Add Style to Your Custom T-shirt Designs with Free Internet Fonts
Jun/110
Fonts are a good way to enhance your designs. Fonts themselves are a whole industry in itself. There are some people that design fonts for a living.
Searching for and downloading new fonts can be quick and easy. Once you know how, you can spend endless amounts of time searching for fonts that you like. There are literally thousands and thousands of fonts online that designers have created. Some fonts are free to use while others you must pay for. Most fonts have some sort of licensing agreement so you must know your end use when it comes to using new fonts.
Searching for new fonts can be fun. A certain font can really improve your design. There are different kinds that go with various types of designs.
To begin searching for new fonts, Google is the best place to start. If you don’t really know what you’re looking for, basic searches like “fonts” or “free fonts” will be a good start. If you have more of an idea of what type of font you would like, you might try more specific searches like “script fonts” or “block letter fonts”. Most font sites will have a variety. If you find a page you like, you can browse their selections. Some sites to try are www.dafont.com or www.myfonts.com.
Once you find a font you like, the next part is to download and install the font in the correct place on your computer in order to use it.
For this example, you found a font that will match the design you are working on. You simply download the font to your computer. Most sites will have a download button. Make sure to save it to a location where you can find the files for the next step. You may have to unzip the font. After you download and unzip the font if needed, there is one more step before you can use it. You must put the font file into the correct place on your computer. For Windows users, this location is C:\Windows\Fonts.
To move this file, open the folder that you downloaded. Copy the font file only. There are different types of fonts, so depending on the type of font you downloaded, it may have a different file extension. For this example, it is an Open Type Font, so the file extension is “.otf”. Another common font extention is .ttf.
Copy the downloaded font file.
Next, open your “C” drive (your computer’s hard drive) and then open your “Windows” folder. Inside the “Windows” folder, you will find the “Fonts” folder. Copy the font file into this “Fonts” folder.
Paste the font file into your C:WindowsFonts folder to use the new font.
That’s it! That’s all there is to downloading new fonts to use! However, if you have your design application open, some require you to close the program and reopen it before your font will be visible to use.
Now you can create new and edgy designs using unique fonts! In spite of this, if you’re like us, searching for fonts can be addictive and time consuming! It will suck you in to the infinite world of fonts! Enjoy! Remember if you create artwork with fonts you download you will need to convert it to curves before you upload it to us. Plus, if you upload art with a font you downloaded, list the font name in our upload notes area. This will help us if we need to make changes to your art.
Caution: Be very careful on what you are downloading fonts. There are many viruses on the internet so make sure what you are downloading is safe. Stick to safe sites that you can trust. If you are unsure of a site, it is best to stay away from it.
Vector vs Raster Art: Which is Best for Transfers?
Jun/110
Vector vs Raster Art:
There are basically two different types of art – vector and raster (bitmap/jpg). Both are useful depending on your end use.
Raster art is made up of tiny boxes known as pixels. An example of a raster image is a digital photograph. Typically, rasterized files end with file extensions such as .jpg, .tif, .bmp, .gif, and .png. One of the most common mistakes made with raster art has to do with scaling (sizing) a rasterized image larger. Since raster art is resolution dependent, you can scale smaller, but you shouldn’t scale larger. This is because there are only so many pixels in the image. Raster images are measured by their dpi (dots per [linear] inch). A crisp, high resolution image will be around 300 pixels per inch. When scaling larger, the same amount of pixels remain, but over a larger area. Therefore, if you scale a high resolution (300 dpi) photo twice the size, you now only have 150 pixels per inch, which is half the resolution previously. When scaling larger, the pixels per inch decreases, which in turn makes the resolution decrease. This creates the distorted and pixilated look.
When zoomed in on raster artwork, you can see the pixels that create the image.
Vector art, on the other hand, is not resolution dependent. You can scale it larger or smaller and it will still look the same. Vector art can be used on a golf ball or the same art can be used on a billboard and either one will look clear. This type of art uses mathematical formulas to create the artwork. There are no pixels involved. Instead, it uses points and curves to create shapes. This type of artwork is created in applications such as CorelDraw and Adobe Illustrator, which can have file extensions such as .cdr, .ai, and .eps.
When zoomed in on vector artwork, lines and curves are smooth.
How does this all fit in to our transfers?
Rasterized artwork is fine for our CAD-PRINTZ™ digital transfers as long as it is high resolution at full size (300 dpi or higher). Also for our digital transfers, vector artwork is perfectly acceptable as well.
If you are interested in our screen printed transfers, the printing process differs some. In this case, you can send us raster artwork, however, it will only be used as a guide from which the artwork will be recreated. Vector art is preferred for screen printing.
How to Prep Your Own Artwork for CAD-PRINTZ Printing
May/110
RGB Vs. CMYK Color Mode:
We make it easy for our customers by providing all the artwork you could ever imagine with Easy Prints® layouts and clipart, which the selection continues to grow each year. However, sometimes your customers provide their own artwork or maybe you have come up with some very nice artwork yourself. In these cases, one of the most common questions that re-occur has to do with the color mode of the artwork files. The color mode of your artwork file is basically the colors that your artwork is rendered in its end use. To determine which color mode you want, you must know your end use for the artwork. There are various color modes, while RGB and CMYK are the most common.
RGB (standing for Red, Green, Blue) is a color mode used by computer monitors, televisions, and any sort of electronic screen. All of the colors you see on the screen are actually made up of various combinations of tiny red, green and blue “boxes” known as pixels. This is also the color mode used by all internet graphics. If you are making any artwork for the web or any other project that will be viewed on a monitor, you would want to use RGB as the color mode.
However, RGB is not a color mode meant for printing. CMYK (standing for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key (Black)) is the other main color mode which is meant for printing. By combining different percentages of the ink colors, cyan, magenta, yellow and black, a wide variety of other colors are created. This is the method used by your ink jet printer at home all the way to commercial printing presses. CMYK is also known as “full color”, “4-color” or “process color” printing. We use CMYK as the color mode to print all of our CAD-PRINTZ™. This includes all of the digital transfers, wall graphics, banners, stickers and window clings. If you try to print artwork that is RGB using CMYK, the colors will not be consistent and will most likely be very different from how they appear on your computer screen. Therefore, if you are sending us artwork for any CAD-PRINTZ™ product, we need the color mode in CMYK.
Changing the color mode of your artwork file depends on the computer application you are using. Please check your users guide for your particular application that you are using for details.
RGB and CMYK Color Model
Custom Shirts for Children’s Parties and Camps – Both a giveaway and a craft!
May/110
If you are selling to a group who is hosting a children’s event such as a birthday party, vacation bible school or camp, here is an idea to solve two problems at once. Create shirts that can be colored as an activity!
Ordering just a one color print keeps costs low and white t-shirts, perfect for coloring, are also budget friendly. Just choose one of our Easy Prints® layouts and order customized transfers for your event. Use the camp theme or try one of our party layouts. Or you can use your own art, and we will print the custom transfer for application. Then provide fabric paints or markers and let each child color their own shirt. The kids will love seeing their shirt come to life in color, and your customer was able to maintain their budget.
Custom shirts are perfect for coloring as a children's craft at a birthday party or event
Helmet Stickers Are A Great Add On Sale
Mar/110
Whatever the sport—we have the helmet stickers to decorate and number the team. Our stickers apply easily to baseball, lacrosse, bike or football helmets and are full color! You can send us your own art to create a custom helmet sticker or use our Easy Prints® ideas and clip art—just let us know the colors and the size! The stickers are durable, water and fade resistant for outdoor wear. If you have placed an order for your customer’s uniform, we can reduce the logo for the helmet also. Stickers can be purchased as individual logos, in number/decal packs or numbers only.
The Number/Decal Packs are perfect for handing out to the team to personalize each helmet. Each pack has a 4” x 4” space for a logo (you can do one large, two small or even multiple reward stickers), and 13, 1.6” numbers—the perfect size for the back of a helmet. In addition, each pack has space for a store name/address or motivational message for the team. For example, on each pack you can put “MVP Sporting Goods wishes the Mentor Cardinals the best of luck this season”, or just your company name and address so the team knows who to call when they need more stickers.
Helmet Sticker using Easy Prints® Clip ArtHelmet Decal Packs come with numbers and logos.
Helmet Decal Packs come with numbers and logos.
Use Your Custom Clip Art in Easy View
Mar/110
Custom Clip Art is your art specifically created for your use in our Easy Prints® layouts is now available for use in your online design tool, Easy View™. This is great to have if your local school has an unusual mascot or its own specific logo. Or if you do business with a company that uses their logo for many different types of apparel – the company bowling team shirts, softball team or company picnic apparel, you can access the logo and use it in the Easy Prints® layouts. Generate more business by showing the Easy View™ proofs with their own logo as the clip art! Plus you can use Easy View™ to create proofs of stickers, banners and wall graphics!
To use your Custom Clip Art, just login at TransferExpress.com and click the new My Clip Art section under the My Account area in the left tool bar. You will see a visual of any custom clip art you archived for you as well as its assigned clip art number for your use. Use this number in place of the clip art shown in any Easy Prints® layout, and customize with your text and colors and click the “Easy View” button for an instant proof. Copy and paste to a flyer you make for the school or company or email a couple of ideas to the decision makers.
To have custom clip art created, just place an order using the logo in any design and pay a small fee to have us archive the logo for you. It is then available for your Easy View™ use!
Layouts QBA-8 and QEV-32 using a Custom Clip Art logo in Easy View™
Win the Bid with our Bid Sample Kit!
Mar/110
We have created a sample product to help you win every bid! Our new bid sample kit is printed with our full color Cad-Printz™ opaque so you can use the samples on any color, and almost any product—including tshirts, caps, golf shirts, nylon bags, neoprene ad specialty items, and umbrellas. With just a heat press, and the bid kit, you can show your customers a wide array of items they will be able to order from you, custom printed in full color.
The Bid Sample Kit includes:
- 2 – 4×4” prints
- 2 – 3×3” prints
- 4 – 2×2” prints
- 6 – 1×1” prints
- All for just $25! Or split the sample kit into two logos for just $35.
Our new Bid Kit will be featured as part of the webinar in April titled Winning Your Customer’s T-Shirt Printing Business. Don’t miss out!
Get Bids for Jobs using our Bid Kit from your design
Irish Eyes Are Smiling on St Patrick’s Day Ideas
Mar/110
Everyone wears green on St. Patrick’s Day—let us help you capture these sales with shirt ideas for the festivities. Does your town have a St. Patrick’s Day parade? Organizers may be receptive to selling shirts for the event. Is there a local Irish restaurant or pub that would be interested in shirts for their celebration? Or you can stock your store with a popular saying. The ideas are endless…. Easy View™ lets you get creative! Just create with a favorite saying and personalize! These designs can also be used to create repositionable wall graphics, that can be taken down and saved for next year or a banner for your customer’s group to carry in the parade. Or hand out stickers with one of these designs!
Use Easy View™ to create St. Patrick's Day designs for shirts and banners.
Creating Custom Shirt Tags
Dec/100
You can have your own custom t-shirt tags printed that apply in just seconds to cotton, polyester and cotton/poly blends. To order, send us your own artwork laid out ready to print or use one of our t-shirt tag templates. Using our templates, each sheet will create 30- 1.75” x 1.6” tags. Different shirt sizes can be placed on the same sheet. The minimum order is 5 sheets. For example, each sheet may have tags for 6 Small, 6 Medium, 6 Large, 6 XL and 6 XXL—and you may order 5 sheets giving you 30 tags for each size. Or if you order 10 sheets you will have 60 shirt tags for each size. Each tag has room for 3 lines of text in addition to the size that can be customized for your needs.
If sending your own artwork you will set it up similarly to the tag layouts, however you can add custom art or customize your own size. The minimum order if sending your own artwork is 10 sheets. Create all artwork in an image area of 11.25″ x 14″
One of our customizable shirt tag layouts
New! Jumbo Custom Transfers
Aug/100
Jumbo Custom Transfer
With the oversized prints popularity booming in the retail stores, your customers will love the new “Jumbo” custom transfers. These prints can be up to the maximum size of 13” x 15”, filling the front or back of a shirt.
You can use Easy Prints® to create a design and “supersize” it, or send artwork at the jumbo specifications. To send artwork just visit www.TransferExpress.com and click “Send us your artwork” and we will give you a call once received. Dealers, if you prefer to use an Easy Prints® layout and order online (just enter “jumbo size” in the notes) or if you are new to Transfer Express, call us at 1-800-622-2280.
Jumbo prints cost just 20% more than the regular “Maximum” size 11.25″ x 14″ transfers.
