How to Get Your Best Design
A friendly guide to the Apple Blossom Design Lab
Start With a Clear Subject
The first thing the design wizard asks for is your "main subject." This is the heart of your design, so a little detail goes a long way. The AI is creative, but it is not a mind reader. The more specific you are about colors, clothing, pose, and setting, the closer the result will be to what you pictured. If you want a purple jersey, say "purple jersey." If you want a blue sky, say "blue sky."
Great subjects
- "A golden retriever puppy wearing a bandana"
- "A high school football player wearing a purple jersey and white helmet, running with the football"
- "A vintage camper van parked at the beach at sunset"
Too vague
- "A dog"
- "Football"
- "Something cool"
Pick the Right Design Shape
You can choose between Rectangle, Circle, and Oval. Here is where a little planning helps, because the shape affects how your design looks on the shirt.
Rectangle (the safe choice)
Rectangle is the default and works with almost everything. If your design has a full scene with a background (a football field, a sunset, a landscape), rectangle is the way to go. The full image prints on the shirt, edge to edge, and nothing gets cut off.
Circle and Oval (the pretty choice, with a catch)
Circle and Oval create a beautiful framed look on the shirt. But there is a catch: they work best when your design is a single subject on a plain background. Think of a logo, a portrait, an animal, or a symbol.
The catch: If your design has a scenic background (like a football player on a field under a blue sky), cutting it into a circle can crop out parts of the scene. In that case, we preserve your full design as a rectangle so you do not lose anything. We would rather you see the whole beautiful scene than lose half of it to a shape cut.
The simple rule
If your design happens outdoors or has a background, go with Rectangle. If it is a single object or character that could float on any background, Circle or Oval looks great.
Use "Must Include" to Lock In Details
The "Must Include" field is where you tell the AI about specific elements that absolutely must appear in your design. If you list something here, the AI will try hard to include it. But keep it to two or three items. If you list too many, the design can get cluttered.
Pick Your Colors On Purpose
When you type colors into your subject description, the AI listens. "Purple jersey" means purple. "Blue sky" means blue. Those specific colors take priority over the color palette selection. So if getting a specific color right matters to you, put it right in the subject description.
Text Overlay: Add Words After, Not During
AI image generators are not great at drawing sharp, readable text. If you type "BOERNE 2026" into the subject field, the AI might try to draw those letters, and they could come out blurry or misspelled.
Best practice
- Describe the visual scene in the subject
- Let the AI generate the artwork
- Add your text using the text overlay editor
- Position and resize until it looks just right
Refine: Your Second Draft Button
The Refine button lets you ask for changes without starting over. A few tips:
- Be specific. "Change the jersey color to navy blue" works better than "fix the colors."
- One change at a time. If you ask for five changes at once, the AI might get some right and others wrong.
- Describe what you want, not what you do not want. "Add a sunset behind the player" is clearer than "make the background different."
Quick Reference
| If you want... | Do this |
|---|---|
| A specific color | Type it in the subject ("purple jersey") |
| A scenic background | Choose Rectangle shape |
| A single object or logo | Circle or Oval looks great |
| Words or names on the shirt | Use the text overlay editor |
| Changes to your design | Use Refine, one change at a time |
| To keep your design forever | Save and Email it to yourself |
Every shirt is made to order and backed by our Love It or We Reprint It guarantee. The design wizard is here to help you turn the idea in your head into something you can wear. Take your time, have fun with it, and do not be afraid to refine until it feels just right.
Happy designing!
Amy, Apple Blossom Design Lab