Can a dude get some feedback on (new!) merch designs?

[Iommic Pope]

Dase, why you get new username?

[NDominy]

No worries about being harsh! I'm not a designer by any means and right now I mostly just want to get SOMETHING made up, even if it's just to get a visual aesthetic rolling for this band. These were both pretty quick to put together and as far as I'm concerned the fact that they've generated so much feedback on here means they've done their job

A lot of people aren't feeling the font in the first one and now I'm not either. I still like that blocky, OBEY/Kubrick-y font, but there's a lot of other ways to skin that cat. Printing and scrunching, and maybe otherwise distressing, sounds fun for sure- especially if it yields a reusable, interesting font. I like fonts with texture, but for some reason a lot of what I see on band shirts rubs me the wrong way. I think it'd be cool if the letters weren't perfectly aligned, also. Good ideas!

As for the Dore one, you're pretty spot on. I won't say it's not lazy at all. One of our guys was a little worried that it looks too much like the whole Thou woodcut thing and that maybe we should steer away from that, so I was already thinking that maybe I'd keep the text set as it is and try some different images/photos there. Go figure, though, people seem to like that shirt, so maybe I just shouldn't mess with it?

Either way, we'll be screen printing these. Also, I stumbled across this site yesterday and it's chock full of sweet designs: http://nightchannels.com/

Anyone see anything there that, stylistically, they think would make sense with these tunes?

[D.o.S.]

I mean people like it because the image is classic. There's a reason we still talk about it hundreds of years later (its mostly the scarf).

Dase, why you get new username?

^

[lordgalvar]

If you are screen printing, they are going to look different and not have as many colors. 4 colors is usually all you are going to get max. The first one is going to look a bit different (unless it already is 4 color, i am a bit color blind/ i get my wife to help on coloring/use theories hex codes/see video below). Getting somebody to setup those screens so they look right might take a bit of work. All the shirts on that site you posted are one color for a reason (there a few that ain't but there is always an exception). It can be done to make awesome 4 color prints, it just takes more setup and probably cost (though a good printer may be able to both in 3 color or something).

[youtube]http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TYM4QKMg12o[/youtube]

The guy at night guant graphics http://www.nightgauntgraphics.com had some awesome shots on his Facebook of trying to get the screens right for a his hero is gone shirt. He does awesome work too.

Just stuff to keep in mind when adding backgrounds and fonts and stuff.

[daseb]

The image is totally a classic. It's just to me the merch equivalent of playing in a cover band. I mean you don't google image search your songs so why do it with your art? But this is just a trend in (over)merchandising that bothers me personally.

I've seen screen prints using up to eight or nine colours. It's possible, you just need someone who is really on to it with their registration and inks. However a huge percentage of the cost of doing shirts is setting up the screens, so more colours is more expensive.

There's also the option of those printing machines that do full colour prints on to clothing. That's what night channels does with their colour stuff, but they often mess up in the wash. My ride shirt I got from them is already pretty cracked.

Oh I took a break from the Internet for a bit and binned my account btw. Did I miss anything?

[aen]

I like the first one best. It's confrontational. The black one is a cool design, but in very familiar territory. maybe the first design would be better suited for other materials, though, because white shirts become spotted shirts within 90 minutes of being donned. And because Black Shirt Guys buy more band shirts than Confrontational Wearable Art Guys.

[NDominy]

I think I've officially been talked out of both the Dore design and white shirts. Progress! Also, aen gets it:

It's confrontational.

I should be able to make some adjustments, try some new things, and post some new stuff here for discussion soon. This is super helpful!

I don't know why, but I have a gut opposition to digital printing for band shirts. Has anyone had good experiences with them or are screenprints still way better?

also dase, replying to your PM right after this!

[daseb]

I don't like digital prints either. I've seen one good one and like ten shitty ones.

[NDominy]

OK- I'm still fumbling around with the calf and I just haven't come up with anything else I like as much as the first draft, so I moved on to some other lingering ideas. Here's the first one with a full mockup:



What's everyone think?

[D.o.S.]

Can I have it now plz

[daseb]

yeah that's great

[aen]

DIGGIT!

[DarkAxel]

that's the coolest one for sure

[aen]

I hope some of the songs are about extra limbed mutants...

[BoatRich]

That's rad as fuck. i want one