Wear This!
A TrueRef T-Shirt Contest
We’re so excited to announce our first-ever TrueRef artist contest!
This is about celebrating the artists who make this community what it is. One winning design will be featured on official TrueRef merch, turned into a limited-edition T-shirt sold on trueref.io.
The selected artist will receive:
- $500 cash
- A free shirt featuring their design
- A few extra goodies as a thank-you from us
Our hope is to turn this into a regular community tradition, so whether this is your first design or your hundredth, we’d love to see what you make Don’t overthink it. Have fun with it. This is for the artists. Just make something you’d actually want to wear!
Our Commitment
This contest is designed to be ethical, transparent, and artist-first: you keep full rights to your work unless you win. If you do win, we’ll purchase the rights to create and sell merch with your design, because artists deserved to be paid.
*The Theme:
Aggressively Pro Artist
*Interpret the prompt however you'd like. Seriously. It's vague on purpose.
Key Details
- Start Date: January 5, 2026
- Deadline: March 5, 2026
- Winner Announced: March 16th, 2026
- Grand Prize: $500 (see full prize list below)
How to Enter
- Submit your artwork via the link below.
- Include your name, preferred email, and social/portfolio links with your entry.
- Artists may submit up to 3 entries.
Guidelines & Rules
Guidelines
- File format: PNG (transparent background)
- Minimum resolution: 300 DPI
- Minimum Size: 3000 × 3600 px
- Recommended Size: 3600 × 4800 px (12 × 16 in)
- Larger files are welcome. Vector files (AI, EPS, SVG) may be submitted at any size.
- Color mode: RGB (we will convert if needed)
- Placement: Front-of-shirt is preferred. If submitting a back or sleeve design, clearly label it.
- T-shirt mockups are fine, just be prepared to send the base design as well.
Rules
- Designs must be based on the theme "aggressively pro artist."
- No AI-generated art, hate symbols, or NSFW content.
- Designs must be original and created by you.
- Designs must be new and made specifically for this contest.
Prize & Judging
Prizes
- $500 USD cash prize.
- Your design made into a t-shirt, which you will also receive for free.
- 1 Year TrueRef+ membership.
- Featured across TrueRef's social media and website.
Judging
- The winner will be chosen by the TrueRef team.
- Judging will be based on creativity, alignment with the prompt, and printability.
Some T-Shirt Tips
- Keep it bold: Simple, strong shapes read better from a distance.
- Limit colors: 2–6 colors can increase readability. More is fine, just keep printability and readability in mind.
- Think contrast: Make sure your design pops against the shirt color (black).
- Wearable style: Consider what other artists would actually want to wear.
Not So Fine Print
- The winner receives $500 USD paid within 7 days of winner announcement.
- In exchange for the $500 cash prize, the winner grants TrueRef the exclusive right to use the design for merchandise production and sales.
- The winning artist will always be credited where possible (website, social posts, product pages).
- TrueRef may feature submissions (with credit) on our social channels, website, or newsletters to highlight participants.
- All non-winning entries remain 100% the property of the artist.
- By entering, you agree that if selected as the winner, your prize is full compensation for the use of your design in TrueRef merch. No royalties will be paid on sales.
- TrueRef reserves the right to disqualify entries.
- TrueRef reserves the right to opt out of producing the winning design into merchandise if, in our judgment, the entries do not meet production standards or would result in unsustainable costs for a small business. In this case, the $500 prize will still be awarded, and TrueRef will not claim any rights to the design.
FAQs
Where will the shirts be printed?
We will be using Real Thread as our manufacture.
What color will the shirt be?
For this first batch, black. This makes it wearable for the largest amount of people. But we will introduce color options in future opportunities if we can!
Do I give up the rights to my art if I enter?
No. We will only purchase the rights of the winning entry.
If you are the winner, but we choose not to move forward with production, we also won’t claim rights to your work. You’ll be free to use your design however you’d like, including on your own merch.
Why would you choose not to produce the winning design?
Even if we love a design and it’s the strongest entry, there’s always a chance it may not be a good fit for production. As a small business, we have to be careful for budget reasons.
That’s why, if we decide not to move forward with printing, we won’t claim any rights to the artwork. The artist will keep full ownership and is free to use the design however they’d like, including exploring their own merch opportunities!
Do I have to include TrueRef branding of any kind?
No. You are free to however! If you'd like our logo, you can download it here.
You can also reimagine the logo however you wish. Or, again, not use it or our name at all.
Do I have to include the exact words of the prompt?
No. The prompt is simply there to provide a general theme. You can interpret it however you'd like.
Does it have to be a new piece of art created specifically for this contest?
Yes. Due to the nature of this contest, all entries must be new and created exclusively for the contest. The entry CAN be based on or a re-made/edited version of old work, however.
Can I sell or create my own merch with my entry?
Assuming you are not the winner, yes! We lay no claims to any entry past the specific one we buy the rights to use for our merch.
Do I have to use TrueRef references?
No! You can of course, and we'd love it! However, you can even create a purely typography focused piece if desired, or use other assets as long as you have the right to use them and it allows us to print it commercially.
Simply design with a t-shirt in mind.
Can I post my entry on my own social media?
Yes! Just mention it’s for the TrueRef “Wear This!” contest so others can follow along.
I know it's tempting to gate keep, but the better this contest does, the more likely we will have another similar one in the future!
How will I be paid if I win?
The $500 prize will be sent within 7 days of the winner announcement using the method most convenient for you. We currently support Venmo, PayPal, Stripe, and Wise. However, we can explore other options if needed.
Can I use AI-generated or edited art?
No.
When will the shirts be available for purchase?
We have no set date, but early April 2026 for pre-orders would be a good estimate!