Hi, if you are reading this then you are probably new to Threadless. This is my second year at Threadless, so I still have much to learn myself.

Here are some tips, hints and links for you to look at.

WELCOME!

Enjoy Threadless, have a look around at all the great tees that have been printed.

click me to see all the prints


New World Order by Tony Aguero.


TEE TEMPLATES



From left to right: Threadless tee (layers), Blue jean tee (flat JPEG) & female model (Rodrigobhz download)

Use a photo template for your work to achieve a professional look. The Threadless official templates are great, now go download them from the 'submit a design' section!

Or if you are looking for a wider range of pics, you might want to try the Threadless blank tees and template photographs on Flickr.

You might have to customise some of these yourself though.

Threadless Blank Tee Photos

Rodrigobhz has also recently made these new templates.:

New PSD ready tee templates by Rodrigobhz


FLASH TEMPLATES

If you have a copy of Flash and would like to show more than one page, you can use these slide templates by pihilip.

two or three slide Flash templates

....or you can use an adapted version of pilihip's templates by agrimony.

These slides by agrimony include scroll and zoom features

SPAMMING

Another thing to remember is please don't post links to your work on the design submission pages as most people who have been on Threadless for more than a few weeks don't like it.

how to promote your design by Squatter John

Always try to remember to offer good advice in the critique section if you are using it (rather than sending 'neato check out mine' comments).

A funny 'check out mine' example


PROMOTING YOUR OWN WORK



How to improve your presence on the web

An ongoing discussion about self-promotion, by the wonderful queenmob.


WIP BLOGS

You can also post a WIP on the blogs, which is sometimes better if you just want a quick answer about a small detail such as choice of tee colour or conceptual ideas.

You can post images using HTML. Here is an explanation by Bortwein:



TYPETEES

You might also want to write some slogans. The slogan section has been updated recently, and there is a real buzz about writing slogans now! You can only submit one slogan per day. Here are some links to check out, if you are interested in wordplay.


Slogan advice by Soloyo

The Official Slogan Club

Slogan Shoguns (club)

VOTING



Vote 4 or 5 if you like it and say $5 if you would like to buy it. $2 wouldn't make much sense as it means you would give the tee a low score but you would buy it anyway. :D

GENERAL ADVICE

You can set up a Flickr account to keep artwork on and to upload additional images.

It is recommended to use Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator as these programs are the industry standard.

Photoshop tutorial by Valor and Vellum

If you want free copies of any program, Google 'portable+program ;) Although, I can't officially recommend doing that as some sites have viruses or adware in the downloads.

LAYERS

I can reccommend downloading Mike Mitchell's awesome linemaker tool though. It's a handy Photoshop action tool which can make the linework of your sketch go onto a seperate layer.

It is recommended that you use layers unless you are planning to make a simulated process print. Threadless can print as many colours as they like, but submissions which are two colours only are more likely to be selected for printing.

Linemaker tool by Sticky Mike


THE DESIGN PROCESS



No regrets sketches by Phillip Tseng

A few words from Jublin about the design process:

Sometimes you just gotta push through those frustrating moments when it seems like nothing is working and keep at it. Ask for advice, take a break, come back to it later. Eventually, things will start to shape up and it will come out looking nice and sexy. Nicexy

Jublin

Jublin's process blog about Space and Time

You might also find this an interesting read. Murray Mullet posted a blog where printed artists can show their first drafts of their concept or initial idea.

Original Sketches of Threadless Prints


BLOGS

Blog about your own work and other people's work if you like it. It doesn't have to be all ME, ME, ME! You can also make or read blogs about all kinds of other stuff.



A friendly blogger called SuperRyan modelling a new tee. (You can get a discount off of your next tee if you send in a pic).

A cool blog by Threadless staff member wearecareful:

People's favourite comic book artists

FEEDBACK

Try to be honest with people but also remember to show some tact if they have put a lot of work into it.

Feel free to ask any questions, more to come.


HELP-WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?



If none of this makes any sense, you can ask me a question on this blog.

You can also ask Isaboa Joe a question or just say hi at this blog here:

Dear New People

If it's all too much to read, just click the watch this (eye icon)
and come back to the links at a later date.

Hit the hash button from the main menu to go to the last page of a blog.