how to use a black design on a black t-shirt

[anemos]

I would like to use this design for a black t-shirt

how can I do that?

 

 

[thomaso]

There are various ways, depending on the desired look (e.g. 1 or more colours) and the production method (e.g. print or flocking/cut-out). 

For example, for a 1-colour production: Convert the image to grayscale and assign the desired colour as a fill colour using a spot colour swatch or one 100% ink (black or cyan or magenta or yellow). In layout, the (spot) colour can be any colour and can be defined right before production by selecting the ink or material used in the desired colour.

If you want to achieve a black image on black fabric, apply any plain colour in layout (e.g. a spot colour or black or magenta, etc.) and instruct the printer to use either glossy black ink or colourless gloss varnish – or, for cut-out, to use a black material with a sufficient/desired contrast to the black of the shirt.

[NotMyFault]

Some options:

• Changing the color to white
• adding a white background layer

[NotMyFault]

Just note that the cmyk colored layers don’t have identical black colors. 
when adding an invert adjustment on top and a white backfill layer on bottom the colors differ strongly between bear and landscape

[Ldina]

@anemos Another possible option, if screen printing on a black tee shirt, use an opaque white as an outline. Below, I grouped your three black elements together and duplicated them. Set the duplicate to white and put it under the back layer. Adjust offset as desired. 

[anemos]

thomaso, thank you very much for the response.

Your instruction sounds a bit complicated for me. Can you please write a step by step instruction for me to understand.

There are may things I don't understand in your instruction.

[anemos]

59 minutes ago, NotMyFault said:

Just note that the cmyk colored layers don’t have identical black colors. 
when adding an invert adjustment on top and a white backfill layer on bottom the colors differ strongly between bear and landscape

NotMyFault, thank you very much for the response.

Can you please explain it to me a bit better

[carl123]

Detect Edges (Affinity Photo) on all 3 layers

 

[NotMyFault]

1 hour ago, anemos said:

NotMyFault, thank you very much for the response.

Can you please explain it to me a bit better

The fill colors of the bear differs from fill color of other layers.

use either color panel or info panel to inspect those color values

[anemos]

NotMyFault, I can see in your picture that you are using Affinity Photo. Can I do the same in Affinity Designer. And what are the steps to get to that panel.

[thomaso]

1 hour ago, anemos said:

Your instruction sounds a bit complicated for me. Can you please write a step by step instruction for me to understand.

It may sound complicated because I tried to consider various possibilities that you did not specify in your request. So, can you tell us,

• Do you indeed want to "use a black design on a black t-shirt" (according to your topic's title)?
• If not, what visual impression you want to achieve (e.g. how many colours for which element?)
• What production technology will be used (print or cut-out?)

[anemos]

Yes, I would like to use it on a black t-shirt. I tried to invert the design to white but that doesn't look good.

Yes, it is possible to use some other colours for the bear, the mountains and the trees. Any suggestions?

I was also thinking about creating a background with a different colour behind the design. Maybe something like a big brushstroke as a background (but I don't want a shape like square or a circle as a background)

About production technology I don't know. I never created a t-shirt. This is the first time I would like to create a t-shirt.

[thomaso]

28 minutes ago, anemos said:

I tried to invert the design to white but that doesn't look good.

Yes, it is possible to use some other colours for the bear, the mountains and the trees.

For this flexibility I would create the design in a possibly maximal size (~10 inch width, 300 dpi) (unless you decided a specific size on the t-shirt already). Continue with your current* document: (*I didn't view yours because I can't open V2 files)

1. Apply a Threshold Adjustment to increase the contrast in each of the three elements. (gray -> black)
2. Export each element as a separate grayscale image (e.g. TIF with transparency, gray 8-bit, B&W profile, ZIP or LZW compressed)*
3. Place the exported images in your layout document and position them as before.
4. With an element selected choose a colour or colour swatch as fill colour.
5. If wanted create a background shape and place it behind the illustration/below its layers with the wanted fill colour applied. (e.g. Rectangle Tool, Ellipse Tool, Star Tool etc.)

The export settings for the production file may vary with the number of used colours (one or multiple). For export and/or possible other details you need to know the production technique because each method and each company may have it's own requirements for your exported production file.

For production you may also need to decide size + position of your design on the T-shirt. Therefore you can create a 'sketch' on a separate page (artboard): Group your design and copy/paste it on this new page. Use an image of a flat, black t-shirt (<-internet) or draw its shape in AD with the Pen Tool and place that behind the group. Then scale and position design and/or t-shirt as you like. This page will not be used for production but only as an instruction for the producer.

* export settings I'd use for the separate elements:

If you don't have a "Black & White" profile installed you could use a grayscale profile but avoid "Grayscale D50" because it results in more than 1 ink channel.