It's so heartwarming to see the journey of watching you back when you made redesigns of fast food chains and tampon companies to working with the biggest clients that fully appreciate your craft
my go to for merch is things that maybe don’t obviously look like merch. I love T-shirt’s and crewnecks but I’m way less likely to buy something that just has the artists face on it. I prefer a design that evokes the feel of the album or a specific song rather than just an image. I also love posters and tote bags!! Stickers also call to me, a sticker pack is something I’d always grab.
as a girl who goes to a LOT of concerts and is very selective about what merch i buy, i'd say the drawings/images are the most important aspect for me! the text and colors are great, but when a merch item has a really cute image/design/print on it, i need it!! and if ti has the tour dates on it as well, omg IMMEDIATE purchase. there's just something about seeing your city on the back of a shirt or hoodie or on a poster. :) but yeah generally the most important thing is that it has an image or drawing that somehow relates to the artist but also looks cute as an everyday shirt that i would wear regardless of it being merch. sorry i yapped so much omg 💀
AND ALSO as for what kind of item i get, it's always the one with the cutest design on it LOL but if they all had the same design, i'd go fro a hoodie if it was $60 or less. love love love posters but i'm also running out of wall space lmao
One of my favourite bands did such a cool thing with their merch, printing and embroidering their logos onto vintage/2nd hand clothes, upcycling existing garments. Each item was completely unique, and it was such a joy to browse through. It was set up like a tiny pop shop. Such a fun and creative way, to reduce waste and make something very personal. I bought a leather jacket, that I wear all the time. The band is called HUGORM. (Danish pop/rock band)
when i go to a show, i usually default to the t-shirt, but i'm picky about the design and it's more about the cool designs than the item. t-shirts just normally have the best designs. long sleeves are something i usually also look for bc they are often cheaper than sweatshirts but still providing a warmer option since i live in a cold climate! plus you get the cool sleeve design opportunity. having tour dates on the shirt is also a big draw for me; it's honestly annoying when i'm at the merch stand and my fav shirt design doesn't have tour dates on it!! one thing i love about the work you do is that you pay attention to the garment quality as well-- nothing irks me more than a super cute design on a low-quality blank that won't last, and i'll happily pay a little more for a sustainably-made garment with a heavier weight fabric.
the valley poster blew me away it’s stunning!!! i always go for a t shirt when buying merch but i love a good hoodie, poster or pin. id love to see more baby tees or ringer tees in artists merch
Yes! I miss ringer tees too. Along with "baseball tees", those 3/4 sleeve two toned shirts were so cool. I always wanted one as a kid, but can't find them ANYWHERE now!
Omg!!!! I LOVED the Gracie Abrams stuff that came out this year (literally bought so much merch) and had no idea you had designed it. I’ve been following your TH-cam for a minute now since seeing you redesign major brands. So proud of you and your success 🎉
My most frequent merch purchases will always be t-shirts. They’re great for layering and most of the time they’re the product with the biggest size range. I’ll often go for a button/pin if it feels unique and special. Frankly I’d rather have multiple t-shirt options to pick from, I love when there’s designs focused on one song, Maggie Rogers merch does this really well.
almost always a t-shirt for layering, $20-30 is the perfect range. socks are really fun but i’m not always in love with the sock designs i see. for me, what makes me go for a piece of merchandise is usually a unique design. my favorite merch shirts (alvvays pomeranian spinster green; frankie cosmos cereal) are usually more illustration-design than typeface-design, and hopefully something that people would appreciate even if they don’t know the band (which is kind of obvious i suppose). it is cool when i get compliments for a piece of merch i really love and someone is surprised that it’s a band (it’s not my main motivation to get compliments but it’s a nice plus)
Kel i miss your tutorials so much bc as a self taught- independent designer myself being able to learn how to create amazing stuff like this literally means the world. Hope we can see more of that someday. i absolutely LOVEEEE each and every item on this video. I'm so happy you're back!!
everything you designed was so gorgeous, but that valley poster is amazing!! i only went to one concert this year but when i'm buying merch (as a 22 year old girl) i always go for the garment with the tour dates on it. preferably a tee so i can style different ways. and i'll also go for a tour poster as well. loved the video kel!
kel your art is so inspiring, everything you design feels like something i've been wanting to see in merchandise before i knew i wanted it!! and your cmd + f segment always gives me new people to follow for their artistry so thank you for that. usually at concerts i try and keep my spending to around €50 max cos i try not to have more than that in cash on me, and considering i'm plus size i unfortunately don't really have enough time to see if shirts and hoodies would fit me, so i typically go for a poster, the stickers/accessories and then a tote to hold everything in it while i jump around during the show, but if the artist feels generous and is selling cds/vinyls then i will splurge if i don't have it already because physical media is so the way to go if you can.
ahh! love a new video. just wanted to let you know that you inspired me to apply for a graphic design BFA program and now I'm about to graduate! your work is awesome :)
honestly when i am buying merch i buy whatever item has the coolest design on it. if i love the design enough i will go with hoodie (but it has to be a nice hoodie blank) otherwise a tshirt or a tote. i also love a a good enamel pin or keychain. it just has to be a cool design and a quality item and i will buy pretty much anything. Also i LOVE tour exclusive vinyl variants.
Omg watching this in my gorgeous valley hoodie that I have NOT taken off since I saw them last month!!! If I’m buying merch I tend to get things that I can see myself wearing or using regularly, that fit with my personal style, and have a really cool design. I’m also a big fan of stickers!
My sister went and saw Harry Styles and got me the small bag that says treat people with kindness. It is one of my favorite pieces of merch hands down. I love that it is so useful and I get to see it all the time but didn’t have to add to my ever-growing tshirt drawer. I wish there was more accessory type merch like this!
kel!!! I’m the cookie artist that made valley’s cookies that featured your art. it was SO cool to hear you say your goal is to bridge the gal btw fans and artists. since day 1 my work with artists has had that same mission; to connect to them as fellow artists and reflect their lives and art through my art. since an artist’s merch designs, album covers, visual identity, fan art, and colors are the tools (along with cookies of course) I use to do that, it’s SO so special to be connected to your work in the same way. i love art! i love connections! i love music! i love kel! this is awesome :’)
oh kelllll!!!! i love everything you create say touch everything!! the latter poster was def my fav, such a cool style :-) these new videos are such effortless gems, love the color grading
Kel!! They are all so incredibly cool. Could you possibly make a video about pricing your work? I feel like the topic of how much you should charge for certain things is not talked about enough in the graphic design industry. I think your view would really help junior artists. ✨
randomly stumbled across this video, and as a gracie fan its so cool to hear your process on how you created the merch! i got the heather crewneck that you designed at gracie’s tour and its quickly becoming one of my favorite sweatshirts!
Great video! My budget for artists I really like is $30-$50. Last year I bought a shirt from monster rally when he was doing a site sale and the shirt I ordered ended up being unavailable, so he sent me a different shirt instead. That long sleeve tee is, one of if not, my favorite things to wear. I love the design, I love how comfy the shirt is. As a fan, I am picky about shirt design. I don't like the album being printed right on the shirt unless I love the art/cover a lot. I like the approach you take with lyrics on merch, but not always the placement. I also like the different methods of design too. As a novice designer, or maybe as someone with adhd, I am usually focused on whatever program or vehicle of art is in front of me. It doesnt occur to me to make a negative, create a collage, scan in nature/plants. If I just have a paper and pencils or computer program open in front of me, I always think I am limited to just that. If I had $100, I would really love to get physical media of the album and a shirt or hoodie. A record would be cool, but I would love a CD (since I have cd readers). Even though I grew up in the ipod generation, I enjoyed getting a cd from the library, burning it to my computer, and then having it on my ipod. I like having the music physically there in case it falls out of rotation with my ipod, so I can revisit it when I want. So much media is just being lost to time because of companies and streaming services not caring about preservation.
These are such cool pieces!! it's so hard to pick a favorite but I really loved the green valley t-shirt, the colors are gorgeous and I like the dynamic positioning (idk how to call it) but the text isn't just centered and instead thruout the front like the bits in the corner -- it's super cool and I also love when shirts have a back graphic. especially bc tour merch can get so pricy it makes it easier for me to justify the purchase if it's double sided or has extra details (not just a tiny design in the front corner). The merch I have is all t-shirts and most of them are on black so I have been looking for more pops of color to expand (even heather gray just to switch it up)
so fun hearing you talk about your purpose as a designer ~ i’m not much of a t-shirt person, but i love a good hoodie, zip-up, or hat !! hats are the kind of merch that never sit around unused
you articulated how i feel about merch so beautifully, im such a music and concert nerd and i look forward to seeing the merch from an artist just as much as listening to the album that goes with it and how they complement each other. i always end up buying way too much merch and it takes up probably 75% of my closet 😭 so hearing you explain it the way you did made it feel justified lol i love seeing being able to spot your work and i definitely am going to listen to valley now so i can sport that hoodie!! loveddd this vid!
hi kel! you inspire me so much... i was always interested in merch design, i just didn't realize it was a whole career until i started watching your videos :') i have no idea how the industry works though lol but two things i'm very curious about are 1. how often you decide on which materials to use, and; 2. do you consider the physical materials first before starting a design or does that come later? i loooove getting merch that are useful for everyday life so my usual combos are: t-shirts, face towels, and totebags. My fave groups occasionally release interesting merch like teabags, lipbalms, etc. too so i try to get those whenever possible (These are Japanese groups btw) :D
I also love things that aren’t typical at merch stands so if there’s a unique item that relates to the theming of the album rollout or tour I’ll potentially buy it
i love going to concerts of all different genres, but i feel like sometimes all of the merch starts to look the same, especially when they're all usually printed on black garments or use similar design styles/compositions. seeing your merch is so refreshing - i loved seeing the variety of different garment colors and styles! my favorite you've shown has to be the green valley shirt, i just love the combination of colors! also to answer your question, if i had $100 to spend at a concert, i'm most likely getting a shirt with the tour dates on the back - bonus if it has double sided prints - and accessories like stickers or buttons. these days i like to buy shirts in different colors, especially something like a sand color or a pastel. as a bigger person, sometimes i'm not always to fit into the 2xl offered as the "biggest" size at most concerts, but if i *really* like the design, i will buy it and settle with a tighter fit.
seeing your art in print gives me such a warm feeling and also works as inspo. when I go to concerts, I always just get a shirt cause I’m broke, BUT if I do have money, I get both a shirt and hoodie, yet when I was younger I’d get a poster and shirt instead.
kel!!!! ive been following you for so long and seeing that you designed the all things go shirt makes me so happy! i went this past year and got one and it reminded me of your art style. it’s become one of my favorite shirts, thank you for all that you do!!
Tour shirt is go-to for me. Like you said, good sweatshirts get purchased as well. I am also someone who is running out of wall space in her house, but I would buy posters. I think mini prints would be more beneficial in my house cause I can put them in more places as opposed to a massive full-sized poster. (AKA I really want Sabrina Carpenter's singles posters but they don't fit anywhere in my house) I love a good vintage-y looking design too and I think all of the work you showed here is really really good :)
Love these designs! As for my go-to merch, when they have them at shows, I usually go for pins and patches! Buttons are also fun and I know they're easier to manufacture but actual enamel pins (especially hard enamel) are so much better and I love when groups have them, I have a backpack and jacket covered in them!
literally when I saw the merch at all things go my first thought was it looked like your style! absolutely love that it actually was you designing it 😂❤ also in response to the question: I usually always go for a shirt or an accessory like a hat or tote bag! I don’t collect much but merch is one thing that I set aside money for!
i have been a fan of your work for so many years and really like gracie's and valley's music, its really cool to see that you created those design that I wish I could buy. great work :)
I haven’t seen one of your videos pop up on my recommended in such a long time! But I just wanted to say that you were a huge inspiration for me getting into graphic design and I love your work so much ❤️
The Valley collection is so delicious!! My favorite piece in the video is the brown sweater with the yellow text, im a fan of simpler, big designs and the subtle puff ink is so cool. If im at a show and had 100 dollars, i would probably get a shirt/sweatshirt and poster, it would depend on the accessories available. Though sometimes merch sizing can be a bit troublesome. The NDA thing seems so silly to me, its seems benifital to both parties to be able to reveal what the work is.
I bought a loooot of tour merch this year haha. Most of the time I buy T shirts, but I like when there's multiple options to pick from in a variety of styles (which is how I ended up with four different shirts for the same artist). On her arena tour this year Maggie Rogers did an exclusive poster for each venue, which I thought was really fun - it felt more like a keepsake of that show rather than something generic, so I bought the poster for the show I attended despite not really being a poster person.
amazing video! love getting these looks into your thoughts and process-my thesis was a combo of merch design specifically in the superhero space, so i've been thinking about revisiting it and actually building everything out better with more knowledge. my favorite artist merch are nice, thick tshirts-i got one a hozier concert that i love because it's a nice, heavy weight cotton, and it's in a unisex cut, which i find is most flattering on my body. my other favorite piece of merch was a heavyweight cotton oversized black longsleeve i got seeing khruangbin - i usually also look to see if there are any enamel pins being sold, i feel like those are super accessible as a price point, but i don't often find good ones that i like enough to buy
i generally always buy the main tour t-shirt because i loveee having the dates on the back. sometimes i'll get an accessory with it, though--i want a tour crewneck so badly but they're always expensive so i'm trying to be picky about which one i eventually commit to getting... love your art btw it always inspires me to do more graphic design
This was so much fun, I LOVED getting to see all of your designs in physical form! I wish I could buy some of them directly from you 😄 As for what I personally look for when buying merch, I am open to spending up to around $200 if it's an absolute favorite artist of mine. I am a bit biased as I'm a designer too so I only buy t-shirts or sweatshirts with a killer design. I HATE basic merch that's just a photo of the artists, I want something well-designed with type, maybe a bit abstracted. For a t-shirt I would want it to reflect the tour such as the year and tour locations. I rarely buy posters but honestly it's just cause I don't want to have to carry it throughout the show. In this case, I may hit the merch table again at the end just for the poster and again, it's heavily dependent on the design and only if it's a truly favorite artist. For the poster design, I would also prefer something more abstract and designed vs just a photo of the artist. Basically, I want it to live outside the tour, a piece of art on it's own. I don't usually buy accessories but potentially if it was something unique. So in the end, I would get either a t-shirt and a sweatshirt (only if the design is amazing) and sometimes a poster. If it's a smaller artist, I will buy the vinyl there.
I have your design for ATG on a tote bag and it's one of my favorites! In terms of which merch I gravitate towards, I used to only buy a black tour tee 90% of the time, and then maybe a hoodie or tote instead of or in addition to the tshirt. But now I have so many tees that in order for me to buy one, I really have to like the design and quality of the garment (also depends on how much I like the artist). Some recent "unconventional" merch items I bought recently were the Sweat Tour towel and Chappell Roan's pink handkerchief. TLDR either a unique design on a garment or an accessory that stands out to me.
for my faves im getting the hoodie 100%, crewnecks arent always my fav clothing item period lol - a beanie or a hat would tempt me more over a jewelry type vibe. tho most frequently i'd go for a poster fs, for me its usually the cheapest keepsake and i love a good piece of paper on my wall! a tote bag is a maybe bc i already have so many and i tend to look at the quality of the material before anything and they tend to be quite basic. loved seeing all the work - absolute career goals TT💙
love the valley poster !! and for merch if there's a design i love i'll get a tshirt but usually i get tote bags - im very picky with how my shirts fit but with bags i know i'll use them a lot especially if theyre good quality!
i don't usually buy merch unless it's something that would be a cool/interesting/fun design even if i didn't know the artist/band - most recent thing i bought was the julien baker jersey (not a fan of it being polyester but the design is very good). generally avoid anything that has the artist's actual face on it esp. if it's just a photo because it feels either kind of cheap or gives off Intense Fan vibes that idk i want. lucy dacus' cerebral shirt & lucy loves me/dads fear me fish hat are also 10/10. also! went and listened to valley's album after seeing your design of the cover and am gonna be seeing them live next year which will be fun :)
Your designs are so nice ♥️ I go to a lot of concert, so a lot of my budget is already gone for tickets alone! That’s why I will usually just go for a tee, because it is the cheapest piece, or just a poster if the tees are too pricey as well! So I always love it when the T-Shirts are not just artist name, tour name, random picture, but are actually just as nicely done as the more expensive garments!
I looooove unique and big prints, especially front & back t-shirt tour merch with dates on them! I usually buy t-shirts cos it's hot here in the PH to wear sweaters
as a graphic design student who wants to get into commercial design, this was super cool to watch!! i've gone to so many concerts this year and i usually find myself buying at least one t-shirt and a poster. although for my favorite band, waterparks, i ended up buying a zip-up that i actually wear all the time!
Love your work ! and the heart you put into it really shows ! you’re very inspiring ✨ Always going for a sweatshirt and a poster, usually my favorite !
Congrats on such a big year! I was at ATG NYC this year and wanted the sweatshirt you designed! I waited in line as was so bummed to discover they didn't have any sizes above an L left. (I believe XL and XXL were already sold out). So, I'd say if you have any sway or can offer feedback to the people doing ordering, please please encourage them to extend sizes. Everybody wants their hoodie to be oversized, smaller people end up buying larger sizes, leaving nothing for plus size fans. I know more sizes are more of an investment, but it would be so cool to see bands and festivals offering all their merch in more inclusive sizing!
for mercy buying, I usually pick the item that either I need at the moment or think has the best graphic that fits with item. Most recently, I bought poster at a Laufey concert. At other concerts, I have bought shirts, tote bags, or sweatshirts. It all depends on what clothes are in my rotation.
I love a sweatshirt for merch. I have too many tshirts I don’t wear and I am like always wearing hoodies or crew necks. The green valley tshirt and their poster were my favorite. I also loved the type in the first shirt you showed in this video!
I usually go t-shirt, but because of how many I have lately I've only been getting one if it's not black or white. Unless it's like my favorite band ever. Otherwise, if they have cool stickers or pins, I'll go for those. Usually, I try to aim for 40-50. But I never get a poster, cuz I just don't have room, and I also never really go for a tote bag. I have so many reusable bags, that I just can't justify another one. OH, I love a keychain, or something kitschy like that. I can't really spend too much, so if I can get multiple little things, especially if there isn't a t-shit I really like I really appreciate that.
My favourite piece of merch I’ve ever bought was a limited edition small art print (I think it’s a lino cut or digital print of one) for Finn Andrews. Now it hangs in our powder room and I get to enjoy it everyday. Seems just that bit more special than a regular poster
i loooove your room setup! i work from home and haven't really set up a home office for myself yet, so i would love to hear about how you designed your work space
This was incredibly inspiring! I’d love to see more of the design process behind creating merch. I design merch for Pride festivals myself, which is a pretty specialized area, so seeing other approaches is always exciting!
I LOVE all the valley stuff you made. How did you add those floral and art nouveau type of stuff to it? Did you draw the art nouveau stuff? The back of the "Secret of Us" shirt was also super cute, loved all the colors and hearts and stars and stuff.
i’m absolutely a poster person, i have a bunch on my ceiling. also i can very much see the point about not wanting a design with so much ink on the front but as a wheelchair user only being able to see a small thing kinda makes me sad lol, i enjoyed this and i’m glad you could share it with us (-:
Obsessed with this video!! I usually like subtle merch, not the ones that say in really big letters the name of the artist, i loved the GA merch you showed!!!
i almost went to the valley show in my city solely because i wanted to pick up their merch! i wasn't able to in the end, but i definitely would've gotten the watering can tee. at shows i usually go for a t-shirt, depending on the designs available. if they have pricier items i really love, i'll splurge! it all depends on the budget i have going into it
Hahaha, this comment is for the last part :p I usually spend between 50 to 100 euros on merch at concerts and it depends on the merch the artist has... Usually, 100% of the time I buy a T-shirt or a hoodie, if I'm on a low budget spending, I buy a T-shirt for sure and maybe a poster or an accessory (when I buy accessories I love pins and jewelry). If they have a hoodie that I really, really like, then I only get the hoodie and if I love the band, I just save a for months to get everything I can on the merch store cx
personally i'd love to buy a tshirt if i love the design but if it's already expensive and the crewnecks are also there and i love the design on those, i'll instead spend the extra money to buy something that feels more substantial than the tour price of a simple tshirt (obviously not true for every tshirt nor every artist). so tshirts and crewnecks are what i'm looking for in merch! i've personally never bought any accessories or posters.
I always love hearing you talk through your processes and techniques, it's always cool to see your journey. For custom type, do you prefer to write it and scan it in, or do you prefer to use Photoshop brushes?
I always AT LEAST get a shirt (preferably with dates or city specific)… I’ll get a sweatshirt or poster if it’s particularly cool or signed, city specific merch, stickers or random items you don’t typically see or might not be as common(ex. patches, hats, trinkets).
It's so heartwarming to see the journey of watching you back when you made redesigns of fast food chains and tampon companies to working with the biggest clients that fully appreciate your craft
:’) thank you
my go to for merch is things that maybe don’t obviously look like merch. I love T-shirt’s and crewnecks but I’m way less likely to buy something that just has the artists face on it. I prefer a design that evokes the feel of the album or a specific song rather than just an image. I also love posters and tote bags!! Stickers also call to me, a sticker pack is something I’d always grab.
as a girl who goes to a LOT of concerts and is very selective about what merch i buy, i'd say the drawings/images are the most important aspect for me! the text and colors are great, but when a merch item has a really cute image/design/print on it, i need it!! and if ti has the tour dates on it as well, omg IMMEDIATE purchase. there's just something about seeing your city on the back of a shirt or hoodie or on a poster. :) but yeah generally the most important thing is that it has an image or drawing that somehow relates to the artist but also looks cute as an everyday shirt that i would wear regardless of it being merch. sorry i yapped so much omg 💀
AND ALSO as for what kind of item i get, it's always the one with the cutest design on it LOL but if they all had the same design, i'd go fro a hoodie if it was $60 or less. love love love posters but i'm also running out of wall space lmao
I would die to see these styles in the K-pop industry! I feel they go so hard on album packaging and lack with tour merchandise:(
kel doing kpop albums would be so cool bc they’re so creative in form and presentation!
Yes!
yea kpop tour merchandise is kind of basic but their album stuff is so creative
yesss!
PLEASE
One of my favourite bands did such a cool thing with their merch, printing and embroidering their logos onto vintage/2nd hand clothes, upcycling existing garments. Each item was completely unique, and it was such a joy to browse through. It was set up like a tiny pop shop. Such a fun and creative way, to reduce waste and make something very personal. I bought a leather jacket, that I wear all the time.
The band is called HUGORM. (Danish pop/rock band)
when i go to a show, i usually default to the t-shirt, but i'm picky about the design and it's more about the cool designs than the item. t-shirts just normally have the best designs. long sleeves are something i usually also look for bc they are often cheaper than sweatshirts but still providing a warmer option since i live in a cold climate! plus you get the cool sleeve design opportunity. having tour dates on the shirt is also a big draw for me; it's honestly annoying when i'm at the merch stand and my fav shirt design doesn't have tour dates on it!! one thing i love about the work you do is that you pay attention to the garment quality as well-- nothing irks me more than a super cute design on a low-quality blank that won't last, and i'll happily pay a little more for a sustainably-made garment with a heavier weight fabric.
the valley poster blew me away it’s stunning!!! i always go for a t shirt when buying merch but i love a good hoodie, poster or pin. id love to see more baby tees or ringer tees in artists merch
Yes! I miss ringer tees too. Along with "baseball tees", those 3/4 sleeve two toned shirts were so cool. I always wanted one as a kid, but can't find them ANYWHERE now!
yesss omg
Omg!!!! I LOVED the Gracie Abrams stuff that came out this year (literally bought so much merch) and had no idea you had designed it. I’ve been following your TH-cam for a minute now since seeing you redesign major brands. So proud of you and your success 🎉
My most frequent merch purchases will always be t-shirts. They’re great for layering and most of the time they’re the product with the biggest size range. I’ll often go for a button/pin if it feels unique and special. Frankly I’d rather have multiple t-shirt options to pick from, I love when there’s designs focused on one song, Maggie Rogers merch does this really well.
almost always a t-shirt for layering, $20-30 is the perfect range. socks are really fun but i’m not always in love with the sock designs i see. for me, what makes me go for a piece of merchandise is usually a unique design. my favorite merch shirts (alvvays pomeranian spinster green; frankie cosmos cereal) are usually more illustration-design than typeface-design, and hopefully something that people would appreciate even if they don’t know the band (which is kind of obvious i suppose). it is cool when i get compliments for a piece of merch i really love and someone is surprised that it’s a band (it’s not my main motivation to get compliments but it’s a nice plus)
Won’t stop screaming how much I love the Cmd+F segment!
i work in multiple venues and it's crazy to see that some of the merch that we sell is made by you ! you're so good, keep it up !
Kel i miss your tutorials so much bc as a self taught- independent designer myself being able to learn how to create amazing stuff like this literally means the world. Hope we can see more of that someday. i absolutely LOVEEEE each and every item on this video. I'm so happy you're back!!
everything you designed was so gorgeous, but that valley poster is amazing!! i only went to one concert this year but when i'm buying merch (as a 22 year old girl) i always go for the garment with the tour dates on it. preferably a tee so i can style different ways. and i'll also go for a tour poster as well. loved the video kel!
kel your art is so inspiring, everything you design feels like something i've been wanting to see in merchandise before i knew i wanted it!! and your cmd + f segment always gives me new people to follow for their artistry so thank you for that.
usually at concerts i try and keep my spending to around €50 max cos i try not to have more than that in cash on me, and considering i'm plus size i unfortunately don't really have enough time to see if shirts and hoodies would fit me, so i typically go for a poster, the stickers/accessories and then a tote to hold everything in it while i jump around during the show, but if the artist feels generous and is selling cds/vinyls then i will splurge if i don't have it already because physical media is so the way to go if you can.
ahh! love a new video. just wanted to let you know that you inspired me to apply for a graphic design BFA program and now I'm about to graduate! your work is awesome :)
I bought the tour shirt when i saw gracie and LOVED the design and knew it seemed familiar, great to see it was you !!!
honestly when i am buying merch i buy whatever item has the coolest design on it. if i love the design enough i will go with hoodie (but it has to be a nice hoodie blank) otherwise a tshirt or a tote. i also love a a good enamel pin or keychain. it just has to be a cool design and a quality item and i will buy pretty much anything.
Also i LOVE tour exclusive vinyl variants.
Omg watching this in my gorgeous valley hoodie that I have NOT taken off since I saw them last month!!!
If I’m buying merch I tend to get things that I can see myself wearing or using regularly, that fit with my personal style, and have a really cool design. I’m also a big fan of stickers!
My sister went and saw Harry Styles and got me the small bag that says treat people with kindness. It is one of my favorite pieces of merch hands down. I love that it is so useful and I get to see it all the time but didn’t have to add to my ever-growing tshirt drawer. I wish there was more accessory type merch like this!
dude she speaks like 2014 youtubers 🥺 like when she repeats words in a quirky voice love that sm
kel!!! I’m the cookie artist that made valley’s cookies that featured your art. it was SO cool to hear you say your goal is to bridge the gal btw fans and artists. since day 1 my work with artists has had that same mission; to connect to them as fellow artists and reflect their lives and art through my art. since an artist’s merch designs, album covers, visual identity, fan art, and colors are the tools (along with cookies of course) I use to do that, it’s SO so special to be connected to your work in the same way. i love art! i love connections! i love music! i love kel! this is awesome :’)
also I have the tour poster and I can’t wait to hang it up :’)
oh kelllll!!!! i love everything you create say touch everything!! the latter poster was def my fav, such a cool style :-) these new videos are such effortless gems, love the color grading
i am so loving this kel comeback
Kel!! They are all so incredibly cool. Could you possibly make a video about pricing your work? I feel like the topic of how much you should charge for certain things is not talked about enough in the graphic design industry. I think your view would really help junior artists. ✨
randomly stumbled across this video, and as a gracie fan its so cool to hear your process on how you created the merch! i got the heather crewneck that you designed at gracie’s tour and its quickly becoming one of my favorite sweatshirts!
Great video! My budget for artists I really like is $30-$50. Last year I bought a shirt from monster rally when he was doing a site sale and the shirt I ordered ended up being unavailable, so he sent me a different shirt instead. That long sleeve tee is, one of if not, my favorite things to wear. I love the design, I love how comfy the shirt is.
As a fan, I am picky about shirt design. I don't like the album being printed right on the shirt unless I love the art/cover a lot. I like the approach you take with lyrics on merch, but not always the placement. I also like the different methods of design too. As a novice designer, or maybe as someone with adhd, I am usually focused on whatever program or vehicle of art is in front of me. It doesnt occur to me to make a negative, create a collage, scan in nature/plants. If I just have a paper and pencils or computer program open in front of me, I always think I am limited to just that.
If I had $100, I would really love to get physical media of the album and a shirt or hoodie. A record would be cool, but I would love a CD (since I have cd readers). Even though I grew up in the ipod generation, I enjoyed getting a cd from the library, burning it to my computer, and then having it on my ipod. I like having the music physically there in case it falls out of rotation with my ipod, so I can revisit it when I want. So much media is just being lost to time because of companies and streaming services not caring about preservation.
kel Lauren take a shot for each "gorgina" challenge
(so inspiring to see the work. loved the video)
These are such cool pieces!! it's so hard to pick a favorite but I really loved the green valley t-shirt, the colors are gorgeous and I like the dynamic positioning (idk how to call it) but the text isn't just centered and instead thruout the front like the bits in the corner -- it's super cool and I also love when shirts have a back graphic. especially bc tour merch can get so pricy it makes it easier for me to justify the purchase if it's double sided or has extra details (not just a tiny design in the front corner). The merch I have is all t-shirts and most of them are on black so I have been looking for more pops of color to expand (even heather gray just to switch it up)
so fun hearing you talk about your purpose as a designer ~ i’m not much of a t-shirt person, but i love a good hoodie, zip-up, or hat !! hats are the kind of merch that never sit around unused
you articulated how i feel about merch so beautifully, im such a music and concert nerd and i look forward to seeing the merch from an artist just as much as listening to the album that goes with it and how they complement each other. i always end up buying way too much merch and it takes up probably 75% of my closet 😭 so hearing you explain it the way you did made it feel justified lol i love seeing being able to spot your work and i definitely am going to listen to valley now so i can sport that hoodie!! loveddd this vid!
hi kel! you inspire me so much... i was always interested in merch design, i just didn't realize it was a whole career until i started watching your videos :')
i have no idea how the industry works though lol but two things i'm very curious about are 1. how often you decide on which materials to use, and; 2. do you consider the physical materials first before starting a design or does that come later?
i loooove getting merch that are useful for everyday life so my usual combos are: t-shirts, face towels, and totebags. My fave groups occasionally release interesting merch like teabags, lipbalms, etc. too so i try to get those whenever possible (These are Japanese groups btw) :D
my favourite thing is going to events and wondering "did kel make this , it looks like their work"
my merch combo is usually tour shirt (preferably with dates) potentially a hoodie if it’s good (bc I have too many shirts) and a poster!
I also love things that aren’t typical at merch stands so if there’s a unique item that relates to the theming of the album rollout or tour I’ll potentially buy it
i love going to concerts of all different genres, but i feel like sometimes all of the merch starts to look the same, especially when they're all usually printed on black garments or use similar design styles/compositions. seeing your merch is so refreshing - i loved seeing the variety of different garment colors and styles! my favorite you've shown has to be the green valley shirt, i just love the combination of colors!
also to answer your question, if i had $100 to spend at a concert, i'm most likely getting a shirt with the tour dates on the back - bonus if it has double sided prints - and accessories like stickers or buttons. these days i like to buy shirts in different colors, especially something like a sand color or a pastel. as a bigger person, sometimes i'm not always to fit into the 2xl offered as the "biggest" size at most concerts, but if i *really* like the design, i will buy it and settle with a tighter fit.
seeing your art in print gives me such a warm feeling and also works as inspo.
when I go to concerts, I always just get a shirt cause I’m broke, BUT if I do have money, I get both a shirt and hoodie, yet when I was younger I’d get a poster and shirt instead.
kel!!!! ive been following you for so long and seeing that you designed the all things go shirt makes me so happy! i went this past year and got one and it reminded me of your art style. it’s become one of my favorite shirts, thank you for all that you do!!
Tour shirt is go-to for me. Like you said, good sweatshirts get purchased as well. I am also someone who is running out of wall space in her house, but I would buy posters. I think mini prints would be more beneficial in my house cause I can put them in more places as opposed to a massive full-sized poster. (AKA I really want Sabrina Carpenter's singles posters but they don't fit anywhere in my house)
I love a good vintage-y looking design too and I think all of the work you showed here is really really good :)
Love these designs! As for my go-to merch, when they have them at shows, I usually go for pins and patches! Buttons are also fun and I know they're easier to manufacture but actual enamel pins (especially hard enamel) are so much better and I love when groups have them, I have a backpack and jacket covered in them!
literally when I saw the merch at all things go my first thought was it looked like your style! absolutely love that it actually was you designing it 😂❤ also in response to the question: I usually always go for a shirt or an accessory like a hat or tote bag! I don’t collect much but merch is one thing that I set aside money for!
i have been a fan of your work for so many years and really like gracie's and valley's music, its really cool to see that you created those design that I wish I could buy. great work :)
I haven’t seen one of your videos pop up on my recommended in such a long time! But I just wanted to say that you were a huge inspiration for me getting into graphic design and I love your work so much ❤️
The Valley collection is so delicious!! My favorite piece in the video is the brown sweater with the yellow text, im a fan of simpler, big designs and the subtle puff ink is so cool. If im at a show and had 100 dollars, i would probably get a shirt/sweatshirt and poster, it would depend on the accessories available. Though sometimes merch sizing can be a bit troublesome.
The NDA thing seems so silly to me, its seems benifital to both parties to be able to reveal what the work is.
Haven’t seen your videos for a while but love to see how far you’ve come and your recent work is a dream ❤ love it!!
I bought a loooot of tour merch this year haha. Most of the time I buy T shirts, but I like when there's multiple options to pick from in a variety of styles (which is how I ended up with four different shirts for the same artist). On her arena tour this year Maggie Rogers did an exclusive poster for each venue, which I thought was really fun - it felt more like a keepsake of that show rather than something generic, so I bought the poster for the show I attended despite not really being a poster person.
amazing video! love getting these looks into your thoughts and process-my thesis was a combo of merch design specifically in the superhero space, so i've been thinking about revisiting it and actually building everything out better with more knowledge.
my favorite artist merch are nice, thick tshirts-i got one a hozier concert that i love because it's a nice, heavy weight cotton, and it's in a unisex cut, which i find is most flattering on my body. my other favorite piece of merch was a heavyweight cotton oversized black longsleeve i got seeing khruangbin - i usually also look to see if there are any enamel pins being sold, i feel like those are super accessible as a price point, but i don't often find good ones that i like enough to buy
the fact that i discovered valley tanks to your designs and their album is now one of my faves of all time... wow
i generally always buy the main tour t-shirt because i loveee having the dates on the back. sometimes i'll get an accessory with it, though--i want a tour crewneck so badly but they're always expensive so i'm trying to be picky about which one i eventually commit to getting... love your art btw it always inspires me to do more graphic design
OMG WELCOME BACK! I missed u so much 🤧❤️
This was so much fun, I LOVED getting to see all of your designs in physical form! I wish I could buy some of them directly from you 😄 As for what I personally look for when buying merch, I am open to spending up to around $200 if it's an absolute favorite artist of mine. I am a bit biased as I'm a designer too so I only buy t-shirts or sweatshirts with a killer design. I HATE basic merch that's just a photo of the artists, I want something well-designed with type, maybe a bit abstracted. For a t-shirt I would want it to reflect the tour such as the year and tour locations. I rarely buy posters but honestly it's just cause I don't want to have to carry it throughout the show. In this case, I may hit the merch table again at the end just for the poster and again, it's heavily dependent on the design and only if it's a truly favorite artist. For the poster design, I would also prefer something more abstract and designed vs just a photo of the artist. Basically, I want it to live outside the tour, a piece of art on it's own. I don't usually buy accessories but potentially if it was something unique. So in the end, I would get either a t-shirt and a sweatshirt (only if the design is amazing) and sometimes a poster. If it's a smaller artist, I will buy the vinyl there.
I have your design for ATG on a tote bag and it's one of my favorites! In terms of which merch I gravitate towards, I used to only buy a black tour tee 90% of the time, and then maybe a hoodie or tote instead of or in addition to the tshirt. But now I have so many tees that in order for me to buy one, I really have to like the design and quality of the garment (also depends on how much I like the artist). Some recent "unconventional" merch items I bought recently were the Sweat Tour towel and Chappell Roan's pink handkerchief. TLDR either a unique design on a garment or an accessory that stands out to me.
for my faves im getting the hoodie 100%, crewnecks arent always my fav clothing item period lol - a beanie or a hat would tempt me more over a jewelry type vibe. tho most frequently i'd go for a poster fs, for me its usually the cheapest keepsake and i love a good piece of paper on my wall! a tote bag is a maybe bc i already have so many and i tend to look at the quality of the material before anything and they tend to be quite basic. loved seeing all the work - absolute career goals TT💙
love the valley poster !! and for merch if there's a design i love i'll get a tshirt but usually i get tote bags - im very picky with how my shirts fit but with bags i know i'll use them a lot especially if theyre good quality!
poster and t-shirt combo girlie! if the poster is the same as the t-shirt, i usually opt out too since i love the different styles.
That valley poster is so unique I love it
i don't usually buy merch unless it's something that would be a cool/interesting/fun design even if i didn't know the artist/band - most recent thing i bought was the julien baker jersey (not a fan of it being polyester but the design is very good). generally avoid anything that has the artist's actual face on it esp. if it's just a photo because it feels either kind of cheap or gives off Intense Fan vibes that idk i want. lucy dacus' cerebral shirt & lucy loves me/dads fear me fish hat are also 10/10.
also! went and listened to valley's album after seeing your design of the cover and am gonna be seeing them live next year which will be fun :)
Your designs are so nice ♥️ I go to a lot of concert, so a lot of my budget is already gone for tickets alone! That’s why I will usually just go for a tee, because it is the cheapest piece, or just a poster if the tees are too pricey as well! So I always love it when the T-Shirts are not just artist name, tour name, random picture, but are actually just as nicely done as the more expensive garments!
I can always tell when you’ve designed something. The amount of times I’ve thought that looks like Kel and I’m usually right 🥹
Burna boy shirt is fire. Great work. That randy rhodes treatment from texture labs is a tutorial filled with gold. I use the technique constantly.
yay Kel!! love seeing everything you design 💗💗
I looooove unique and big prints, especially front & back t-shirt tour merch with dates on them! I usually buy t-shirts cos it's hot here in the PH to wear sweaters
i like the layout of ur space and your vibe tbh! please do a room/office tourr pls
Intros are sooo old-school youtube! glad you're back!
as a graphic design student who wants to get into commercial design, this was super cool to watch!! i've gone to so many concerts this year and i usually find myself buying at least one t-shirt and a poster. although for my favorite band, waterparks, i ended up buying a zip-up that i actually wear all the time!
Awesome work, Kel! Always love seeing what you’ve been working on.
Love your work ! and the heart you put into it really shows ! you’re very inspiring ✨
Always going for a sweatshirt and a poster, usually my favorite !
The Gracie Abrams sweater was my favourite!!! 💙
shout out to Kel (who got me into graphic design) for coming back to youtube right when I was gonna quit designing to re-inspire me 🤗
Congrats on such a big year! I was at ATG NYC this year and wanted the sweatshirt you designed! I waited in line as was so bummed to discover they didn't have any sizes above an L left. (I believe XL and XXL were already sold out). So, I'd say if you have any sway or can offer feedback to the people doing ordering, please please encourage them to extend sizes. Everybody wants their hoodie to be oversized, smaller people end up buying larger sizes, leaving nothing for plus size fans. I know more sizes are more of an investment, but it would be so cool to see bands and festivals offering all their merch in more inclusive sizing!
for mercy buying, I usually pick the item that either I need at the moment or think has the best graphic that fits with item. Most recently, I bought poster at a Laufey concert. At other concerts, I have bought shirts, tote bags, or sweatshirts. It all depends on what clothes are in my rotation.
I love a sweatshirt for merch. I have too many tshirts I don’t wear and I am like always wearing hoodies or crew necks. The green valley tshirt and their poster were my favorite. I also loved the type in the first shirt you showed in this video!
Wow. You have all my respect. I aim to be as sure and pleased with my creations as you are. Plus you’re super articulate!
That green Valley shirt!! 😍😍😍 I love that one!
universal music store here in Brazil is selling one of the ariana’s shirt you made!!! I can finally have a kel lauren creation!!!!!
usually i am always getting a poster but for clothes it’s just whatever design i like best. t shirt or hoodie or sweatshirt!
BEST MERCH DESIGNER EVERRRRRRRRR
everything is soooo dreamy. LOVE
I usually go t-shirt, but because of how many I have lately I've only been getting one if it's not black or white. Unless it's like my favorite band ever. Otherwise, if they have cool stickers or pins, I'll go for those. Usually, I try to aim for 40-50. But I never get a poster, cuz I just don't have room, and I also never really go for a tote bag. I have so many reusable bags, that I just can't justify another one. OH, I love a keychain, or something kitschy like that. I can't really spend too much, so if I can get multiple little things, especially if there isn't a t-shit I really like I really appreciate that.
new kel video im sat af
My favourite piece of merch I’ve ever bought was a limited edition small art print (I think it’s a lino cut or digital print of one) for Finn Andrews. Now it hangs in our powder room and I get to enjoy it everyday. Seems just that bit more special than a regular poster
8:38 George is living his best life!
i loooove your room setup! i work from home and haven't really set up a home office for myself yet, so i would love to hear about how you designed your work space
This was incredibly inspiring! I’d love to see more of the design process behind creating merch. I design merch for Pride festivals myself, which is a pretty specialized area, so seeing other approaches is always exciting!
I LOVE all the valley stuff you made. How did you add those floral and art nouveau type of stuff to it? Did you draw the art nouveau stuff? The back of the "Secret of Us" shirt was also super cute, loved all the colors and hearts and stars and stuff.
omg I was just thinking how hard valley's visual identity is going lately!!
i’m absolutely a poster person, i have a bunch on my ceiling. also i can very much see the point about not wanting a design with so much ink on the front but as a wheelchair user only being able to see a small thing kinda makes me sad lol, i enjoyed this and i’m glad you could share it with us (-:
Obsessed with this video!! I usually like subtle merch, not the ones that say in really big letters the name of the artist, i loved the GA merch you showed!!!
i almost went to the valley show in my city solely because i wanted to pick up their merch! i wasn't able to in the end, but i definitely would've gotten the watering can tee. at shows i usually go for a t-shirt, depending on the designs available. if they have pricier items i really love, i'll splurge! it all depends on the budget i have going into it
Hahaha, this comment is for the last part :p
I usually spend between 50 to 100 euros on merch at concerts and it depends on the merch the artist has... Usually, 100% of the time I buy a T-shirt or a hoodie, if I'm on a low budget spending, I buy a T-shirt for sure and maybe a poster or an accessory (when I buy accessories I love pins and jewelry). If they have a hoodie that I really, really like, then I only get the hoodie and if I love the band, I just save a for months to get everything I can on the merch store cx
personally i'd love to buy a tshirt if i love the design but if it's already expensive and the crewnecks are also there and i love the design on those, i'll instead spend the extra money to buy something that feels more substantial than the tour price of a simple tshirt (obviously not true for every tshirt nor every artist). so tshirts and crewnecks are what i'm looking for in merch! i've personally never bought any accessories or posters.
to hell with the leaf blowers* !!!! 🤣 I can relate xxx
love the keffiyeh in the back ❤
2:40 : thats what a golden retriever would say if he knew how to talk istg
i LOVE the jonas brothers yankee stadium shirt and poster
I always love hearing you talk through your processes and techniques, it's always cool to see your journey. For custom type, do you prefer to write it and scan it in, or do you prefer to use Photoshop brushes?
I always AT LEAST get a shirt (preferably with dates or city specific)… I’ll get a sweatshirt or poster if it’s particularly cool or signed, city specific merch, stickers or random items you don’t typically see or might not be as common(ex. patches, hats, trinkets).
Damn, beauty and brains combined!😮 Your talent is as stunning as you are.
I primarily focus my band merch to records, but I will buy a poster or tee if it calls to me. I adore your designs for Valley.
That ariana collage shirt is so stunning, immediately added it to my cart 💜
this is so neat!! thank u for sharing with us kel!!