Basic Graphic Design for Print On Demand (POD) and Merch

Name: Basic Graphic Design for Print On Demand (POD) and Merch
Rating: 4.7 (141 reviews)

Learn the fundamentals of good t-shirt design which apply to any POD design you may create

Created byLaura Burke

Last updated 7/2019

English

What you'll learn

Four basic graphic design principles and examples specifically as they apply to print-on-demand design
How to take a boring, mediocre design and make it pop
Skills that will help you confidently create designs that stand up against the competition
How to choose and pair fonts together
Various composition methods that will bring variety to your designs
Real-world examples - what works and what doesn't

Course content

8 sections • 27 lectures • 2h 16m total length

Resources PDF0:03
This downloadable PDF has a ton of resources for print-on-demand designers. Some of the lectures refer to links in this document so please feel free to download it now!

Overview of the four basic principles of good design1:38
An overview of the four fundamentals of good design. If you apply these to your artwork, you will see vast improvement.
Principle #1: Contrast5:05
In this lecture, we discuss the first principle, contrast (although they are not necessarily in order of importance).
Principle #2: Repetition2:12
What types of elements can you repeat in a design, and how to do it.
Principle #3: Alignment2:47
Alignment can make or break a design. Learn how to design with it in mind.
Principle #4: Proximity3:18
Proximity helps with readability and overall meaning of a design.
Line Breaks and Proximity2:06
An addendum of sorts to the proximity lesson: How proximity should be applied in a block of text.

Pairing fonts5:06
Pairing two fonts can be challenging for many. Here's how to do it with confidence.
Using Wordmark.it2:10
A free online resource for choosing fonts for your designs.
Making fonts and colors suit a phrase9:12
Fonts shouldn't be chosen at random. You'll learn in this lecture how to make them suit the words they are applied to.
Examples of matching a font to a niche2:44
You should also keep in mind matching fonts to the niche itself - here are some examples.
What not to do with a font1:58
Learn about one of the biggest no-no's in font usage! This makes graphic designers cry! :)

Sizing art to be useful on a wide variety of products3:05
How to ensure that you'll be able to use your design on a variety of POD products.
Vectors vs. rasters8:20
Learn the difference between vectors and rasters and how it applies to POD design.
Resolution: 72 ppi vs. 300 ppi4:03
Resolution can be confusing, but it's nothing to be afraid of!
JPG format is "lossy"3:21
A warning about JPGs and when you should use them.

Rule of thirds7:37
Composition video #1: How to design with the "rule of thirds" in mind.
Framing your design5:26
Composition video #2: How to "frame" your design, tying it all together.
Leading the eye5:02
Composition video #3: Lead the viewer's eye to the most important part of the design.
Incorporating text with graphics7:08
Composition video #4: Several ways to incorporate text and graphics in the same artwork.
Overall shape4:57
Composition video #5: How the overall shape of a design can itself be an element of the design.
Text orientation4:18
Composition video #6: Changing the text orientation as a composition technique.

Requirements

Description

This course teaches basic graphic design principles and examples specifically as they apply to t-shirt and print-on-demand design. It is geared toward beginners and those who may have been designing for a while but feel they're just winging it and would like some real training. This is not abstract theory; rather, you'll see real-life examples of good and bad design and how to make a "meh" design better.

Sellers are entering the print-on-demand field in record numbers. Most have no graphic design training whatsoever. This course gives you a foundation for creating sellable designs, which will put you ahead of 95% of the competition. This can make or break you in the POD field; I want to help you make it!

I use Photoshop and Illustrator to teach this course. However, the principles you'll learn are not software-dependent, which makes it super flexible and applicable to anyone in print on demand, even if you're designing primarily on mobile.

Who this course is for:

Print-on-demand designers who are new to graphic design and want a foundation for creating sellable designs

Basic Graphic Design for Print On Demand (POD) and Merch

What you'll learn

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Course content

Resources for Print on Demand1 lecture • 1min

Basic Principles of Design6 lectures • 17min

How to choose fonts5 lectures • 21min

Techy stuff4 lectures • 19min

Basics of Composition/Layout6 lectures • 34min

Design Inspiration Tips2 lectures • 5min

Design Critique and Design Makeover2 lectures • 32min

Bonus Lecture1 lecture • 9min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: