Last week I reached out to some of my long-time favorite t-shirts designers, and some who are relatively new to me, to ask them:
1. Paul, Licensed T-Shirt Designer, Popcorn Punk
A. I've always been a hardcore drawer since I was young. I remember when I was in grade school, my brother had this school project where they screen printed shirts. After he was done, we played around with the template and screen printed our T-shirts with the school logo, LOL. That was my first exposure in designing and printing T-shirts. Fast forward to today; POD sites like Threadless definitely rekindled my interest in designing t-shirts. Now, I mainly design graphic tees!
What Paul loves about designing them: The drawing part, discovering and interacting with cool artists, and the feeling when people buy and wear my designs!
John Paul David
IG: @popcorn.punk
popcornpunk.threadless.com
Jay Longshore
Shirtmandude.com
IG @shirtmandude
A: So my first professional design job was working in the greeting card industry. It was a really fast paced environment and a learned a ton, but after being there for so long I found that I wasn’t doing as much actual designing myself, more just general management stuff. At the time I was getting more into t-shirt design, mainly as a customer, but then I started dabbling in a few t-shirt design competitions. This was before Print On Demand was a thing, so it was a bit more difficult to get into. But I ended up winning a competition and that gave me a lot of confidence to try moving my career that way. I ended up going freelance which sort of coincided with the rise of Print On Demand stuff, so it was a pretty fortunate time to get into tee design. But I also made sure I have an agency to represent me just to give an extra layer of protection as it can be a bit of a volatile industry!
Most of my tee designs have that combination of image and text, which is kind of similar to a lot of greeting card design, and I love playing around with different imagery and wordplay. And one thing I really love about t-shirt design, is that it has to work for the viewer almost straight away or it flat out won’t work. So I really enjoy the challenge of creating something that looks good and has an interesting message that can be read in under five seconds! And who doesn’t like drawing cats and skulls?
Michael Buxton
https://linktr.ee/dinomike_design
Children's Books: here
IG: @dinomike_design
4. Kaeli of Kaeraz, T-Shirt Designer and Owner of Kaeraz - "Tees and gifts for weird gals!"
5. Cindy of Snouleaf Tees, Licensed T-Shirt Designer.
A: What got me interested in t-shirt design was the simplicity of the business and how fun it can be.
What I love about designing them is the freedom to design every idea I get and to be able to bring happiness to those who enjoy what I do all around the world :)
Cindy, Snouleaf Tees
Snouleaf.com
IG: @snouleaf
6. Jennyfer Clancy, T-shirt and other products Designer, and science teacher! DangerCool Designs
I have always been a bit creative, but was looking for a side hustle to start during the summer. I am currently a high school science teacher and get bored in the summer. (But with small children, working another gig is nearly impossible). So I did some research and realized I can sell some of my designs on different merch. I love coming up with new puns and creative ways to showcase a love of science, so it just worked out perfectly as a side gig to see graphic tees. It probably won't last forever, as I get older, but for now, It's a great way for extra income and showing a creative side.
Jennyfer Clancy
https://
IG: @dangercooldesigns
7. Troy Artthree, Licensed T-shirt Designer.
I've always been passionate about illustration, and designing graphic tees felt like the perfect way to bring my ideas to life. What got me into it was the challenge of combining creativity, humor and style in a way that people could wear. There's something special about seeing others connect with your designs and turn them into a part of their identity. It's also a fun way to make a living while doing what i love, which is another big part of why I pursued it.
What I love most about designing tees is the balance of creating something that's visually striking and meaningful or funny. It's a cool way to blend art with daily life. Plus, I get to see my work out in the world, worn by different poeple, which is incredibly rewarding.
Troy
IG: @tiga_or3
https://linktr.ee/artthree
8. Abhishek, Licensed T-Shirt Designer, Makersy Art.
Being a doctor is a huge part of my life, but there's another side to me that's been there since childhood - a pop culture fan with a passion for nerdy t-shirts. Designing t-shirts started as a way for me to express myself outside the hospital walls, but truthfully, it's something I've been drawn to for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I loved wearing different graphic tees that showed off my favorite movies, comics, and fandoms. Now, I get to create my own designs that blend art, humor, and a dash of that nerdy spirit I've always had.
Love of graphic tees since childhood -
Even as a kid, t-shirts were my way of expressing what I was into - whether it was superheroes, sci-fi, or classic video games. I could wear my personality on my sleeve, literally. As I got older, my love for those designs never went away. I started collecting tees that reflected who I was, and the idea of making my own designs felt like a natural evolution.
T-Shirt Design as a Creative Escape -
In the word of medicine, everything is focused and precise. But t-shirt design gives me a creative outlet where there's room to have fun, play around with ideas, and relax. It started out as a hobby - a way to unwind after long shifts - but it quickly became something I really looked forward to. When I sit down to design, it's all about bringing my sense of humor, pop culture love, and creativity to life. Each design is a way for me to show a different side of myself - whether it's through a witty pun or a fun reference to something only fellow fans would get.
Balancing Two Worlds: Medicine and Design -
What I love most about designing t-shirts is the freedom it offers. As a doctor, my day-to-day is all about structure and responsibility, but when I'm designing, it's the opposite. I can be as silly or bold as I want, and that's incredibly refreshing. My designs are often inspire by the things that make me laugh or remind me of my childhood obsessions. It's the perfect blend of professional and personal - the doctor by day, and the t-shirt designer by night.
Why I keep designing -
What keeps me coming back to designing t-shirts? It's the joy of knowing that my designs can connect with people. whether it's a funny joke, a clever pop culture reference, or just something that makes someone smile, it's rewarding to see others enjoy what I create. And of course, it's about celebrating the nerdy, pop culture-loving side of me that's been there since day one.
In the end, designing graphic tees is more than just a hobby - it's a way for me to express myself ans share my love of all things nerdy in this world. And for me, that balance between medicine and creativity is what makes it all worth it.
Abhishek
IG: @makersy_art
linktr.ee/makersyart
9. Mulo, Licensed T-Shirt Designer, Mulopops
Making illustrations for my self-distribution beats the monotony of working on designs for a firm as a graphic designer.
T-shirts are a unique medium that people wear to express themselves, which is why I adore making them.
Mulo
IG: @mulopops
linktr.ee/muloyoung
10. Kali, T-Shirt Designer and Owner, Kalirally.com - the e-commerce store this blog belongs to :)
In high-school, I enrolled in a vocational graphic design program, and in that class, was introduced to screen-printing. I became enamored with t-shirt making.
My first design was a little hippie cartoon carrot character with dreads with the saying, "Just vedge." In that class, I also designed and print hoodies for my friends on the shot and disc team, which was a really cool experience!
I love designing graphic tees because I have a very specific end goal. I have to create something that can be understood quickly, and leave its reader with a smile or at least a positive emotion. It's like a fun little puzzle. Of course I love wearing my shirts, and having others wearing my art!
Kali Williams
Kalirally.com
IG: @kalirally
This last answer comes from two t-shirt collectors, Sam and Frank. I asked them instead, what got you interested in curating tees? What do you love so much about collecting t-shirts?
11. Sam and Frank of The Dad Bod and The Beard, T-shirt collectors!
