingernail along the taped edges if you used tape to ensure in that location are no gaps.

4. 

   4

   Pour your Inkodye into a bowl. ^[vi] Make sure to shake the bottle well before pouring the ink.

   • Brand sure that your bowl isn't absorptive, you don't want the dye seeping into it.
   • Attempt to do this in a ventilated room that isn't exposed to a lot of natural light.
   • About 2.v tablespoons (40 ml) tin glaze an 11X11" cotton foursquare.

5. 

   five

   Apply the Inkodye to your shirt. Glaze your castor or roller with the dye. Apply the edges of your bowl to get backlog dye of your brush so there's non dripping or blotting.

   • Evenly use the dye to your desired area on your shirt, and apply a steady hand while you're applying it. Also, don't soak your shirt, or the paint might bleed underneath the the edges of your frame.^[7]
   • Inkodye is fairly colorless so pay shut attention to how much you are applying.
   • After you lot've covered the desired area, catch a paper towel and blot the surface area to soak upwards any excess dye.

6. 

   vi

   Remove the frame to see the painted area. Once yous've covered the area yous no longer need your frame.

   • You lot can keep the frame on if you used tape and you think some of the dye may have bled through.

7. 

   7

   Place your negative on the inked function of the shirt. You can press down your negative onto your shirt to assist information technology stick to the dyed surface area.

   • Smooth out the surface area with your hand. You want your negative to make good contact everywhere with the dye.
   • Use straight pins on the edges of your negative to keep it in identify.
   • Alternatively, you can place a piece of acetate over the meridian of your negative.

8. 8

   Betrayal your print to direct sunlight. You lot at present desire to bring your shirt with the negative on it exterior and let it soak up the sun to dry and transfer the image.

   • Expose your print to direct sunlight for 10-xv minutes.
   • It'south best to do this when the lord's day is strongest effectually 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.
   • Y'all may accept to betrayal your print for longer if information technology's cloudy out.
   • After well-nigh 5 or so minutes y'all'll begin to see the image darken.

9. 

   9

   Remove the negative. It's best to remove the negative in a infinite that isn't very brilliant.

   • Removing the negative in subdued lighting will assistance to keep the print intact.

10. 10

    Wash your shirt. It's best to launder your shirt in the washing machine, but you can hand wash it as well.

    • Washing will remove any extra Inkodye from your shirt and make your print look nice and fresh.
    • Use warm to hot water for best results.
    • You may desire to launder it twice to remove all the residue.
    • After your shirt is clean, it'due south ready to vesture!

Advertisement

Add New Question

• Question

  What's the best way to iron a transfer onto a shirt?

  

  Joy Cho
  Designer & Mode Good, Oh Joy!

  Joy Cho is the Founder and Creative Managing director of the lifestyle brand and design studio, Oh Joy!, founded in 2005 and based in Los Angeles, California. She has authored six books and consulted for creative businesses around the world. Joy has lectured on business, leadership, and entrepreneurship at conferences and companies such every bit AltSummit, Pinterest, Target, and Authentication, while her dwelling and studio have been featured in magazines such equally Firm Beautiful, Parents, and Domino. She has also been named 1 of Time'due south xxx Most Influential People on the Net multiple times and has the most followed account on Pinterest with more than 14 million followers.

  

  Designer & Fashion Expert, Oh Joy!

  Expert Reply

  Read the instructions to brand sure the iron is the correct temperature, and try to concur the fe in place for equally long every bit possible. People sometimes tend to move the iron around while they're doing it, near like they're ironing a shirt. You don't want to leave it unattended, only you do need to brand certain there's constant heat, since that's what binds the iron-on to the shirt.

• Question

  Can I use normal paper to iron a picture onto a t-shirt?

  

  No, you would need t-shirt transfer paper.

• Question

  Can the transfer paper image be tie-dyed over without existence afflicted?

  

  No. Tie-dice first, then do the steps.

• Question

  Does washing afterwards printing bear upon the color?

  

  Every bit long as the print has dried, the color should exist fine. I also recommend using a gentle detergent like Snuggles. If the dye fades after a few washes, don't worry, that's normal. Washing the t-shirt inside out may limit fading.

• Question

  Where can I buy transfer paper?

  

  You can purchase it online or in office supply stores or craft stores. I'd suggest buying information technology online if you lot're buying bulk, as many websites offer discounts.

• Question

  How can I print without a computer?

  

  Maybe try going to your local library or an function store that offers printing services.

• Question

  What can I print with that's washable?

  

  Y'all tin can buy certain printer sheets at your local arts and crafts store, that are comparable with about printers. This will permit you to impress your desired image, and iron it onto a shirt. Once the image has set on the shirt, it will then be washable.

• Question

  Can I print from an officejet?

  

  Yeah. Become t-shirt transfer paper. You use a household iron to utilise it, and it works best on white cotton.

• Question

  I want to start a T-shirt printing business in my local area. What can I expect my profit margin to exist?

  

  Agstopmotion 36

  Customs Respond

  Well it depends on how much yous paid to brand the T-shirt. The price should be lower, but non besides depression, considering and so y'all will non make a lot of money.

• Question

  How exercise I print on colored t shirts?

  

  Use transfer newspaper. If the colour is calorie-free, apply the one for pastel colors. If the color is dark, use the i for darker colors.

Show more answers

Enquire a Question

200 characters left

Include your e-mail address to become a bulletin when this question is answered.

Submit

Advertisement

VideoRead Video Transcript

• If yous're starting your own online T-shirt business concern, make sure you lot're using original T-shirt designs. Copying other people's works may get you in trouble.

1. • Cull a T-shirt fabricated of cotton fiber, equally it should have the prototype transfer better than a T-shirt fabricated of a poly blend.^[eight]

• If the image on your screen has whatsoever holes in it, cover it with masking tape on the flush side.

• Before washing your transfer-printed shirt, check the instructions that came with the transfer newspaper. You may need to limit washing to sure settings. Some transfer paper comes with silicone paper, which can be ironed over the image to fasten it further and allow for safer washing.^[9]

Advertizement

• Don't touch the picture until it'south perfectly dry.

• Don't use the same transfer newspaper twice.

Advertisement

Things You'll Need

• Printer
• Computer
• Transfer paper
• Scissors
• Cotton wool T-shirt (preferably 100% cotton)
• Clothes Iron
• Hard, apartment surface to press your transfer
• Pillowcase (cotton wool preferred)

• Photo emulsion
• Printing screen
• Transparencies / acetate sheets
• Duster
• Calorie-free source
• Cardboard or tray
• Black fabric
• Glass, Lucite, or Plexiglass
• Gloves
• Hose or large sink
• Screen press ink
• Atomic number 26

About This Article

Article Summary X

To print on T-shirts using transfer paper, start by selecting an image and saving it equally a file on your estimator. Impress the paradigm onto the transfer paper, so cut it out. Spread the T-shirt on a hard, apartment surface, then oestrus up a regular article of clothing iron. Situate the cut-out where you want it to be on the T-shirt, then identify the prototype face down on light colored shirts, or face up for dark colored shirts. Fe over the paper, allow it absurd for a few minutes, then peel the newspaper away to reveal your epitome! If you want to learn how to screen print the epitome onto your shirt, keep reading the article!

Did this summary help you?

Thanks to all authors for creating a folio that has been read i,512,409 times.

Did this article help y'all?

Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Print-on-T%E2%80%90Shirts

Share this post