Glossary

Abstract Tees:

An abstract design is simply a collection of shapes or lines that do not represent anything physical. Something considered apart from concrete existence.

Often the image is hard to directly recognize, and characterized by stylized shapes.

All Over Print:

DBH has always pushed the boundaries of screen printing and All- Over printing is one technique they have become famed for. All over print meaning that the design spreads all over the t-shirt covering shoulders to the base of the t shirt. T-shirts are glued flat and then printed using huge screens, this can cause small discrepancies in printing, especially around seams and fold areas.

Almost Out:

This category is to let people know that these t-shirts are almost sold out and you should grab them as soon as possible. We reprint many designs and you should request a reprint on the designs you would like to see come back. Not all DBH designs get reprinted so it is always best to get a tee when you see it available in your size.

Animals:

The Animals category consists of different animals like lions, bears, koalas, octopus and the list can keep going.

Anime:

This is a type of cartoon style that had originated from the Japanese. The exaggerated character style often has intense eyes and expressions.

Artist Interviews:

This is a section where we interview artists who have had winning designs. Artists are interviewed by DBH staff and showcase their best work. We ask the questions you have always wanted answered.

Balance:

When objects are of equal weight, they are balanced. If you have several small items on one side, a large object on the other side can balance them. Visual balance works in the same way. Let?s break it down:

• Symmetrical Balance: Symmetrical balance is mirror image balance. If you draw a line down the center of the page, all the objects on one side of the screen are mirrored on the other side.
• Asymmetrical Balance: Asymmetrical balance occurs when several smaller items on one side are balanced by a large item on the other side, or smaller items are placed further away from the center of the image than larger items. One darker item will need to be balanced by many lighter items.

Birds:

A category of designs that artists created by using birds as a primary element of their design. Ravens, eagles, owls and robins are all found in the birds section.

Bleeding:

This occurs when ink that is printed migrates outside of its printed area into surrounding areas of the shirt. The design is cut off by the edge of the t shirt. When designing tees with designs that go over the edge of the tees the designer should always allow for about an inch of bleed.

Characters:

This is a term we use to describe shirts with different types of characters from big to small from human to animal and the unknown. The t shirt designs are often cartoons, and playful figures.

Chatter:

Used to so that the DBH community and t shirt designers can post and chat about fun topics. This is the less serious section to post about t shirts, design, fashion and fun.

Contest:

DBH hosts different design competitions such as the Dark Knight Rises and the 8-Bit contest. Designers submit their artwork, the community votes, and qualified design can win cash and prizes. DBH also has an ongoing design contest that never ends, known as the DBH Daily Contest which also has awesome prizes.

Colors:

These are the hues and color values in the design. DBH t-shirts are screen printed so we have a limitation on colors that can be used.

• Standard Prints ? 8 colors*
• Oversized prints - 8 colors*
• All-Over prints ? 4 colors

* For amazing art we may stretch this to 10.

Composition:

The arrangement of elements in a design, as well as the relationships of one design element to another. How you arrange your design on the t-shirt is an important element to the design process.

Concept:

The theme or idea behind the t-shirt design. The design can have a visual reference for story behind the image. In the world of t-shirt design as great concept can be as important as the actual drawing itself. What would you wear on a tee? Look at Top 50 Most Wanted tees here at DBH for inspiration.

Critique:

Utilized by artists to post their t-shirt design to get feedback from other artists to change anything before they submit their designs for voting.

DBH Kids Tee:

Kids t-shirts are 50/50 blend of cotton and polyester to make them more durable for kids while still letting it is comfortable and fits perfectly. These are smaller size t shirts for kids around the ages of 5 to 12.

DBH Original Tee:

This is original shirt that is similar to Premium tee but is 100% combed ringspun cotton for a super soft feel and great fit.

DBH News:

This is all the latest news that Design By Humans has going on like t-shirt deals, blog articles and contests.

Depth:

Depth in design can be described as many things; ?the creation of something more than what is required or minimal, the hidden, the unclear, the difficult, the different, abundance and sometimes refinement and meaning.? For me depth is about layers of physical beauty or ideas. When you look at a design and see something within it. Layers of elements. It doesn?t need to be complicated but just thought provoking. Take the viewer on a journey. Make them look closer, question and ask ?why?? Why is the Mona Lisa so famous? Lots of reasons, but partly because we are drawn in to her many layers, the cheeky smile, her eyes, the story. Capture that or something like it, and you?re there.

Designer Tees:

A term for higher grade graphic design and t shirt quality.

Discharge:

Discharge is the process of chemically removing the pigment in the T-shirt and then printing on the raw material that is left with regular screen printing ink. It basically removes the need for an under print.

Raw Discharge:

A technique used in screen-printing by applying a raw discharge, dark colored shirt gives it that bleached look. This gives a very retro vintage look to the tee. See ?The forth Rider? as a great example of raw discharge in action.

Domestic Shipping:

DBH does domestic shipping, which is shipping done throughout the United States in 3-5 business days.

Exclusive Tees:

A design that was done for a certain contest that we have put on like the recent contest for Warner Bros. The Dark Knight or the 8 Bit Design Contest. These are all exclusive designs that were made for those contests.

Flock:

Flocking is a technique that gives your tee design a felt like feeling. It an extra texture put on the ink of the shirt.

Foil:

This is a type of printing technique that gives your design a shiny metallic look that really make the tees stand out.

Fresh:

Have you ever hear the Outkast song ?So Fresh and So Clean,? well looking fresh means that wearing our t-shirt will have you looking your best. Feel so fresh and so clean rockin DBH tees.

Funny:

A design produced to give us a laugh, whether it?s a robot rescuing a cat or a crocodile wearing sunglasses. Lighten up the mood simply by wearing one of our funny graphic tees.

Gallery:

The gallery is the collection of all the Shirt of the Day selections all the way back to our beginning in 2007.

Gel:

Gel is applied over a printed design to give a glass like look. We also have high-density gel for thicker appearance and rubbery feel.

Gothic:

When we mention gothic it can mean a few things: the design gives off a dark feeling, could show calligraphy style writing or relating to good ole rock and roll.

Gradients:

Using gradients in your design shows a gradual change of colors like a green fading to yellow and then orange. Experienced designs use gradients made of halftones to make the design more colorful. By blending say Red and yellow they can make the appearance of orange, very clever.

Graphic:

Design By Humans specialty is graphic tees so when we use it we mean art that was designed by you humans put on a t-shirt.

Halftones:

Halftones are used to create a design that has a series of large or small dots depending on how you want your design to look. Halftones can be used to great effect when your colors are limited. Experienced designers can make an eight color design look like it has 12 colors by using cleverly layered halftones.

Heathered:

When we refer to a tee being heathered it means that it has a textured design on the t-shirt.

High Density Inks:

This type of ink is available in any color and is used to give your t-shirt design a textured appearance.

Hipster:

This is a type of style that we call hipster, basically the hipster style is something that people have mimicked from the past because they think its cool. We?re all for the hipsters!

Indie Tees:

A tee style that illustrates the whole independent rock that grew from the 60?s garage to the 70?s punk and to mid 80?s alternatives. A short of vintage and retro style associated with alternative rock. Individual style made up of many elements and Independent clothing labels can also be considered ?Indie?.

International Shipping:

International shipping refers to countries outside of the United States. There is shipping available for Fed Ex and the United States postal services for global shipping options.

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Limited Edition:

Limited Edition Tees are tees reprinted from the back catalog with new colors or a new blank color. The tees are printed in exclusives colors in limited amounts. Once the Limited Edition shirts sell out that?s it, they won?t come back.

Metalic Inks:

These inks have a luminous sparkle like metal.

Monster:

Designs that were illustrated with all types of different creatures and beasts that might startle you.

Most Wanted:

This category is Design By Humans Top 50 Selection for best t-shirt design. These are the best t shirt designs from the entire back catalog and we do our very best to keep them all in stock. Stand back and applaud these designers for gaining the Top 50 most Wanted accolade.

Movement:

Movement is the use of line and shape to make the eyes move through the design.

Music:

A shirt design that was inspired by sound and rhythm. The shirts have different musical instruments, waves and musical references.

Nature:

The environment is important to us humans so why not have a t-shirt design of elements of natural elements such as sunsets, winter nights and birds flying, with tons more.

Neon:

This category uses design on tees that use bright colors, like yellow, blue, green, pink, red and orange.

Contest Winners:

Each day there is a new t-shirt design for the Shirt of the Day. This category is the daily order of winning t shirts.

Oversized Print:

This is a large t shirt print taking up most of the t shirt. One of DBH?s specialties.

People:

A t-shirt design that has used a person in the design which can include humans or skeletons.

Placement:

This term refers to the placement of the design on a mock up t-shirt that is 640x 480 pixels. This helps the printer get a visual idea on where to put the t shirt design, it could be in the middle or sides.

Popular:

Select this category to go to the best selling t shirt designs.

Quality:

DBH prides itself on quality, with printing, t-shirt and customer service. Not happy with a product? Let us know by contacting our customer service department.

Reprints:

This category is for shirts that are back in stock. If a shirt is sold out that you want to buy you can click the reprint button to request a t shirt. This lets us know which tees are the most wanted from our community and helps us to decide what to reprint.

Request:

This is a term used to submit a request to reprint a t shirt. The t shirt will be reprinted if there are enough requests.

Resources:

This is a section in the forum to share different design ideas, tips, and tutorials. If you have a great tip or website you can post it to the forum, or browse through other interesting t shirt design ideas and tips.

Retro Tees:

A design that was created to represent a past style. Retro themes are similar to vintage color harmonies and design.

Sale:

These are men and women t-shirts that have gone on sale for a lower price, so don?t miss out on these designer tees.

Skulls:

Skulls are very popular designs that?s why we use this category find all the amazing skulls that were created by humans.

Shirt of the Day:

Design By Humans each day selects a new t-shirt design. The winning artist is awarded $1000 and the shirt design is sold for $18 for the fist 24 hours.

Space:

Space t shirts include themes from the entire universe. You will find black holes, galaxies, astronauts, planets and stars.

Submitting:

The place where you upload t shirt design for a contest. Make sure you have all the guidelines and correct templates for the t shirt design.

Suede:

Suede is a type of ink used in screen-printing and adds a textured look and has a soft feeling.

Style:

Style is the type of theme of an object. It is the classification of how things look. The type of technique an artist uses, or the type of clothing someone wears.

Tee Grinder:

The tee grinder is a tool that sells 3 random t shirts for $25. Select a size and gender, then click grind to see which t shirts are given to you.

Texture:

Giving texture to a t-shirt design gives the surface quality of an object. Texture can be by touch and recognize roughness, smoothness or patterns within tee designs.

The Forum Topics:

This allows users to be involved in the community of artist with news, interviews, chat with other artist, critiquing, requests and other resources.

Thumbnail:

A thumbnail is 320 x 240 pixel preview of the artists design so that others can look at your design and vote on it.

Typography:

A type of art that is done with printing words or letters. The design includes words, letters or glyphs in the design.

Unique Tees:

A term used to express an unusual shirt. Unique is a new never been seen before design.

Urban Tees:

A t-shirt that represents city life. This can include backdrop of the city, graffiti art, builds or structures.

Vintage Tees:

Using a vintage style means that the artist has made it look old or from a different era in time by using certain images, characters or older style. There are colors and effects to use to give your design an old school style.

Voting:

Click the thumbs up to promote the next shirt of the day winner.

Water Based Inks:

We use water-based inks to give a soft feel, the ink blends in with the fibers of the shirt making it feel like soft on the front of your tee.

Winners:

These are the designers that have won the SOTD contest or a specialty contest like 8-bit or The Dark Knight.

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100% Cotton DBH Premium Tee:

This is a specialty tee that is ringspun combed 100% cotton that are dyed and washed for minimal shrinkage. Ringspun makes the fabric more durable and softer.

50/50 DBH Perfect Tee:

This t-shirt is a blend of cotton and polyester that is ringspun together to create a stretch and comfort that will fit you perfectly.

100% Cotton American Apparel Tee:

This is a tee that is fine jersey cotton from American Apparel. The shirts are a snugger fit, lightweight, minimal shrinking and great for color. Brightness.