I think that between an illustrator/designer that it is important to have a good quality design with prices that are equal to what should be paid.

A typical t-shirt design for a band that is not on a major label generially runs with most artist I know at $50 for full usage.

The price is set high enough for the band to afford it, get its use out of it for 6 months to a year and a half and drop it when its to dated and move on to other designs to sell to their target demographic.

Online T-shirt companies that undercut illustrators and designers that stick to this $50 min. guarantee like Divine Clothing Company, are pre-making t-shirt designs that aren't that interesting compared to their designs for target demograph. Not only that but they are selling them to bands for $15 full useage!

I am typically not one to complain about the market, and how other artist go out to sell their product to their consumers. This is a service market. But I am entitled to a opinion and I think that....

1. They need to start making designs that are for a specific band and not just take designs made over night that most designers think or and put out to sell to any band that wants to like a band going up to a vending machine to try something they like but it doesnt taste good or does fit their market.

2. They need to raise their price. I know that it is rough times for alot of bands because of the price of gas, but dues need to be paid and paid fair.

I am going to show you all what I mean by their designs from a myspace bulletin they posted with their cheap designs that they try to sell to bands.

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I have a bunch of premade merch designs I am selling. They are all $15 a piece. I will gladly change any colors and text if you like. Please contact me if your are interested. Thanks.





[link]
City & Spray

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Eyes

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House

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Arrows

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Street Light

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Banner

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Polaroid


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Here is the letter I sent them via myspace.

Dear Divine Clothing and Design,

My name is Daniel Fishel and I am a illustrator in Philadelphia, that currently works exclusivily with bands.

Working as a artist in these times is harder than ever, especially with the rising prices of supplies due to oil cost to transport it, to our rights as artist copyrights being under attack because of the Orphan Works Law that is circulating through congress.

This is especially true to the efforts to find creative ways to make an extra buck with what we create. Though I am not judging the quality of the work presented in this bulletin circulated a few times.

Many illustrator/designers work, research and create works for bands with their specific idenitity in mind. They work hard to try to make their work function with the personality of how the band sounds, and how it relates to the demograph that they are marketing to and also trying to keep their personal viewpoint in the piece itself so that the band, and the people they are marketing their work to do no dictate the final art work.

In the same breath, many of the illustrators/designers have created a standard that is much below what is in the Graphic Artist Guild Ethic Use and Pricing handbook. That price is generally equal or higher than $50, and if a job gets killed they usually try to pawn it off for $35.

Even though your design company, can do whatever it pleases, in how it conducts business, I wanted to voice my concern about your ready made designs that you are selling for $15. I feel that by creating designs and posting them up for bands to buy, the musicians are limiting themselves, and that other design configurations to a t-shirt that could be expressed. Also I think that if a band chooses a design from a stack of designs presented to them, it is no better than a magizine going to a stock photography/stock illustration site to find a photo or illustration that is cheaper for the budget that kinda works enough to fit the mold of the message they are trying to send.

I find your designs interesting, but I think your methods to selling them and the price is hap hazard to those who work really hard to make their art work not only for themselves but also for their client.

No hard feelings, I just disagree with this practice of Stock Design.

Thank you for reading my comments.

-Daniel Fishel