Tips and Tutorials Archives - Page 3 of 24

Top 5 Free Alternatives to Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is recognized as the go-to software for professionals in the creative industry. However, Photoshop’s cost isn’t only intimidating, it’s also reoccurring. If you’re looking for a day to day photo editing tool or in need of a t-shirt design software, don’t jump to conclusions yet. There are plenty of free Photoshop alternatives available online. You just might find what you’re looking for with a simplified learning curve and non-existent price tag! Read more

5 Common Design Mistakes to Avoid

As a designer, you’re proud of your work. It’s rewarding to receive compliments on a design and think, “heck yeah, I made that!” Those compliments don’t come easily though. It takes a lot of hard work and creativity to produce such strong designs. Whether you’ve been designing for decades or if you’re just starting out, mistakes are going to be made, regardless of your experience.
It’s important to be aware of common design mistakes so you know how to avoid them. We’ve compiled these mistakes in a list, so you can keep them in the back of your mind while creating your next masterpiece! Read more

Top 8 Alternatives to Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Illustrator is no doubt, one of the best graphic design tools available. With its outstanding capabilities, Illustrator can output intricate vector designs optimized for print. However, Illustrator has quite the learning curve if you’re new to the software. Not to mention, it isn’t exactly budget-friendly either. Now that the creative suite is a cloud-based platform, reoccurring payments are getting old and designers are looking for alternatives to Illustrator.

Fortunately, there are plenty of options outside the world of Adobe. We’re here to discuss comparable vector applications that are close competitors to Illustrator.

Let’s face it, we’re completely consumed by the internet. Digital marketing is in full-force and it’s exhausting to keep up with the trends. Algorithms are changing, machines are learning, and micro-moments are somehow becoming even more micro. You’re expected to anticipate new trends, so you can strike when the iron’s hot.

Meanwhile, many successful offline marketing tactics are overlooked. Digital marketing hasn’t always been around, so, what are the best offline marketing strategies that can still be used to promote your designs?

Have you ever seen a t-shirt and immediately thought it was made for you? It happens all too often. T-shirts with quotes and sayings help express how we’re feeling and are relatable to the people around us. We can all sympathize with someone wearing a shirt saying, “Is it Friday yet?” on a sleepy Monday morning. This is why graphic tees will never go out of style. There’s at least one design for each and every personality out there! Read more

Top Search Terms August – October 2017

Some T-shirt trends linger on, while others come and go like the seasons. Every three months, we present you with Spreadshirt’s quarterly trend report to give you some insight into the top design search terms from Google and Spreadshirt’s Marketplace. Of course, it’s always good to know and design for your niche and target group, but you’ll also be in the money if you can come up with a stand-out design in line with these trending terms. Read more

The Struggle is Real: 15 Ways to Overcome Designer’s Block

Oh no! It’s happened, the dreaded. You’ve hit the wall that we like to call, designer’s block.

Every designer has experienced the frustration of feeling mentally blocked at least once in their career. Sometimes, ideas just don’t feel like coming to us and it couldn’t be more discouraging.

Next time you’re sitting there, blank, thinking, “When is this going to be over?” don’t lose hope. We have 10 helpful tricks, tried and true, to help you break through any case of designer’s block.

Naturally, the question we receive most from Marketplace Designers is, ‘What can I do to improve my chances of selling on the Marketplace?’ With more than 2.4 million customers browsing Spreadshirt’s international marketplaces every month, the odds of your designs being seen pretty good. In addition to the existing traffic, you can apply to become our Spreadshirt Select Designer of the Month to gain even more exposure. Also, if you’re selling well, we’ll feed your designs to external marketplaces like Amazon and eBay, where you can benefit from their crazy amount of traffic. On top of all that exposure, there are certainly things you can be doing to further increase your chances of selling on the Marketplace. Check out the list after the jump and put these tips to work for you.

Networking for Designers

Traditional networking requires a certain type of personality. Awkwardly shaking hands, forcing a smile and sucking up to complete strangers isn’t always a comfortable situation. However, growing your network is one of the most important entrepreneurial practices, especially for designers. Nevertheless, traditional networking is useful when done correctly, but it’s not the only networking practice used to cultivate brand awareness. Technology is on our side, offering resources and tools to use to our advantage.

The wait is over, and Christmas season has arrived! Put yourself in the right position, and there is a lot of money to be made. Hit the gas pedal on your marketing efforts, mix this list of ten success tips into your holiday business strategy, and you’ll reap the rewards that come with the busiest season of the year.

Posts in Category ‘Tips and Tutorials’

Top 5 Free Alternatives to Adobe Photoshop

5 Common Design Mistakes to Avoid

Top 8 Alternatives to Adobe Illustrator

5 Offline Marketing Ideas to Promote Your Designs

Text Talk: The Best Fonts for T-Shirts

Top Search Terms August – October 2017

The Struggle is Real: 15 Ways to Overcome Designer’s Block

7 Success Tips for Marketplace Designers

Read more

Networking for Designers

10 Tips for Shop Success This Holiday Season