Anyone make t-shirts with illustrator?

[illustrator_Matt]

Hey all,

So im really new to illustrator and well it has frustrated me alot on trying to do certain things.
I have illustrator becuase i have heard that its a good program or main program to use on making t-shirts. I want to start a business in making t-shirts and well i have no idea on how to start. I have alot of ideas on what i want to do, but have troubles throwing those ideas on to illustrator.

It would be really awesome if someone give me some pointers and tips on what to do and how to start.
thank you

[warking@mac.com]

I have 15 years of apparel decorating experiance. Silk screen and Embroidery. Adobe Illustrator was our main program for art creation. Now before you joump into Adobe Illustrator as the end all, understand there are things that make AI better and things that make PS better. What will you be doing? If you will make one liner shirts "I'm with stupid>" then AI is great. If your looking for a grung twist then consider PS at times. Don't Vector yourself into a corner.

Adobe Illustrator is the program of choice if your going to do one and two color work of logos and text. I do know people who do great color work in AI. A lot of work in this area is available.
When it comes to profits a one and two color shirt is the best. Three colors and above you better make sure you have a big enough run (72-144 pieces or more) to support it.
Example: If you have a 4 head manual press, you can set up 4 separate jobs and run them very fast for high profits. Three color will only allow you to have one job up and you'll need to FLASH CURE the ink before hitting a second or third color at times. This will slow you down. Remember 4 one color jobs can be done quicker than 1 three color job and for a lot more money. Money is why you will do it, so done look for the multi color works at first.

So, Yes AI is it for the beginning.

Now, Here are some graphics that can be done in Adobe Illustrator if you have a month to work on them, or do them in Photoshop in a day. Photoshop has the ability to make spot color channels also. It is very hard to learn how to do those separations manually, but WOW the results a fantastic. It is called Simulated Process. There are softwares out there that do a lot of the separations, but don't work great all the time. "VueRite" Spot Process software is amazing and only costs about $600-800. The results are great 80% of the time. Something to consider I think for a new screen printer.

http://www.warking.com/T_Shirts.jpg

[illustrator_Matt]

Wow, those t-shirts look unreal.

What you have done with the t-shirts is kind of what i want to do. I love drawing and have done alot in my life but nothing with computer, ive just started using illustrator and well havent really used photo shop yet, as i dont know what each program is capable of doing. The art i want to do im not even sure that illustrator can do or photoshop, im still very new to both programs. But mainly i want to draw my art on computer but not sure if i have to use photoshop or illustrator. Is photoshop just mainly working with photo'? Can i actually do a comic drawing like something out of Marvel with photoshop or would i use illustrator?
ha seems i have a lot to go through and alot of learning to be taken up on each program.
But hey your artwork is awesome do you have more like that, ide be interested to see them.

Thanks

[warking@mac.com]

You can scan your ink work and colorize it in illustrator, but it might be easier to do it in Photoshop. PS does much more than photos. Many are using it as their primary art tool.

[Justin Loxley-Smith]

Todd there is some amazing work there. I have done a few single color and some up to 4 color designs for local hockey teams. They are then screen printed and the printer took care of color separation. I have friends that use the Ink-jet iron on templates but they do not look good. I would love to be able to get some full color results some time like Snake or the Bird design you show above. But I really do like the shades of Gray and white how was that to be done, screen printing?

[warking@mac.com]

All screen print.

[Paths]

Todd, AWESOME stuff!

What process was used for those? Were they all simulated? Were they done on a manual press?

Thanks,
Tara