# 350 names + on the back of shirt??



## [email protected] (Dec 29, 2008)

I am working on an order for a reunion and they want to put the entire graduating class names on the back of a shirt .... plus other stuff about the HS and a photo..... is that even going to look good? What size print would be the smallest you'd suggest? 4 columns of 90 names? Does it seem like an OK idea or should I steer them a different direction?

Vickie


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## denck (Apr 7, 2009)

Names look awsome on the back of a shirt.
The way you should start this is to start a header- Willows High School- ( Bottom ) Class of 1983
Set that up , now type in all the names make your rows then fit it in the empty space. If your really tricky, Put a school mascot behind the names.


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## [email protected] (Dec 29, 2008)

denck said:


> Names look awsome on the back of a shirt.
> The way you should start this is to start a header- Willows High School- ( Bottom ) Class of 1983
> Set that up , now type in all the names make your rows then fit it in the empty space. If your really tricky, Put a school mascot behind the names.


Oh -- that's a great idea to put something in the background because they want the new school building somewhere. THAT would be perfect!

Thanks!
Vickie


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## midwaste (Apr 8, 2008)

By my calculations, using a 16" long printed area and excluding any design above or below, with 3 columns of text and 0.035 spacing, each name could be 1/8" tall...

That would be a huge PITA...Make them pay dearly for the design time..


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## [email protected] (Dec 29, 2008)

midwaste said:


> By my calculations, using a 16" long printed area and excluding any design above or below, with 3 columns of text and 0.035 spacing, each name could be 1/8" tall...
> 
> That would be a huge PITA...Make them pay dearly for the design time..


Like how much would you charge? Would you charge a layout fee and then a finished product cost? They want a small logo on the front left as well and I'm totally lost about how to charge. I'm generally just small time.... just a few shirts here and there in my basement.

Also, I noticed to get custom transfers made, some companies require the artwork to be in specific software programs that I don't have... any suggestions?

Thanks!
Vickie


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## midwaste (Apr 8, 2008)

I would charge my usual design rate (50/hr) times however long it took. There are several different ways to try to speed up the process of adding 350 names and resizing them in Illustrator, but either way it's going to take a while, not to mention the rest of the design.
How much to charge depends on how many colors the design is. You mentioned a photo, are they expecting it to be full color? 
How many screens have you burned and what is your maximum printing size?

If you aren't skilled in the software needed for graphic layout that is suitable for transfer creation, I recommend you start by learning that. Most places will accept .ai (illustrator) and .eps, which can be created with many different softwares. Also possibly PDF, which can be created from some beginner-level softwares, but possibly may not work for complicated designs, or may cost you additional art fees at the printers.

Honestly, if I were you and had no production screenprinting or graphics experience, I would not start with a job that was on such a short timeline and so high on design skill side. Not that the names would be terribly difficult, but without practice, it could take a loooong time.

I would find out exactly what they are looking for, try the design myself to see if I could come up with something that pleased them. If not, outsource the design, hopefully reasonably priced. Depending on the colors, you may be able to outsource the printing and still make some money on the shirts.


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## [email protected] (Dec 29, 2008)

midwaste said:


> I would charge my usual design rate (50/hr) times however long it took. There are several different ways to try to speed up the process of adding 350 names and resizing them in Illustrator, but either way it's going to take a while, not to mention the rest of the design.
> How much to charge depends on how many colors the design is. You mentioned a photo, are they expecting it to be full color?
> How many screens have you burned and what is your maximum printing size?
> 
> ...


Thanks! I was looking on F&M's site and it says that it doesn't matter how many colors (I'll have to call and talk to a real person tomorrow). I'm thinking the header will be the school name and then a large photo as the background, like suggested, with all the names on top of the photo. I have a very very very old version of Corel Draw and I think I can muddle through that. Then I can just have the transfers done up. I can't seem to figure out how to lighten the photo though. I put the jpeg in Picasso and tried, but it didn't look good. Any suggestions on that? Also, shouldn't I do all the names in bold?

Vickie


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## midwaste (Apr 8, 2008)

[email protected] said:


> Thanks! I was looking on F&M's site and it says that it doesn't matter how many colors (I'll have to call and talk to a real person tomorrow). I'm thinking the header will be the school name and then a large photo as the background, like suggested, with all the names on top of the photo. I have a very very very old version of Corel Draw and I think I can muddle through that. Then I can just have the transfers done up. I can't seem to figure out how to lighten the photo though. I put the jpeg in Picasso and tried, but it didn't look good. Any suggestions on that? Also, shouldn't I do all the names in bold?
> 
> Vickie


It may not matter how many colors for the price, but they may expect the colors to be separated if the photo is expected to be four color process. Not to mention, I am not sure how if process is possible with transfers, nor how well it will turn out. Make sure you find out what their art fees are and get a quote for the art fees with a rough draft of the design if possible.

I have no idea how to lighten a photo in Corel, but make sure to ask the transfer printer if transparencies in your graphics are acceptable. If so, you may be able to just change the transparency of the photo to 50% or so.

As far as putting the names on the back, you are just going to have to experiment with that. With each name having to be so small, you are going to have to choose a font that will allow small details to still be visible. Bold text may not allow this, or make the text very hard to read from a short distance away.


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## TshirtGuru (Jul 9, 2008)

Oh, don't forget to spell check the names.


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## auggieboy (Mar 22, 2008)

At first I thought you where going to be screen printing these. If your looking to get transfers made you better check with the company making them, some won't do that many names or fine detail. It apparently runs too much of a risk of not adhering to the paper. My suggestions is to find a contract printer who will allow you to bring your own shirts, this way you can make some money on them.
I did one last year 400 names(just last names) I had it screen printed by an idiot with a broken exposure unit and it still came out great. (one of the many reasons I started to do my own screen printing)
Any competent screen printer could handle this for you.


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## majesticmind (Sep 1, 2007)

Whatever you do, do not talk price with the school until you know exactly what your costs are going to be. Shirts, transfers, time, artwork fees, shipping, taxes, etc... Do not start buying the transfers until you have money from the school. Get the customer to pay everything upfront.


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## midwaste (Apr 8, 2008)

majesticmind said:


> Whatever you do, do not talk price with the school until you know exactly what your costs are going to be. Shirts, transfers, time, artwork fees, shipping, taxes, etc... Do not start buying the transfers until you have money from the school. Get the customer to pay everything upfront.


Best advice so far.


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## Susie (Oct 19, 2007)

This would be awesome sublimated because your text can be small and perfectly legible and sharp. You could stick names on the sleeves, front, back, sides, whatever. That's what I would like to do!

I would like to emulate a high school annual yearbook - what about an all-over print with names scrawled all over the place. I guess I'm not an "orderly" kind of person. Some sort of handwriting-ish kind of font. It can be on top of the photos and other stuff just like in the yearbook!


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## ino (Jan 23, 2007)

Wow 350 names on a shirt, I'm assuming with boys being all different sizes from small to extra large, all in alphabetical order, some with long names others short. 

As Henry said check your spelling and make sure they give you a signed paper of the names needed.


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## [email protected] (Dec 29, 2008)

TshirtGuru said:


> Oh, don't forget to spell check the names.


Ya, I know! He gave it to me in Excel, so I might just export it so I don't have to worry about retyping it all. 

Vickie


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