What you print reflects on YOU.

[theMadArtist]

They said they had 200 in the budget, I asked if they could make it 400 for spectacular- that they'd owe NOTHING if they didn't love it.
They loved them both, and promptly paid me....

[theMadArtist]

It's the CONCEPT, as well as the art....

[Screened Gear]

It's the CONCEPT, as well as the art....

Your designs are an improvement from the originals. From what your showing you did not change the concept of the design. So you can't take credit for the concept.  I have to say I was expecting more. Your designs have a clip art type color plate to them that is ironic. (you said how much you hate cheap clip art}  I looked at your location because I have a hard time believing your in the USA. Your art has the look of a designer from India or china. They always use bright colored vector art with black outlines and gradient color mixes with bright colors. Your colors are not as pastel as the ones you see from India.  I am only saying these things to help. Call it a critique of your work to help you improve.

Keep in mind the color count of your art. In our world your designs would cost $$$ with that many colors.

Hope I wasn't too hard on you.

[theMadArtist]

No- I am completely tactless myself, and appreciate such candor. Comparing me to China's quite a compliment (heh).
It's their pricing that's killing businesses here that used to offer such services.

The "concept" I was referring to was Design, not layout.

Have samples of YOUR (or your artist's) work that illustrate your tastes?

[Screened Gear]

No- I am completely tactless myself, and appreciate such candor. Comparing me to China's quite a compliment (heh).
It's their pricing that's killing businesses here that used to offer such services.

The "concept" I was referring to was Design, not layout.

Have samples of YOUR (or your artist's) work that illustrate your tastes?

We don't do art here for customers. Takes too much time and the customer will never pay what it is worth. Much like the complaints you have with cost of art. I was a designer for many years so I understand your frustrations with art/pay. I have to say that I am much happier just being a screen printer. I just saw your other posts and the sketch work you do is great. Keep it up and you will find plenty of work. One piece of advice is don't waist your time doing work for people that don't appreciate/pay for it. Just find people that already understand your worth. I spend years working for the wrong clients trying to make good money. When I got smart I started working for the right clients and made 3 times the money for half the work.

Art is a hard market these days.

[theMadArtist]

Why, thanks, TG- and congrats on finding your niche.
Being a Freelance Artist was the Last Damned Thing I wanted to be; but living in the Florida Rat Race, I failed to find a company worth staying at!
Too bad I never made it to Washington sooner!

[theMadArtist]

Inked in on acetate in the days before computer graphics; was especially proud of the Idea~

[Sbrem]

We did some of that back then; we would contact them to film in the darkroom so we didn't have to worry about scratches of flaking. Whatever it took pre-digital...

Steve

[theMadArtist]

That's for sure- whatever it took!
touch the wrong spot on the acetate, and the ink would bead up, using transfer letters- I'd run to the art supply to buy another sheet, or tey to hand draw the letter on the film if running out on the transfer sheet!

[mimosatexas]

It's the CONCEPT, as well as the art....

Your designs are an improvement from the originals. From what your showing you did not change the concept of the design. So you can't take credit for the concept.  I have to say I was expecting more. Your designs have a clip art type color plate to them that is ironic. (you said how much you hate cheap clip art}  I looked at your location because I have a hard time believing your in the USA. Your art has the look of a designer from India or china. They always use bright colored vector art with black outlines and gradient color mixes with bright colors. Your colors are not as pastel as the ones you see from India.  I am only saying these things to help. Call it a critique of your work to help you improve.

Keep in mind the color count of your art. In our world your designs would cost $$$ with that many colors.

Hope I wasn't too hard on you.

Not to stir the pot or be mean, but I have to agree.  Most of what I've seen so far looks like slapped together clip art with the all too common overuse of bright outlines and strange textures.  Looks very much like what you get when you go to sites like fiverr or what I get as samples from the "we make gud tshirts designs for cheap" emails I get every day.

[mimosatexas]

Inked in on acetate in the days before computer graphics; was especially proud of the Idea~

I do like this one though

[theMadArtist]

The only thing wrong about modern clipart- is that it is not CUSTOM. It's much better than it USED to be.

[larryk]

Call me crazy but you guys talk about clipart like it is a BAD thing. Clip art is what probably allows 90 percent of the printers out there to stay in business. There is also a big difference in "types" of clip art and like everything else you get what you pay for. I have tons of the stuff and use it on a daily  basis because that is what my customers have for an art budget. I am not an artist nor do I have a fancy degree in graphic design but I am smart enough to put a design together for a t shirt that sells. I also have a good assortment of artwork from Great Dane Graphics and I love printing their designs.... but guess what? Most of them are 6 to 7 colors and most of my customers can't handle the pricing for that many colors. I will often throw in a couple of 3 or 4 colors at no charge just to show the community what we are capable of doing and it is beginning to pay off. We have even been able to purchase a couple of jobs from our friend Lemorris.... Do I like using clip art... no. Does it make me money.... yes. But whenever possible I like to use the services of the REAL artists out there... not sure what my point was with this rant... other than the fact that most of us are forced to use clip art.

[mimosatexas]

I have no problem with clipart.  I use clipart and stock elements on TONS of stuff and you are completely right that it is all most people are willing to pay for...

I think people (myself included) were just clarifying that there is a difference between real "art" (usually involving custom illustration and colorizing) vs doing layout design using stock art and adding some filters and effects.  I put together designs everyday similar to what MadArtist has been posting (though with fewer colors due to budgets and not so much random neon glow-y stuff), but I would not call them "art".

[theMadArtist]

C'mon. You mean that having your artist do something a LITTLE bit better wouldn't make any difference? That your rep for shirt art is based solely on ON the clip art?