[BikerBill]

I only sell online and use stock design transfers from different companies. Most use a copyright watermark on their designs on their site. Fair enough, but when I display the shirt images online I of course do it with the design on the shirt.

But I don't want to ruin dozens of shirts by actually putting the design on 12 colors of the same shirt and taking a pic of it if they don't sell. So what I have been doing is doing one transfer onto a white sheet. I then take a pic of it, crop and optimize it in photoshop, then painstakingly remove the background and convert it to .png. Then finally paste it onto the image of a shirt.

On a very fancy design this is a big job. There must be a better way to display design transfers on shirts for online use? Anyone know a better way to display your shirts with the designs on them online? Thank you.

 

[Mtnview]

If you start with a blank white t-shirt can you adjust the shirt color in your software such as Corel or Photoshop to get the shirt color you want? That way you could have the artwork on one layer and the shirt on another that you change the color as needed.

 

[BikerBill]

If you start with a blank white t-shirt can you adjust the shirt color in your software such as Corel or Photoshop to get the shirt color you want? That way you could have the artwork on one layer and the shirt on another that you change the color as needed.

Thanks for the fast reply. I have tried doing that, but I can never get the color right. I'm sure I just don't know enough about Photoshop to do it right. But also I like using the brand name images that you can use, they are just so much better than any I can take.

For instance the pic below is a stock Bella brand name image I cropped and then put my .png design on it. I have permission to use the stock image, anyone does if they sell them. No way can I make a pic as good as that. But then I have to paste it on 10 more colors for the same shirt.

 

[Mtnview]

I use stock photos also. Drop the graphic on top and go.

 

[BikerBill]

I use stock photos also. Drop the graphic on top and go.

Well that is my point. In order to have the graphic, as I said I have to do one transfer on a white sheet or tee, take a pic of it, optimize it, spend 40 minutes removing the background before converting to .png to finally have the graphic. I have some very detailed designs like spokes of a wheel, flourishes with dozens of small background holes and so on. Takes forever to blow the design up and pick out all the background. In fact that was my main question, is there a better way to get the designs ready?

 

[outbreak]

What software do you have?

 

[20vK]

Can't you just magic wand the background colour to select it and then push delete? As long as you choose a different colour for your background to the colours in the transfer when you take the original photo, it should be a 5 second job on photoshop?

Then paste it onto whatever shirt colour you want

 

[Mtnview]

The photos I typically use have just a white background so I don't remove anything from the garment photo. The graphics I have are vector based so those have a transparent background. Once again I don't have to remove any pesky background. When I place it over the shirt, the shirt shows through where there is no design portions to cover. The only time I run into a problem using this is if I do a hoodie with strings running down the front.

 

[20vK]

Some mockups have the hoodie strings on a separate layer so you can recolour them or shift the layer to above or below your print design

 

[BikerBill]

Can't you just magic wand the background colour to select it and then push delete? As long as you choose a different colour for your background to the colours in the transfer when you take the original photo, it should be a 5 second job on photoshop?

Then paste it onto whatever shirt colour you want

On very simple designs yes that is easy. However take a look at the design in the pic I show. It has white and black colors with pink. See those slim flourishes all over the pic? The magic wand will take off the outside stuff. But then you have to blow it up and do the same inside each little flower, curl and so on. Add that it has both white and black colors on the design and it's not easy to avoid the wand taking the design with it.

 

[BikerBill]

What software do you have?

Corel paintshop pro. I'm sure I don't understand many things about it I should however.

 

[Mtnview]

What software are you creating your designs with?

 

[BikerBill]

The photos I typically use have just a white background so I don't remove anything from the garment photo. The graphics I have are vector based so those have a transparent background. Once again I don't have to remove any pesky background. When I place it over the shirt, the shirt shows through where there is no design portions to cover. The only time I run into a problem using this is if I do a hoodie with strings running down the front.

Okay well there ya go! See if my designs were like that I would have no problem. But all I have are,,, well nothing. The only design you can get is the one they show on their site, often low res and with a watermark.

I guess what I am doing is the only way to do the designs I currently use. Maybe I'll try to find other places that let you use their designs in proper format. Thanks.

 

[BikerBill]

What software are you creating your designs with?

I don't. Like I said, I buy stock transfer designs. So I don't have access to the actual design files, see?

 

[Mtnview]

Okay well there ya go! See if my designs were like that I would have no problem.

I understand now. I missed the part originally about using stock designs with watermarks. I don't know if you will find a company that will provide you with artwork that has a transparent background and large enough to do what you are wanting.

 

[20vK]

On very simple designs yes that is easy. However take a look at the design in the pic I show. It has white and black colors with pink. See those slim flourishes all over the pic? The magic wand will take off the outside stuff. But then you have to blow it up and do the same inside each little flower, curl and so on. Add that it has both white and black colors on the design and it's not easy to avoid the wand taking the design with it.

So if you took the photo on a light blue background, wouldn't that ignore the rest?

In photoshop you can adjust sensitivity of magic wand or you can select a colour from the top menu and use the sliding scale for sensitivity as to what it selects.

What DPI is the file you create with the photo you use. Make it 600 and you should have better resolution for selecting background colours.

Are there no coreldraw tutorials on YouTube for deleting background colour?

 

[BikerBill]

I understand now. I missed the part originally about using stock designs with watermarks. I don't know if you will find a company that will provide you with artwork that has a transparent background and large enough to do what you are wanting.

Ahhh okay then. I was just wondering if everyone else knew something I did not, LOL! So basically what I am doing now is about the only way to do what I want to do. It's a shame since you know they have all the files all ready to use. But that's life. Okay then, at least now I know and feel better. Thank you.

 

[BikerBill]

So if you took the photo on a light blue background, wouldn't that ignore the rest?

In photoshop you can adjust sensitivity of magic wand or you can select a colour from the top menu and use the sliding scale for sensitivity as to what it selects.

What DPI is the file you create with the photo you use. Make it 600 and you should have better resolution for selecting background colours.

Are there no coreldraw tutorials on YouTube for deleting background colour?

I guess maybe I need to learn more about it. Every time I use it, it only selects the color I click on UP TO a border. It does not touch the same color on the other side of that other color. Guess I should watch some Youtube videos. Thanks for trying to help.

 

[20vK]

Yup - you should be able to select ALL of a certain colour, no matter where it is. Just make sure that you use something with even tone and consistent lighting throughout when you take your photo, to eliminate any colour variances or shadow that could complicate colour selection.

Should make your life much easier!