( 
)Introduction
The first time I saw the famous airbrushed t-shirt was at the ripe ole age of 5 at our local family amusement park. I can remember gazing at the bright, bold airbrush colors that were somehow coming out of a contraption in the artists hand to create one of the "coolest" things I'd ever seen. Every year, our family went to the amusement park and every year, they had to pull me away from watching the artists at work. I probably could have sat there and watched them all day. It was fascinating to me. I never knew that someday, as an adult, I would actually be doing what I loved to watch as a child. It really is my childhood dream come true. I hope through my knowledge, love and experience of my hobby, I am able to better help and assure you of buying airbrushed t-shirts online.
Advantages and Disadvantages of buying airbrushed t-shirts online
The internet has become a rapidly growing venue for sellers of all kinds, including airbrush artists like myself.
ADVANTAGES of buying airbrushed t-shirts online:
Cost. Purchasing airbrushed t-shirts from a retail store, souvenir shop or amusement park location is going to be the most expensive way of getting an airbrushed t-shirt. Why? When you purchase your t-shirt from one of the above mentioned venues, there are a lot of people who want to share in the profit of your purchase. The artist gets a cut of the money, the owner of the booth and the store or establishment gets a portion as well. By purchasing online, the artist is able to lower the prices and still make the same margin of profit as they would have made in a store location. Typically, purchasing online will be up to 1/3 cheaper!
Quality. You receive a higher quality of work when you choose to purchase online. This is because the artist has the luxury of working at his or her own pace rather than trying to beat out the clock to get the t-shirt done before the customer comes back to pick it up. There is no sense of urgency, no noise distractions or interruptions so the artist is able to focus completely on what's in front of them. As artists on ebay, it is especially important to output high quality work because of the feedback that is associated with the work.
Variety. On the internet, your options are never ending. Everyone knows of at least one or two locations in the entire state that they live in where they might be able to find an airbrushed t-shirt booth. . . .usually miles and miles away from where they live. On the internet, the consumer is able to comparison shop all over the United States for a highly specialized airbrushed product where they can get exactly what they want.
DISADVANTAGES of buying airbrushed t-shirts online
Spectatorship. The biggest disadvantage, in my mind, is the loss of spectatorship. If I had never been able to watch an airbrush artist as a child, I might not have known what it was all about. When someone places an order for a t-shirt, part of what they pay high buck for is the experience. . . . watching their shirt from start to finish.
Wait time. As with anything purchased online, you have to wait for it to arrive. This is especially true when waiting for your airbrushed t-shirt. Not only do you have to wait for the postman to get it from A to B, you have to discuss the specifics with the artist (usually over e-mail) and then still wait for the artist to paint it and deliver it to the post office.
What to watch for (and what to watch out for)
Although your t-shirt has yet to be painted, there are things you are able to look for that will help you determine the right artist and good quality.
Consistency. Do all of the designs displayed by the seller appear to have been painted by the same artist? Sometimes you end up purchasing your shirt from a company who uses or hires artists to do the work. This can be bad if you get an inexperienced artist who is not able to attain the same caliber and quality as the artist who painted the example shown on the site. Always purchase directly from the artist or from a reputable company who discloses information about their artist(s).
Stay away from sites that say things like "Not all items painted by the same artist" or "artistic style may vary from artist to artist." This means they probably vary quite a bit, in terms of quality and experience.
T-shirt quality. What is the actual t-shirt made of? Is this information even disclosed? You want 100% pre-shrunk heavyweight cotton or better. Sellers might try to skimp out on extra costs by purchasing seconds, irregulars or 50% cotton t's that are very thin but cannot be detected though the photos provided. If the website doesn't say anything about the actual shirt quality, it is an indicator that they forgot to mention it or they don't want you to know it. You should either ask them about it or move on to the next site.
Feedback. Any auction or shopping site will include some sort of feedback for the public to view. When viewing feedback for any site that sells handmade items or artwork, you should pay closer attention to the following:
A. Repeat customers. This is huge. Look back into the feedback history to see how many repeat customers the sellers had and how many times they came back. People will come back to what they like.
B. The feedback score. A high percentage rather than a high number is what you want to look for. A higher feedback number could mean more exposure due to external advertising but a higher percentage means more satisfied customers. *( Don't be surprised if your seller doesn't have 100% feedback. Remember, they are in charge of a lot more than just shipping the item. Stick with 98% or above.)
C. What does the customer feedback actually say? "Thanks, nice job?" or "Excellent! My daughter loves the shirt!!!!!!!"
Airbrushed or screen printed? Is the item really airbrushed by hand or is it screen printed? Sometimes I run across celebrity portrait t-shirts that say airbrushed in the title but "airbrush style" in the item description. These shirts will have a high level of detail for a too-good-to-be-true price. These items are usually screen prints of an original airbrushed design. Don't be fooled by these items thinking that you are getting a one-of-a-kind t-shirt. There are millions of them out there.
Brightness. Does the shirt already look a bit faded? There are a number of reasons why it would appear this way but the most common reason is that the artist is trying to conserve on paint and time usage by lightly misting on the paint instead of saturating it into the shirt. A faded or pastel look could also be from using actual pastel-colored paint or from a photograph that does not match the color of the actual shirt very well. Some areas should have that light misted look, for example the shadowing behind lettering. When you receive your shirt, turn it inside out and there should be areas where the paint has soaked through to the other side.
Overall Quality. This is mostly a matter of personal opinion but there are a few things that you can look for. An experienced artist will do a better job with their line crispness and will have a better overall balance of blurring versus sharpness to their design. Below, I have chosen one of my designs that display both areas that are blurred and that are sharp.
As you can see, the lettering is sharp and crisp as it should be so that that it is legible and there are elements in that background such as the water and the mist over the water which is intentionally blurred. The palm tree is sharp and clear and the outline around the heart is somewhat blurry and somewhat crisp. What is the importance of balance? Airbrushing is unique in that it can create a wide variety of effects. When these unique effects are put together within a design, the design becomes more interesting and visually stimulating.
Things to keep in mind.
Shrinking. If you are buying a cotton t-shirt, remember it could shrink. Even a pre-shrunk t-shirt will size up a little.
T-shirt sizing. Most t-shirts run the same in terms of sizing. Every Hanes or Fruit of the Loom basic t-shirt that I have ever purchased have been pretty close size wise. If you're not sure, look in your drawer and see what sizes you have for your Hanes t-shirts. That is more than likely how your airbrushed t-shirt is going to fit unless it is painted on a specialty shirt. Also, keep in mind that most t-shirts are sized unisex, which is actually closer to mens sizing.
Gamut. Gamut refers to the color spectrum that is displayed by the internet. Unfortunately, neon colors are not within the internet, computer or printing gamut. The neon or fluorescent colors that are airbrushed on your t-shirt will never look as good on your computer screen as they do on your t-shirt. Below is an example of what I mean. The outside "reddish / pinkish" color of the rainbow is actually more like a fluorescent traffic cone in color.
Pictures. The item display pictures are often times example pictures only!! You should expect the same quality or better when you receive your personalized shirt with your name and t-shirt size.
Pricing. Keep in my that you get what you pay for. If a design seems expensive to you, it is probably time-consuming for the artist. It is at the artists' own discretion what they have for pricing and most of it is time-based. The materials all cost the same from shirt to shirt but time involvement can vary greatly from design to design. *( And remember all those ebay, PayPal and postage and handling fees that apply as with any online item).
Hopefully this guide has brought some insight into purchasing airbrushed t-shirts online. Please contact me if there is anything that I made unclear or just general questions that I might have missed. I will be adding more visuals and content in the future. Thanks for looking!
Quality. You receive a higher quality of work when you choose to purchase online. This is because the artist has the luxury of working at his or her own pace rather than trying to beat out the clock to get the t-shirt done before the customer comes back to pick it up. There is no sense of urgency, no noise distractions or interruptions so the artist is able to focus completely on what's in front of them. As artists on ebay, it is especially important to output high quality work because of the feedback that is associated with the work.
Variety. On the internet, your options are never ending. Everyone knows of at least one or two locations in the entire state that they live in where they might be able to find an airbrushed t-shirt booth. . . .usually miles and miles away from where they live. On the internet, the consumer is able to comparison shop all over the United States for a highly specialized airbrushed product where they can get exactly what they want.
DISADVANTAGES of buying airbrushed t-shirts online
Spectatorship. The biggest disadvantage, in my mind, is the loss of spectatorship. If I had never been able to watch an airbrush artist as a child, I might not have known what it was all about. When someone places an order for a t-shirt, part of what they pay high buck for is the experience. . . . watching their shirt from start to finish.
Wait time. As with anything purchased online, you have to wait for it to arrive. This is especially true when waiting for your airbrushed t-shirt. Not only do you have to wait for the postman to get it from A to B, you have to discuss the specifics with the artist (usually over e-mail) and then still wait for the artist to paint it and deliver it to the post office.
What to watch for (and what to watch out for)
Although your t-shirt has yet to be painted, there are things you are able to look for that will help you determine the right artist and good quality.
Consistency. Do all of the designs displayed by the seller appear to have been painted by the same artist? Sometimes you end up purchasing your shirt from a company who uses or hires artists to do the work. This can be bad if you get an inexperienced artist who is not able to attain the same caliber and quality as the artist who painted the example shown on the site. Always purchase directly from the artist or from a reputable company who discloses information about their artist(s).
Stay away from sites that say things like "Not all items painted by the same artist" or "artistic style may vary from artist to artist." This means they probably vary quite a bit, in terms of quality and experience.
T-shirt quality. What is the actual t-shirt made of? Is this information even disclosed? You want 100% pre-shrunk heavyweight cotton or better. Sellers might try to skimp out on extra costs by purchasing seconds, irregulars or 50% cotton t's that are very thin but cannot be detected though the photos provided. If the website doesn't say anything about the actual shirt quality, it is an indicator that they forgot to mention it or they don't want you to know it. You should either ask them about it or move on to the next site.
Feedback. Any auction or shopping site will include some sort of feedback for the public to view. When viewing feedback for any site that sells handmade items or artwork, you should pay closer attention to the following:
A. Repeat customers. This is huge. Look back into the feedback history to see how many repeat customers the sellers had and how many times they came back. People will come back to what they like.
B. The feedback score. A high percentage rather than a high number is what you want to look for. A higher feedback number could mean more exposure due to external advertising but a higher percentage means more satisfied customers. *( Don't be surprised if your seller doesn't have 100% feedback. Remember, they are in charge of a lot more than just shipping the item. Stick with 98% or above.)
C. What does the customer feedback actually say? "Thanks, nice job?" or "Excellent! My daughter loves the shirt!!!!!!!"
Airbrushed or screen printed? Is the item really airbrushed by hand or is it screen printed? Sometimes I run across celebrity portrait t-shirts that say airbrushed in the title but "airbrush style" in the item description. These shirts will have a high level of detail for a too-good-to-be-true price. These items are usually screen prints of an original airbrushed design. Don't be fooled by these items thinking that you are getting a one-of-a-kind t-shirt. There are millions of them out there.
Brightness. Does the shirt already look a bit faded? There are a number of reasons why it would appear this way but the most common reason is that the artist is trying to conserve on paint and time usage by lightly misting on the paint instead of saturating it into the shirt. A faded or pastel look could also be from using actual pastel-colored paint or from a photograph that does not match the color of the actual shirt very well. Some areas should have that light misted look, for example the shadowing behind lettering. When you receive your shirt, turn it inside out and there should be areas where the paint has soaked through to the other side.
Overall Quality. This is mostly a matter of personal opinion but there are a few things that you can look for. An experienced artist will do a better job with their line crispness and will have a better overall balance of blurring versus sharpness to their design. Below, I have chosen one of my designs that display both areas that are blurred and that are sharp.
As you can see, the lettering is sharp and crisp as it should be so that that it is legible and there are elements in that background such as the water and the mist over the water which is intentionally blurred. The palm tree is sharp and clear and the outline around the heart is somewhat blurry and somewhat crisp. What is the importance of balance? Airbrushing is unique in that it can create a wide variety of effects. When these unique effects are put together within a design, the design becomes more interesting and visually stimulating.
Things to keep in mind.
Shrinking. If you are buying a cotton t-shirt, remember it could shrink. Even a pre-shrunk t-shirt will size up a little.
T-shirt sizing. Most t-shirts run the same in terms of sizing. Every Hanes or Fruit of the Loom basic t-shirt that I have ever purchased have been pretty close size wise. If you're not sure, look in your drawer and see what sizes you have for your Hanes t-shirts. That is more than likely how your airbrushed t-shirt is going to fit unless it is painted on a specialty shirt. Also, keep in mind that most t-shirts are sized unisex, which is actually closer to mens sizing.
Gamut. Gamut refers to the color spectrum that is displayed by the internet. Unfortunately, neon colors are not within the internet, computer or printing gamut. The neon or fluorescent colors that are airbrushed on your t-shirt will never look as good on your computer screen as they do on your t-shirt. Below is an example of what I mean. The outside "reddish / pinkish" color of the rainbow is actually more like a fluorescent traffic cone in color.
Pictures. The item display pictures are often times example pictures only!! You should expect the same quality or better when you receive your personalized shirt with your name and t-shirt size.
Pricing. Keep in my that you get what you pay for. If a design seems expensive to you, it is probably time-consuming for the artist. It is at the artists' own discretion what they have for pricing and most of it is time-based. The materials all cost the same from shirt to shirt but time involvement can vary greatly from design to design. *( And remember all those ebay, PayPal and postage and handling fees that apply as with any online item).
Hopefully this guide has brought some insight into purchasing airbrushed t-shirts online. Please contact me if there is anything that I made unclear or just general questions that I might have missed. I will be adding more visuals and content in the future. Thanks for looking!
Wait time. As with anything purchased online, you have to wait for it to arrive. This is especially true when waiting for your airbrushed t-shirt. Not only do you have to wait for the postman to get it from A to B, you have to discuss the specifics with the artist (usually over e-mail) and then still wait for the artist to paint it and deliver it to the post office.
What to watch for (and what to watch out for)
Although your t-shirt has yet to be painted, there are things you are able to look for that will help you determine the right artist and good quality.
Consistency. Do all of the designs displayed by the seller appear to have been painted by the same artist? Sometimes you end up purchasing your shirt from a company who uses or hires artists to do the work. This can be bad if you get an inexperienced artist who is not able to attain the same caliber and quality as the artist who painted the example shown on the site. Always purchase directly from the artist or from a reputable company who discloses information about their artist(s).
Stay away from sites that say things like "Not all items painted by the same artist" or "artistic style may vary from artist to artist." This means they probably vary quite a bit, in terms of quality and experience.
T-shirt quality. What is the actual t-shirt made of? Is this information even disclosed? You want 100% pre-shrunk heavyweight cotton or better. Sellers might try to skimp out on extra costs by purchasing seconds, irregulars or 50% cotton t's that are very thin but cannot be detected though the photos provided. If the website doesn't say anything about the actual shirt quality, it is an indicator that they forgot to mention it or they don't want you to know it. You should either ask them about it or move on to the next site.
Feedback. Any auction or shopping site will include some sort of feedback for the public to view. When viewing feedback for any site that sells handmade items or artwork, you should pay closer attention to the following:
A. Repeat customers. This is huge. Look back into the feedback history to see how many repeat customers the sellers had and how many times they came back. People will come back to what they like.
B. The feedback score. A high percentage rather than a high number is what you want to look for. A higher feedback number could mean more exposure due to external advertising but a higher percentage means more satisfied customers. *( Don't be surprised if your seller doesn't have 100% feedback. Remember, they are in charge of a lot more than just shipping the item. Stick with 98% or above.)
C. What does the customer feedback actually say? "Thanks, nice job?" or "Excellent! My daughter loves the shirt!!!!!!!"
Airbrushed or screen printed? Is the item really airbrushed by hand or is it screen printed? Sometimes I run across celebrity portrait t-shirts that say airbrushed in the title but "airbrush style" in the item description. These shirts will have a high level of detail for a too-good-to-be-true price. These items are usually screen prints of an original airbrushed design. Don't be fooled by these items thinking that you are getting a one-of-a-kind t-shirt. There are millions of them out there.
Brightness. Does the shirt already look a bit faded? There are a number of reasons why it would appear this way but the most common reason is that the artist is trying to conserve on paint and time usage by lightly misting on the paint instead of saturating it into the shirt. A faded or pastel look could also be from using actual pastel-colored paint or from a photograph that does not match the color of the actual shirt very well. Some areas should have that light misted look, for example the shadowing behind lettering. When you receive your shirt, turn it inside out and there should be areas where the paint has soaked through to the other side.
Overall Quality. This is mostly a matter of personal opinion but there are a few things that you can look for. An experienced artist will do a better job with their line crispness and will have a better overall balance of blurring versus sharpness to their design. Below, I have chosen one of my designs that display both areas that are blurred and that are sharp.
As you can see, the lettering is sharp and crisp as it should be so that that it is legible and there are elements in that background such as the water and the mist over the water which is intentionally blurred. The palm tree is sharp and clear and the outline around the heart is somewhat blurry and somewhat crisp. What is the importance of balance? Airbrushing is unique in that it can create a wide variety of effects. When these unique effects are put together within a design, the design becomes more interesting and visually stimulating.
Things to keep in mind.
Shrinking. If you are buying a cotton t-shirt, remember it could shrink. Even a pre-shrunk t-shirt will size up a little.
T-shirt sizing. Most t-shirts run the same in terms of sizing. Every Hanes or Fruit of the Loom basic t-shirt that I have ever purchased have been pretty close size wise. If you're not sure, look in your drawer and see what sizes you have for your Hanes t-shirts. That is more than likely how your airbrushed t-shirt is going to fit unless it is painted on a specialty shirt. Also, keep in mind that most t-shirts are sized unisex, which is actually closer to mens sizing.
Gamut. Gamut refers to the color spectrum that is displayed by the internet. Unfortunately, neon colors are not within the internet, computer or printing gamut. The neon or fluorescent colors that are airbrushed on your t-shirt will never look as good on your computer screen as they do on your t-shirt. Below is an example of what I mean. The outside "reddish / pinkish" color of the rainbow is actually more like a fluorescent traffic cone in color.
Pictures. The item display pictures are often times example pictures only!! You should expect the same quality or better when you receive your personalized shirt with your name and t-shirt size.
Pricing. Keep in my that you get what you pay for. If a design seems expensive to you, it is probably time-consuming for the artist. It is at the artists' own discretion what they have for pricing and most of it is time-based. The materials all cost the same from shirt to shirt but time involvement can vary greatly from design to design. *( And remember all those ebay, PayPal and postage and handling fees that apply as with any online item).
Hopefully this guide has brought some insight into purchasing airbrushed t-shirts online. Please contact me if there is anything that I made unclear or just general questions that I might have missed. I will be adding more visuals and content in the future. Thanks for looking!
Consistency. Do all of the designs displayed by the seller appear to have been painted by the same artist? Sometimes you end up purchasing your shirt from a company who uses or hires artists to do the work. This can be bad if you get an inexperienced artist who is not able to attain the same caliber and quality as the artist who painted the example shown on the site. Always purchase directly from the artist or from a reputable company who discloses information about their artist(s).
Stay away from sites that say things like "Not all items painted by the same artist" or "artistic style may vary from artist to artist." This means they probably vary quite a bit, in terms of quality and experience.
T-shirt quality. What is the actual t-shirt made of? Is this information even disclosed? You want 100% pre-shrunk heavyweight cotton or better. Sellers might try to skimp out on extra costs by purchasing seconds, irregulars or 50% cotton t's that are very thin but cannot be detected though the photos provided. If the website doesn't say anything about the actual shirt quality, it is an indicator that they forgot to mention it or they don't want you to know it. You should either ask them about it or move on to the next site.
Feedback. Any auction or shopping site will include some sort of feedback for the public to view. When viewing feedback for any site that sells handmade items or artwork, you should pay closer attention to the following:
A. Repeat customers. This is huge. Look back into the feedback history to see how many repeat customers the sellers had and how many times they came back. People will come back to what they like.
B. The feedback score. A high percentage rather than a high number is what you want to look for. A higher feedback number could mean more exposure due to external advertising but a higher percentage means more satisfied customers. *( Don't be surprised if your seller doesn't have 100% feedback. Remember, they are in charge of a lot more than just shipping the item. Stick with 98% or above.)
C. What does the customer feedback actually say? "Thanks, nice job?" or "Excellent! My daughter loves the shirt!!!!!!!"
Airbrushed or screen printed? Is the item really airbrushed by hand or is it screen printed? Sometimes I run across celebrity portrait t-shirts that say airbrushed in the title but "airbrush style" in the item description. These shirts will have a high level of detail for a too-good-to-be-true price. These items are usually screen prints of an original airbrushed design. Don't be fooled by these items thinking that you are getting a one-of-a-kind t-shirt. There are millions of them out there.
Brightness. Does the shirt already look a bit faded? There are a number of reasons why it would appear this way but the most common reason is that the artist is trying to conserve on paint and time usage by lightly misting on the paint instead of saturating it into the shirt. A faded or pastel look could also be from using actual pastel-colored paint or from a photograph that does not match the color of the actual shirt very well. Some areas should have that light misted look, for example the shadowing behind lettering. When you receive your shirt, turn it inside out and there should be areas where the paint has soaked through to the other side.
Overall Quality. This is mostly a matter of personal opinion but there are a few things that you can look for. An experienced artist will do a better job with their line crispness and will have a better overall balance of blurring versus sharpness to their design. Below, I have chosen one of my designs that display both areas that are blurred and that are sharp.
As you can see, the lettering is sharp and crisp as it should be so that that it is legible and there are elements in that background such as the water and the mist over the water which is intentionally blurred. The palm tree is sharp and clear and the outline around the heart is somewhat blurry and somewhat crisp. What is the importance of balance? Airbrushing is unique in that it can create a wide variety of effects. When these unique effects are put together within a design, the design becomes more interesting and visually stimulating.
Things to keep in mind.
Shrinking. If you are buying a cotton t-shirt, remember it could shrink. Even a pre-shrunk t-shirt will size up a little.
T-shirt sizing. Most t-shirts run the same in terms of sizing. Every Hanes or Fruit of the Loom basic t-shirt that I have ever purchased have been pretty close size wise. If you're not sure, look in your drawer and see what sizes you have for your Hanes t-shirts. That is more than likely how your airbrushed t-shirt is going to fit unless it is painted on a specialty shirt. Also, keep in mind that most t-shirts are sized unisex, which is actually closer to mens sizing.
Gamut. Gamut refers to the color spectrum that is displayed by the internet. Unfortunately, neon colors are not within the internet, computer or printing gamut. The neon or fluorescent colors that are airbrushed on your t-shirt will never look as good on your computer screen as they do on your t-shirt. Below is an example of what I mean. The outside "reddish / pinkish" color of the rainbow is actually more like a fluorescent traffic cone in color.
Pictures. The item display pictures are often times example pictures only!! You should expect the same quality or better when you receive your personalized shirt with your name and t-shirt size.
Pricing. Keep in my that you get what you pay for. If a design seems expensive to you, it is probably time-consuming for the artist. It is at the artists' own discretion what they have for pricing and most of it is time-based. The materials all cost the same from shirt to shirt but time involvement can vary greatly from design to design. *( And remember all those ebay, PayPal and postage and handling fees that apply as with any online item).
Hopefully this guide has brought some insight into purchasing airbrushed t-shirts online. Please contact me if there is anything that I made unclear or just general questions that I might have missed. I will be adding more visuals and content in the future. Thanks for looking!
Guide created: 04/28/08 (updated 10/01/08)
Thank you for voting. If your vote meets our 
