Printed on French: T. Shaw Designs

 Getting into the Screen printing World:

 If you find a vibrant poster printed on Manila Yellow Kraft, chances are it was signed by Tom Shaw, the man behind T. Shaw Designs. Shaw creates unique posters for clients and various shows and markets.

 Printed on: Royaltone Pewter Gray 100# Cover

Shaw has been a collector of concert posters for over 15 years, but it wasn’t until 7 years ago that he found himself with a DIY gig-poster printing kit. The kit included sheets of 100 lb. French covers. This was Shaw’s first interaction with French Paper, and it inspired him to explore French’s vast color palette and weight options.

What to love about creating with French Paper:

Being able to use French Paper as a colored canvas expands Shaw’s color palette. Being a screen printer who designs and prints everything, each step of the creative process is important. That’s why Shaw’s favorite part of it all is picking the paper and mixing the inks to create brilliant color palettes.

  “It’s rare that I use ink directly out of the bottle. Usually, I mix the inks to achieve custom shades, and then it’s fun to see how they interact with French Paper colors.”

Printed on: Manila Yellow Kraft 100# Cover

 Shaw’s designs often incorporate natural landscapes. Shaw’s favorite French color is Manila Yellow Kraft which works hand in hand with the use of fluorescent inks. With fluorescent inks being thin, Shaw has more control of layering ink on the paper, giving the print a unique tone.

 Printed on Royaltone Rich Cream Linen 100# Cover

 Another favorite of Shaw’s happens to be French Royaltone Rich Cream.

 “It’s cool because it has a linen texture. The inks that sit on top of the embossed surface pulls the color out, which makes it super vibrant.”

Attending Flatstock 84 & Upcoming Events: 

Shaw recently attended Austin’s SXSW Flatstock 84, an art exhibition of the world’s most influential gig poster artists. SXSW Flatsock is bigger than life, and being able to part of it is a thrilling experience.

Printed on: Index Off-White Kraft 70# Text

Shaw made his bestselling poster, a topographic map of Austin in 1896, "Where The Buffalo Roam" prints are printed on  Index Off-White Kraft 70# Text. Showcasing the history of Austin before it was a thriving city, allowed these prints to sell out.  At Flatstock, he was able to see a range of visual styles and techniques from other screen printers.

Flatstock 84 was just the beginning of Shaw’s show season, as he continues to attend local markets, and shows across the U.S. On May 10 he will be in Denver for "The Joint Show" with Owen Murphy, from One Drop Design Studio. You also be able to catch him at the Festival of Rock Posters in San Francisco in October 2023.

If you are interested in Tom Shaw & his amazing work be sure to follow him on:
Instagram : Tom Shaw (@tshaw_designs) • Instagram photos and videos

Website: Shop T. Shaw Designs - Gig posters, art prints, and more! (tshawdesigns.com)