Each year we create a custom-designed t-shirt for GP Originals – a post-classic two-stroke racing series for Grand Prix machines of the 1970s to early 1980s. As keen racers ourselves, we have orchestrated the entire brand identity. We designed and built the bespoke WordPress website and manage a host of social media channels with creative posts about the bikes, riders and a few fun seasonal messages.
Uniquely illustrated retro t-shirts
This year’s shirt was hand-drawn using the iPad app Procreate. This allows us to draw directly on to the screen using an Apple Pencil just like a traditional pen and paper. We go through many versions of these illustrations to arrive at an image that looks right. The image is then vectorised using Adobe Illustrator to make it suitable for screen printing. This means more refining and tweaking. Screen printing isn’t as crisp and fine as litho, so it is easy for gaps to fill in or fine lines to disappear.
Post-classic motorcycle racing theme
We wanted the shirt to have a retro style with some bright colours and vintage distressed effects. We chose an Ash Grey Gildan shirt to be sure the colours remained bright. The reverse of the shirt has a vintage Yamaha styled border inspired by clothing labels and advertising of the 1970s and 80s.
We drew-up stylised circuit maps of the UK race tracks Oulton Park, Donington Park, Snetterton 200, Brands Hatch GP and Cadwell Park. Which the Series’ rounds would be visiting throughout the 2020 season.
The bikes featured in the illustration are Yamaha TZ250 and TZ350. These machines were the most prolific of this two-stroke Grand Prix era and fill the majority of the GP Originals post-classic racing grid today.
Buy t-shirts online at GP Originals
The final stage was to add in a PayPal shopping cart to the GP Originals website for two-stroke fans to purchase. Our previous season’s designs were sent all around the world to racing enthusiasts from Canada, Australia and Europe.
