Don't let it get you down. Remember that primarily two things make a really good sub: concept and execution. As a bit of constructive criticism, I think you could stand to improve in both of those areas. I don't know if you have, but try putting your stuff in critiques or blogs to get opinions on them before you sub them. You have people in almost every one of your subs, and although they are stylized I think your anatomy could use some work (anatomy is still important even if stuff is stylized). And keep stretching your brain and asking yourself how you can make your ideas better than they already are?
Just keep pluggin' away and you'll get there eventually =)

Thanks I have always been a person who does what he feels I am not the type of artist that does work based on what others want, I do what comes out. I will do what I can to improve that is the best I can offer for now.

I know my art is not for everyone heck I might be the only person who like my work, whatever it is what it is.

look try to think about this are you an Artist or a Designer

this really isn't an Artist T-shirt comp, we all have to try and produce things that people want to wear, after you've been lucky enough to get 4 printed you can than have your Artist moment and produce a select

Understand

I look at what is printed and it crosses all styles, at times I am confused because I don't know what is acceptable anymore? it looks like I have to chnge my style to suit the audience taste if I want to get the results I am looking for.

Raid71 you are right I have drop the artist side and just create designs that are suited to the audience liking.

Content is more important than style in most cases. I recently had a design dropped early and have had a few really close to it. Voters just didn't like the content. Don't let it get you down. If you enjoy doing the art and if it's building up your portfolio then keep going with it.

Fat Pigeon I love your art because it has style man I am an artist like many on this sight I guess with us we are so attach to what we do that at times we forget that we have to create work that is appealing to others. If that makes sense.

Makes sense. Just keep going with it though. Don't stop subbing because some of your designs don't go all the way. I think your stuff like "My pet glow snails" could make it all the way to print. Just keep trying.

I love Alpha Primitives

personally, i think it's ultimately like high school: a popularity contest. i agree with afromation, i do art for me. not anyone else. that's what it's all about. making art that makes you happy, not the masses. as for designs on here, i've seen some straight up garbage get printed that i wouldn't wear if somebody paid me to. on the other hand, i've seen some absolutely incredible designs that will NEVER get picked. i just don't understand it. sometimes, i have the same attitude that afromation has: why bother submitting? another thing i do, (well, am starting to do) is subbing it as a critique first, and see how people respond to it there.

i say just keep doing your own thing and after awhile people will come around....my subs get dropped and low scores all the time...but i will keep doing my own stuff

it gets very discouraging, especially if you're trying to get your foot in the door in the design business anywhere. and everything you submit to anywhere (not just threadless), gets shot down. everyone you know thinks it's cool, but apparently the masses don't.... it's kind of some bullshit if you ask me. but, like atomic child said, i'll keep doing my own stuff. i mean designs i thought were gonna do great, got dropped early with like scores of 1.3 or something like that.

You sub your design to Threadless, it get some comments, read those comments and see if there's anything you could do to improve your work (get a higher score)...

Now if you only design for yourself you shouldn't be upset when your the only one who likes your work.

But then again this is Threadless and a certain kind of t-shirt has a better chance of getting printed dictated by the audience here, there are other contest where more 'Arty' t-shirts get printed

As a designer your should always listen to your client!!

yeah, but if some of my "clients" are 16 yr. old know-it-alls with mommy and daddy's money to buy what's "cool", how am i supposed to listen to them? have they gone to design school? do they know anything about anything? my answer is no.

there is so much great art that is submitted on this site. it's sad because it seems that unless it gets printed, it's deemed not good. not getting printed does not necessarily mean that you're not good, just that someone decided the design wasn't good for a t-shirt. i enjoy your style. i think you have some good stuff.

scootman, you may be correct about that, but sadly, it is the dollar that decides what is printed and what is sold, not an art education.

Scootman - I have some clients that are worse than 16 year olds, asking you to squeeze to much text onto a design, killing white space,
but part of the designers skill is to produce something that the client want but still be aesthetically pleasing;

Raid71 you make an excellent point because I do freelance illustration for comic books not the big two but small press and the same thing exist when I go to comic conventions everyone loves the mainstream art but the independents get little to no support. Not to change the subject, but you have to please the client if you are to get shall I say it "PAID" in any creative work for hire. Art is so personal even when you do it for a client whether threadless or anyone else who said being an artist was easy.

"it's sad because it seems that unless it gets printed, it's deemed not good."

I don't know of many people in this community that seem to just write a design or designer as 'not good' just because they haven't been printed. . .

yeah, but if some of my "clients" are 16 yr. old know-it-alls with mommy and daddy's money to buy what's "cool", how am i supposed to listen to them? have they gone to design school? do they know anything about anything? my answer is no.

um... arent most clients not designers? ... thus, why they hire designers. Don't get me wrong, I dislike picky clients as much as the next guy, but you'll get them in any field. But feeling as if you shouldnt have to listen to them because they didnt go to school for what you did is kinda ridiculous.

I agree Raid71, I just had this summer a web design and print job from the same client when I wrote down the quote for the jobthey nearly freak out. Tell me about it I have had my share of tough clients. You do the best you can to satify the clients needs it is all about their needs I guess the same hold true on Threadless even if your clients are 14 and 16 year old teens .

if your designs aren't working sub a "cute" animal, like a baby panda trying to eat a pencil or something like that (if you sub this and win i'm totally taking half the money, lol)... i think there are a decent amount of teenage girls on here that will say something like "OMG I NEED THIS NOW PLZ PRINT $5$5$5$5$5"

I agree Torakamikaze, that is why they are hiring you to solve an issue. That is what creativity is all about, tough but true.

"I do freelance illustration for comic books " maybe you're too qualified...lol jk

There is no such thing as too qualified I have seen artist well in there 80's at the Art Students League of New York still perfecting their skills an artist/designer never stops learning never stops growing.

i'm not saying that at all. some of the designers who don't get printed are probably the better ones anyways. it's all about the $$. shit, i'd love to win on here and get the 2 grand. that being said, in the event that i ever do, i probably won't submit another one. i'll probably end up taking my illustrations elsewhere, where skill and aesthetics is appreciated, not just whether it will sell. most of us come here first to submit designs for one reason: THREADLESS PAYS THE MOST. where else can you get paid 2,000 bones for a piece of digital art? nowhere, that's where. unless you're like ray frenden (who is absolutely amazing, and still had one of his designs not get printed - the horror guys playing poker), he (i'm sure) makes great money doing what he does outside of this community, and i think everyone's ultimate goal is to get to that point. i don't want to work a full-time job and do my art on the side, i'd rather have it be the opposite. do my art full-time and something else to supplement the rest of my income, but it's so hard to get that "foot in the door". anywhere. hell, i've even resorted to giving my art away for free to bands so i can get my foot in the door there, because that's ultimately what i'd like to do, and most STILL won't even take it. it gets you down after a certain point.

i know, i was joking...sorry

AAAAAANNNNNNND... it also comes down to who you know. i apologize, i'm a bit under the weather and being very cynical today. my apologies guys. you guys all make very valid points. i myself do design work all day at my full-time job. granted, it's newspaper advertising, but every once in a while i get to do something creative and fun. most of the time though it's car ads and memorials for dead grandparents. which is also depressing.

There is no such thing as too qualified I have seen artist well in there 80's at the Art Students League of New York still perfecting their skills an artist/designer never stops learning never stops growing.

right there. that's why you should never stop submitting. it's not all about winning.

I feel what you are saying Scootman the reason I submitted to Threadless was to get me motivated to create period at times in my life I have allow personel matters keep me from my love to draw. The money is all good but if I ever get the opportunity to hve a design printed I would love to be among the many talented artist and designers on Threadless. This site is awesome because I have met alot of cool people here much love too all of you.

No don't be sorry Edean I know you was joking :)

very true, if you stop learning, then you get behind the times. and that's when you start submitting tribal designs because you thought they were cool, but it's just because you didn't keep up with the times.

I don't sub to Threadless for the money;
I sub because of the feedback, all those people giving advice has really help me improve (don't listen to all the advice though)

At the end of the day a 'Fine artist' does what they please, but a designer or illustrator has to communicate a message to an audience, the bigger the audience the more chance of getting paid more money

ray frenden - great artist, but struggles just like the rest of us

Thanks Torakamikaze

lol tribal designs.

exactly afromation. there was a few times as of late (the past 3 yrs. or so) where i actually thought about giving up art all together. throwing it all away because i'm 26, and have been doing art in some fashion since i was like 6, and still have gotten virtually nowhere with my own art. an art show here, a logo or something picked there, but that's really it. but it's about respect and building that respect and credibility in a community such as this that is one of the few things (outside of $$) that keeps ME motivated.

Raid71 you are one of the artist I review to learn from there are so many others that I frequent. I am proud to have you take the time to comment and give me advice on my work thanks a million.

I agreed Scootman

Raid71, i highly doubt he "struggles" like the rest of us... struggling to me is having bills paid, but no money to fall back on if shit goes wrong (pipes breaking, emergencies - human or animal, etc.), and no money to have fun in your life. what's the point if the only money you've got is to pay your bills and nothing else? there isn't much of one, i can tell you that. i understand you're a bit older and have been around the design community a bit longer, but think about where you were at at 26 (artwise), and tell me how that fits in to what i'm saying now, at 26.

oh yeah afromation, i'm totally with you, i wasn't disagreeing with you. like i said, i'm in 'cynical-mode' today.

Its all good bro let it out man better out than in.

also, i guess my problem is: i'm not sure where i fit in the art community. i'm not sure if i'm an illustrator/designer or a fine artist because i do both. i guess what i'm trying to say about all of this is: it's hard to find your niche. very hard. and after reading what i wrote to you Raid71 (two comments above this one), it's harsh. my apologies, again.

sorry 3 comment above, afromation snuck that one in.

26 = probably drunk at University with about £5 in my pocket ($10)

I know ray struggles with the same frustration as many artist do when your work is rejected.

Scootman - I didn't read it as harsh, no apologies needed

ha ha! that's funny... but yes, rejection is probably the hardest part about being an artist. i had an art teacher in high school (best teacher i had... EVER) who would tell you if it was crap or good. and i loved that, no sugarcoating it. he'd hold up people's artwork in front of the whole class and go, "this... will get you a 'd'' and if it was ceramic, he'd smash it against the wall and tell you to start over.... amazing teacher.

thanks raid71, you're like the wise ol' owl. and i'm not calling you old either.