Hi guys! A couple of people have e-mailed and asked my about my process on shirts. I might not tell everybody anything new, but some people might find this interesting. Go over to my my blog and check it out.

Design Process Shirts

I plan to post art tips and documentaries more often now.

UPDATE:

I did a entry on layouting and composition
you can find it here

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Did I maybe design yours?! Haha!

Sorry the formatting keeps on messing up my link. Here it is again:

Seriously I wanted to do one forever, but didn't have a good idea. This one is simple, but effective (so I hope).
Still pending.



Update: Thanks for my best score in the history of Threadless.
for over 500 5s and 217 I'd buy its!

Hi guys! I sincerely apologize if a topic like this exists already, but for a long time I wanted to collect and post my own tips about how to increase your presence in the internet. Some of the tips might seem obvious, but I thought I’d post all I know (which doesn’t necessarily mean that I’m good at it) – but I definitely want to hear your experience as well:

Personalized tools:

- Your own website (make it very easy to handle for users, clear, update it weekly with your best work, don’t post stuff you didn’t enjoy to draw and are not satisfy with, make the name of the website easy to spell and understand – make it VERY EASY to find the contact information)

- Newsletter: I got some people to sign up for newsletter at the Comicfestival in New York, but to be quite honest, as long as you’re not ready to write a good, interesting newsletter every 2 weeks or so you shouldn’t get people to sign up for it (like me – I plan to make some changes here). ALWAYS offer the option to unsubscribe clearly in the mail.

- Blog: Use a blog to write about your work, make the posts entertaining to read and sometimes share advice and tips on how to do stuff (making-offs). Comment on other blogs, don’t just expect people to follow you without following them in return

- Face book fanpage: gaining fans is not so easy for me. I gain most fans trough having a shirt sold somewhere. Keep up the interaction with fans by posting work, asking for feedback, offering free shirts from time to time, etc
.
- Twitter: I suck at twittering!!! Nothing to say here yet.

- Tumblr - a lot of people here have good experiences with it because it enables users to re-blog fast end easy. collection of threadless artists on tumblr

Online Portfolio sites – I use or know:

- Deviantart – I refused to use it for a long time and I still don’t have a clear opinion about it. There is a lot of crap there, naturally, but also so much good stuff. Countless fantastic artists contribute everyday and it becomes easier and easier to find them once you start. For me, deviantart is not only a self promo tool but a place to see good art (avoid the crappy art). To get “Watchers” on deviantart, you have to invest some time – post fan art in groups, comment on other people’s stuff, contribute regularly. I DON’t use the option for art prints, since I am doing that on society 6.

- Society 6 – I have not really dealt with it enough yet – I like a lot of the art I see there. I don’t earn much money with it yet and I don’t get a lot of exposure, but I guess that’s mainly because I haven’t invested much time in it yet.

- Behance, gawker, etc.: I have not dealt enough yet with the free portfolio sites, nor have I invested in a portfolio site that charges….a project for the future.

Message boards:

- Threadless community: I know I should post more there, definitely need to invest more time in the future. A lot of community members offer valuable advice and feedback. It pays off to be active at the Threadless community.

- Look for Message boards related to the topics you make designs for – I am active in some pretty nerdy message boards, like nerdnyc.com and the Bruce Campbell Society because I make very nerdy designs.

Over-all tips:

Give and take – online networking is not just about silently spitting out one design after another, it’s very much about interaction and reaction. Comment on other stuff, try to really give honest and useful feedback, don’t be a douche – internet is the best place for misunderstandings, so express yourself clearly and try to not take anything to serious. Internet-Shit Storms are funny, but also embarrassing for the participants ;-)

I need to improve a lot in a lot of the stuff I posted myself….my future project.

PLEASE share all your knowledge here!

I just submitted a design for T-Post -
it took me forever to make it. And now I'm not sure if it's even good hahaha (artistic uncertainty phases are annoying)!

Let me know what you think!


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I apologize, I am sure this has been blogged about before! But googeling for it didn't help me. If there is a blog already, please porint me to it.
I am on devianart right now under missqueenmob (only Queenmob was taken :-()

Please post your profile here so I can friend you!

Watch out, total nerdom geekout:

I am leveling up my level 19th Rouge in Pathfinder and I can't decide on a feature! Any help here? She has abnormal dexterity, acrobatics and stuff.

I am thinking about getting combat relfexes, but I think I need a feat that helps her willsave.

Any suggestions???

Ok, I think I just outed myself her.

I really have to say something I wanted to say for a long time:
Threadless has made me a better artist. Especially during the first year when I hadn�t been printed yet, I felt so encouraged to improve and work on myself that if I look back now, I can see the improvement.

During my 1 and a � year membership I learned how to:

- Think about concept much more
- Work with reduced colors (I couldn�t do that before) � that made my shading, my lineart and my concept work much better.
- Research more for ideas, ask for criticism, accept criticism.
- Create a frame for art that isn�t just a box
- Experiment with new styles for pure fun
- Stick and be successful with the stuff I love
It also enabled me to not accept all jobs that came in at my work as a freelance illustrator, financially. Which is great.

Thanks you Threadless!!! And thanks to a great community!

I heard that there is a yearly meetup in Chicago in September. I couldn't find any infos about dates etc. maybe I overlooked it. I want to come and need to plan :-)