These easy-as-pie instructions for making your own alien T-shirt also work for decorating canvas bags and other fabric items. In fact you can use images of anything you want, including aliens, movie heroes, or even yourself (!).
The following steps ensure that you end up with a T-shirt that nobody else has and nobody else has even seen before you made it.
The key materials are: an image, a color printer, graphic software, iron-on transfer paper, an iron, a pillow case or other smooth cotton cloth, and a T-shirt. Here are the specifics.
Most Important: How To Get An Image
You will need an image with sufficient dpi (say, 300-600) for a clear print in a size that looks good (4-8 inches high). Some images are free, especially if you can draw your own. Other free images can be found by doing a Google image search. Almost all such images will be copyrighted, so you are not allowed to use them for commercial gain.
A great source for images is iStockPhoto (istockphoto.com). Photos start at one dollar and go up according to size. Most of their cartoon artwork is usually a little pricey (10 to 30 dollars per image). This image below, however, was a bargain at 4 dollars for a medium-sized photo (good for 8 inches printing width at 300 dpi):
The best sources for alien images, or any other kind of image, are clipart images. If you do a Google search for free clipart, you will find that most clipart sites lure you with a promise of free images. They do not, however, deliver on this promise. Or they offer lousy clipart for free and direct you to buy something instead.
Buying clipart gets a little expensive, so the best way to get access to lots of images is to subscribe to a clipart site. The best one that I have found is called iClipart, which you can check out by clicking on this image:
One more easy way to get images is to scan them into your computer from magazines or books. This is a little more tedious because of the extra steps for scanning and editing. If you are good with a camera, you can shortcut this method by photographing your image, then editing the photo.
Once you have your image, the next step is to get it ready for printing.
Graphics Software
Any common software, such as Photoshop, Illustrator, or CorelDRAW, will do nicely. You can use them to either edit the images that you get elsewhere or to design your own.
An important key to remember when getting your image ready for print is to reverse it. All graphics software should have an easy reverse-image option.This is especially important if your image has any writing on it. You must have a reverse image so that the print will look like the original. The images below show an example of what an original looks like and its reverse for printing. When you print the one on the right, it will end up on your T-shirt like the one on the left. Unless you want your writing to read correctly only in a mirror!
Good advice is also to ALWAYS print a test copy of your image on regular printer paper before you print it on transfer paper. Transfer paper is pretty expensive (maybe a dollar per sheet), so you want to print a preview to make sure that colors print correctly and that your image fits within the margins of the paper. This also gives you a clearer idea of exactly what size your design is when printed.
Once you are ready to print your image onto transfer paper, select the highest dpi setting and the correct paper setting for your type of printer. Here are some example options for different printers:
CANON: T-shirt transfers.
EPSON: High quality glossy paper or special coated paper, depending on the model.
HEWLETT-PACKARD: High quality glossy paper.
LEXMARK: T-shirt transfers.
After printing, remove the transfer sheet and, if using an inkjet printer, allow several minutes for the ink to dry. For laser printers, just let the print paper cool a little.
If you have a regular-size page (8.5 by 11 inches), now would be a good time to trim off the excess paper. This just makes for easier handling when doing the iron on transfer.
Use the Right Kind of Transfer Paper
Transfer paper is available at any office supply store or online. Look for whether it is made for laser printers or for inkjet printers. You must use the right paper, since inkjet transfer paper might melt on a hot laser printer roll and ruin your printer. You may also find paper that is specifically for white or light-colored fabrics or for dark-colored fabrics.
Keep in mind that transfer paper is specifically designed for cotton fabric.
When printing, doublecheck that the image will be printed on the printing side. The non-printing side usually has a light-colored design on it such as stripes. Do a test print with a marked up regular sheet of printer paper to make sure you know whether to face the page down or up for printing.
In preparing your image for printing, remember that WHITE does not print. If you have a light-colored T-shirt, you can instead color the background of your image to match.
Doing The Iron On Transfer
If you are not quite sure how to do the iron on transfer, you may want to do a test run on a scrap of fabric or old T-shirt of the same type and color.
Use the hottest setting on your iron, without steam. Preheat the iron for at least 8 minutes. Use a hard surface, such as a formica counter, never a soft ironing board. Also do not use an ironing surface of bare wood, glass, or metal surface for ironing.
Place the pillowcase on the ironing surface and smooth it flat, without wrinkles. Place your T-shirt or other cloth item on center of the pillowcase. Make sure it also has no wrinkles.
TIP: You may want to iron the pillowcase and the fabric so that they are both really smooth. Then let cool completely before placing the transfer on the fabric. Preheating the fabric in this way will also remove any excess moisture and aid in adhesion of the transfer image.
Place the image to be transferred face down on the garment in the desired position.
The image now needs to be ‘set’ on the fabric so that it does not move during the image transfer. First press the iron firmly over the transfer for at least 15 seconds in several areas, making sure that you cover the entire image in this process. It is important that you press straight down for this step and lift up the iron completely when repositioning to do another area.
Finally, iron with light pressure in a circular motion for another 15-20 seconds over the entire image. Put the iron down and gently rub the hot transfer with a soft, clean cloth for 5-10 seconds.
Peel off the paper while it is still hot unless you have purchased cool-peel paper. The newer cool-peel transfer papers allow you to wait up to two minutes before peeling off the backing so the paper is cooler to the touch. Check the instructions on the paper container.
Advice For Washing And Drying
Always turn your T-shirt inside out before washing. Your transferred image will take less abuse this way and look good longer. Wash in cold water with a mild liquid detergent. Never use bleach. After washing, either allow to air dry or tumble dry using the air only setting (no heat).
Troubleshooting
Iron on Transfer is not adhering to surface:
Make sure the backing has been removed before transferring, that the temperature of the iron is hot enough (at least 325 degrees for the cotton setting), and that you use enough pressure on the iron to push the transfer into the fabric pattern.
Iron on Transfer looks yellow:
Brands of irons vary greatly in temperature settings, and yellowing may be due to a too hot iron that scorches the surface of the transfer.
Iron on Transfer has bonded with the bottom of the iron:
Make sure that the ironing sheet was used between the iron and the transfer
Iron on Transfer is cracking after being washed or dried:
Pre-wash shirt before applying transfer, to prevent the possibility of shrinkage that can lead to image cracking. Use enough pressure during iron on transfer to make sure that the image bonds properly. Make sure that heat is not used when tumble dried after washing.
The edges of the iron on transfer are not adhering:
Apply the most heat and pressure to the edges of the transfer so that the edges are ironed extremely well. This is vital.
Image is reversed on shirt:
Image must be reversed from the original before printing.
