Impressions - March 2024 - 46

The goal at this initial rough, or loose composition stage is to get
the general flow of a design together, after which you can tighten up
your roughs a step or two before presenting them to anyone else for
review. The easiest way to do this is through the use of transparent
paper, or for those of you who prefer computers, transparent layers
in whatever kind software you're using.
Once you have an initial design ready for review, go and get some
feedback from your customer an/dor maybe a co-worker or two.
It is always a good idea to start with several designs, so you have a
number to choose from. That way there will be an opportunity to
compare and contrast as well as refine or maybe " borrow " part of
one design to make help out another.
Note: if drawing just isn't your thing, you can always go straight
into computer aided composition. In this case, I typically start out
with a main element and then slowly build around it, saving any
variations or spinoffs I may come up with as they develop. If the main
element in the design includes some kind of lettering describing
a particular identity, working with various fonts early on can be a
useful step. On a side note, the reason I prefer drawing as a start is it
allows for a level of conceptualization and creativity that is difficult
to emulate using graphics only.
Thinking " outside of the box "
As I'm finishing my first set of design comps (either tight pencil
roughs or initial computer images) I often find it useful to include
at least one " crazy " or completely " out of the box " idea as well.
This serves two purposes: 1) it allows you to push the boundaries
in a way you might not normally 2) it creates a contrasting design
to compare against the original group, thereby allowing you to
consider the original group that much more effectively.
There are many ways to push outside of the lines with an intentionally
crazy idea. Some of my favorites include, looking at different
designs done for popular movies or in the world of music; finding
a design that is somehow unique, has a very different perspective
or an unusual placement; intentionally thinking about what the
boundaries of your design are and intentionally stretching or even
breaking some of them.
Of course, breaking boundaries doesn't mean creating something
rude, offensive or so bizarre the client wonders whether you've
lost your mind. What you want is to stretch
whatever concepts you might already have I
mind with an eye toward finding something
new. Consistently doing this over the years, I
have found that this extra effort, even when
not asked for, often creates a sort of fresh
energy that, even if it isn't appreciated in
and of itself, will often help push a viewer
into making a more informed decision with
respect to the other designs on offer-a winwin
if ever there was one.
As far as the success rate of this approach,
in which the " crazy " idea ends up being
chosen over the other, more conservative
designs you've put together, I've found it
to be higher than you might think, though
probably not more than 25 to 30 percent. I
will say that when an out-of-the-box design
works, it tends to work extremely well!
The gold is in the iterations
After your first round of comps, you should
be able to refine them and finalize your first
P.46
set of designs for a project. The goal here should be a set of well-designed
graphics that resonate with your audience and fit visually with
the trends they are currently fans of. Don't forget to incorporate
the garment style and color as you design your final comps. The
best-selling shirts of the world are often those in which the design
and garment seem made for one another.
Something to be aware of-on occasion one of the very first
designs someone creates becomes a bestseller, which can in turn
leave them somewhat jaded. They may start to think everything
they do is by definition equally great. The truth, though, is that
even the best designs can typically be improved on. One of the least
appreciated and most valuable exercises an artist can engage in is to
review their own work and see what, if anything could have been
done better. Dig out those design styles and take another look at
them. Do your best to see what, if any patterns are there that seem
to be consistently appealing to your customers and how these could
be improved on through the use of other graphics.
Some of the most useful questions you might ask yourself include:
1. How could this design be easier to print?
2. How could this design be more comfortable for the user to wear?
3. What could be done for the design to require less ink or
materials?
4. How can the design be brighter?
5. If I look at the design from far away what do I see?
6. Is the type in the design easily legible? If not, why?
7. When I first look at the design, where do my eyes go?
8. How could this design be simpler or more classic?
9. Does this design work with the garment color and style, or
does it fight against it?
Sometimes the answers to these questions will not actually make
the design sell better or worse. However, what they will do is make
you a better artist. Reviewing previous designs, both bestsellers
and bombs, will make everyone involved in the process of creation
and review better. So make sure you and your entire team do so
objectively and consistently. 
Thomas Trimingham has been helping screen printers for more than 25 years
as an industry consultant, artist and high-end separator, and author of over 180
articles. If you have feedback or wish to comment on this article you can reach
Thomas at: ttrimingham@yahoo.com.
An " out of the box " concept, like the one at left, helps put
whatever other designs you may have created into perspective.
And you never know, it just might be the client's final choice in
the end! Image by Thomas Trimingham
ImpressionsMagazine.com March 2024
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Impressions - March 2024

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