Shirt Design — Michigan Marching Band Horn Section 2016
Summary
The horn section of the Michigan Marching Band had a t-shirt design contest for the section t-shirt of the 2016 season. I had the same idea back in 2014, but I lacked the time and skills. This was my second attempt, which eventually was chosen as the final t-shirt design.
Where it started
Back in 2014, during my freshman year at the University of Michigan, there was also a horn shirt design contest to decide on a t-shirt design. Although it did not win, it provided the basis for my design in 2016.
Concept
Taking the same concept from 2014, I wanted to create an image of a mellophone using the names of all the members of the Michigan Marching Band horn section of the 2016 season. However, instead of just typing within a designated area, I manipulated the text shape into the right shape. The number 35 in the design represents the number of members in the section that year.
Choosing the right color
When applying color to a design, I sometimes like to give people the option to choose the color combnations so that they felt like they were a part of the design process. This is also to ensure that the colors chosen weren't based solely off of my personal preference. It's probably safe to just use the school colors, but variations are nice sometimes.
The final product
Unsurprisingly, the design with the traditional Michigan colors won, but hey! that's the beauty of democracy, right? What's always surprising is the end result, however. Since I was not working directly with the t-shirt company, the actual t-shirt color and ink can vary slightly based on what they are capable of doing. In this case, it was thankfully a good surprise and it turned out to be a shirt that is well liked within the section, even many years afterward.
