Friday, January 15, 2010

Pop Art


So, the title alone of this blog would seem to denote that it would be about t-shirts.  Normally that would be true.

I have had a good run so far with MySoti in simply uploading my designs as t-shirt designs.  Every time I do, I have always been a little curious about their option to upload your design as a canvas/poster.  So, I gave it a try.

I liked it.  It was easy.  And like Andy Warhol before us, one might argue that t-shirt designs (which I liken more to pop art) aren't art.  Until they are.  Am I right?

So this week I as suggesting you give it a try (if you haven't already).  And even though I am not including one of my t-shirt designs as the embedding MySoti provides in order for you to blog about your art, I love this photo that I've turned into art with a few strokes of my laptop keyboard.  Maybe it will inspire you.

Mahalo.  Aloha.

Winter Waves Pt. Dume Malibu artwork by nb2cDorkBjork. Available from MySoti.com.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

MySoti Has A New Look

A funny thing happened while I was living my life...things went on without me.

I so didn't end up doing extra blog posts in an effort to shamelessly try to get in last minute plugs for people to buy items with my designs on them.  Didn't feel right.

And MySoti got a new look to its website and will soon be adding new products.  I don't know what they are.  It's a secret.

So how did I find out?  They send me a newsletter, which I don't read.  Is that wrong?  My best selling design for 2009 was a photo of Manhattan Beach Pier.  And I have a new photo of the pier I am very proud of and thought I would add it to my collection of MySoti and CafePress.

Here's the scoop on the MySoti (and p.s. if you aren't using them yet, please spread the word (www.mysoti.com)...they are easy to use):

Surfing - Manhattan Beach Pier tee by nb2cDorkBjork. Available from MySoti.com.

As much as I love MySoti, I continue to love and appreciate CafePress.com.   The same design is then available on over 100 items, like the tile below which make really great coasters.

If you are interested in buying any of these coasters, please click here.

If you are interested in seeing what this design looks like on the over 100 other products available from CafePress.com, please click here.

If you are wondering what my best selling design for 2009 (and BTW a shout out here of gratitude to all who buy products with my designs on them) is, see below:


This is what it looks like on the round ornament.  To buy one, click here.  If you'd like to see how this design looks on any of the other over 100 items CafePress.com offers, please click here.

And here is a tip.  While I am grateful for all of those who find and buy products with my designs on them because they simply went to CafePress.com and looked at designs and products and chose one of mine (again, thank you)...I'd like to let you know that you most likely paid more for it this way and my commission is less than if you bought it by linking say from this blog. 

For instance, many bought the above ornament for $12 through CafePress and my commission in this way is 10% or $1.20 (again, I appreciate something compared to nothing).  However, had they bought it by clicking from this blog where I ask them to click, their price would have been $7.19 (without shipping, etc.) and my commission would have been $1.20 (I marked it up 20% from CafePress's base price of $5.99).  In this case I would have ended up with the same.  However, had I marked it up 30%, the customer's price would have been only $7.79 and my commission would have been $1.80.

One may think this isn't the greatest news for CafePress.  Yet, it is a win/win/win.  CafePress still ends up with at least its base price they ask for, the end customer ends up with a lower price and the designer usually ends up with more of a commission.

Who knew!  I did the math!

P.S.  It appears the #DesignAShirtAWeek is now defunct and I don't know what @bryanbrinkman is up to.  I wish him well whatever it is.