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To create a T-shirt design in Photoshop, first set up an artwork document at the intended physical print dimensions and follow the printer’s requirements for resolution, color, and file format. Build and export the print artwork separately from a garment mockup, which is for previewing how the design may look on a shirt—not for production.
This workflow covers creating artwork, checking its size and detail, previewing it on a shirt template, and preparing a delivery file. Ask the printer or print provider for its current specifications before you begin; general Photoshop settings are only a starting point.
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1. Get the print specifications
Before opening a new document, find out where the design will be printed and ask the provider for the maximum print area, required dimensions, resolution, color mode or profile, transparency requirements, and accepted file formats. These vary by provider and production method, so there is no single export setting that works for every T-shirt.
Adobe’s Photoshop guidance describes 300 pixels per inch (ppi) as a typical print resolution and recommends CMYK with 300 ppi for print presets. Treat these as general starting points, not a substitute for the provider’s instructions. See Adobe’s New Image guidance and preset guidance.
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2. Set up the artwork document
- In Photoshop, choose File > New.
- Set the document units and width and height to the print area you obtained from the provider.
- Choose a resolution and color mode based on the provider’s requirements. If those are not available, Adobe’s print guidance provides a general starting point of 300 ppi and CMYK.
- Choose a transparent background if unprinted areas should reveal the shirt color.
- Create the document and save an editable working copy.
Photoshop’s New Document dialog supports dimensions, units, resolution, color mode, and background contents. For details, see Adobe’s instructions for creating images.
3. Create the T-shirt graphic
Build the design in the print document rather than on a photograph of a shirt. Keep text and artwork on editable layers where practical, and retain a working source file so you can make revisions. If the design includes transparent areas, check that the document background is transparent rather than an opaque shirt-colored layer.
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Use artwork with enough detail for its final physical size. A resolution setting or upsampling cannot restore detail that is missing from a small or blurry source image. Adobe explains that pixel dimensions and resolution must be considered together, and that upsampling does not add original image detail; see its image size and resolution guidance.
4. Check the artwork at print size
- Confirm that the document dimensions match the intended print area.
- Check the artwork’s pixel dimensions and inspect fine lines, text, and edges at a useful viewing size.
- Review transparency and make sure no mockup photograph, background, or presentation effect is included in the production artwork.
- If an image looks soft or pixelated at its intended size, find a higher-resolution or vector source rather than relying on upsampling to add detail.
Adobe’s general recommendation is to set resolution to 300 ppi for print unless the printer requires a different value. The printer’s specifications take priority, and a ppi value alone does not guarantee adequate image detail.
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5. Preview the design on a shirt mockup
A mockup helps you judge the design’s placement and appearance on a garment. Keep this presentation separate from the clean production artwork so the shirt image and garment color cannot be mistaken for part of the print file.
- Open a compatible shirt mockup template and make a separate working copy.
- Use the template’s documented editable garment area or artwork layer to add your design.
- Adjust the design’s scale, position, and angle to suit the garment.
- Inspect the preview for placement and legibility, while remembering that a screen mockup cannot guarantee the exact appearance of the printed garment.
Adobe documents a method for its “Sweatshirt and Tshirt Mockups” template that uses a Pattern adjustment layer clipped to the garment layer, with scale and angle adjustments. The specific method depends on the template; see Adobe’s pattern guidance and the template instructions. A mockup is a preview, not a substitute for production specifications.
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6. Save and deliver separate files
- Save the editable artwork source separately from the mockup presentation.
- Export the clean artwork using the dimensions, color settings, transparency, and file format requested by the provider.
- Export the mockup as a separate preview file if you need to share or present the concept.
- Open the exported production file independently and confirm it contains only the intended artwork.
- Check the provider’s current requirements again before submission.
Do not assume that a mockup PSD, PNG, or any other format is automatically production-ready. Adobe’s mockup instructions do not define commercial printer settings; the receiving provider’s current requirements for color, dimensions, transparency, and file format should determine the final export.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Designing at arbitrary dimensions: Set up the document using the print area and specifications you intend to meet.
- Confusing ppi with image detail: Changing resolution metadata or upsampling does not recreate fine detail absent from the source.
- Sending the mockup instead of the artwork: Keep the garment preview and production design in separate files.
- Assuming one color mode or format fits all: Follow the actual provider’s requested profile, color mode, and file type.
- Treating the preview as a print guarantee: A mockup shows a possible appearance, not the exact result on fabric.
FAQ
What resolution should I use for a T-shirt design in Photoshop?
Adobe describes 300 ppi as a typical print setting and recommends it for print presets, but your printer’s required resolution takes priority. Also check the artwork’s pixel dimensions and source detail; setting a higher ppi does not add missing detail.
Should a T-shirt design document use RGB or CMYK?
Adobe’s general preset guidance uses CMYK at 300 ppi for print projects and RGB for screen or web projects. For a shirt order, use the color mode and profile requested by the specific printer or print provider.
Is a shirt mockup file ready to send to the printer?
Usually, the mockup is for presentation and should remain separate from the clean production artwork. Send the format and specifications requested by the provider, not the shirt photograph or presentation layers, unless the provider explicitly asks for them.
Does increasing the ppi make a small logo print sharply?
No. Adobe notes that upsampling cannot add image detail that was not in the source. Use a higher-resolution or vector original when available, and check the result at its intended print size.
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