Learn how to create stunning AI t-shirt designs using Envato's GraphicsGen. This tutorial includes prompts, tips, and 10 design examples for beginners and pros.
AI t-shirt design has revolutionised how creators develop custom apparel. Whether you’re starting an AI t-shirt design business or creating designs for personal use, artificial intelligence tools like Envato’s GraphicsGen make professional-quality t-shirt graphics accessible to everyone.
In this step-by-step guide, you’ll learn how to make a t-shirt design with AI by unlocking AI graphics generation with your Envato subscription and using its it to create illustrations perfect for printing on t-shirts.
Let’s jump in and design your next t-shirt collection!
Best AI t-shirt design tool: GraphicsGen overview
Envato’s GraphicsGen is part of the Envato AI tool stack, and a great AI t-shirt graphic generator. The AI-powered generator allows you to create graphic assets in various art styles by simply typing in a prompt.
How to access Envato’s AI-powered GraphicsGen and ImageGen?
- Make sure your subscription is active: GraphicsGen is included within all our plans, so you will need an active subscription to access it.
- Open Envato’s AI tools: Navigate to the top right of the page to access Envato’s Gen AI tools to explore various AI tools, including ImageGen, VideoGen, GraphicsGen, and more.
- Sign In: Click on Sign In at the top right corner and enter your Envato account details. Once you’re logged in, you will have access to the full range of AI tools.
- Launch: From the main menu, select Gen AI and then select GraphicsGen, or go directly to https://www.envato.rseotools.com/__labs__/graphics-gen to start creating with the AI graphics generator.
How does GraphicsGen work?
If you are wondering how to make AI-generated t-shirt designs, open up GraphicsGen. At the bottom of the interface, you’ll find a prompt box where you can enter your description. To get started with AI to create t-shirt designs, you first pick a graphic style. Either click one of the preset icons in the gallery or choose from the style dropdown in the top‑right corner.
For example, select the 1980s comics art style. Let’s say you envision a vintage slot machine featuring the lucky numbers ‘777’ with cash popping out of its tray. Type your description into the prompt box, as:
” A bold, adult‑style illustration for a t‑shirt: a close‑up of a classic three‑reel slot machine showing ‘7‑7‑7’ in fiery red, with gleaming chrome edges and neon tubing outlining the reels. Coins and dollar bills explode from the payout tray in mid‑air, while a wisp of smoke curls around the machine’s lever. Render in high‑contrast metallic golds, deep blacks, and electric blues, with a distressed halftone texture overlay for a gritty, vintage‑casino vibe. No Background.”
Select a Portrait orientation or Image Ratio, plus slide on Transparent Background, then click Generate, and within seconds, the AI generator will present you with a PNG or SVG image ready for use in your t-shirt project.
If you are lost on finding cool t-shirt ideas, check out 7+ secrets to find cool t-shirt design ideas (for Print on Demand) or t-shirt design trends.
What actions does GraphicsGen allow you to do after image generation?
Once you have generated an image with the Artificial intelligence t-shirt creator, hover over the bottom right corner of the image. Here, GraphicsGen allows you to perform five actions:
- Edit using AI: Quickly takes you to ImageEdit, where you can edit your image with no manual retouching needed. Here, you have a list of actions you can automatically take, such as removing the background, upscaling, expanding, replacing, erasing, generating similar content, cropping, or generating a video.
- Generate More: Lets you create a brand‑new set of variations from your original prompt. This is perfect when you’d like to explore different layouts, styles, or color palettes without having to start from scratch.
- Copy to Clipboard: Enables you to copy the image directly to your clipboard with a single click. Then paste it into documents, presentations, or apps, with no need for downloading or file handling.
- Download: Allows you to download and save your image in PNG or SVG. This makes it easy to import into design software, share with clients, or send straight to a print shop. Some art styles, such as Playful Line Art, Handpress 286, and Bold Block Print Aesthetic, allow for SVG downloads. You can select the Vector reference style on GraphicsGen to see the styles that render in SVG.
- Favorite: Allows you to mark the images you love and build a curated gallery. Your favorites are stored for quick access later, helping you compare top picks or assemble a portfolio of standout designs.
AI t-shirt design best practices and technical requirements
When generating PNGs in GraphicsGen for T-shirt prints, keep the following key factors in mind:
- Image format: the Artificial intelligence t-shirt creator allows you to choose from three types of Image formats: Square, Portrait, or Landscape.
- File Types: PNG is important for transparent backgrounds and clean designs. SVG is important for screen printing T-shirts because it’s a vector format that scales to any size without losing quality, and maintains sharp edges for stencils. It facilitates color separation, which is essential for creating individual screens for each color. Plus, SVG files are lightweight and editable, making last-minute adjustments simple.
- Upscale: When your AI-generated t-shirt design is selected, Edit Using AI to access ImageEdit and upscale it by 2x or 4x for optimal printing quality.
- Bleed: Add an extra margin “bleed” to your canvas to avoid cropping.
- Color Profile: GraphicsGen and ImageGen operate in RGB, but commercial printers use CMYK. After downloading, convert your PNG to CMYK in Photoshop to check for any color shifts or out-of-gamut issues.
- Transparency: Generate images with transparent backgrounds for convenience. If you need, you can use ImageEdit to remove the background from your AI-powered apparel designs.
- Print size: After your AI image is generated, click the Edit Using AI icon to enlarge it to a larger size using Upscale, or consider expanding the canvas using Expand.
- Legal & ethical considerations: Avoid basing your designs on trademarked characters, protected artwork, or private individuals without permission. Use royalty-free or original AI t-shirt design prompts.
- AI Bias & Sensitivity: Be mindful of cultural symbols or imagery that may be misinterpreted or perceived as offensive.
- Logo: If you are looking to create a brand logo or label to your AI t-shirt design business, GraphicsGen can also be you AI t-shirt logo generator.
AI t-shirt design prompts: How to write effective commands
Step 1
To get started, it’s important to understand how to craft effective AI t-shirt design prompts. Below are some tips to help you write AI prompts that generate high-quality t-shirt designs. Use these guidelines to shape your t-shirt design ideas, and for additional insight, have a look at the complete guide to creative AI art prompts.
- Subject: What would you like to show?
- Who’s wearing it? What’s their age, gender, and subculture?
- Style / Reference: What style of artwork are you aiming for? Choose one from GraphicsGen’s 60 art styles, such as Watercolor Wash, Rough Stamp, Crayon, etc.
- Mood: Use adjectives like ‘vibrant,’ ‘minimal,’ ‘retro,’ ‘futuristic,’ ‘edgy,’ ‘playful,’ ‘elegant,’ ‘minimalist,’ or ‘bright,’ ‘pastel,’ ‘moody,’ ‘monochrome’.
- Color: What’s the mood of the artwork and the colors? Use words like ‘monochrome palette’, neon blues and purples’, or ‘deep blacks and raw whites’.
- Composition: Use words like ‘close-up’, ‘isometric view’, ‘wide panorama’, etc.
- Details: Describe the texture, or include scene elements.
- What’s the theme? For instance, ‘sunset surf vibes,’ ‘sci-fi neon city,’ ‘vintage floral crest.’
Composition & layout:
- Focal point: “central lion head,” “diagonal lightning bolt,” “off‑center palm fronds.”
- Supporting elements: “scattered stars,” “geometric framing,” “banner ribbon beneath.”
- Spacing & scale: “Image filling 70% of area,” “small icon”, etc…
Typography
- Font style: serif, sans‑serif, script, hand‑lettered, distressed stencil
- Placement: “arching above,” “running along bottom edge,” “integrated into graphic.”
- Hierarchy: “main slogan in bold uppercase, sub‑text in small caps.”
Output
- File format: “transparent PNG at 300 DPI.”
- Background: “no background,” “shirt‑color background as light gray.”
Step 2
Let’s break down and answer the pointers listed to create a cute AI-powered apparel design:
- Subject: ‘An adorable teddy bear‘.
- Style / Reference: Soft Warm Illustrations (Select from GraphicsGen reference styles)
- Mood: for setting the mood, let’s go with ‘a playful vintage fruit label aesthetic‘.
- Color: For this prompt, let’s chose ‘bright, cheerful color palette with red, pink, soft cream, and green‘.
- Detail / Composition: ‘…features an adorable teddy bear holding a glossy cluster of oversized cherries.’
- Theme: Vintage, feminine touch.
Composition & layout:
- Focal point: The centerpiece is the teddy bear.
- Supporting elements: ‘Incorporate a pink “100% Love” starburst badge along with shimmering sparkle accents in white and pastel pink.’
- Spacing & scale: ‘..holding a glossy cluster of oversized cherries, surrounded by many smaller cherries scattered playfully on the ground.’
Typography:
- Font style: Main text reads: ‘“CHERRY*BEAR”.
- Placement: ‘Single line arched above the teddy bear.’
Hierarchy:
- Main slogan: “CHERRY*BEAR” in bold uppercase, bubble font.
- Sub‑text: “100% Love”
Output: Transparent PNG at 300 DPI, no background
Step 3
Type in your text prompt, and click Generate.
“Create a vibrant, feminine retro-inspired t-shirt graphic with a playful vintage fruit label aesthetic. The main text reads “CHERRY*BEAR” in bold bubble letters in a single line arched above the teddy bear, in bright cherry-red to pink gradient with a 70s-style font. The centerpiece features an adorable teddy bear holding a glossy cluster of oversized cherries, surrounded by many smaller cherries scattered playfully on the ground next to the bear. Incorporate a pink “100% Love” starburst badge along with shimmering sparkle accents in white and pastel pink for a lively, feminine touch. Use a bright, cheerful color palette with red, pink, soft cream, and green. Output as a transparent PNG at 300 DPI.“
The ultimate AI t-shirt design prompt formula
A good AI t-shirt design prompt = An Adjective + Subject/ Style + Composition + Color Scheme + Text/Alignment + Additional details + Background + Output.
For example, let’s assume you want to create a women’s tee featuring a hand-drawn blooming rose concept. In the prompt box, your prompt would be written in this order:
“Create an empowering (Adjective) + bold floral illustration (Style) + a large, bold rose (Subject) in full bloom at the center, its stem wrapped in thorns that gradually transform into lightning bolts or radiant lines (Composition) + deep red petals, dark green stem, black outlines, and a metallic gold accent (Color) + strong vintage hand-lettered script reading “Rise Through the Thorns” arched above the rose (Text / Alignment) + conveys strength, resilience, and beauty through adversity with a subtle distressed halftone texture (Details) + transparent background + screenprint-ready vector graphic (Background / Output).”
For machine learning t-shirt graphics, use this prompt blueprint to tailor any theme by just swapping in the key elements. A fun thing we can try is not select any art style on GraphicsGen. It will then automatically generate four different styles for you to choose from.
How to generate your first set of t-shirt designs
1. ‘Neon Drenched’ art style
Alright, let’s kick off our first design with GraphicsGen’s neon art style. We’ll create a piece that is fierce, feminine, yet tough. First, select GraphicsGen’s Neon Drenched art style. Then, following the prompt checklist, let’s enter the key elements:
“An energetic, bold, (Adjective) feminine illustration + a vibrant pink tiger mid‑leap, intricately detailed, body arched and claws extended, leaping through a large heart‑shaped burning flame of swirling fire (Subject / Style) + centered 3:4 vertical composition for a women’s T‑shirt front, all elements fully visible with no cropping or bleed (Composition) + hot pink, coral, and orange flames with vivid pinks for the tiger and chrome/holographic silvers for accents (Color Scheme) + the word “WILD” in bold, slightly distressed block letters behind the flame, perfectly centered/aligned (Text / Alignment) + dynamic motion lines, crisp hand‑drawn outlines, fierce yet playful vibe (Additional details) + transparent background; no background color (Background) output as a 300 DPI high‑resolution PNG (Output).”
Note: When you generate the image, it may initially appear to have a background, but don’t worry, once you download it, the transparency will be visible. Or you can select Edit Using AI, to Remove Background.
2. ‘Printissimo’ art style
For t-shirt two, let’s target indie and tattoo fans who appreciate an artsy twist on skulls and festival/boho colors. We’ll create a split skull wrapped in peonies and fluttering butterflies—rendered in a flat, retro style that balances life and death in one bold, graphic. Select the Square image ratio, the Printissimo art style, and type in:
“Ethereal, highly detailed (Adjective) + skull formed from blooming peonies, roses, and twisting vines in delicate ink‑line illustration style (Subject / Style) + centered, symmetrical 1:1 square composition that fits entirely within the frame (no crop or bleed) (Composition) + soft pastel palette (lavender, blush pink, butter yellow, mint) + no text or typography (Text / Alignment) + subtle butterflies perched on and around the flowers, half the face decayed and half in full bloom (Additional details) + clean transparent background (Background) + output as a 300 DPI high‑resolution PNG (Output).
3. ‘Topical Retro’ art style
For the third design, let’s tap into biker/moto culture with hand‑etched eagle wings, behind a vintage, dead biker skull, topped with the phrase “RIDE FREE.” Choose a Square image ratio, the Vintage Patent art style, activate the Transparent Background, and type in the prompt:
“Create a bold, highly detailed half-shaded (Adjective) skull + in a rugged Americana style, wearing a tattered American-flag bandana and aviator goggles (Subject / Style) + centered on the chest with crossed piston rods behind like bones and stylized eagle wings unfurling from each side, five distressed stars arching above, and three red-white stripes trailing off the edges (Composition) + rendered in a palette of deep navy, antique red, and off-white (Color) + include the slogan “RIDE FREE” in all-caps stencil type, bold white with a midnight-blue drop shadow, curved beneath the skull along the pistons (Text / Alignment) + apply a light distressed texture over the entire graphic (Additional details) + transparent background (Background) + output as a 300 DPI PNG (Output).”
4. ‘Halftone Jam’ and ‘PlastiCore’ art styles
Let’s experiment with AI to create machine learning t-shirt graphics in two different styles, using the same prompt in a portrait image format. We want to depict a glamorous, detailed split-face design featuring oversized rhinestone sunglasses, sparkling diamond accents, and luxury starbursts.
“Create a detailed (Adjective) + glamorous cartoon bear (Subject) + split-face (Style) composition facing forward: one side a gold bear dripping like glossy melted metal with oversized rhinestone sunglasses and an X over its eye, the other side a white skull with stitched ear and cartoon X eye (Composition) + metallic gold and crisp white (Color Scheme) + bold retro text “MOOD” arched below the bear head (Text / Alignment) + dripping gold effect, sparkling diamond accents, luxury starbursts (Additional details) + no background color (Background) + transparent PNG (Output).”
5. ‘Bold Block Print Aesthetic’ art style
How about we create a whimsical classic tattoo-inspired style? We can use GraphicsGen’s Bold Block Print Aesthetic art style to illustrate a bold image of strength and fearlessness, featuring a tiger and a snake in battle. We could also add a cheeky slogan for a touch of sarcasm and humor in our AI-powered apparel design.
“Create a ferocious (Adjective) tribal‑tattoo art style (Style), of a Tibetan tiger caught face-to-face with python snake + tiger body (4 legs) caught in the coils of a sinuous snake (Subject) + dynamic, centered composition with the tiger’s claws extended and fangs bared + snake coiled around tiger’s body (Composition) + the snake tighte grip + palette of fiery orange, jet black, jade green, and gold accents (Color Scheme) + include the phrase “Better Luck Next Time” in distressed uppercase serif arcing above the scene (Text / Alignment) + intricate linework on the tiger’s striped fur and the snake’s scaled body, with swirling Tibetan cloud motifs framing the action (Additional details) + transparent background (Background) + output as a 300 DPI PNG (Output).”
6. ‘Editorial Line Art’ art style
Using GraphicsGen’s Editorial Line Art style, we can unlock the cosmos. An astrology t-shirt is a perfect idea for anyone who loves horoscopes, stargazing, or just adding a little cosmic style to their wardrobe. Choose a Square image ratio, activate the Transparent Background, and type in the prompt:
“Hyper-realistic (Adjective) + Fine line black and white illustration of a scorpion in traditional tattoo art style (Subject / Style)+ Centrally positioned, symmetrical and balanced composition within the frame (Composition) + Black and white color scheme (Color) + Scorpio astrological sign placed next to a crescent moon (Text / Alignment) + Intricate linework hatching on segmented body, dynamic striking pose with extended pincers, whimsical Japanese-style clouds and scattered tiny sparkling stars for a mystical celestial backdrop (Additional details) + Transparent background (Background) + 300 DPI image (Output).”
7. ‘Nostalgia Royale’ art style
If you are looking for an urban streetwear style mixed with a touch of nostalgia, use GraphicsGen’s Nostalgia Royale art style. Choose a Portrait image ratio, and we’ll create a ‘Tough Love’ t-shirt design showing a fierce-looking bear and graffiti-style text. Here’s the prompt:
“Bold (Adjective) urban streetwear + tough masculine bear with golden crown and angel wings (Subject / Style) + shoulder-high front view, fierce expression, folded arms, shiny sunglasses (Composition) + black, white, gold, blue, and orange splashes (Color) + “TOUGH LOVE” above in bold, edgy graffiti-style font with paint drips; “KING” below in large 3D graffiti block letters (Text / Alignment) + dynamic street vibe with thick outlines (Additional details) + background of graffiti splatter and stars (Background) + export as transparent PNG for t-shirt printing (Output).”
8. ‘Rough Stamp ‘ art style
We can also generate machine learning t-shirt graphics with compositions that are minimal yet impactful, using the ‘Rough Stamp‘ art style. This type of art style is ideal for bold, single-color t-shirt prints that convey strong emotional symbolism and spiritual undertones. For this screen-print style, let’s go for a flaming sacred heart, wrapped tightly with a strand of barbed wire, symbolizing pain or resilience.
“A bold (Adjective) vintage Americana tattoo-style flaming heart (Subject / Style) + wrapped in barbed wire with bright golden flames in stylized arcs and balanced with small vintage tattoo details with high-contrast composition with thick outlines, smooth shading, and subtle shadowing (Composition) + limited color scheme of bold red, and muted highlights (Color Scheme) + balanced classic Americana alignment and accented by tiny stars or dots for visual balance (Additional details) + no background (Background) + optimized for screenprinting (Output).”
9. ‘Graphic Novel’ art style
How about an AI-generated t-shirt design that features a vintage tattoo-style with a gritty nautical theme? We can go for a ‘Graphic Novel‘ art style, which is perfect for that danger and mystery illustrative feel. Try out this prompt:
“Traditional (Adjective) + Sailor tattoo-style skull illustration (Subject / Style)+ Skull wearing a weathered captain’s hat with rope around the brim, large anchor behind the skull, and storm waves at the base (Com position) + Black, navy blue, muted teal, golden rope, off-white skull, deep crimson text (Color) + Tattoo banner reading “DOWN AT SEA” in bold serif text, centered alignment (Text / Alignment) + Bold outlines, crisp linework, balanced visual weight (Additional details) + No background (Background) + Vector composition optimized for screenprint (Output).”
10. ‘Vibrant Outline Pop’ Art style
For our final t-shirt graphic, let’s use a neo-traditional tattoo aesthetic featuring a vibrant snake and rose design. We can achieve a balance between beauty and danger with a vibrant graphic using the Vibrant Outline Pop art style. This style is great in expressing power and rebellion. The prompt reads:
“Neo-traditional (Adjective) + tattoo illustration of a coiled snake wrapped around blooming roses (Subject / Style) + centered, dynamic composition with bold clean outlines and high-contrast shading (Composition) + limited palette of black, muted pastels, neon pink, and electric blue (Color) + no text, centralized alignment for T-shirt placement (Text / Alignment) + infused with glitch art effects and cyberpunk pop influence (Additional details) + no background (Background) + crisp graphic for vintage screenprint style (Output).”
AI t-shirt design FAQs
What is AI t-shirt design?
AI t-shirt design is when artificial intelligence helps you generate graphics, typography, or full-on shirt artwork using text prompts, pre-trained models, or design tools. Instead of starting with a blank canvas (and a mild creative meltdown), AI gives you a head start by interpreting your ideas into visuals.
How much does AI t-shirt design cost?
It ranges from free to fancy. Some AI design tools offer basic plans for $0, while others charge up to $50/month for commercial use and higher-res outputs. Envato gives you full access to its entire AI tools stack—including GraphicsGen, ImageGen, ImageEdit and more—for just $16.50/month (when paid annually). That also includes unlimited downloads of t-shirt mockups, fonts, stock images, and more. Basically, it’s like turning your laptop into a fully-stocked design studio. For less than the cost of a pizza.
Can I sell AI t-shirt designs commercially?
Yes — but here’s the deal (and no, it’s not scary). If you’re creating with Envato’s AI tools like GraphicsGen, you can absolutely sell your designs commercially. The catch? You need to make them yours.
That means the AI output can’t just sit there as-is. It needs to be part of a bigger, original design — like adding typography, combining it with other graphics, or turning it into a full t-shirt concept.
Simply resizing, recoloring, or tweaking in ImageEdit doesn’t count as a “new work.” You’ve got to build on it creatively. The good news? Once you’ve done that, you hold a worldwide, royalty-free license to sell it forever. Want to take it up a notch and stay compliant? Pair your design with an Envato t-shirt mockup and watch your work level up instantly.
What’s the best AI t-shirt design software?
“Best” is a loaded word—kind of like asking what the best band of all time is. (Don’t @ us.) But depending on your needs, a few AI t-shirt design software consistently top the charts. Midjourney, DALL·E, and Adobe Firefly are go-tos for AI-generated images. For drag-and-drop ease with type and layout, Canva and Kittl are solid picks.
But if you want something that’s purpose-built for creators and backed by a massive design library, Envato’s GraphicsGen is a standout. It’s an AI generator trained specifically on high-quality, commercially safe design inputs—perfect for AI t-shirt design that doesn’t just look good but plays nice with licensing too.
How do I create AI t-shirt designs for print-on-demand?
Here’s your five-step recipe:
- Choose your AI design tool and generate a design that fits your niche.
- Make sure it’s high-res and print-ready (300 DPI, please).
- Use a tool like Photoshop to tweak and format the design for printing and selling if you wish.
- Upload it to your print-on-demand platform (like Placeit, Printful, Redbubble, or Teespring).
- Use mockups from Envato to show off your shirt like a pro. Boom—you’re in business.
Now you know how to use AI to create t-shirt designs
Start your AI t-shirt design journey today with these proven techniques. As AI design technology continues evolving, creators who master these tools will lead the custom apparel industry. Bookmark this guide and experiment with different AI t-shirt design styles to develop your unique aesthetic.
