Artwork and photos for printed shin guards: what to send
Send an ordinary picture, the name and the number. Wangyudian prepares the artwork, crops the picture for the guard shape, sends a design draft, and prints the design you approve into the front shell.
What to send. An ordinary photo or logo, plus the name and number as copyable text.
Want to show a different photo on each side? Try the left/right photo idea board. Its rectangular layouts help explain your idea; the desk still prepares the design draft for approval.
What you do not need. Print-ready artwork. Wangyudian lays out your photo, name and number for you.
What comes back. A design draft, including the crop for the irregular guard shape, for your approval. Approve it in writing before printing.
The route is the same whether you are designing one personalised pair, a squad in one club design, or a run for a shop. Read how customisation works for the five steps around it.
What can be printed
Your design is printed by sublimation into the front shell. The print goes into the surface of the shell, not on top of it.
- A photo. One photo across the guard, or several photos combined into a collage on one guard.
- A name. A player name, spelled as you type it.
- A number. A squad number.
- A team badge or logo. Your club crest or your brand mark inside the design.
- Text. Wording of your choosing.
- Your own full design. A finished design of your own, laid out across the shell.
The name, the number or the photo may each be left out. Say so in your message. For match use, read the artwork rules for organised matches before approving the draft; gifts and keepsakes are separate uses.
Prefer no print at all? Plain white unprinted guards and plain white unprinted sleeves are listed options.
Artwork for organised matches
IFAB Law 4 (2026/27) prohibits political, religious or personal messages and images on players' equipment. Player names, numbers and team emblems are usually permitted, subject to the applicable rules; competition rules may further restrict size, number and placement. Agree the exact design with your competition organiser before ordering for match use. Wearing guards under socks does not remove the artwork rules.
Permission to reproduce an image or logo is a separate matter. Approving a print draft settles the print only: it says nothing about protective performance or match eligibility.
Choosing a photo
Ordinary pictures are welcome. The clearer the picture, the better the print; there is no minimum image resolution. If a lower-resolution picture looks acceptable to you in the draft, it can still be used.
- The best copy you have. Send the photo itself where possible. A clearer image gives a clearer print.
- A lower-resolution photo. It can be used when you accept how it appears in the design draft.
- A life photo works. An everyday photograph of your own is a normal starting point.
- One photo or two. The same photo on both guards, or two different photos, one on each.
- Up to three photos. Three on one guard is the practical limit; one or two is usual.
- A collage. Send the separate original files and say how you want them arranged.
Rectangular pictures are cropped to suit the guard's irregular shape. Put layout notes, colour notes and any other instruction in the notes with your files, then approve the crop on the design draft.
Left and right
Full-size guards are supplied as a left and a right. That gives you two shells to design.
- The same design on both. One photo, or one club design, repeated across the pair.
- A different photo on each. Two pictures, one per guard. Say which goes where.
For one pair or a few pairs, approve the design draft and Wangyudian can produce and dispatch the order directly. Physical samples are available for larger orders when agreed before production; see the larger-order sample route.
Names and numbers
Send the name, number or other wording as copyable text, spelled exactly as you want it printed. Text in any language can be copied from the wording you supply.
There is no fixed character limit. For a long name, Wangyudian can resize it or split it over lines; the design draft shows the spelling and layout before you approve it.
On a team set, each guard is printed with the player's first name, the squad number and an L or R marking. Wangyudian prints the L and R marking, so your list only needs the name, the number and the shin length for each player.
Send one line per player: name, number and shin length. The size guide sets out what to measure.
The design draft
Artwork preparation usually takes 24–48 hours. You approve the crop, spelling and layout before printing. Read the design preparation and fee policy before requesting additional work.
The design draft is the layout of your photo, name and number on the guard, made from what you sent. Wangyudian sends it for your approval before printing.
For a squad route, see team and club sets. The worked example below shows how to review exact text, player numbers, picture cropping and left/right placement.
- Read every detail: each name, each number, the colours and the position on the shell.
- Ask for changes first. Say what you want moved, resized or respelled before you approve anything.
- Approve the crop and layout. Once you approve, printing starts and later changes may not be possible.
- Approve in writing. Approve the draft in your chat or email thread. Printing follows your approval.
- Keep the approved draft. It is your reference for a repeat order.
Wangyudian keeps designs for six months. Each repeat order starts a new six-month retention period. For a repeat order using a retained design, you do not need to send the artwork again, and Wangyudian sends a new design draft for your approval before production. Read how design retention works.
Colour. Colour follows your file: each pair is printed by hand and is not matched to a Pantone or other colour reference. Screen colour and printed colour differ, so look closely at the colours in the draft before approving it. Larger orders can also have a physical sample where agreed before production.
Worked example: from roster to approved draft
Fictional example. These four names and numbers are only a practice exercise. They are not a customer order, size assignment, production proof or approval.
| Player | Number to print |
|---|---|
| Aria K. | 7 |
| Ben O. | 4 |
| Chen L. | 11 |
| Dev P. | 9 |
For a real team, also send each player's shin measurement and age or age group. The desk sets out the reference, size and surface on your quotation; this example does not assign sizes.
| Item | Before | Corrected request |
|---|---|---|
| Player and number | Aria K. appears beside 4. | Change the number to 7; Ben O. remains 4. |
| Picture quality | A screenshot is less clear than the original. | Send the original if available, then inspect the revised draft before accepting its appearance. |
| Left and right | Two pictures arrive without placement notes. | Label each picture from the wearer's perspective, or ask for the same design on both guards. |
| Crop | Part of a face is missing from the draft. | Ask for a different crop or picture, then review the revised guard-shaped draft. |
| Long name | The final letters are squeezed or cut off. | Ask for a smaller name or two lines, then read every letter. |
After correction, the draft should read Aria K. / 7, Ben O. / 4, Chen L. / 11 and Dev P. / 9. Compare every row with the final draft. No approval has been given in this example.
For one pair or a few pairs, approved artwork can go directly to production and dispatch. For a larger order, a physical sample can be agreed before production. Read the small-order and larger-order sample routes.
Use images, names and logos you own or have permission to use. Keep the final draft and written approval with your quotation.
Blank enquiry outline
Order type and intended use; catalogue reference, surface and size preference; quantity; player list with exact name, number, shin measurement and age or age group; picture filenames and left/right placement; text to copy exactly; rights to use pictures or logos; correction requests; whether a larger-order physical sample should be agreed; packing and delivery destination; and requested arrival date.
Ask the desk for the quotation, timing and final draft before production. Replace every field with your own details; do not submit this fictional roster.
Designs you have the right to print
Send only images, names and logos you own or have permission to use. If a design looks like it belongs to someone else, the desk will ask before printing.
A club crest is printed on the club's instruction. If you are ordering for your own team, say so when you send the crest.
If you are unsure, send your own photo, name and number.
What to send today
| What | How to send it |
|---|---|
| The image | An ordinary photo, crest or logo file. The clearer the image, the better the print; there is no minimum resolution. |
| The text | The name, number or other wording as copyable text, spelled as you want it printed, in any language. |
| The catalogue reference | The WYD- reference you are ordering against, from the product finder. |
| Sizes and quantity | The sizes you need and how many pairs. Start from the size guide. |
| Your country | The destination country, so the desk can quote the shipping with the goods. See shipping. |
| Anything else | Layout notes, colour notes and special instructions, written in the notes with your files. |
| Image quality | The desk prepares the artwork from what you send. A lower-resolution image can be used if you accept its appearance in the draft. |
| Crop and layout | Rectangular pictures are cropped to the guard shape and shown in the design draft for your approval. |
What the guard itself is
Each guard is a PP shell with a soft EVA foam liner filling the back. Your design is printed by sublimation into the front shell.
Full-size guards come in a smooth or a honeycomb surface. Honeycomb is a moulded hexagonal relief under the print. Mini guards come in a matte (frosted) surface, and Mini M is also offered smooth.
Care: do not wash the guards or expose them to high heat. Country of origin: China.
Tell us your destination and any documentation requirements with your enquiry.
Printed examples
Three photographs of finished work, each a printed guard rather than a design draft: WYD-SG-001, WYD-SG-003 and the mini WYD-MSG-001.
Send your artwork
Send the image and the text you have. The draft comes back for your approval, and the quotation names every term of the order.
The buyer FAQ answers who invoices you and how payment works.