You ever glance over at Ublock while you're on youtube, and see 824 and somehow literally growing like 3 at a time (probably trackers) just chilling on the front page... and you think... yeah... that's too many ads to be seeing in one day, Ublock stays on?

Also I have to say "but bands are using AI art for their album covers" is not a winning argument.

That band wasn't going to pay you. That band was going to beg somebody's artist brother for a freebie or they were going to have the people in the band who can kind of draw draw something or they were going to use a moody photo someone took with their cellphone. Best possible scenario is "they were going to trade for something from someone in the scene," and this is still the most likely scenario for bands that *give a shit* about that kind of thing.

And I've been the one doing freebie artwork for my musician friends; I've made album covers and done promo shoots, I've drawn logos and I've got a standing offer to make buttons for the cost of materials for every band I've ever played a show with. The people who give a shit in the scene are already doing this because everybody knows that everybody's broke.

I'm certain that there's not *zero* overlap between "bands that can afford to pay artists and photographers to create album artwork" and "bands that are using AI art for their album covers" but if you think "indie musician" is a demographic that has money to spare on commissioned artwork, I'm pretty sure you're mistaken.

Like. Okay, I mean my *big* argument is that AI image generation is fair use, full stop.

But the secondary argument that I've got is that I'm not sure there's a market to have the bottom fall out of.

The person making shitty covers for their amazon romance novel was not going to pay you. They were going to pay someone on fiverr eight dollars *at best* and that's only if they couldn't find a way to DIY.

That band that's trying desperately to sell ten tickets so they can play a show at the cool venue was not going to pay you to do their cover art. Their last fifty bucks just went to covering those tickets because their friends aren't even coming to their free shows. They were going to stage a photoshoot with a cellphone and a timer and someone's sister's selfie stick.

That person who made an AI avatar was not going to pay you for a custom avatar they were going to take a screenshot of your work and use that.

The people who are able to afford to pay artists and who are interested in paying artists are not the people who are replacing artists with AI. The t-shirt dropshippers, the shitty book cover designers, the bland corporate artists, and the art reposting instagram pages were the ones who undercut your market.

If you're concerned that someone is going to use AI to make art that is materially similar to yours and sell it, you're just concerned that someone is going to make art that is materially similar to yours to sell. The concerns about AI doing it are functionally exactly the same as what happens when someone says "wow, I want that on a t-shirt" under your drawing. If someone were to draw a character similar to but distinct from yours with words similar to but distinct from yours and put a link to that on a reblog of your post, that person is not actually infringing on you. They're a shithead, but that's not actually art theft. If they used your character and your words, or if they directly copy the image, that's art theft and you can try to get their post taken down. It's the exact same thing with AI.

The people who care about art and can afford to pay for it are always going to pay for it. Your problem isn't with AI, your problem is with the fact that people don't value art and that's as true now as it was a decade ago.

You are trying to sell a complicated, crocheted sundress made with 100% hand-dyed alpaca wool on Etsy and are complaining that the loose knit acrylic sundress from walmart is undercutting your market. Some people are always going to make the effort to save up and pay for your work because they value the craftsmanship, but those people didn't want to shop at WalMart in the first place. And the ones who value your craftsmanship but just plain can't afford it were going to dig through the bins at a thrift store until they found a crocheted swim cover from the seventies that they could pass off as a dress with a few alterations.

Question from someone just starting with creating and then posting art to Tumblr, do you think I should be watermarking my pieces?

I’ve always disliked watermarks as they naturally tend to dissuade people from interacting with art in a natural manner; it depends very heavily on the size and placement of the mark, obviously. BUT, often times an artist will overzealously obscure their work with identification and it has a somewhat repulsive effect on the average viewer - a wall has been erected between the viewer and the art, in a sense. Watermarks, to me, exist to prevent very specific situations from unfolding with your work - almost all of those reasons seem to be financially motivated, like preventing strangers from printing your art out at home or reposting without attribution. Situations that could affect your ability to profit off of your work.

Admittedly, much of my perception about this issue was inspired by an article included in the book “Context” by Cory Doctorow, wherein he writes about how he’s benefitted from “thinking like a dandelion”, which is an idea that was inspired by conversation the author had with Neil Gaiman — I’ll try and summarize the parts of the point that are more relevant to visual arts; since portions of the allegory refer more specifically to certain qualities of written media.

He begins with, “Mammals worry about what happens to each and every one of their offspring, but dandelions only care that every crack in every sidewalk has dandelions growing out of it. The former is a good strategy for situations in which reproduction is expensive, but the latter works best when reproduction is practically free — as on the Internet.”

So how do you “think like a dandelion” then?

“Your work needs to be easily copied, to anywhere whence it might find its way into the right hands. That means that the nimble text-file, HTML file, and PDF (the preferred triumvirate of formats) should be distributed without formality — no logins, no e-mail address collections, and with a license that allows your fans to reproduce the work on their own in order to share it with more potential fans. Remember, copying is a cost-center — insisting that all copies must be downloaded from your site and only your site is insisting that you — and only you — will bear the cost of making those copies. Sure, having a single, central repository for your works makes it easier to count copies and figure out where they’re going, but remember: dandelions don’t keep track of their seeds. Once you get past the vanity of knowing exactly how many copies have been made, and find the zen of knowing that the copying will take care of itself, you’ll attain dandelionesque contentment.”

The rest of the allegory more specifically applies to written work, but I’ll link it here for the sake of posterity. Essentially: every wall or pre-requisite that you establish before allowing a fresh set of eyes to fall upon your work actually may deter people from engaging with the work and sharing it with others. Signatures, subtle watermarks that are “baked” into the work, or maybe like.. a well-placed QR code that links people back to you — all of those would be my suggestion for someone who wants to leave a lasting, linking thread between a given work and it’s artist. If the right person sees your art and connects with it, there SHOULD be a way for them to follow that thread back to you and discover more; but if you over-prioritize demonstrating ownership over your work, you’re likely to drive those coveted genuine connections away.

On the other hand, if your primary goal is to sell prints or other products, brazenly watermarking your work will protect your bottom line from the kind of low-level art-scraping that drives all those shady redbubble shops and etsy stores that sell stolen works on cheap t-shirts and hankies. For me, art is a primarily social interest in which I prioritize the sharing of culture and ideas. I don’t want financial factors to take precedence and alter how/why I created something; it feels like I’d have to take much of myself out of my art in order to make it palatable for consumer spaces.

You should determine your priorities and then strive to make art that fulfills those priorities without compromise. I think you’ll find that self-satisfaction manifests readily at different points in the midst of that process.

07. 𝘛𝘌𝘔𝘗𝘛𝘈𝘛𝘐𝘖𝘕 (multimuse template)

introducing "temptation", a multimuse, planning/information template inspired by the aesthetic of TXT's newest album "The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION"! this template includes 3 variations of oc information pages (pink, green and both), a page for the writer's information, and two pages for universe information (one for in-depth, and the other for listing universes).

PERSONAL UPDATE: i apologise for not having posted in a while, my life has been pretty hectic. between my etsy, in-person job, mental health recovery treatment and a music/dance group project of mine, it's been hard to find time to squeeze in creating more google documents. I'll get more free time soon once I finish the beginning of my music project and get through the beginning of my treatment, hopefully. I can't put an accurate date down as to when I'll return entirely, but it shouldn't be too much more than a month and a half. I do hope you guys understand

notes/rules

editing and modifications are welcome once you purchase the template.

all drawings and images in this document are custom created (or in the case of the pictures, edited) by me. If you would like to take elements from this document, you will need to credit me as an inspiration or the creator of that element(s).

resizing or moving objects/images can throw off the document, so be careful.

do not remove my watermark/credits!

please like or reblog this post if you use my template!  ♡

how to use

click the source link above

purchase the template via my payhip

follow the instructions left in the zip file

once you receive access to the template, go to file  →  make a copy

how to edit

in order to most easily put in your own images, go to replace image then choose how you wish to replace it (either uploading a file or via the image's URL).

this document includes drawings. Double-click the drawing/image on the bottom left or top right corner, then click the edit tab. this will take you to a page where you can replace, edit or delete features of the image

for the custom-edited photos, I've linked a tutorial to how I created them in the zip file you'll receive after the purchase

The mirror is not a mirror. Its a jewellery holder. I bought this mirror for £5 at a car boot sale when I was about 15 years old. It's served me well for the last 27 years. I've always used it more for jewellery, the curly bits lend themselves to that, and it means when they're not being worn they're still decorative to the room.

There's far too much here for me to go through it all, though the vast majority is thrifted or I've had for decades and I forget where its from. However, shoutout to my friend for the rosary style necklace (here's a post I did about them in more detail which includes a link to her etsy shop). She also made the green lady and the heart with the eye in it at the top and the dragon eye. I think they were all done with air drying clay.

I also assembled a few myself (can't really say I properly "made" them), the ones you see on velvet ribbons, and I have a full post about how I did that here.

The message board is not a message board. Its a jewellery holder.

Many of these were found or thrifted. The two sets at the top left are my Good Omens earrings that I put together with charms and beads, the onyx teardrops were my wedding earrings, the flies are by Katie Whittle, the Krampus ones were bought at a comic con but unfortunately I've forgotten the details of the seller (a shame because she had lots of other cool stuff).

The ravens I got from Etsy, but they're originally Ali Express. Be careful with etsy, there are a lot of sellers who claim their stock is handmade but are really re-selling items from Ali Express, Wish or Temu. Initially I found these for £19 ("on sale", regular price supposedly £30). All the seller had done was put an earring hook on them, which I really don't think qualifies them as handmade or warrants such a price hike. I did a search for "crow charm" and found them being sold elsewhere on etsy for £5. Then I did a reverse image search and found the original Ali Express listing where they can be bought for £2.37.

I did buy the £5 etsy ones for the convenience of having them shipped from the UK, but I would always advise checking more than one shop, or using Google lens/reverse image searching if you suspect an etsy item might not be legit.

You may notice, none of my earrings have hooks or posts on them. This is because my ears are stretched (the right has been 16mm for many years, and I'm currently stretching up the left to match, at present it's 5mm), so I can't wear conventional earrings.

You can get special plugs or tunnels that you can hang a hook earring from, but they usually make it very front-heavy which I don't like. I prefer the weight evenly distributed across my whole ear.

So, I simply remove the hook or post from any earrings I buy using jewellery pliers, and when I want to wear a set I hang them from a hinged segment ring (bottom left on my pin board, very cheap online), and put the ring through my tunnel. You just have to make sure there is a loop of some kind left at the top of the earring that you can put the segment ring through.

And if I want to wear them hanging from another of my lobe piercings I can do that too 😉. All my regular piercings are 1.2mm.

i have just spent quite a bit analysing eddie’s room as best as i can through only a blurry bts video and the scarce set pics we have available and would like to share my discoveries, as well as semi decent quality versions of the posters i could find….. i did this mostly for personal use/curiosity, BUT if i can help some eddie fans decorate and/or give more insight on his environment to writers and/or artists it’s a big plus ;)

Alright. first off right when we walk in we’re greeted with this. Lovely image. first seen in episode one,

but i believe u can see it better here, along with a second poster

the skull i found pretty easy with just searching the image in pinterest,

here’s a pretty low quality version of it but. I did see links to people selling the print on ebay, though with some image enhancing i feel you could print this on your own if your heart desires it

for the poster beside it, i couldn’t find the image online, though this could be on me since i didn’t look extremely hard for this one. Sorry. what i made out from it though was that it’s an advertisement for the band Blessed Death performing their album “Kill or Be Killed” live from “the patio” on September 16. Not sure if this is meant to be a poster for an old show Eddie left up, or a future one he planned to attend, but it’s there nonetheless

moving on… To,

the bedside table! Wooooo!

to get the miscellaneous stuff out of the way first, some of the items are (correct me if i’m wrong about any of these) a deck of cards, two letters, a pair of aviator sunglasses, a bottle of beer (?), ashtray full of cigs, an unopened pack of trojan-enz condoms, empty bullet shells,

[Not Pictured, but they’re there too] a blue guitar pick, a blue toy car, along with a radio (? i think, i’m not too well versed on tech of the 80s) that has a red toy car sitting on top of it. :)

now, for the stuff i feel does matter,

there’s a magazine about auto parts & accessories! So good news to all you mechanic eddie likers out there… i guess it’s canon that he cares about cars somewhat? At least enough to own a magazine about the topic…

extremely blurry here but,

a Heavy Metal Summer of ‘86 Mag, Vol 10 #2 (censored from tumblr just in case)

Here it is in subpar quality, (again censored just in case)

if you’d like to see it upclose. And if you want to buy the mag for yourself, i’ve seen listings on sites like Etsy, Amazon, Ebay, etc etc.

Above the nightstand hangs a print,

an illustration of the Tomb of Horrors by Gary Gyrax. (DnD adventure module, as wikipedia says. idk jack abt DnD)

Here it is in okay quality,

it’s not the exact image but i believe it’ll do with some cropping if you so wish to hang an exact replica on your wall!

moving on to above the bed, there’s a Judas Priest “Screaming for Vengeance” poster, with what i'm Pretty Sure is a Slayer tapestry beneath it.

and here's an image i tweaked with to imitate Eddie's poster,

im unsure if it's an Exact replica but it's definitely good enough for me

and for the Slayer tapestry, I could not find the exact one online, which is why i'm unsure if i'm even correct, but i'm like 97% sure that's the slayer logo. sooooooooo..................

To the side of the bed, there isn't much except for what i think is another nightstand, and the only thing i can make out on it is a red cup. Two posters hang on the wall over here, and there isn't much seeing as a window & an amp (?) take up almost all of this side of the room.

the one poster I can actually make out on this side of the room and even then it took me a hot minute to do so, is the bottom one. It's a poster for Anthrax's "Fistful of Metal" album. I looked, and couldn't find the Exact poster, so i made an imitation of it for an attempt at a clearer idea.

Above the closet, hangs an Anthrax banner.

now, onto the best quality image we'll have of Eddie's room in this post. Here i'll be describing from left to right, and really only focusing on the wall decor.

The first thing i can place my finger on here, is behind the dresser there is a poster of Iron Maiden's mascot "Eddie"

Now obviously this isn't the exact image, (different colours, different background) but if you take a look at what we Can see of it even as it's hidden behind the dresser and banner, it lines up pretty well (the axe, the hand, the bit of shoulder)

the Corroded Coffin banner: An obviously homemade thing, that looks well-loved and worn, even ripping at the top. I wonder if this is one Eddie and his bandmates made for when they play at the Hideout that he ended up keeping?

The acoustic guitar that reads "THIS MACHINE SLAYS DRAGONS": Most likely a reference to Woody Guthrie's "This machine kills fascists"

A lamp is bolted into the wall, and another one of Eddie's black bandanas hangs off of it. Beside the lamp, there is a poster for the band Massacre. Sort of looks like an ad for a show, i'm not tooooo sure. Couldn't find any copies of it online.

The next poster I can make out is for the band Liege Lord, and seems as if it's from a live show from '84. Beside it is a poster for a live "Metal Night", the only band I can see on it is Nasty Savage.

Above these two, is another two posters, though the only one I can make out is a Judas Priest "Defenders of The Faith" poster. Here it is in clear quality:

Beside it and a bit under it I'm guessing, is a mirror. Above the mirror there is a mount for Eddie's "Sweetheart" so she hangs down over it. A limited-edition replica of Eddie's guitar was available at Guitar Center, and there were only about 2000 of them made. It retailed for around $899 USD, and even then, that was the lower-priced version. An EXACT recreation would cost almost $5k USD. Jesus H Christ.

Just underneath the guitar, there's again a poster for the band Nasty Savage. In front of the poster, oddly enough, there is a full pepper shaker. I've seen people speculate that Eddie keeps this around just in case, seeing as if you sniff some black pepper during a harsh high, it can help combat anxiety and paranoia.

And a last thing that is probably honestly a stretch, but oh well.

Above the other window in Eddie's room, there's something hanging. I think this could be a red version of a Hellfire shirt. Don't ask me to explain why, you either see it or you don't.

OH and also, don’t think i forgot because i almost did,

Eddie’s infamous cuffs he’s got hanging on his wall, i think beside his closet? . An honourable mention for sure.

And that's about it I think. i know I didn't really mention or go into detail on his guitars and amps,but i'm simply not knowledgeable in instruments for that. Though I think in total he has three guitars. idek how many amps don't ask me to count.

If u really just read this all the way to the end I applaud you. I hope you enjoyed and make good use of all this info i just dumped. And if you believe u can help improve this post pls leave a comment i did this all with only my own knowledge.

Tumblr won’t let me paste a link for some reason, but the tiktok video i used for reference and where all of the screenshots are from is by user averilina.

P.S. if i missed out on anything in the room or didn’t mention something in a picture, it’s probably because i literally could not make out what it was/said no matter how hard i tried. My weak little eyes and tiny brain can only do so much. Sighs

Hello Kitty Christmas Sweatshirt: A Custom Cozy Gift

Find the perfect Christmas gift with a custom Hello Kitty sweatshirt for a unique and personal festive touch.

The holiday season is a time for warmth, cheer, and showing those close to us just how much they mean. What better way to express this sentiment than through a thoughtful, custom-made gift? A Hello Kitty Christmas sweatshirt could be that perfect expression of care, combining the comfort of a sweater with the casual cool of a t-shirt, making it an ideal gift for loved ones or a delightful treat for yourself.

Why a Hello Kitty Christmas Sweatshirt is the Gift of Choice

A sweatshirt is a versatile piece of apparel, fitting for the chilly winter days and nights of the holiday season. It's casual enough for a day in, yet can be dressed up for a festive outing. When you choose a Hello Kitty-themed sweatshirt, you're not just giving a piece of clothing; you're offering a nostalgic slice of childhood wrapped up in a cozy package. This is why it perfectly matches the holiday spirit - it's comforting, familiar, and filled with joyful associations.

A Custom Touch for a Personalized Gift

I believe the magic of a gift lies in its thoughtfulness. That's why a custom Hello Kitty sweatshirt is more than just a piece of clothing - it's a personalized token of affection. You can add a name, a special date, or a personal message to make it truly one-of-a-kind. It's not just another gift; it's your gift, given with intent and sentiment.

For Every Hello Kitty Lover and Beyond

Whether you're buying for a die-hard Hello Kitty fan or someone who appreciates a cute and cozy sweatshirt, this Christmas-themed sweatshirt is sure to please. It speaks to fans of all ages, doubling as an adorable anime sweater that will delight those with a passion for Japanese culture and anime aesthetics.

Durability Meets Comfort

A great gift is one that lasts, and this Hello Kitty sweatshirt is designed to endure the test of time. Crafted with quality materials, it ensures that the wearer can enjoy many winters of comfort and style. Its durability means the memories attached to it will last just as long, making it a gift that keeps on giving.

Style it Up This Christmas

My Hello Kitty sweatshirt isn't just for lounging at home; it's also a festive fashion statement. Pair it with jeans for a casual Christmas Eve gathering or with pajama bottoms for opening presents on Christmas morning. The design, while holiday-themed, is versatile enough to be worn throughout the winter season.

Care Made Simple

One of the best parts about this sweatshirt is how easy it is to care for. It's machine washable and designed to maintain its look and feel through numerous washes, ensuring it remains a staple in your holiday wardrobe for years to come.

Colors to Reflect Your Holiday Mood

With a selection of colors to choose from, you can pick a sweatshirt that reflects your personal style or the favorite color of the person you're gifting it to. From vibrant reds to subtle greys, there's a hue for every personality and preference.

A Hello Kitty Christmas sweatshirt is more than a piece of clothing; it's a wearable memory, a warm hug, and a personal statement all rolled into one. It's a gift that says, "I know you, I love you, and I want you to be happy and comfortable." So this Christmas, why not make someone's day a little brighter with a gift that's truly made just for them?

And remember, if you're looking to make this festive season extra special, you can easily find this Hello Kitty Christmas sweatshirt and more by visiting my shop on Etsy. It's not just a purchase; it's an investment in comfort, style, and personal expression. Make your way to the link below and bring home a gift that will surely spread smiles this holiday season.

Shop on Etsy

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1585306926/personalized-hello-kitty-sweatshirt

Get Answers To Common Jewelry Questions

How much jewelry is okay for men? Most people don't have a problem with a watch and a wedding band but when is it just too much? Necklaces for men range from simple chains to hip hop necklace charms the size of your head. Giant diamond earring in both ears is one of the newest trends in male jewelry.

Sites like Etsy have a wide selection of handmade jewelry. You can find many unique, one of a kind pieces, but be careful. Some sellers may use pendants or other findings that can be widely purchased in bulk or from craft stores. Read reviews or search for similar items to make sure you're getting the best value.

To assure your jewelry accentuates your best features, choose pieces that work with your face shape. For a heart shaped face, try chokers and dangly earrings. Round and square face types look great in teardrop earrings, and long necklaces are also an excellent pick. Those with rectangular faces should choose short necklaces and round earrings. If you have an oval shaped face, you can pull off any type of necklace, but angular earrings are best.

To help you make chainmaille jewelry, it is important that you choose your tools wisely. The handle of your pliers should fit comfortably in your hands and the tip should be sturdy. This will help you to manipulate the wire with the most ease and comfort, preventing unnecessary strain and pain.

When making jewelry and you want to turn a bead into a linked piece, take an eye pin and thread it through the bead's hole. Let the bead slide to the bottom of the eye pin. Directly above the bead, use your pliers to bend the eye pin approximately 45 degrees. Using wire cutters, trim this to about half an inch in length. Using small round pliers, grasp the tip of the wire and start looping it around the pliers tip. Don't give up if your eye pin loop is not directly round - practice makes perfect!

When buying jewelry for a loved one, you can buy a size that may be too big for them. Just about every piece of jewelry can be sized which means that it can be made to fit your loved one. It is important to keep your receipt after purchasing the jewelry so that you can take it back to where you bought it so that you can have it sized.

If you'd like to show off your hairstyle, try wearing jewelry that compliments your hair's color. Green or aqua stones set off red hair beautifully, while jewel tones brighten darker locks. If you have fair hair, a clear sparkling stone like a diamond can make it shine, while a dark stone adds great visual contrast.

When you are giving jewelry to a significant other, you should keep in mind to always give a piece of jewelry that is appropriate for the stage of the relationship. This is because jewelry can be misinterpreted as to the real motive of the person giving the jewelry. Therefore, you need to select the piece of jewelry that is appropriate for the relationship.

Take proactive steps to minimize the number of times that you have to clean your jewelry. When getting dressed, put your jewelry on after you apply perfume and makeup. This will prevent the residue of these products from leaving a film on your jewelry. Also, remember to remove your jewelry before cleaning and doing other housework.

If you are not a rap artist or a sports star, don't wear a giant necklace. It's just not a good look. A simple chain allows men to wear a necklace without overpowering them. Men who want to add luxury to their wardrobe should invest in an expensive, high powered watch. Having jeweled or gold teeth is too far for everyone.

BLOG POST #4: SELF-AUDIT

1. PORTFOLIO LINKS: 

Homepage linked through logo,

Me! (about page) 

Cool Stuff (Projects page)

I’d like the wording to stand out and not be simply “about” or “projects”, but need to find a balance so people know what the links are right away.

2. PROJECTS

(CASE STUDY) Make it Right: Make it Right showcases desire for change, innovative thinking and ability to empathize with audiences that are not myself, as well as create a brand and expand it to multiple applications, both print and web. It’s also a playful brand that utilizes my own illustrations and my own analog materials.

double-check mockups to make sure they’re solid, put in folder on computer

double-check rationale with Nancy

Downtown Nanaimo: Downtown Nanaimo is another brand with custom illustrations. This project shows desire to improve and be involved in local areas and passion for Nanaimo. It’s playful and well-designed.

gather mockups and put on computer

create short-form rationale 

Glucabear: Glucabear shows solid problem-solving skills as well as empathy for an audience. It’s a sustainable project and shows range, as this is packaging as well as branding. It shows how much I care about children as well.

create proper brand guide

create mockups of brand collateral

gather images and put on computer

rewrite rationale (it's a bit long)

The Dice Tower: The Dice Tower shows my humour, as well as brand creation and illustration. It also focuses on a big hobby of mine, which is DnD and other tabletop games. This one shows a lot of personality and humour in a way that the others do not. The poster campaign for the event shows marketing ability as well, and shows range in print production skills.

create proper brand guide

create mockups of brand collateral

create mockups of ad-campaigns

write solid rationale

3. OTHER HOLES

Not just related to portfolio but my branding in general:

create professional instagram with name (Nat Smythe) 

private current instagram 

tidy up LinkedIn

collateral (business cards, proposals, contracts, etc. properly branded)

Etsy (potentially its own brand, so maybe not necessary yet)

4. PLATFORM & OTHER INFORMATION

I’ve decided to swap from Squarespace to WIX, as WIX has a lot more customizability and freedom in regards to layout, and I’m hoping to do a pretty unique layout for my portfolio. They’re roughly the same price.

My domain is natsmythe.ca. Nice and short, with a .ca because I like that I’m Canadian. 

Not really a great wireframe, but I think specifics help in this scenario.

I’m considering the entire portfolio be one page, and you scroll to the bottom. I like the idea that everything you see is what you get in that regard. The navigation will scroll to the specific section of the page. I’d like to differentiate each section with a colour and possibly a texture of some kind, maybe ripped paper. There’s a possibility to have the background maybe as a sky that starts off as a night sky, with the doodles in the background as mini constellations and planets, and the sky becomes blue with puffy clouds and grass as you scroll down. Like coming down to earth when you make it to the projects section.

An animation on each section, maybe of my dog, would add a bit of flare. My name could possibly have multiple different fonts for the letters, and the clickable ones (ones that light up/change colour) would take you directly to project pages. The doodles in the background would essentially be icons for illustrations. They’ll show a colour when you hover over them, and you’ll have an illustration pop up relating to that icon. 

The about me section could either have a photo of myself or be a self portrait. Not sure what would be more fitting at this point. Any imagery should have rounded corners for sure, as it’s very common in my work, and it feels more playful and friendly, which is what I’m aiming for. 

The 4 projects would be at the bottom. I like the idea of using a mockup initially, then when you hover over, a colour overlay and the white logo for the project show up. All four of my projects have branding I have done and a logo I’ve made, so showing it in white initially immediately shows that the logo works in one colour. When you click on them, it takes you to the project page.

How to Build A Professional Shopify Dropshipping Store

Introduction Welcome to the world of dropshipping! If you're new to the idea, it can be a bit overwhelming. Should you go with Shopify or Magento? What kind of hosting should I use? How much money do I need to get started? There are many ways that you can build a successful store and make money on Shopify Dropshipping. In this article, I'll cover everything from what the average cost is for first time drop shippers, to how much money you should have in your store before starting up a dropship. We'll also talk about setting up your shop so it looks professional and appealing for buyers. And finally, we'll give some advice on pricing strategy! Choose a good name and purchase a domain name When it comes to naming your store, there is no such thing as too much research. You want to make sure that the name you choose adds value and will help people remember it. - Choose a good name. There are some factors that come into play when choosing a good name for your store: how relevant it is to what you sell and whether or not it's easy for potential customers (and potential clients) to remember and find again later on in their search results on Google or other search engines like BING or Yahoo! Search Marketing Platforms (YSM). - Choose a domain name with care. After choosing an appropriate name for your drop shipping business, consider purchasing Shopify's domain management services so that once again: - It's easier than ever before because now all of our tools are available through one convenient place instead of having them spread across multiple platforms like eBay Stores vs Facebook pages vs LinkedIn profiles etcetera... Setup Shopify Payments To add a payment method, go to Shopify Settings > General > Payment Methods. If you want to view all of your available methods and edit their settings, click on the Manage Payment Methods button on the page. You can also delete any unwanted payments from this list by clicking on Delete at the bottom of each row. Add your products - Add your products. - Add variations of each product. - Add descriptions and images. - Add prices and shipping costs. - Inventory levels (how much you have left in stock at any given time). A buy button is a great way to let users know that they can purchase the item they want, without them having to leave the site or app completely—it's also how customers find out if an item has sold out before purchasing it! Choose a design theme The first step to building your shop is choosing a design theme. This will be the look and feel of your store, so it’s important that you choose one that fits with your niche and style. While there are many themes out there, we recommend choosing something that has at least 500 reviews on Etsy or Shopify (or similar platforms). You want to make sure people are happy with the product they purchased from you! Next up: easy customization! You should choose an option like “widgets” or “layers” because they allow users to add more functionality without coding skills needed by any level of user—even beginners! Add basic information such as your store's address, contact email & social media accounts. - Add your address and contact email. - Add a link to your shopify store. - Add a link to your store's privacy policy (if applicable). Plan your dropshipping fulfillment process. The first step to building a successful dropshipping business is planning your fulfillment process. In fact, it's one of the most important things you can do when starting a company on Shopify. But how do you plan out your drop shipping fulfillment process? Here's an overview: - Determine what products you'll be offering and their prices - Create a customer order form with at least five fields (including shipping address and payment details) so that customers can easily place orders online without having to contact you personally for help or clarification about any questions they might have about their order details or payment methods Manually fulfill orders or use an order fulfillment app. If you’re new to dropshipping, it can be a little overwhelming. You don't want to spend your time building your store and then forgetting about it because of the task of manually fulfilling orders. You can use an order fulfillment app to automate this process for you so that all you have left is customer service, marketing and sales activities. An order fulfillment app doesn't just help with manual fulfillment; it also makes sure that customers get their orders on time and without any problems at all! There are many different types of order fulfillment apps available online today: some will allow users to create their own shipping labels while others provide pre-made templates that come ready-to-go (for example: UPS Shipping Labels). Some even integrate directly into Shopify stores so there's no need for additional software downloads or setup procedures like setting up Google Analytics or Facebook Pixel Tracking code beforehand either - which means less work overall! It goes without saying though how important it is not only make sure every transaction goes smoothly but also keep track of things such as tracking numbers etcetera... Add customer reviews to build trust for your store. Reviews are a great way to build trust with your customers. They’re also a good way to get feedback on your products, which is an important factor when deciding what kind of products you want to carry in your store. Reviews can help you find out what customers like and dislike about your store so that you can improve it for future shoppers. It's actually very easy to create a professional-looking shopify store. This is probably the most important part of this guide. Shopify is an ecommerce platform that makes it easy to set up a store, even if you're new to ecommerce. If you're looking to build an online business and sell products online, Shopify is one of the best places to start. The good news? It's also very easy for anyone with some basic skills in HTML and CSS who wants their site look professional! Conclusion So there you have it, the top 6 steps to creating a Shopify dropshipping store. It's actually very easy to create a professional-looking shopify store. I hope this helps some of you out there who are looking to start their own dropshipping business! Read the full article

Welll it’s been a long ass time-

After working on myself for a while, I finally have some motivation to post and draw again. But only the very bottom one is drawn by me, and the rest of them are people that commissioned me.

The first one was done by Destiny, this is her shop:

And the second one was drawn by CatatonicIllustrates from Etsy. (Link isn’t working for some reason).

And the third one was drawn by my friend Matteo, his Twitter is @old_capitals.

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It’s of my main fursonas Pandora, she’s a redesigned and a renamed Miya.

Pandora is usually very sweet and affectionate. She’s neither a follower nor a leader. She loves being in her bubble and she brings people in there if she really trusts them.

Her personality is a mixture of a dog, cat, and a fox. Very caring and loyal, very sleepy and can be pretty moody/sassy, yet pretty crazy, fun, makes these really bizarre noises when really excited to see someone.

Pandora really enjoys being in the spotlight, too. Especially at dances, nothing will stop her from being in that dance circle. But once that goth panda is ignored (just anywhere in general), she goes ape shit due to her low self esteem and trust issues, which she’s still trying to work though.

Likes: Cheese, Cheese, Cheese, and Cheese.

Dislikes: Getting yelled at, ignored, told what to wear, drama, and not being able to hang out with her friends and boyfriend.

Nickname(s): Squishy, The “Mouse” (due to her cheese obsession), and Panda.

Parents: Unnamed red panda, unnamed fox

Species: Fandox (Half Red Panda/Half Fox)

Build: Slim yet slightly chubby.

Interests: Art, caring for animals, trying new things, shopping for stuffed animals, goth clothing, and flying her own ultralight one day.

Age: 17

Sexuality: Pansexual

Status: Taken

____________________________________

That’s all I have for right now. Let me know what all think. I’m open to constructive criticism. But I hope y’all like it. Have a great day! ❤️

To get this one out early to all your followers who I'm sure will eventually be asking: NFTs are essentially a scam. They're the digital equivalent of the creator of parks and rec scribbling you an autograph saying "Piggy owns parks and rec now, love, Mike" on the back of a napkin and jotting his phone number down on the bottom of it in case anyone wanted to ring and confirm that he did actually sign this autograph.

It's *technically* not actually a scam because deep in the small print it does usually specify that your NFT grants you zero rights zero ownership and is absolutely meaningless despite the marketing claims, and in theory the NFT in itself *could* have some sort of collectors' value (like an autograph could) but the marketing around them is VERY scammy making all kinds of ownership promises and rights implications that they really can't deliver on. It's also got a whole 'nother level that the whole scam essentially exists to suck real fungible money into the eretheum system, which as a previous poster has already pointed out is also a proof-of-work-based environmental disaster. NFTs are essentially a barely legal cash fleece to prop up the crypto bubble.

So buyer beware people, if you wouldn't pay that for an autograph from whoever it is, don't pay it for their NFT.

I suppose we should also cover "What is an NFT" shouldn't we?

An NFT is a Non-Fungible Token. What does that mean you might ask? Well fungible means it's practically exchangeable for anything else like it in the same class. The best idea of this is money. A ten dollar note is fungible. If I have my ten dollar note, or I swap it for a different ten dollars with you, or I swap two of them for a twenty, I don't fundamentally care. Ten dollars is ten dollars.

Non-Fungible is like an autograph. If I have an autograph from Joe Biden, it's not immediately and self-evidently equivalent to an autograph from Barack Obama. Sure, you might *decide* to make the trade, it might be worth it to you, but they're not inherently interchangeable. If you woke up one morning and someone had swapped out your Joe autograph for a DJT one, or your mom borrowed your Joe and promised she'd replace with a Ford one later, you'd be well within your rights to be pissed in a way that you just wouldn't be with a simple ten bucks.

An NFT takes this idea and makes it ~digital~. It's built on the same idea as crypto currency but they've made each one unique. Like putting different people's autographs on a ten dollar bill, I suppose - now your Joe Biden $10 IS different to your mom's Barack one (very ELI5 don't @me).

What they claim to do is provide digital "ownership" of art, or music, etc. As we all know, digital artwork can be copied and pasted to your heart's content, and no one can really own an original. Copyright law can come into play, but who *owns* the original. NFTs (claim to) attempt to solve that. When an original is created, the artist creates an NFT that says "X person owns this artwork" and sells it. This person now has a cryptographically secure little badge saying "I own this artwork", that they can prove no matter how many people copy and paste it. The idea being that everyone can see the Mona Lisa, or copy and paste a print of it, but only one person gets to OWN the Mona Lisa, right? Even owning the artwork doesn't necessarily give you copyright over it - that's normal, so NFTs just work the same. You get to own it and be the only person in the world who can prove they do. Seductive marketing. Cool, right?

Wrong.

Firstly - you do not "own" this artwork. Like, not even slightly. Hell, the artwork itself isn't actually contained within the NFT. It's usually just a link to another website that is contained within the NFT. Something like "the person who can correctly prove possession of this token owns the artwork at www dot artwork dot com". Well, can you imagine if the Mona Lisa did the same?? You'd never stand for that, would you? Can you imagine if you spent $1bn on buying the Mona Lisa and then looked at the fine print and it actually said that you own the painting that stands at the middle of the Denon Alley in the Louvre? Sure, that's the Mona Lisa NOW, but there's no guarantee it'll be the Mona Lisa next week.

Secondly. You do not actually own the art in any meaningful sense. The terms and conditions confirm this. You do not gain the copyright. You do not get the right to have it taken down. You do not get the right to exclusive use of the photo. You don't get the right to destroy it. You literally only own this digital token that says you own it. To take it back to the Mona Lisa example, it would be like getting a piece of paper saying you own the painting at the middle of the Denon Alley in the Louvre, but we're gonna keep hold of it: you're not allowed to move it, touch it, tamper with it, copy it, take photos of it, sell merchandise of it, stop anyone else from looking at it, or do any of the things that one usually associates with "owning" a painting. In fact, all you get is a piece of paper saying it's yours, and you can ring us up anytime to check we really did give you that paper. That's it.

What's the point? You don't actually own the painting in any meaningful way. It's like those "name a star" gifts. It may well be "official", but in practical terms it's worth diddly fuck all. You'd be pretty annoyed if someone told you you'd bought the Mona Lisa and that's all you got.

Thirdly (and finally)

There is literally NO benefit to 'owning' it for you. To go back again to the Mona Lisa, the example the sellers use to justify the "but anyone can copy it" is that anyone can own a print of the Mona Lisa, but only one person can own the original. You're the original owner of this digital artwork.

Except... The Mona Lisa is unique. Digital artwork isn't. The original and copies of digital artwork are - ironically - completely fungible. If I copy-paste the original file, they're both "originals". Neither has any more claim to be original than the other. And remember, there's no "original" actually stored in the token, just a link to something that shows another copy. The Mona Lisa is unique, different, there's only one copy. He only put his paints on one piece of canvas. Prints aren't the same. But a digital artwork? By the time it's finished being drawn and copied over to the website, it's a completely different set of electrons on a completely different server. It's already not an "original". It's a completely, utterly, identical copy. Which I can then download. And copy a thousand times. And they're all still perfect copies and indistinguishable from the original. If I swapped one of them out for another on the website my link points to, there's literally no technical or practical way to tell.

After all that. NFTs DO have some uses. They are ways to support the artist. They are ways to give money back. They are ways to make people feel special (like autographs). You may ask why would you buy a digital print from the K&P Etsy store if you think all digital art is the same. Why would you pay to download an ebook when you could pirate an identical copy for free. This is what they will come back to me with. And there's many - good - reasons to do so! There's many good reasons to buy digital art. And you should! Support your local artists! But this can be, and is already, all achieved without paying over the odds to falsely claim I actually own some sort of permanent original. It can certainly be done without all the crypto-hyped middle men taking their cuts. And it can be done in a way that doesn't prop up the horrible eco-disaster bubble that is a proof of work Blockchain.

The technology isn't a scam. The technology has real world uses and benefits. But the entire marketing ecosystem around it is a scam.

Thank you for coming to my ted talk.

Now this is the kind of “better know a scam” content for which I come to the internet. Thank you so much for this primer on NFTs!

Nail Tech Talk : Top Tips For Setting Up In An Unconventional Space

Setting up can be a little daunting when you first start out, but it doesn’t take long to start building your collection & creating a space that you're happy with. When I started to set up my treatment room, I began by creating a mood board to figure out the aesthetics & practicality of the room. I love to use Pinterest to get my visual ideas out and have mood boards for things like Storage Ideas, Pedicure Set Up and design inspo.

Once you’ve figured out the style you're after you can start to figure out how to make it come to life. Everything takes time and you’ll find sometimes it’s not until you’ve actively worked in a space that you can truly see what you need to change & adjust to make the space really work best for you. It's a work in progress that grows with you as you develop new skills. Don't feel that everything has to be done at once.

My Treatment Room aesthetic is kitsch, plant adorned & bright. I try to keep things fun, but tidy and cozy for clients. I’m not a "normal salon space", but that’s one of the reasons my clients like to come to me. I don’t try to make the room do something it can’t do, I just work with what I can.

Storage

Storage is really important, especially as it can actually save you time if you keep yourself well organized. I really love easy access storage so that I can grab things quickly and not waste time looking around for products.

Nail Polish/ Gel Polish Storage 

I originally started out with both the long and short Ikea Alex drawers. These are great if you are just starting out and don't have too much product as they provide a lot of storage space, but if you are like me and tend to have a lot of product (I do makeup as well as nails), I’d recommend going for better quality drawers with more side supports than Ikea. My Alex drawers lasted about 3 years before I had to replace them with a similar Tallboy Style Drawer which I found on sale at La Redoute. My advice would be to spend a little extra on furniture if you can so that you don't have to replace it in future.

Ikea Picture Shelves are also a great way to display polish/gel colours on your walls, but they will need dusting regularly which is why I prefer to use the tallboy style drawers. I tend to use the Picture Shelves to create a "gallery wall" where I display framed art and photos, but these would be great for displaying certifications and awards as well.

Glitter/Diamonte/Dried Flower Storage

I invested some time decanting all my glitters, diamantés and dried nail art flowers into clear acrylic lidded jars which sit in clear boxes (labelled on the bottom) so I can showcase colours more easily to clients rather than rummaging through boxes. Clear Acrylic storage is great as you can see when things are running low and need topping up. I tend to separate these into colour sections keeping like colours together. Ebay, Amazon, Hobby Craft & Muji are great for finding these kind of clear acrylic storage solutions.

Wire Storage

I keep wires under control with a wire tidy box also from Ikea to reduce tripping hazards and keep the room looking tidy. As I do a lot of filming in the room, I do have quite a few different wires for various things, anything that doesn't fit into the Ikea Wire Tidy, when not in use, gets stored in Ikea Rattan/Wicker Storage Boxes and slotted away in my Ikea Kallax. I label the different plugs with a Dymo Label Machine so I don't get things confused. 

How To Display Your Nail Art Professionally

I love nail art and have a lot of nail tips left over from content creating and old Pop Up Nail Bar menus. I was looking for a way to showcase these to clients and discovered a really cool Nail Art Display Box on Ebay which looks very professional. You can change the display every season or theme each clear pull out frame to your liking. With so many ideas and options available this is a great way to break it down visually for customers. Here is a break down on how to start yours (links to where to find it are in the description box) :

https://youtu.be/F5Yzousncqg

Pedicure Set Up

I recently started offering pedicures again and needed to create a cozy pedicure space that could easily be put away when not in use.  As I don’t have laminate flooring, I had a custom size floor matte made to protect my rug and carpet area from splashes and mess  by https://www.floormats.co.uk . When not in use, this slots away under a sofa and easily pulls out when I need it again. It's also easy to wipe down and keep disinfected.

Instead of using a storage trolly to display Pedicure Products (as my room is carpeted which wouldn’t be practical), I keep my bottles and sprays on trays on top of a wooden stool. I have 2 different trays which I alternate with the two systems I use, Footlogix & Famous Names Releaf. * Nail techs use my discount code TABBY10 for 10% off these brands and more on the Louella Belle site.

I purchased  my concrete pink/white tray to display my Footlogix products from Etsy Seller JustSoDesignbyRachel (https://etsy.me/37c1csl ) who had to adapt when first lockdown hit & set up a shop selling hand made beautiful concrete items. Where I can, I love to shop with and support smaller businesses & fellow nail artists.

To display my Famous Names Releaf I went for a more rustic looking tray from Dunelm which suits the natural ethos of the system : https://www.dunelm.com/product/wooden-tray-craftland-1000167605?defaultSkuId=30696657

For a leg rest/foot rest, I use a foldable stool from Amazon with customised vinyl material that can be disinfected. I found out about the stool from a fellow nail tech on the Footlogix Facebook Group ! The vinyl I reupholstered the stool with came from Etsy Shop HomeTexStudio (https://etsy.me/2JJlRsb). The height is just right for my set up, not for everyone I’m sure , but for the space I work with it’s perfect. Here’s a video of the DIY stool transformation :

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CHGFgx6D6EY/?utm_medium=copy_link

I use Belava Pedi Bowls with recyclable disposable liners for my pedicures as I love glitter & they really go with my room's aesthetic! I think customers also feel much better knowing each time they visit they get a fresh pedi liner. The Belava Glitter bowls do come with a disinfectable insert, but I prefer to use the disposables as I feel it reassures customers that my hygiene standards go above and beyond, especially in these times.

I use an IKEA rattan stool to sit on when doing pedicures and my clients sit on a large sofa chair which allows them to really relax and decompress. After each client, I disinfected the soft furnishing with Sursol Fabric Disinfecting Spray as removing all soft furnishings was not an option for me.

Retail Items

As my set up has less surface space than a traditional salon space, I show off the products I retail on my shorter Ikea Alex Drawers & Ikea Kallax shelves. I try to keep displays and clutter to a minimum as every surface gets wiped down and disinfected before/after each client. In keeping with the aesthetics of my room, I display my products in small wooden boxes and clear acrylic shelves.

The Work Table

My work table is the area of my room that gets the most use. I use it as a work space for not just my nail clients, but also to film and create nail tutorials and content. Unlike many techs, my work table is a little wider than usual which is not for everyone, but works well for me. I have the Ikea Nordan Gateleg Table which has 6 storage drawers down the middle and two sides which can fold down. I use the Clear Ikea Skvallra Desk Protector to keep it free of any accidents and spills. To add a little personality to the space I alternate Paperchase Wrapping Paper which I find very fun and colourful under the Desk Protector, these make great backdrops for nail art photos as well. To get the best out of my nail art photos I use the Ikea Tertial Lamp with a Day Light bulb which I find works well as a work lamp and for photography purposes.

I keep my tools tidy with a custom made Jesmonite tray which I had commissioned by a fellow nail tech ( @bylaurajayne_jesmonitedesigns). It matches my room aesthetic and keeps things nice and tidy when I'm working. I tend to sterilize my tools in my Enbio Auto Clave and then place them on my tray ready for use! If you haven't seen her trays do check them out ! They are the perfect size for nail techs as she makes both rectangle long trays and smaller square trays so there is plenty of room for everything. I think displaying nail tools on the work table like this also gives the tools a bit of respect and helps you to look after them, after all they are probably your most used items and I think it's nice to look after them well so it's just fitting to display them proudly and with a bit of care and thought!

I recently purchased a new hand rest from @gb.wrist.rests. This has been a real game changer as it definitely improves the posture for both myself and my clients when working. Previous to this I had been using an Ikea Wooden laptop holder, which worked well for a couple of years, but over time the disinfectant began to wear down the varnish and I felt it was time to invest in something better. It was also great to support another fellow nail tech who started the GB Wrist Rests business up with her partner during lockdown.

Dust Control

To control dust, I have the Zephyros Dust Collection from Tafs. I find this works really well for keeping the space tidy and protecting mine and my clients lungs. I tend to work more with soak off systems and don't currently e-file so this works well for me. I would recommend getting a more powerful Air Purifier for busier salons working more regularly with enhancements.

Sterilisation

In the corner of my room I store my Enbio S Auto Clave which is used to sterilize tools after they have been washed, then disinfected. I store this on an Ikea Alex Cupboard which doubles up as a storage space for all my cleaning products and spare nail files etc. The Auto Claves are not cheap, but one of the best investments in my Treatment Room. I think customers feel more reassured and I certainly feel better using one. Nail techs can use my code TABBY to get money off their purchases at https://www.enbio.com/uk/

My greatest advice for anyone new to the industry or just starting to set up would be take it a bit at a time. We all have to work within budgets and as you gain clients and get busier you will be able to afford to work your way up towards a space that suits you. I spent many years working as a mobile freelancer before building up a client base that comes to me. It's also worth noting that your own health and client health is so important. Consider the comfort of both of you when creating your space - make sure you are looking after skin and lungs. Protect your hands with gloves when you work to avoid over exposure and make sure you  protecting your lungs from dust particles, but most of all have fun creating a space that suits you!

I’ve had a lot of requests from various people at different times who are just learning how to use resin to create with and wanted some tips and tricks. I have wanted to make this post for a while, but I wanted to acquire more experience myself before giving others help. This first post is just going to go over some really basic tips and tricks and subsequent posts (if they’re found helpful) will elaborate. This is for all of you who are like me and get the least amount of benefit from watching Youtube tutorials these days because EVERYONE has one, and half the time they’re drawn out for ad revenue so an hour long video will only contain 20 mins worth of information with the kicker being you can’t even fast forward through what you know or rewind through ads to get back to where you need to be. So, for those of you who hate that like me, this text post is for you.

If you’re just starting, choosing which resin you want to purchase is intimidating. Craft stores like Michael’s and Hobby Lobby rarely offer more than one or two brands, typically over priced due to the fact that they’re labeled “art resins”.

Epoxy resin is by far the easiest to start with for beginners. It is the most forgiving, has the most consistent results, most brands use the same 1:1 ratio and the overall technique is the same. I am not affiliated with these brands/companies in any way other than I have used their products and have written reviews for several on Amazon.

Start with small packages (4oz-8oz kits / 8oz & 16oz hardener + resin). A quick Amazon search for epoxy resin will give you many results. This is one of those cases where you really don’t get what you pay for- boat, tabletop, etc. epoxy will yield the same results at more reasonable prices per fluid ounce than art resins. I recommend going with brands like FanAut, Puduo, Let’s Resin, Craft Daddy, etc. which often offer kits with gloves, craft sticks / stir sticks, measuring cups, and even additives at reasonable prices. All these items are things you’ll need to start off, so any extras are appreciated. I recommend Puduo, as it is relatively inexpensive compared to similar brands, yields consistent , crystal clear results, and has a somewhat faster curing time than other epoxy resins for the price. If none of these brands ring your bell, here are the qualifiers for a “good” epoxy resin:

Self Degassing- This is pretty much the standard expectation of epoxy resin and one of the reasons it is considered forgiving for beginners. When resin and hardener are combined, gases are trapped and form air bubbles which have a tendency to multiply as you stir your mixture and the combination heats up. But it shouldn’t be taken for granted that all epoxy resin does this, so try to look for “self degassing” in the item description / label.

Self Leveling vs. Doming : Doming resin is great for the magnified look on pendants and other flat projects, but self leveling resin is where you should be starting as doming requires the build up of surface tension to achieve. While “doming “ resin may achieve this easier than others without this feature, it is pretty irrelevant if you don’t know to dome resin in the first place.

Art Resin vs Other Epoxy: Art resins make claims of being ideal or a better choice for arts & crafts, but the reality is that you can achieve the same effects from table top or boat resins such as Mas- are just as capable of casting, coating, doming etc. as art resins especially if you’re looking to take on a larger project you will pay less and get more with these brands than smaller quantities of art resins. Make sure they are crystal clear, hard type, self degassing, and self leveling. Keep in mind that cure time relates to the size of your project and the ambient temperature of the environment, so don’t waste money on products that charge more for touting faster curing time.

What about 2 part epoxy in syringes? (Ice Resin, Gorilla Glue) Personally, these pre prepared epoxy resins are more complicated than they look. You can’t save combined resin and hardener, so once you mix the two or pop the seals to both you have to use the lot of it in one shot. Ice Resin in particular is quite expensive and doesn’t offer the clear, glossy results I expected it to when I used it, so I would avoid these if you are just starting out.

Additives & Extras- Don’t waste a lot of money at the start funding your would be creations until you have at least seen one entire project through from start to finish. I made the mistake of investing in silicone molds, glitters, additives like rhinestones, craft papers, transparency films etc before I really found my niche and what I was really using epoxy for the most. There are some great deals for 100+ piece silicone mold kits that include gloves, stir sticks, silicone measuring cups, and the like available cheaply for those looking to make smaller things like jewelry, keychains, figurines etc. the one I have just linked to even includes the epoxy for under $20. These kits are offered by Amazon and even Etsy and are a great place to start as they provide you with everything you would need to create at least one full project. They are also a great activity to do with your kids (ages 10+ would probably be ideal) as you can add pretty much anything that isn’t silicone, wax, unsealed paper, alcohol, or water based into resin, which opens up a world of possibilities!

Tips & Tricks That Will Save You $

If you’re itching for purchasing pigments to add color to your resin projects, try purchasing or reusing some old or cheap mineral eye shadows. Not sure if your eye shadow is mineral based? I’m willing to bet it is, though some colors may not look the same when mixed in resin as they do on the pallets, they will color it nonetheless, just pick a small amount up on a popsicle stick or toothpick and stir it into a small batch of resin to see how it turns out. Dollar Tree eye shadows will work just as well as expensive pigments, so consider this before investing in expensive mica pigment sets!

While silicone molds are probably the easiest and are reusable, you can also use plastic molds, carve your resin block with carpentry tools or by hand-or even make your own molds! There are simple recipes utilizing dish soap and corn starch out there, or you can use silicone or even hot glue! Flexible silicone molds won’t require a mold release, but plastic and other molds will or you may end up cutting your project out. You don’t have to purchase a mold release product for this, either- olive or vegetable oil spray on a paper towel will suffice, just remember to let your mold sit for a few hours to demoisturize.

Can’t find gloves because of COVID19 hype? Finger cots are even better than gloves as they allow for more dexterity even when they get sticky, are cheaper, and readily available in bulk online!

Pretty much anything compatible with homemade “slime” can be mixed into or embedded in resin, so there is that. However, be careful how much glitter, pigment, etc you add as you can throw off the chemical balance that allows your project to cure properly. Refer to the directions included with your specific resin kit as most will tell you what ratios must be maintained for proper curing.

Everyone that works with resin knows the arch nemesis that is the bubbles. There are times where it seems like, no matter what you do, your perfect clear cast of a dandelion goes to shit because of some stray air bubbles. There are a few tricks to avoid this from the start:

Use a separate cup to measure resin and hardener. Pour the combined mixture into a fourth cup after the first 3-4 mins of stirring (half time) scraping the sides and bottom. This helps what was on the bottom get integrated into what was mixed on top. Always make sure to pour resin first when mixing and mix slowly, scraping the sides and bottom, for the time listed on your instructions. You want your mixture to be almost water consistency, clear, fluid, with little viscosity, and no streaks visible. Allow it to sit for a few minutes to natural degas and get rid of the bubbles.

Use a torch or grill lighter to pop surface bubbles. You can also do each one individually (as the grill lighter suggestion may not always be a good idea- be careful using this on large projects and molds that may ignite) with a tooth pick. Using a blow dryer or heat gun will also help bubbles rise to the surface to be popped.

Make sure that you keep contact with the bottom of your mixing cup with your stir stick-try not to lift it too much as this can introduce air into the mixture (“whipping the resin”) this can also occur if you are stirring too quickly. If you notice a lot of bubbles, let your mixture sit for a few minutes and resume stirring at a slower pace.

Make sure you start your project at a temperature of 74 degrees +, if your bottles are cold to touch, place them in a plastic bag and let them sit in hot water to warm up. You can also roll them (slowly) on a counter top.

You know, if all else fails you could always make ocean or nautical themed projects :)

That’s all for now- let me know if this helped you or someone you know working with resin or experimenting. Feel free to comment with any questions you would like answered in my next post! I also recommend the Resin Obssesion blog- they have a lot of useful information and tutorials with photos that were really helpful for me starting out!

Xo Samantha

UX Guidelines for Augmented-Reality Shopping Tools

Augmented Reality (AR) becomes popular day by day because many companies link AR functions to their websites and applications. If you decide that an AR tool will be useful, you need to intelligently design it so that it can be successfully implemented and deconstructed.

Let’s analyze the function of AR in online commerce that helps to accelerate decriminalization of purchase. In their applications, many companies included augmented reality tools for fitting. And AR tools that show the furniture in the user’s room so that he can see what a particular product will look like in his interior.

Easy to Detect AR Tool Since AR is a new technology, most users do not think about actively searching the AR tool in online stores, some even do not know about its existence. Thus, if an AR tool is available, it must be visible decomposition. It should also be clear what the tool is and why users should use it.

Where and how to promote.

When a user first visits the homepage of a website or application, he or she wants to see the proposed product or functionality on the site. Some users come in to check promotions and discounts. The Warby Parker website had a pop-up banner at the bottom of the screen. He suggested the virtual use of the eyeglasses in the app.

Displaying a link to the AR tool from the home page or from the main application screen works well only if users can see more than one product without leaving the tool. AR is an application that allows users to view multiple products without leaving the tool. In addition, the call to start the application should be sufficiently descriptive so that users are not surprised when they are asked to allow access to their device’s camera. Images of people’s faces and the word "fitting" suffice.

Only one website, Kendra Scott, promoted AR for jewelry approximation on the product catalog pages. One of the users noticed the banner and reported it, thus making advertising on social networks. Unfortunately, the AR feature was not available for most products, which quickly led to disappointment.Thus make sure that your AR tool works with many product units or at least the most popular ones.

The first thing users want to track on the Product Catalogs pages is a visual indicator of what products can be displayed in AR. Users realized that not all products were available in AR and could not learn about it until they visited every page of the product. For example, the user of Etsy’s mobile app complained, "It is written that items with an icon can be viewed virtually, but you need to click on each item to see if it has this feature. You don’t know it by scrolling around. It’s a little annoying ".

Placing the button in a visible place and a meaningful name is more significant than the icon used. For example, the Try Digital On (Example) text button on the products of the mobile version of the Ray-Ban website worked well and was seen and understood by users. Unfortunately, Ray-Ban replaced a simple text button with an odd switch. Users were not sure what exactly meant this unsigned icon and had to change the position of the switch to the right and left a couple of times to understand its function.

Pop-up windows are often interfered with simply because AR is a new and unexpected feature, but users were inclined to get distracted and learn about it. In addition, the display of the hint on the product page was particularly appropriate because they were given the opportunity to immediately test this feature.

But be ready for users to quickly close popup windows without reading the text. One of the users of the Etsy mobile application was disappointed that the hint had come up once and the icon itself was easily overlooked because it merged with the background. The option for not using popup windows is to select the button itself or to apply targeted animation.

Smooth transitions between channels Due to technical limitations, only three websites were able to provide users with an AR feature from the mobile version of the website. The rest simply advertised the availability of AR, but insisted on downloading the mobile application. Some mobile websites provided a common link that encouraged users to download a mobile application. After launch, the application just opened the main page. General advertising of the application has caused many users to skip the link altogether and go straight to the application store, thus eliminating the possibility of a free transition to a particular product.

Getting people interested in the AR tool is only half the story. Once users realize that it exists, they are motivated to try it in action, they must be able to use it to achieve their goal - to imagine a product in its intended environment.

Complex and unusual settings The first obstacle to be overcome when the tool is started is the setting. This process was difficult for users because it was new and unfamiliar. People learn by repeating, because they lack experience, they do not know how to work the setting and how best to do it. Configuration requires useful, clear instructions to teach people what to do and help in the process.

Step-by-step instructions, situational appropriate to the user’s environment, were the best way to help them configure. The purpose of the augmented reality of the mobile application Etsy guarantees clear reference information when configuring, inviting the user to «scan the whole wall, including places where it meets the floor and ceiling». Clarifying what to include in the lens was extremely useful, as otherwise users would not know what to show. After successful customization, users were asked to touch the screen to make the product available.

Requires too much focus Interacting with the AR tool was a laborious task, calling for a focused user’s attention. People spent much of their resource looking at AR and its navigation. Because people in the lower area expected to find detailed information about the product being viewed, they wanted to interact with user interface elements to adjust the color or size of the item, choose a new product, or find other similar products. Users tended to selectively focus on AR and skip the additional features represented in the top of AR.

Augmented reality is such an exciting new technology that it can be a useful tool for e-commerce. As more sites and applications start using it, it will gradually become more predictable and users will learn to use it. Until then, great care should be taken to ensure that the AR function is easily detectable, understood, easily configured and freely used.

I'm on the far fringe of the Sheen fandom. Don't interact but follow some people from when I was hot on Good Omens a year ago. I do follow some of the drama & didn't know who else to ask this to but you: have you noticed that that one big account with her Sheencon account are "fundraising" for like 3 different things (self, charities, & Hallowsheen) on the same 3 websites? As an accountant I cannot imagine her books balance & there seems to be little transparency. Thoughts? Or does no one care?

You’re not the only person to notice this- as soon as it started people’s spidey senses started tingling.

(https://problematicwelshman.tumblr.com/post/625081911589601280/would-you-look-at-that-michael-stops-paying)

You’re right though. It all looks shifty AF and if I were Michael’s PR I’d squash HalloSheen like a bug.  But as much as these people are annoying and should be booted offline because they’re the antithesis of “Be Kind,” I am reluctant to outright say they're being deceitful and making a profit off his likeness.  There are some charity receipts, although I’m surprised the donations were that small, especially when other fans have raised well over a thousand pounds singlehandedly.  

I’m full to bursting from all the tea you shared, rest assured I’m keeping it in a safe place. Forgive me for not posting it, I'm not terribly interested in linking to their Twitters, Redbubbles, or Etsy shops.

The bottom line is this- he probably knows this is all going on.  He definitely knows the group has been fundraising, he's praised them for their “efforts” in the past.  By not putting a stop to it from the get-go he’s given tacit approval of everything that’s occurring.  I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he makes a “special guest appearance” on the day and everybody’s undies get damp.  He loves this shit, and if he’s willing to let them use his face so they keep stroking his ego, there’s not a whole lot to say.