1. Create text designs
If text-based designs are your thing, then the built-in Text Tool is the right option. With it, you can create meaningful messages and eye-catching designs in minutes.
Here’s what to keep in mind when designing clothing, such as custom t-shirts or custom hoodies with the Text Tool.
Direct-to-garment (DTG) printing:
Source: Printful’s Design Maker
Embroidery:
Our fonts ensure high-quality results for all fulfillment techniques. But if you have your own font, you can use it too. Create your design in any image editor, upload the file to the Design Maker, and tweak it to your liking.
Source: Printful’s Design Maker
Before embroidering your design, we need to convert your file into a format our embroidery machines can read. This conversion is called embroidery digitization. There’s a one-time digitization fee for each new embroidery design. For text designs, there’s a small fee of $3.95 per file (for most designs, it’s $6.50 per file).
2. Experiment with clipart and Quick Designs
The Design Maker has over 50 clipart collections and nearly 3000 individual graphics—all free to use. Explore the Clipart tab for minimalistic designs, timeless classics, and design elements for special occasions. Browse the library or type in a keyword to find the right ones for you.
Source: Printful’s Design Maker
Choose line drawings for minimalist compositions or add text designs to create original custom clothing. Spark your creativity by experimenting with color combos and different styles.
If you want to combine clipart with eye-catching messages, our Quick Designs are right for you. They’re pre-made compositions of text and clipart. You can easily adjust them by dragging and repositioning the layers, changing the colors, and deleting the design elements you don’t need.
Click Quick Designs on the Design Maker’s left side to browse the library.
Source: Printful’s Design Maker
3. Browse the Getty Images library
If designing from scratch isn’t your thing, you’re in luck. Printful integrates with one of the largest stock photography libraries—Getty Images. There are more than 80M photos and illustrations in countless searchable categories. So, no matter your niche, you’ll find beautiful graphics for your store.
Find the Getty Images library under the Premium tab and search for any image. Play around, create your product design, and add it to your store in just a few clicks.
Using a Getty Images file in your design costs $1 for each image and its placement in every order.
Source: Printful’s Design Maker
4. Adjust the design placement
Adjusting design elements is easy in the Design Maker. Click on the design element to see the available customization options at the top of the design window. Depending on the element, you can change its size, color, and position. You can also crop and rotate elements.
Source: Printful’s Design Maker
There are a few ways you can make adjustments:
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Click the buttons on the left to align, flip, or rotate the element
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Crop the design
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Type a number in the rotation box to adjust the rotation angle
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Use the blue anchor points to scale and rotate
You can also manually change your design’s size by altering its width and height under the Layers section (see the photo above).
To get a closer look at the print area and get the design placement just right, use the Design Maker’s zoom tool. It works for all clothing products, except all-over print items.
Click Zoom in the Design Maker’s toolbar on the top right. Adjust your design, and click Zoom again to downsize the image.
Source: Printful’s Design Maker
Make sure to keep your design within the safe print area—that way, you’ll avoid your design being cut off during printing. To make it easier to see, click the Grid icon, and the print area will appear.
Source: Printful’s Design Maker
5. Create designs with layers
Design Maker lets you combine multiple design element layers to create more complex compositions.
You can upload your own files or use Printful’s Quick Designs, clipart, or text. Mix and match these elements as you wish.
Source: Printful’s Design Maker
Experiment with the layer order. Select and drag layers to rearrange them and find the best order for your design.
6. Add background colors and graphics
Spice up your design’s background with a splash of color. For some product categories, you can also use background graphics.
Customize the backgrounds of mugs, phone cases, wall art, and all-over products (like leggings). We offer classic hues, colorful graphics, and options like tie-dye—sure to make your designs pop.
Source: Printful’s Design Maker
Background colors and graphics will help you save time you’d otherwise spend using image editing software. With Design Maker, you’ll have your designs ready in minutes.
7. Remove backgrounds
If there’s an image you’d like to use in your design but want to get rid of the background, the Background Removal Tool will come in handy.
Simply upload your image (or choose one from the Getty Images library) and click Remove Background.
