Have you ever thought about the design process of a shirt print? Probably not, but I'm going to talk about it anyway.
Any project starts with an idea, and as a passionate diver, I'm lucky to access them in many dive stories. Like when my partner went out snorkelling at dusk, leaving me behind in the hammock. I feel like all the small reef fish in the twilight, a bit itchy and nervous. Being out in the water in the evening can be frighting, but it's also a time to witness some action when predators chase their prey. Or seeing a huge school of Mobula Rays passing by! I missed that one, yes. And now, I try to be braver to snorkelling in the evening. And until I have the chance to see a school of Mobula Rays, I imagine them with a drawing on paper.
The next step in the creative process is try and error. Having the idea on paper is essential, but I have to switch, change and rearrange elements over and over again. Nine out of ten designs go to the bin. And then, when I think yes, now this is it, I show it to my critic of trust, and he goes: yeah, well, but. It sounds discouraging, but I learned this is the last revision step before the final piece.
Another factor I was curious about was the choice of colour and contrast. I love the tone-in-tone prints, but it does not work well with this graphic. So more contrast it was. The last step for the she-school shirts was quality control on the print. I tested various print factories. The first impression was always ok, but the quality was apparent a few machine washings later. Now, I'm happy that I found an excellent printing partner who can deliver your favourite picture in a durable and satisfying quality and someone who cares about sustainability.
