Summer is officially here! It’s time for warm days, sunny rays and hot new t-shirts to help you enjoy the season in style. There are so many things that go into designing t-shirts (take it from us), so how do you even know where to begin? Well, with these summer t-shirt design tips, you’ll be looking fresh all summer long!
Embrace the Island Vibes
Who doesn’t want their t-shirt to transport them to a tropical paradise? We know we do! We can smell the salty sea air and coconuts already! Focus on imagery like bright, warm sunshine, beautiful palm trees dancing in the breeze and waves crashing on the beach. Make sure you choose a strong, summer-appropriate color scheme. We’re ready to grab our swimsuits and lounge chairs, just talking about it!
Add Wildlife Imagery
Don’t forget to embrace the wild spirit this summer by incorporating wildlife into your design. Birds, wolves and bears are trendy animals to have on summer t-shirts—just make sure you don’t include polar bears!
When we said wildlife, we bet you thought of only animals, right? Wrong! Well, right that you only thought of animals—but wrong, because insects are wildlife, too! Even though it sounds weird (and even a little yucky), bugs can be a really cool element in summer t-shirt designs. Bees are super popular right now, since you can easily include geometric beehive patterns and delicious drips of honey throughout your design. Plus, bees are pretty easy to make cute, just saying. Bugs don’t have to be the focal point, but maybe just a small detail off to the side to add some movement and speak to the outdoorsy feel of your shirt.
Use Yummy Food Motifs
There’s a saying in the restaurant biz that people eat with their eyes. Well, that’s true with t-shirts, too! Food never goes out of style, so stay fashionable this summer with some tasty motifs! Honestly, this can be anything: fast food, fruit, coffee—whatever your heart desires (or maybe we should say your stomach). Personifying food by giving it a cute face or kicking it old school by embracing a vintage style is definitely the way to go on this one!
Include Designs That are Going Somewhere (literally)
We’re not just talking about making sure your designs don’t look stiff and have some movement to them, we’re talking about designs that are kicking it into fifth gear! Vehicles are all the rage right now, especially with people taking summer road trips left and right. Think cars, license plates, roads and street signs. This speeds up your summer style and gives it a little grunge!
Showcase Fun Outdoor Activities
For summer swag, who doesn’t think of all those fun outdoor activities? Camping is one of the most popular summer activities for people of all ages, and it’s a great opportunity for making fun shirts. For your summer camping swag, keep your designs warm with campfires, embracing nature with pine trees and wild with animal motifs (hello—callback to one of our earlier tips). You can even include camping activities like fishing or canoeing. Whatever your outdoor activity of choice, have fun with it—in real life and on your t-shirt!
Say it Like You Mean it
Text is a super important element in any t-shirt design. Get your point across with funny, clever phrases and striking fonts. What you say should pack as much of a punch as the font you say it with! For example, you wouldn’t say something like “be bold” with a soft, gentle font. So, match your message’s energy, and keep the summer spirit in mind! Flowing bubble letters with lots of fluid movement are perfect for summer designs, as are bold serif and sleek sans serif fonts.
Focus on the Fit
With the weather warming up, having a t-shirt with the right fit is everything. Too tight around the pits, and everyone will know. Right now, the loose, boxy fit is trending in general, and this is perfect for summertime, when you just want to let everything breathe and feel the occasional breeze. If you want to get extra fashionable, do a fun, casual half-tuck into the front of your shorts—it’s high fashion in two seconds (and without the hefty price tag).
Warm Up Your Color Palette
Even if you have all the perfect elements, fun text and the right fit, your summer style could be lost in the wrong color palette. Leave the browns and oranges in fall, the blues and more blues in winter, and the pastels in spring. Now that it’s summer, think warm thoughts. Think yellows, corals, greens and blues—yes, we know blue seems cold, but not if you use the right undertones and pair it with the right complementary colors! If you’re feeling brave, this is the season for neons!
With these hot summer design tips, you’re ready to embrace the season with awesome tees! Whether you choose a tropical paradise or a wilderness camping theme, yummy foods or outdoor activities, Uth Stuph is here with super stylish customizable t-shirt templates! If you have a vision, our in-house artists are ready with their sketchbooks to design custom artwork to bring that vision to life. Consider your new, ultra-soft tees stitched, printed and ready to wear!