The
Shirt
Maker

Client: The Shirt Show

What would Photoshop look like if it were created in 1971? We answered that question with The Shirt Show Show Shirt maker, a kiosk letting Minnesota's finest design and print their very own shirt. By turning knobs on the vintage-electronics-inspired physical interface, users would see changes to their shirt design on the screen. After designing the shirt of their dreams, they entered their cell-phone number to recieve a text message with a unique purchase URL and a shareable image of their design.

The physical interface for the shirt maker consists of laser-cut and bent steel around a hand-built walnut wooden frame. The unit houses an Arduino Mega which interfaces with the 17 rotary encoders, 10 digit keypad and momentary push button. Die-cut vinyl decals adheared to the steel face provide a label to each control on the interface.

The digital interface is a Cinder application which communicates with the Arduino to change the design parameters on the screen and update the shirt preview. A Node-based web service handles initial user design submissions and automates submitting shirt orders with Printful.

The Shirt Maker was installed at 514 Studios for The Shirt Show in Minneapolis, MN, where it allowed guests to design a shirt representing their attendance of the event, while being unique to them. The annual event features t-shirts designed by local artists and benefits Free Arts Minnesota, a non-profit organization that provides youth in challenging circumstances a safe place for expression and self discovery.