December in Review + Artist Rant
I’ve been doing a monthly review halfway through when I started my art account on IG to commit myself to being an artist. Here’s my December 2023 month in review... it was delayed because, frankly, I didn’t want to do it but felt obligated to... uh... my own commitment. I ommitted some images and projects for my own sanity.
I’m trying to make more moodboards and flash tattoo sheets, but as you can tell most of my art projects were hands-on in the latter half of December.
For the first time, I had two sales on Zazzle, but I no longer upload there due to their slow and buggy upload process. I made sales almost every day on RB, which felt amazing until I did some research.
I have some thoughts on how BS POD platforms spout, targeting starving artists and pocketing the profits. Redbubble sucks. Other alternatives like Society6 and Zazzle exist, but have a completely unusable UI that makes you want to eat glass. Zazzle won’t pay you if you don’t make a minimum of $50 in royalties. it takes hours to upload a seamless patterned design accurately and I made just $2 on 2 rolls of wrapping paper. Alternatives like Printful exist, but… high price points, gimmicky, low quality materials... The more I explored these options, the more I realized that mass production is not for me. I want to make functional or wearable art with my own hands that is one-of-a-kind, made in my own low-waste sustainable ways.
Basically, I need a printer. Any suggestions for affordable but reliable color printers are welcome...
I have a few unfinished projects from last month, including a custom clothing label design, scented candle label illustration concepts, a personal zine and some visual poetry collage pieces. Back to my roots, yenno...
I have a few potential projects in the pipeline, including digitally cut linocut printmaking templates, custom sweats, anthotype, and homemade recycled paper.
#decemberartreview #monthinreview #handmade #artlife #creativelifestyle #diy #upcycling #makersgonnamake #makersmovement #handmadewithlove
In December 2023, I embraced my identity as an artist through my monthly review approach. This month brought a mix of triumphs and frustrations, particularly regarding my sales on print-on-demand (POD) platforms like Redbubble and Zazzle. While I celebrated two sales on Zazzle, the buggy interface forced me to reconsider my priorities. My recent shift away from mass production has inspired me to focus on handmade, sustainable pieces. I'm excited about revamping my creative process, aiming for more meaningful artistry. As I dive into the details of my POD experiences, I'm keen to shed light on the crucial need for transparency within these platforms, as many can exploit artists through convoluted profit-sharing and quality controls. Exploring alternatives to these services, like Printful and Society6, revealed challenges that echoed my reservations about mass production methods. Setbacks aside, I have been working on several handmade projects such as custom clothing labels, scented candle illustrations, and a personal zine. With the ongoing evolution of my art style, I plan to experiment with linocut templates, custom sweatshirts, and anthotype techniques. I also seek advice on affordable color printers to enhance my production capabilities. My creative vision includes sustainable practices and unique artistic expressions. The power of upcycling and handmade artistry fuels my motivation as I work to honor my commitment to crafting distinctive pieces. I hope this reflection resonates with fellow artists who share the same trials and triumphs in their creative pursuits.