Buying band t-shirts is not only fashionable but is also a great way to show your appreciation to your favorite band, singer or DJ. If you’re an avid music fan and love a lot of different artists, it can get expensive buying them all. It can also be a lot of fun and a good way to flex your artistic skills if you want to make your own, plus you’ll have a band tee that’s different than all the rest.
Whatever your motivation, all you need to get started is a plain tee, a free afternoon, and some basic know-how of how you’re going to complete your craft. Here are a few methods of how you can easily create your own customised band t-shirt.
Spray paint
Spray painting a design is a great way to get a cool, artistic effect on your shirt. Before starting, it’s a good idea to place a piece of cardboard inside your shirt so the paint doesn’t seep through to the other side of the shirt. Then, cut out a stencil from thick cardstock, carefully place it down on your t-shirt, grab your spray paint and go to town. For a graffiti-style vibe, spray a bit around the outside edges of the stencil as well.
Fabric paint
Want to try something free-hand or more intricate? Fabric paint is another good method to paint on the exact design you want. You can get fabric paint markers, or if you’re good with a paintbrush, use traditional fabric paints to get your t-shirt looking just how you imagine it. You could even go one step further and cut out a stencil, pin it down, and use a sponge to blot the fabric paint on to give it a neat finish. Don’t forget to let the paint dry for at least 24 hours before wearing it, or it may smudge or peel off.
Screen printing
This method is a bit more complex because of the set-up required, but if you’ve already got the tools and the know-how, you can quickly screen print the band tee of your dreams. If this process seems too complex, you can buy silk screen printing kits at your local craft store, which may help simplify it.
Professional printing
Professional garment printing t-shirts is another good way to go if the DIY methods of painting on a band logo or lyrics aren’t your style, or you want a more professional or clean look. You can always design your t-shirt yourself on a program like Photoshop or Illustrator and then take it to a studio that makes professional-looking custom tees. It may not be completely homemade, but you’ll still have made a one-of-a-kind design.
Iron-on transfers
The easiest way to get a design onto a t-shirt is with iron-on transfer paper. All you need to do is design your image on a computer, print it out to scale onto transfer paper (which you can do at home on your home printer), then iron on the design directly onto your t-shirt. Make sure to iron it on evenly, otherwise, it may peel or not fully transfer.
