Midtones, Shading, and the Finishing Touches That Make It Pop
If you want your designs to have that extra bit of depth, the secret is often in what you don’t see at first glance — the midtones.
Most designs start with the basics: your base colour and your highlights. But it’s the midtones that do the real work of making an illustration feel three-dimensional instead of flat. Adding a grey into the mix helps you achieve a smooth, seamless shading effect that gives your artwork a sense of light and form, rather than looking like a single block of colour.
Take a pocket print, for example. Including a black key line around the design helps ground the print and anchor it to the garment, instead of letting it look like it’s floating on the surface. It’s a small detail, but it makes a big difference in how polished and intentional the final product feels.
And once your print is dialled in, don’t forget the finishing touches. An embroidered beanie or cap is a great way to round out a full, cohesive look — think of it as the cherry on top of your collection.
When it comes to blanks, we’re big fans of the AS Colour range for its quality and consistency, but we also love working with the great range from House of Peaks.
Ready to bring more depth to your next design? Check out our screen printing services and embroidery services to see how we can help bring it to life.