I use VIRBº to network with other designers out there. So, in that spirit, I figured I would post a design-oriented blog entry.

As many of you may know, I make a ton of band shirts. Band shirts make up about 85% of the projects that come out of Dark Collar (My design thingy). I've been designing band shirts since 1999, when my band, as well as loads of other local bands, started printing up merchandise to sell at shows. Since then it's grown from that into a super-busy, full-time, home operation. With that said, I have been here to watch plenty of design trends come and go.

I remember back in 2000, when I saw a print on the SIDE of a shirt, and thought it was so rad. My buddies, Beloved (RIP), and I came up with a few side prints for their merch - back when we had seen no-one do it before. I've seen printers who were completely unprepared for this new trend, and simply could not keep up. Thier screens were too small, and they lost business for while, until they conformed to the new standard. That was cool - side prints are pretty cool - I was okay with that trend.

Then came completely destroying designs to make them look legitametely old. The problem with this is that these old, vintage, designs got printed on squeaky-clean, heavy, new Fruit Of The Loom shirts. The design would not be cohesive with the material. What bands can pay $9-$15 for a shirt anyway? But, alot of bands and merch companies are now going the extra mile to get good shirts to take "band merchandise" to a whole new level. Some of these shirts actually look like they were printed in 1972. Bravo.

But now, I'm seeing alot of, what I call, "Design Vomit". A designer buddy of mine once told me, a few years ago, "You can't do band shirts forever, one day your stuff won't be hot anymore." At the time I thought, "What do you mean, I'll keep up with the trends and keep my stuff cutting edge."

Well, I may be getting to the point where I'm getting out of touch with "what's hot", or I'm just trying to maintain a high standard for my work.

The problem is that I think alot of the stuff I see on band shirts is completely horrible -- and is a complete disgrace to the design craft altogether. Am I the only one with this perplexed look of disgust on their face when they see some of this crap? Its like these kids get photoshop, and some clip art books, scan ANYTHING they want, and then throw it all together - much like VOMIT. No rhyme or reason, just a big clump of crap, with a few paint splatters here and there. They color some stuff Magenta, Electric Blue, Lime Green - and then submit it to the band. The worst thing is that the band freaking approves it!

Meanwhile, my nostaligic, tasteful, cohesive, well-thought-out pieces fall to the wayside.

Am I bitter? No, not at all. I just think I decided today that I will not even attempt this stuff anymore. I've wasted one too many hours trying to make "bad" pieces. It's my little way of protesting the filth thats polluting merch tables and webstores. I think I'll stick to my clients that welcome tasteful, edgy ideas. The commonality between what 14 year old girls like, and what I consider good design, is practically non-existent.

So please, to the other designers out there. Keep a high-standard for your work. Bands (may) make good music, but they are not art directors. Just because they want nonsense on their shirts doesn't mean you can't find a tasteful compromise. Stick to your guns - do good stuff. Stop vomiting all over t-shirts.