How to turn a child's drawing or a family photo into custom fathers day shirts for dad and grandpa, plan matching sets, pick the words and order in time for June.
Custom fathers day shirts make the gift personal in a way a store bought tie never will: your kid's drawing, a favorite family photo or a line only your family would get, printed in full color on a shirt Dad actually wears. You can order one shirt for Dad, one for Grandpa, or a matching set for the whole crew, with no minimum. Below you will find how to print a child's artwork, photo ideas, matching set tips, text ideas and a June ordering timeline. When you have the idea, design your own Father's Day shirt online and preview it before you pay.
What should you put on a custom Father's Day shirt?
The strongest custom Father's Day shirts carry something only your family could make: a child's drawing, a photo from a real moment, or an inside joke in Dad's own words. A design built from your family's own material is what turns a shirt into a gift he keeps for years.
Start with what Dad already loves: the grill, weekend fishing, a car he has been fixing for years, or being called "Papi" by three kids. Pick one main idea and let everything else support it. If you are still deciding between a gift for Dad and something for another relative, our list of personalized t shirt gift ideas covers other people on your list.
How do you print a kid's drawing on a shirt for Dad?
To print a kid's drawing on a shirt, photograph or scan it flat in good daylight, crop it tight, and remove the paper background so only the lines and colors print. A scan at 300 dpi is ideal. Upload the cleaned image in the designer and you will see the drawing on the real shirt color before ordering.
Children's art is the most popular Father's Day idea we see, and full color printing keeps every crayon texture. These steps help:
- Use plain white paper and bold tools. Markers and crayons pressed hard read better than light pencil.
- Capture it flat, without shadows. Lay the paper on a table by a window, hold the phone straight above it, and avoid your own shadow.
- Remove the paper. Cut out the background so the file is a transparent PNG. Otherwise the slightly gray paper prints as a visible box, especially on a colored shirt.
- Keep the child's name and age. Many families add "by Sofia, age 6" in small letters under the drawing.
- Size it on purpose. A full drawing across the chest works for bold art. Simple doodles look sharper smaller. Our t shirt design size guide gives practical widths.
Wobbly lines and a purple sun are the whole point. A real person on our team checks every file before printing, so if the background was not fully removed or the scan is too small, you will hear from us first.
Can you put a family photo on a Father's Day shirt?
Yes. A family photo prints in full color on a Father's Day shirt, and it looks sharp when the original file is large and well lit. Use the original photo from your phone rather than a screenshot or a picture sent through a messaging app, since those are often compressed to a fraction of the size.
The best photos show a real moment: Dad holding the baby, a fishing trip, kids piled on his back. Crop close to faces so they are not tiny on the shirt. For Grandpa, pair an old scanned photo of him with his son next to a new one of his son with the grandkids. For the technical steps on resolution and cropping, read how to put a photo on a shirt.
Which Father's Day shirt idea fits which dad?
The right Father's Day shirt depends on the dad: a new father loves a first year photo, a grandfather often prefers a family tree of names, and a sports or hobby dad enjoys a joke about his obsession. The table below matches common dad types with a design idea and a practical print tip.
| Who it is for | Design idea | Print tip |
|---|---|---|
| First time dad | Baby's photo with "Daddy since 2026" or "Year One" | Light photo on a light shirt keeps soft newborn tones natural |
| Dad of toddlers | A crayon drawing by each kid, side by side | Remove the paper so each drawing floats on the fabric |
| Grandpa | "Abuelo" or "Grandpa" with every grandkid's name below | Large, simple letters stay readable for everyone at the table |
| Grill dad | An illustrated grill with "Head of Ribs Department" | Bold outlines read well from across the backyard |
| Fishing or boat dad | Photo of his best catch with the date and the spot | Crop tight so the fish and the smile stay large |
Design it in the colors Dad already wears, so the shirt gets worn on ordinary Saturdays too. Try a few versions in the custom shirt designer before you commit.
How do you make matching dad and kids shirts?
Matching dad and kids shirts work best with one shared design and a small change per person, such as "Big Guy" for Dad and "Little Guy" for his son, or the same drawing in different shirt colors. Build one design, duplicate it, and change only the words, so the set looks planned instead of random.
Some combinations families come back for every June:
- The original and the remix. Dad wears "The Original," the kids wear "The Remix." Grandpa can join as "The Classic."
- One drawing, every shirt. The same kid drawing printed large on Dad's shirt and smaller on each child's shirt.
Check the preview for each shirt color you choose. Families who coordinate the same way for trips will find more ideas in our matching family vacation shirts guide. Ready to build the set? Open the online shirt designer and save one design per person.
What should a Father's Day shirt say?
A Father's Day shirt should say something short, specific and true to Dad: his nickname, a phrase he repeats, or a line from the kids. Five words or fewer reads best across a chest. If the shirt is only text, choose one bold font and give the words space so they are readable from a few steps away.
Text ideas that work without being corny:
- "Dad Joke Loading"
- "Papi" with each child's name underneath
- "Grandpa: The Man, The Myth, The Legend of the Grill"
- "Ask Me About My Kids" with a small family photo
Handwriting is a strong option here. Have your child write "I love you Dad" and scan it like a drawing. For fonts, spacing and contrast, see our text only t shirt design tips.
When should you order custom Father's Day shirts?
Order custom Father's Day shirts by the end of May or the first days of June. Father's Day falls on the third Sunday of June, which is June 20 in 2027. Orders ship within 2 business days, but shipping transit time is extra, so ordering about two weeks ahead leaves room for a file fix or a size change.
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Mid May | Get the kids drawing, pick photos, decide on matching shirts |
| Late May | Scan artwork, remove backgrounds, collect sizes |
| By about June 4 | Place the order with a cushion for shipping |
| The final week | Choose pickup in Hollywood, FL to skip transit time, and text us first |
Outside South Florida, plan around your carrier's transit time rather than the print time. You can start your Father's Day design today and order once the kids finish their art.
Why order Father's Day shirts from Imperial Custom Apparel?
We print every shirt in house in Hollywood, FL, with full color direct to garment printing that handles crayon textures, photos and gradients. You order one shirt or twenty at the same price per shirt, and the designer shows a live preview on the real shirt color before you pay.
- From $25 per shirt with a full color front print, no minimum.
- Live preview in the designer: pick your shirt, color and size and see the drawing or photo in place.
- A real person checks every file before printing, so a messy scan gets flagged, not printed.
- Best file: a transparent PNG at 300 dpi, 4500 x 5400 px, printed up to 12 x 16 inches.
- Ships within 2 business days, across the US, or pickup in Hollywood, FL.
Make Dad something no store sells: create a custom Father's Day shirt with your family's own drawings, photos and words.
Frequently asked questions
Can I print my child's drawing on a Father's Day shirt?
Yes, a child's drawing prints well on a Father's Day shirt in full color, keeping crayon and marker texture. Scan or photograph the drawing flat in daylight, remove the paper background so it becomes a transparent PNG, and upload it in the designer. A person checks every drawing file before printing.
Can I order just one custom Father's Day shirt?
Yes, there is no minimum, so you can order a single custom Father's Day shirt for Dad or Grandpa. The price starts at $25 with a full color front print and stays the same per shirt whether you order one shirt or a matching set for the whole family.
How far ahead should I order Father's Day shirts?
Order Father's Day shirts about two weeks before the holiday, which means by early June for a mid June Father's Day. Orders ship within 2 business days, and shipping transit time is added on top. Local pickup in Hollywood, FL is the fastest option for last minute Father's Day shirts.
What photo size works best for a Father's Day photo shirt?
The best file for a Father's Day photo shirt is the original photo at full resolution, ideally close to 4500 x 5400 pixels at 300 dpi. Avoid screenshots and photos sent through messaging apps, which are compressed. Crop close to faces so they stay large on the printed shirt.
Where can I get custom Father's Day shirts made online?
You can make custom Father's Day shirts online with Imperial Custom Apparel. Upload a drawing or photo, add text, preview it on the real shirt color, and order from $25 with no minimum. Shirts print in Hollywood, FL and ship within 2 business days, or text (954) 280 0627 with questions.
Make Dad a shirt no store sells, from $25
Upload your kid's drawing or a family photo, preview it on the real shirt color and order just one. Every file is checked by a real person, and orders ship within 2 business days. Text or call (954) 280 0627.
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