Networking T Shirt & Business Card Branding

Version 3 - Networking T Shirt


(Note the new t shirt is currently in the post from the printers, but I've uploaded the images to be used).

(Both will be bigger than A3 Size. Well update ASAP)

Business Cards


  • I wanted my business cards to stand out so have UV Plastic coats to give a shiny 3d feel and appearance looking more professional and stand out as well as colourful.

  • Keep my branding identify with my logo featuring:

  • Dynamic special effects.

  • Crafts.

  • Engineering and lighting.


  • As these cards are for networking it very much helps to give people a reminder of who gave them the card with my photo.

  • Again, emphasising the Pinewood Studios Training at Creative Media Skills.

  • QR codes leading to my portfolio start page on the front and CV and mini portfolio download on the back.

  • A good example of my best work on the back to show what I can do.

  • Curved cards which not only look more professional and up market, by fit into wallets easier and avoid damaged corners.


T Shirt - Concept and Prototype

This was an idea and problem solve I came up with for networking events where lots of time was wasted trying to find who best to speak to with a relevant background.


I was looking for Props, Art Department and Set Decoration People and more importantly those with an interest in recruiting them.

The problem was with everyone dressed smart casual, I didn’t know who to talk to and neither did anyone else. There was nothing to indicate their area of interest and skill set, to attract the right people and for me to find them.
 
After coming across actor after actor, writers, budget movie wannabe directors and other into music I got fed up wasting time, especially as at their events there was little time increasing the chance of missing the correct people by the time the event was closing.


So I thought screw this and asked for some paper, a sharpie pen and some Sellotape and wrote Art department and Props Trainee and stuck one sign on my front and one on my back.

This elicited a lot of amusement, but more so what they found funny was that it was such a good idea as everyone else was in the same boat, saying they would try that next time and they wish they had thought of it, thus wearing a big sign that says I’m looking for Art department, Props and Set Decoration and this is me, my details and some portfolio examples seemed a good idea.


This was a cheap, tacky proving principle proptotype, but did the job and worked,  so I thought I would turn this prototype into an actual designed t shirt with some work examples & print it.
 
Something to showcase my talents with contact into and some branding.


So far, the t shirts have gone down great with all thinking they are a great idea and developed the idea into better versions.


This is my latest August 2025 version.


Version 1 - Networking T Shirt



Not technically version 1, that was the prototype of a hand written sign on sellotaped paper, this was the version 1 T-shirt.

Thinking about what should appear I thought it should include:


  • My Brand Logo to look professional
  • To state I was a Designer
  • Include some of my creative work examples forming a mini portfolio to show what I could do
  • That at the time I was a prop and art department student at Pinewood Studios Creative Media Skills training centre.


A course that covered:


  • Art Department
  • Set Decoration
  • Prop Making
  • Set Building
  • And to include my email and portfolio website link people could photograph and go to.

Name dropping what course helped give credibility being at Pinewood Studios and the tutors being known big movie art directors.



The norm from what I had seen with T shirt design was a smaller image on the front and bigger one on the back. More importantly bigger meant more examples of my work and bigger thus clearly images


As this was a rush job for an up-coming event that day or day before I forgot to add set decoration.


I also had to try and print the t shirt locally as was in a hurry and there was just a local Snappy Snaps photo lab with just white t shirts.

The print was a poor-quality heat transfer, in fact it took over an hour due to technical problems with the equipment so in the end it had to do so I could get to the networking session.

Version 2 - Networking T Shirt


Version 1 was still not good enough as had been rushed. The next version I had more time to play with so:


  • Tidied the design up.

  • Added more up to date photos from my course.


  • Paid considerably more to print on a black t shirt to be more blended.



  • This was direct printed which was necessary for printing onto black as heat transfers were transparent. This was ontop of a white base for a clearer image


  • This looked much better and have been using this for a year.


  • However there are still some flaws to fix and improvements needing doing. 

Version 3 - Networking T Shirt


Problems to Fix and Ideas to Incorporate


Problems and Issues still in the version 2 t-shirt were found to be:


Bigger is Better


The front image was too small at A4 size and hard to see on a t shirt, more so in a darkened bar with as the typical venue.


So, I researched where I could get A3 plus images back and front, Vistaprint offered 34 cm x 43.7 size, bigger than A 3 so went with that.

The text is also much bigger, brighter and more dynamic to me easier to read and more blatant. Clearly communicating what I’m about.

It was also where I was getting my business cards done so figured that:


  1. A more professional established company so likely to give better quality and equipment.

  2. Much bigger choice of T shirts, shape, quality durability and print areas.

  3. Discounts with the card order.


Going High Tech with QR Codes

  • QR codes were thought to be a good idea so I could be scanned sending people straight to my portfolio website with or without a practical portfolio.

  • Given that it’s the front people see first and when talking to me and when I was walking around and I wanted to add some taster photos of my work, my best stuff.

  • The QR codes include one for the website home page and one for my best work, my Star Wars project props. This can be seen in the left and middle images on the front.

  • The QR code idea also makes it a fun game for a group to scan me and save my portfolio page straight to their phone, in a manner then can easily forward it to others.

Becomming the Event Game.  Straight to my Portfolio.


The whole novelty increases the numbers photographing me and my details, making it much more memorable than a business card hand over. I’m also the more talked about one, the dude in the networking t shirt.


Lighting up in the Room


  • More so I have been looking into how to feed though or otherwise attack electroluminescent wire, tape or other material to enable me to actually light up the t shirt, possibly with flashing light patterns. I will need a way to be able to remove this for washing.
    I am looking into ringlets so the adding and removing of the electroluminescent.

  • I also made me stand out thus if anyone spoke to someone relevant to me, I’m incredibly easy to point out so they know who to look for and walk straight over to me.

Upgrade Summary


  • Much brighter, bigger and clearer text and imagery filling the t-shirt.

  • Optional light up elements so I glow in the dark further standing out.

  • QR codes to add a game element that’s fun and sends people straight to my portfolio and best work.

  • Much more memorable and getting more attention.

  • Better work photos and bigger clearly ones.

  • More up to date and better photos to showcase best work.

  • Better T Shirt material as well which should make it longer lasting and more durable.