Graphics to Apparel
The process of transferring designs or graphics from one media to the next is interesting in and of itself, but the medium that really piques my interest is that of clothing. Yes, clothing can be boring, but it can also be wildly expressive and influential as to how an individual may be perceived by their family, peers, employers, etc. There is professional attire, casual clothes, athletic wear, and everything in between. However, whether it’s the brand of an article of clothing that catches someone’s eye or the design on the clothing itself, both reasons have to do with the physical aesthetic and appearance of the piece of clothing.
When it comes to designing clothes, there are a few things that a person must consider. A designer must realize who they are marketing their product towards. They will also need to decide which form of image transfer they would like to take advantage of. There’s vinyl heat transfer, silk screen printing, embroidery, air brushing and more.
When considering how they would like to get their design from either their notebook or computer to the article of clothing they must think about the steps that they’ll need to take in order to reach their desired goal in the end. How comfortable are they with silk screen printing? Do they know how to digitize an image so that it can be run through the embroidery machine? Are they confident in their ability? Questions such as these need to be taken into consideration whenever a designer is beginning the process of creating their desired article of clothing.
Furthermore, an artist needs to meet the needs of their respective audience. Are the clothes they are making gender neutral, or are they designed specifically for men or women? Will various sizes be available? What variety of colors will be offered if any at all, or will there only be one style and color way?
At the end of the day, an artist or designer who is making clothes may choose to go another direction entirely and just make clothes because they want to, and not for a client or a group of individuals with any kind of specific “need” that must be met. It’s all just a creative process anyway, and if it is something that interests someone then they should take every opportunity to explore it to the fullest.
