Specify the garment and print area first, then record the artwork’s finished width, height and position against agreed physical reference points. A generic T-shirt mockup does not establish where a printer will place the design. Chest and sleeve artwork need separate placement decisions even when they belong to the same visual set.
Write an unambiguous placement note
Identify the garment model, offered sizes, color and technique. State whether “left sleeve” means the wearer’s left, not the viewer’s left. Then agree with the supplier on a reference such as the neckline, shoulder seam or sleeve hem. Do not invent a universal distance that supposedly fits every shirt.
Printful’s placement guide tells users to check the selected product’s available print locations and dimensions, including sleeve limits. Some garments do not offer the desired location. Confirm that before shaping the artwork around an unavailable cuff print.
Measure the artwork’s actual visible bounds as well as the upload canvas. A small logo centered inside a large transparent PNG can be positioned differently from a tightly cropped logo even if both files have the same pixel dimensions. Inspect the final export rather than using the canvas size as the logo size.
Test the scale without trusting the mockup
Make a paper representation at the proposed physical size and place it on a comparable garment. This is an editorial planning aid, not a substitute for the supplier’s production template. It helps reveal whether a chest mark feels too large or a sleeve word becomes unreadable around the arm.
Use the supplier’s own placement controls and template for the order. Printful documents separate print areas and positioning in its Design Maker. Those controls belong to Printful; an image generated through Imagild does not automatically contain garment-placement instructions.
Ask how sizing and production tolerance are handled. A fixed print width may appear relatively larger on a smaller garment. If the design must be graded by size, request an explicit plan rather than assuming the preview software will make that decision for you.
Fictional example: a club shirt
Mae prepares a fictional shirt with a small chest emblem and short lettering on the wearer’s left sleeve. She keeps the two production files separate, with their visible dimensions recorded. Her placement note names the product and the supplier-agreed reference points; it does not use a screenshot arrow as the only instruction.
Mae first puts paper shapes on a similar shirt. The sleeve lettering is too close to the hem to read comfortably, so she revises it before ordering. The supplier sample is then inspected laid flat and worn. Mae checks the actual distance to the agreed reference, the artwork dimensions and the sleeve orientation. This example describes a proposed process, not a measured production outcome.
Approve position and artwork independently
A correct location cannot rescue misspelled lettering, and a beautiful graphic can still sit too low. Review both. Use Imagild Image Prompt for suitable illustration work, then finish accurate words, template positioning and print submission in external software or the supplier’s interface.
Keep the approved sample record tied to the product and file version. If the shirt supplier or garment model changes, recheck the physical references. The same pixel file does not guarantee the same placement on a differently cut sleeve.
Can I send only a shirt mockup?
Use it as a communication reference, but also provide the real artwork and accepted placement information required by the supplier.
Should the chest and sleeve use the same image size?
No. Their available areas and viewing conditions differ. Decide each finished size independently while preserving the intended visual relationship.