Ideal Editable High-End Templates

[sullyman]

As the title expresses, I'm trying to formulate some affordable, editable high-end design templates (and packages) that screen printers would be willing to purchase. What better place to ask then here, I figure.

I have already started with some highschool mascot designs and really want some input on what they guys and gals in the trenches doing the printing would like to see, that you haven't yet or additions/improvements to existing ideas. The designs I have existing are editable, (text, colors and design elements like rim lighting)

I'd love to pick your brains and find out the following information...

A. Ideal Price points ( Free, unfortunately won't work, but reasonable for high-end work)
B. Most widely printed categories, ie: highschool sports, firefigthing etc.
C. Level of customization that would help you get in and out of the design process and printing quickly.

I truly appreciate the feedback/input! It will go a long way and hopefully might offer someone a sample to use for further input on getting the best out of the work.

Thanks again,
Sully

[Rockers]

As the title expresses, I'm trying to formulate some affordable, editable high-end design templates (and packages) that screen printers would be willing to purchase. What better place to ask then here, I figure.

I have already started with some highschool mascot designs and really want some input on what they guys and gals in the trenches doing the printing would like to see, that you haven't yet or additions/improvements to existing ideas. The designs I have existing are editable, (text, colors and design elements like rim lighting)

I'd love to pick your brains and find out the following information...

A. Ideal Price points ( Free, unfortunately won't work, but reasonable for high-end work)
B. Most widely printed categories, ie: highschool sports, firefigthing etc.
C. Level of customization that would help you get in and out of the design process and printing quickly.

I truly appreciate the feedback/input! It will go a long way and hopefully might offer someone a sample to use for further input on getting the best out of the work.

Thanks again,
Sully

I feel there is a need for more music and band artwork. We have lots of bands that can`t afford a designer to make them a fancy artwork for just 50 tees. So something easily customizable in that direction would be great.

[sullyman]

As the title expresses, I'm trying to formulate some affordable, editable high-end design templates (and packages) that screen printers would be willing to purchase. What better place to ask then here, I figure.

I have already started with some highschool mascot designs and really want some input on what they guys and gals in the trenches doing the printing would like to see, that you haven't yet or additions/improvements to existing ideas. The designs I have existing are editable, (text, colors and design elements like rim lighting)

I'd love to pick your brains and find out the following information...

A. Ideal Price points ( Free, unfortunately won't work, but reasonable for high-end work)
B. Most widely printed categories, ie: highschool sports, firefigthing etc.
C. Level of customization that would help you get in and out of the design process and printing quickly.

I truly appreciate the feedback/input! It will go a long way and hopefully might offer someone a sample to use for further input on getting the best out of the work.

Thanks again,
Sully

I feel there is a need for more music and band artwork. We have lots of bands that can`t afford a designer to make them a fancy artwork for just 50 tees. So something easily customizable in that direction would be great.

Would you have any samples/ reference on what style of artwork that you have in miind? Also, thank you for your input, I think this is a fun idea!

[Sbrem]

Most places I get clipart from are around $10 - $12. Rival Art in particular has a lot of editable templates; I've even had end customers buy them and forward them to us, it is pretty convenient, and good low cost for the end user. Quality is a must, there is plenty of amateur art out there, it's not what our customers  are used to. That, and we have a fantastic full time artist with close to 40 years in the trade... So the prices are cheap, or inexpensive if you prefer, because they can sell copy after copy. My 2 cents, and when you're up and running, I will check it out...

Steve

[sullyman]

Most places I get clipart from are around $10 - $12. Rival Art in particular has a lot of editable templates; I've even had end customers buy them and forward them to us, it is pretty convenient, and good low cost for the end user. Quality is a must, there is plenty of amateur art out there, it's not what our customers  are used to. That, and we have a fantastic full time artist with close to 40 years in the trade... So the prices are cheap, or inexpensive if you prefer, because they can sell copy after copy. My 2 cents, and when you're up and running, I will check it out...

Steve

Thanks for taking the time to answer, Steve. It is appreciated I've checked out a lot of the design template sites and I find the a good majority of them all offer clipart style work and at times editable but I'm not very impressed (At cost of sounding conceited). I find that most recycle big portions of the design in other works. (Not that, that is a bad thing or that it's bad practice.)

I'm thinking for moderately priced pieces, hand drawn high-end illustrations/paintings with very little recycled (text mainly) artwork that will stand out from the crowds of clipart works. For those times that printers want that extra "punch" to be delivered. Would you have any other resources I might have a look at that are more on the high-end of templates artwork to offer?

[Northland]

Sully.... here's a link to one template service that has a wide range of products.
The subscription price is about $4/ea if you're willing to invest a package of 30 templates ($2/ea for a 100 template package).

I'm not sure if this is the type of product you're interested in offering.
I'd say about one in ten of these stock designs fits my idea of attractive... but there's a wide selection to choose from.

http://www.yougraph.com/

[mimosatexas]

How are the actual files on that site Northland?  A lot of those would save me time if the files are layered properly and packaged to include fonts etc...

[sullyman]

After the band suggestion was posted it inspired a design. Is this what you had in mind style wise?

[sullyman]

Also, here are the mascots for any feedback or suggestions. The rim lighting on the design (towards the outter edges of the animals) is quickly editable to match the color of the text (that is editable as well)

[blue moon]

Sully,

great art! Here are few thoughts on what would make your art more marketable.
Most of the sports orders are rather small, usually less than 48 pieces. Very rarely will a customer be willing to pay for that many colors on a small number of shirts. When designing sport related artwork, less colors is better!

Similarly, most bands are on a budget and will want less colors to save money. I LOVE the king design and I think the one color version would make a great shirt for somebody. Unfortunately, if licensed to a band, they would not want somebody else using that image. So it would have to be a one time sale. . .

What I think would sell. . . one color, white on black simple designs. Make them distressed so they can be printed with one hit of white rather than requiring an underbase. Most common  request we get are family reunions (they never have any art) and fundraisers (usually for a particular cause or an event like a run or a walk. Schools (sports, cheerleader or events) need stuff all the time and are constantly trying to come up with something cool and different. Again, they are ordering smaller quantities so one or two colors at most. Majority of the designs should be on darker shirts with 25% or so for the lighter colors.

The designs should mach the customers. The king is a great example of heavy metal shirt, but would not work for a school.

We have two ppl on staff that design, but on occasion we buy from outside. School stuff should be in $20-$50 range (your black and white king at $50 would be a good value for us) full color king style art $75-$100. We pay $350-$500 for the custom made art of similar style (not many spend what we do or have the customers looking for stuff like that. Most screenprinting shops will be in the sub $50 range).

pierre

[sullyman]

Sully,

great art! Here are few thoughts on what would make your art more marketable.
Most of the sports orders are rather small, usually less than 48 pieces. Very rarely will a customer be willing to pay for that many colors on a small number of shirts. When designing sport related artwork, less colors is better!

Similarly, most bands are on a budget and will want less colors to save money. I LOVE the king design and I think the one color version would make a great shirt for somebody. Unfortunately, if licensed to a band, they would not want somebody else using that image. So it would have to be a one time sale. . .

What I think would sell. . . one color, white on black simple designs. Make them distressed so they can be printed with one hit of white rather than requiring an underbase. Most common  request we get are family reunions (they never have any art) and fundraisers (usually for a particular cause or an event like a run or a walk. Schools (sports, cheerleader or events) need stuff all the time and are constantly trying to come up with something cool and different. Again, they are ordering smaller quantities so one or two colors at most. Majority of the designs should be on darker shirts with 25% or so for the lighter colors.

The designs should mach the customers. The king is a great example of heavy metal shirt, but would not work for a school.

We have two ppl on staff that design, but on occasion we buy from outside. School stuff should be in $20-$50 range (your black and white king at $50 would be a good value for us) full color king style art $75-$100. We pay $350-$500 for the custom made art of similar style (not many spend what we do or have the customers looking for stuff like that. Most screenprinting shops will be in the sub $50 range).

pierre

First off, thanks for the great input Pierre! Very good points made here!

I have some questions... so with the sports stuff and the high color issue, wouldn't some low color sep's solve that issue or is the design preferred as low color originally? In my mind having high-end colors as the original and sep'ing to low color is the better option ( giving that knowing designs can suffer post seps when not designed with limited colors in mind)

For band designs, what do you think would be a good range for colors? Also, I'm thinking a nice file with lots of editable parts that can create new original designs quickly, multiple backgrounds, subject matter, garnishing elements and textures/distressing to choose from... versus one file.

Again, thanks for the great input and feedback!

[kingscreen]

Take a look at http://www.designspin.com  They offer designs for $40-60 depending on whether you want to just use it or own it.  That's pretty affordable, in my opinion.