Zazzle Blog

Christine, from the Zazzle store OccasionInvitations, talks with us about her discovery of print-on-demand and the unique opportunities she’s found with Zazzle. Check out the interview below and don’t forget to check out her store OccasionInvitations!

 Zazzle: Give us a brief bio. Where are you from and when did you become interested in design?

Christine: I currently reside in Indianapolis, Indiana with my awesome husband of 12 years come September.  As a kid I always loved to draw and craft.  I happily stayed up late at night making birthday cards and such for my family.  Art was always one of my favorite subjects in school, and the margins of my notebook for my non-art classes were often filled with doodles.  However, I never entertained the thought of pursuing art as a career until after I completed a degree in zoology and then nursing.

During our first year of marriage, my husband suggested that I take some time off and figure out what I truly loved to do.  I did some research and came across the book, Mary Englebreit: The Art and The Artist.  She broke the mold of what I pictured an “artist” to be.  I was inspired by her tenacity, belief and passion for her artwork and her business entrepreneurship.  It was during that year of soul searching that I landed my first paying job as an artist.  I became a freelance cartoon editorialist for a small paper in Phoenix, AZ.  A few years after that Chrissy H. Studios, LLC was formed, and I began my professional foray into the art world.

Zazzle: Where is your favorite place to create?

Christine: Creation for me can take place anywhere at any time.  I carry my iPad wherever I go.  At a moment’s notice, I can pull it out, draw, take a picture or jot down some notes whenever and wherever inspiration strikes.  Eventually, the ideas from my iPad will make their way into my actual workspace.  I do the bulk of my design work from my home office.

When I design, I need space to spread out.  I work in front of two large monitors with my graphics program and reference pages from the web open in one monitor and my photo editing program, email and Pandora streaming in the background of the other.  My laptop sometimes makes an appearance, and I need space for my drawing tablet.  My desk along with my super-duper, ergonomic chair is quite like my personal command station and control center.  It makes my work life more efficient and enjoyable.

Zazzle: Your name gives it away – you’re all about occasions. What’s your favorite to create for and why?

Christine: Oh, I love creating for many occasions.  It’s hard to choose!  Baby showers, bridal showers, birthdays… it’s all good.  It’s a great feeling and an honor knowing that somehow I was part of someone’s special day.  With invitations, I get the opportunity to work with clients over the phone and through email.  When planning parties or showers, customers often have special requests that involve customizing their invitations further. It takes some extra effort, but in the end, it’s worth it.  Nothing beats having a happy customer contact you after they have received their items.

Zazzle: What is your favorite product in your shop?

Christine: I actually have over 30 different shops at Zazzle with all kinds of products that I love.  In this particular store, I love the paper products.  Invitations, postage stamps, stickers, etc.  They are all great!

Zazzle: When you’re not designing, how else do you enjoy spending your time?

Christine: When I’m not designing, I love to go out with my husband for dinner dates, shows and dancing.  We love to dance – swing and ballroom!  I also love to read and listen to audiobooks when time permits, and I exercise daily.  Although I can’t say that I enjoy working out, I do enjoy catching up on my favorite TV shows and FaceTiming long distance with friends and family while I’m on the elliptical.

Zazzle: How did you become interested in selling your designs on Zazzle?

Christine: Zazzle was probably the third print on demand provider that I joined.  I became interested in selling at Zazzle for the same reasons I started selling at other PODs.  When I first started my business, Chrissy H. Studios, LLC, I sold my illustrations on greeting cards to retail stores. I was limited to creating only 20 or so illustrations a year and printing up to 20,000 greeting cards at a time.  I was dependent on sales reps in specific regions of the country to market my cards.  In the beginning, I was going door to door myself.  I was packing and shipping all of my own orders, and I was cutting checks to my sales reps.  It was a lot of work and a lot of inventory.

Then at a trade show in New York, a fellow artist in a booth next to mine had mugs with her designs on them.  I asked her about it, and she mentioned the name of a web print on demand provider.  I had never heard of it.  I didn’t know what a POD was.  I didn’t think much about it until a couple of years later.  Around that time I began experimenting with graphic design and illustration.  Prior to that, I had created my artwork in watercolor, marker and pencil.  Now that I am doing more work on the computer, I started to explore my online options.

In 2007, I joined my first POD site, and I was pretty much hooked from the start.  I sold my first piece of artwork on a t-shirt within a few days of posting it.  Talk about motivation!  I realized fairly quickly that I could create as many designs as I wanted and put them on as many products as I wanted.  I no longer had to think about inventory.  Printing, shipping and handling were all outsourced to someone else.  Now, I could spend more time doing what I loved the most – creating more designs.  I loved how my shops were open all day everyday, and I was no longer limited to a local, regional audience. Chrissy H. Studios went internationaI within a couple of months of my print on demand adventure.  Since then, I have seen my designs on products shipped to over 47 countries worldwide.  I find that amazing, and I love that Zazzle has been a part of making that happen.

Zazzle: How do you promote your store?

Christine: Not as much as I should!  I am grateful for the affiliates who help promote and sell my products and the customers who find their way to my stores on their own.  I have my own website that directs customers to most of my stores at Zazzle, and I also have a Facebook page promoting my latest products and designs.

Zazzle: What tips can you give someone who is just starting out on Zazzle?

Christine: Enjoy it!  Relish every sale.  Do the happy dance!  The excitement never goes away.  It gets better and better.  Work hard and work smart.  Try different things.  It’s okay to evolve and change as an artist.  What may work for one Zazzler may not work for you.

Also, never stop learning and getting better.  Go to the Zazzle forums and READ.  Ask questions.  Google it.  YouTube it!  We live in the information age.  There is almost nothing you can’t find the answers to online.  Resources are everywhere.

Zazzle: Do you have any new designs in the works? If so, can we get a sneak peek?

Christine: Sure, here’s a screenshot of a lovely couple that I’m working on right now.  It’s a work in progress, but once it’s done, I’ll be adding the Love at First Fright design to Halloween themed shower invitations, matching his and her products and a few more items soon.

Zazzle: Adorable! Thanks for sharing Christine!

Vicki, from the Zazzle store NiteOwlStudio, explains creative process and gives thorough advice on how to make it on Zazzle. Check out the interview below and don’t forget to check out her store NiteOwlStudio!

Zazzle: Firstly, tell us a little about your background. Where are you from? When did you become interested in designing?

Vicki: My name is Vicki and I live on the beautiful east coast of Canada with my wonderful husband, Dennis, and our two cats, Scarlet and Cletis. I guess like the vast majority of Zazzle shopkeepers, my interest in art and design came at a young age. I can’t say that I was born with a paint brush in my hand, but I do have very early memories of taking great care in the creation of the title pages of school book reports. I used to paint acrylic and water color portraits of loved ones, and animals, and celebrities, but then moved into photography for a time, where I would make old-fashioned colorized photos of family and friends. Home decorating and renovating, hand crafts, photography, painting, and some graphic design were always a hobby for me until 2010, when I opened my Zazzle store.

Zazzle: How would you describe your style?

Vicki: That’s a really tough question. I know I have a definite style, but not in the art sense like Cubism, Impressionism etc. If girly glam is a style, then that is what I lean towards. I asked the people in my “Zamily” (awesome FB group/family I’m part of) what they would call my style and everyone seemed in agreement on the word ornate. I’ve always been fascinated with shadow and light in my paintings and photography, so even my designs on Zazzle tend to have a look of being under a light source. I think it gives them a little more life than just flat color.

Zazzle: What inspires your designs?

Vicki: In a word: color. I love rich, vibrant colors, especially those in nature. I get a lot of my inspiration from the colors in a flower bouquet, or from magazines, bedding catalogues, and online inspiration boards. Inspiration can strike at any moment from something as simple as a color in an earring I saw someone wearing. That will just click something in my brain that will make me think how nice that color would look paired with some other color and then I’m off doing another wedding collection. Take the purple petunia photo of mine for instance. I would pick a shade or two of purple and pair them with a shade or two of green and maybe add some ivory or white, and a new design is in the works.

Zazzle: How do you get out of creative ruts?

Vicki: Knock on wood, ruts are rarities for me. Sometimes I’ll just need a rest, as opposed to having a rut. The ideas always seem to be there, but there’s not enough time to get them all out, so if I start to feel overwhelmed, I’ll just change gears for a few days and do things that are less creative, like using existing designs on some of the new products Zazzle is always giving us. Sometimes a customer will ask for a color combination change and that may be the start of another collection.

Zazzle: What is your favorite product to create?

Vicki: Hands down, that would be invitations! Wedding, Anniversary, Sweet 16, Quinceanera, Bat/Bar Mitzvah, and Birthday, primarily…..for now.

Zazzle: What has been your favorite design you’ve created, and why?

Vicki: Oh boy is that a hard one to answer. The most meaningful/favorite thing I’ve made was a recent gift for my Mom and Dad. Their beloved German Shepherd dog passed away and my Mom was having a hard time putting away his collar, leash, and special bandana. We were also getting him cremated, so I thought I would make them a memory box that they could either store his ashes in, or keep his special things in. I designed a large jewelry box with the photo of Buster on the ceramic tile top, along with the dates of birth and death and a little verse on it. I knew it was a hit when my Mom cried when she saw it. She now has his special things tucked inside it sitting on her living room end table. FYI: the ashes of a 120lb German Shepherd will not come close to fitting inside the large jewelry box.

As for my most favorite item I’ve posted for sale, I think it would have to be this double photo 50th Wedding Anniversary greeting card. I really enjoy making the 50th wedding anniversary products. It’s such an amazing accomplishment for a couple to achieve. I make each of these designs as if I was making it for my parents, knowing that some child is looking for just the right card for their parents’ 50th, and hoping that mine fits the bill.

Zazzle: What got you interested in selling your art on Zazzle?

Vicki: The short version is that my sister, who has the Zazzle store, Wasootch, opened her store in late 2009 and asked if I would proof/critique some of her early designs. I was so hooked that a few months later I HAD to open my own store. The Zazzle experience opened up a flood gate of pent up creativity and ignited a passion in me that I didn’t want to let dwindle away.

Zazzle: How many hours do you typically spend working on your Zazzle store?

Vicki: Hmm. “Every waking hour” would probably sound bad, huh? Truthfully, when I first started with Zazzle, I worked very long hours because I also had another job where I worked 12 hour shifts and would come home and put in several more hours on Zazzle. Because of the shift work, I would have 2-3 days off between rounds, so I would still work 14-18 hours on the store during those “days off”. A year after opening my store, I ended up on disability from my old job, with the strong possibility that I would not be able to return to that career. I hunkered down and focused on my Zazzle store. I was determined to build up my sales enough to be able to replace that other income, in case I couldn’t go back to that job. I’m at the point now where I don’t have to put in really long hours anymore. There are days that I still do, but there are lots of days where I don’t put more than a few hours in too. It’s never felt like work to me. It’s always felt like a favorite hobby, so it’s hard to make myself stop when I’m having so much fun. I get a lot of custom requests, so some weeks I’ll just work on those while I wait for the next glimmer of inspiration to strike. I’m not a very structured person and having worked shift work for so long, I never really had a wake/sleep routine. My natural inclination is to stay up late into the night, which is where the store name NiteOwlStudio came from.

Zazzle: What tips can you give someone who is just starting out on Zazzle?

Vicki: Well, contrary to popular belief, imitation is not the sincerest form of flattery on Zazzle. Here we call it copying, and it is not appreciated. Develop your own niche, and your own style within that niche. If you are easily influenced by designs in the Zazzle market place, don’t look there for inspiration. Go and look at magazines, catalogues, trade shows, craft shows etc. If you want to open a store about dogs, give the customer something that is not already everywhere in the market place now. Do something different with the subject matter. Don’t title things with pretty sounding names like “Perfect Wish” if it’s a photo of a rose petal. Instead call it “Pink Rose Petal on Grass” or whatever. Title it how people would search for that item. Use tags that people will also search on to find that product. Write your descriptions as if you are describing it to a sight impaired person. Be specific and relevant with key words. Be patient, and work hard. Don’t be afraid to ask a question in the forum. Most Zazzlers are happy to help. I lived by two sayings when I first started on Zazzle. The first was a play on the ever-popular “If you build it, they will come” line from the movie Field of Dreams. I changed it to remind myself that “If I make it, someone will buy it”. For certain, people will not buy something that’s not there, but they might just buy something that is, so don’t let your inner voice talk you out of posting a design you are unsure of. The second saying was/is “a watched pot never boils”. I would use that one when I found myself incessantly checking my account to see if anything sold. We all have slow days/weeks so it’s easy to get discouraged during those off times. When I hear myself thinking “a watched pot never boils” now, I know that I am focusing on the wrong thing and I’ll turn away from the sales report and remind myself why I do this, which is for me, for the absolute love of it! Zazzle has been life-changing for me and my family. Build your brand and it can be for you too!

Zazzle: Can we get a sneak peak of future designs?

Vicki: No, I just finished up an autumn collection and will soon start on some winter/Christmas designs.

Zazzle: Thanks for sharing Vicki!

Felicia, from the Zazzle store fmcinvitations, discusses how Zazzle gives her the freedom to work more creatively, yet keep organized. Check out the interview below and don’t forget to check out her store fmcinvitations!

Zazzle: To start, tell us a little bit about yourself.

Felicia: My name is Felicia and I graduated college in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in graphic design. I currently run my own freelance business. When I am not designing I enjoy photography, hiking, crafts, cooking, and baking.

Zazzle: When did you been come interested in designing?

Felicia: I get the artistic gene from my mom and grandmom who are always making crafts and painting. I have been designing websites and graphics for 10 years now.

Zazzle: How would you describe your style?

Felicia: I would say my style is clean and modern. I like to keep things simple, but fun.

Zazzle: Where is your favorite place to create?

 Felicia: My fiancé and I just moved two weekends ago to a new house and are currently in the process of setting up our office. I can’t wait to fill it with some of my Zazzle prints As for now, I am working at the dining table!

Zazzle: Your products are very occasion oriented. What occasion is your favorite to design for and why?

Felicia: I really enjoy designing “Save The Dates” for weddings. They don’t have to be as formal as the actual invitations so it gives me a chance to use more bright and funky colors, shapes, and graphics.

Zazzle: How did you become interested in selling your designs on Zazzle?

Felicia: I joined Zazzle in January of 2008 after stumbling across it. I saw it as a great opportunity to design and then sell products I knew I couldn’t do on my own. Zazzle gives me an outlet to use my design skills and create fun things and gives me a break from the day to day corporate designs.

Zazzle: What is your favorite Zazzle feature? How do you use it?

Felicia: I really like that Zazzle now allows you to have multiple stores under one account. I can now separate my products into stores where they won’t be mixed in with products that aren’t relevant. I can keep my invitations and announcements in one store and I have my t-shirts and bumper stickers in another.

Zazzle: What was the first product you ever sold on Zazzle?

Felicia: The first product I ever sold on Zazzle was a set of thank you stamps from my original store. It was actually one of the first designs I put up for sale.

Zazzle: What tips can you give someone who is just starting out on Zazzle?

Felicia: My advice to anyone just starting out is don’t get discouraged! I know it can take a while before you finally get your first sale and even after that you may not sell another item for several months, but continue to design and post and remember quality over quantity!

Zazzle: Can you give us any sneak peeks of future designs? We’d love to see!

Felicia: I am currently working on a new line of Save The Date announcements and some holiday cards! I figure it’s better to start now and be ready for the holiday rush.

Zazzle: Great idea! Thanks for sharing Felicia!

Yee Von, from the Zazzle store WhimsyWhimsical, discusses her gravitation towards paper products despite living in a digital world. Check out the interview below and don’t forget to check out her store WhimsyWhimsical.

Zazzle: Tell us a bit about yourself.

Yee Von: Hi, I’m Yee Von from Malaysia and currently working as a freelance illustrator / designer. My artworks are mostly inspired by whimsical forest animals which are drawn on paper with ink pen, color digitally.

Zazzle: When did you become interested in design?

Yee Von: I took a science class when I was in high school and after graduated I was looking for something different, something more expressive. Hence I took the leap and enrolled myself in Graphic Design degree course. And that’s how my interest in design started

Zazzle: What sorts of things inspire you?

Yee Von: Color inspirations, packaging & labeling, hand lettering typography, patterns, cute animals… and the list goes on. Here are some of my favourites from Pinterest.

Zazzle: Where’s your favorite space to create?

Yee Von: Whether it’s a cafe, library or even a couch, as long as it’s a quiet and cozy place I’m happily doodling away, sometimes for hours! Yet, my favourite ‘space’ to create is in my sketchbook. Collecting sketchbooks (though some of them are left unfinished) feels like I’m collecting inspirations and ideas!

Zazzle: Your store is full of charming paper products. Why do you think you’ve gravitated towards them?

Yee Von: I always love the look & feel of paper products, whether it is a card, notebook or a tag. They have the personal touch (and texture too) which you can’t feel and connect with in virtual world, though I couldn’t agree more that communicating in emails is convenient. Even so, a simple handwritten ‘thank you’ is more charming than a typed out ‘thank you’.

Zazzle: All of you products complement each other very well; do you keep this in mind when you are coming up with new ideas?

Yee Von: Yes. As most of them are inspired by forest theme, they can be easily mix and match with each other; an oak leaves pattern envelope might even goes well with a baby skunk address label. That gives my customers options to pick and choose.

Zazzle: What got you interested in selling your art on Zazzle?

Yee Von: I was attracted to the pattern envelopes, address labels, and postage stamps on Zazzle. I find it is very convenient as they are customizable; you can even pick the paper style and color for the envelopes!

Zazzle: How do you promote your store?

Yee Von: I always promote them in my blog and share them on my Facebook whenever there are new .

Zazzle: What tips can you give someone who is just starting out on Zazzle?

Yee Von: Be true to yourself and always passionate in what you’re doing. When you put love into something you do, people can feel your effort! And always understand your strength and find your niche market.

Zazzle: Can we get a sneak peek of feature designs?

Yee Von: Here are some of the sketches for my coming envelope liner in progress .

Zazzle: Awesome! Thanks for sharing Yee Von!

Tanya, from the Zazzle store tanyabond, talks about the quirks of being an artist and how other Zazzlers have helped inspire her. Check out the interview below and don’t forget to check out her store tanyabond.

Zazzle: Firstly, tell us a bit about yourself! Where are you from and what got you interested in creating art?

Tanya: I live in Ireland. I’m a mom of four, I work from home and I do find it quite challenging! I have been painting for as long as I remember as well as doing all sorts of other creative things like crafts, dancing, singing – anything that involves imagination!

Zazzle: Any artists you look up to when it comes to designing?

Tanya: Most of my designs are in fact paintings that I incessantly keep listing on a vast range of Zazzle goodies. I do admire a lot of artists who work in the same surreal pop/fantasy style, there’s so much talent out there I would be afraid to name some in case I miss others.

Zazzle: What types of things inspire you?

Tanya: I am constantly inspired by anything I see in my life – sometimes I’m inspired by faces of people around me; artists like me tend to see shapes and lines, and I am guilty of staring at people while studying how their nose or mouth looks like! Other times, it’s animals and their huge soulful eyes! I’m also inspired by nature and amazing geometry behind everything – flowers, trees, even fruit and veggies!

Zazzle: Where’s your favorite space to create?

Tanya: My only space to create is a tiny corner of my kitchen (below), which is way too small for all the things that I’m doing. I do hope that one day I will have a studio where I will be able to keep everything in a creative mess behind closed doors guilt free!

Zazzle: What’s your favorite medium to use?

Tanya: I love oil pastels – neopastels by Caran d’Ache. They are incredibly easy to use, a pleasure to blend and very pliable, not to mention luscious colours almost good enough to eat !

Zazzle: What got you interested in selling your art on Zazzle?

Tanya: Looking back at all the paintings I’ve done, I realized that most of them would look great on cards, t-shirts, and other printed goodies, but I knew that it would be a great hustle as well as a big expense if I were to order them from local printers and sell them myself. And after doing a bit of research on the internet I realized that there’s a way to go around it with no financial outlay and without products piling up at home – that’s when I discovered the beauty of selling my art on print-on-demand sites! I was a novice to them and I decided to give a go at all of those sites that were recommended by various internet reviews, and Zazzle ended up being the most successful internet venue for me!

Zazzle: What was the first product you ever sold on Zazzle?

Tanya: My very first sale was a sheet of stamps with my painting of a cute tuxedo kitten.

Zazzle: Do you have any fun stories about being a seller on Zazzle?

Tanya: Selling on Zazzle is definitely fun! I’ve made my first sale in less than a month after listing my first products which was very encouraging. My products were often picked for Today’s Best Awards which never stopped being a pleasant surprise for me even now after 4 years of being on Zazzle.

Zazzle: What tips can you give someone who is just starting out on Zazzle?

Tanya: I feel that it’s important to remember that Zazzle is not a get rich quick scheme and it’s best to look at it as an investment. You mightn’t get immediate results for the work that you do, but the more effort you put in building a great shop the more return you will get in the future.

Zazzle: Can we get a sneak peak of any future designs?

Tanya: Yes, I’m currently working on a painting called “Siren of Titan” (below) and as soon as it’s finished I will be listing this image on cards, pillows, cases, bags – pretty much everything!

Zazzle: That looks awesome! Thanks for sharing Tanya!

Monika, from the Zazzle store daisyO, discusses how as a children’s book illustrator she uses Zazzle as an outlet to play around with different design styles. Check out the interview below and don’t forget to check out her store daisyO.

Zazzle: Firstly, tell us a bit about yourself. Where are you from and when did you start designing?

Monika: Actually behind “my” Zazzle stores (so far there are 4 but I have ideas for many more ) stands my dream team – my husband Tytus and me. I work as a children’s book illustrator and between commissions I do all the fun parts of being Zazzler which is creating designs and Tytus bravely takes care of all hard work – adding new products, promoting, etc. We’re both from Warsaw, Poland but currently living in Barcelona, Spain.

As for my beginnings in design, my mum says that I started very early, and as an artist herself, she pushed me a bit in this direction. But as I recall it as a kid I had more interest in sports than drawing. Now I can’t imagine life without making art – it’s my job and passion.

Zazzle: What’s your inspiration for your designs?

Monika: People! My friends, family and random strangers. This is an inexhaustible source of inspiration.

Zazzle: Where’s your favorite space to create?

Monika: I can create nearly everywhere. This is my super power! But working outdoors (in the park, on the beach, or on balcony) is what I love the most.

Zazzle: What designs of yours do you like the most?

Monika: The newest one – male sirens with mustaches.

Zazzle: When you’re not creating art, what are your other hobbies?

Monika: I like to hanging out with my friends (if you could call it a hobby). With Tytus we share love for old Jamaican music. We collect vinyl records of ska, rock-steady and early reggae music. If some legendary Jamaican band or singer is performing somewhere in Europe we just have to be there to see it!
Other than that I read a lot about food from around the world and its history. From time to time I enjoy cooking and baking (and of course eating, so I jog on regular basis). Oh, and I’m a big Star Trek fan!

Zazzle: Who is your favorite Zazzle seller (besides yourself, of course)?

Monika: There’s load of great artist and shops on Zazzle but I want to give special credits for amazing Sandygrafik. I might not have become a Zazzler if it wasn’t for her!

Zazzle: What got you interested in selling your art on Zazzle?

Monika: One day I was visiting a great illustrator’s, Sandygrafik, blog and saw her Zazzle products. I decided that I must have a store right away! Seeing my illustrations not only on paper but also on other products always trilled me. The thought that there’s someone thousands miles away drinking coffee from a mug with my drawing is so exciting. Zazzle gives opportunity to make this dream come true in an easy way. Also, being a picture book illustrator I have to stick to and develop one style, but with Zazzle I can get away from daily artistic routine and try different style and subjects.

Zazzle: What tips can you give someone who is just starting out on Zazzle?

Monika: This depends on what your goal is. For earning money with your art, I’d advise:

1) Work hard – it’s just amazing to live your life doing what you love the most so it’s worth some special effort, isn’t it? Developing your unique style, SEO skills, working on new designs takes time, but it totally pays back.

2) Listen to what people say about your design – I’m not saying that you have to create only super commercial things you’re sure people will buy, you shouldn’t change your style, but sometimes small changes of composition or colour will do the trick. For instance, I love to paint very detailed illustrations, but most of my products that sell are very simple designs.

3) Be humble (but believe in yourself J) and never think about yourself as a complete artist – if you create on regular basis (advisable) for few years, your skills will improve and you will laugh at old works even if you’re satisfy with them now.

4) And the tip I always hated to hear but it’s so true: be patient!

Zazzle: Can we get a sneak peak of feature designs?

Monika: Sure! Here are little pieces of a few different things I working on right now.

Zazzle: Very cool! Thanks for sharing Monika!

Shelby, from the Zazzle store origamiprints, talks with us about the joy she feels knowing her designs have contributed to someone’s special day. Check out the interview below and don’t forget to check out her store origamiprints!

Zazzle: To start, tell us a little bit about yourself.

Shelby: My name is Shelby and I’m 24 years old. I studied graphic design in high school and in college and currently have an associate’s degree in graphic design.

Zazzle: When did you become interested in design?

Shelby: My love for design started when I was a kid, some time in elementary school when I discovered that silly little program called “Paint” on our family’s computer. You couldn’t do much in that program at the time, just paint with a paint brush or add text, but I still had so much fun with it! As I grew older I became drawn to many other types of design like interior design, fashion design, and typography. It wasn’t until my wedding last year that I realized I had a real passion for invitation and stationery design. I had always known that I’d want to design my own wedding invitations and when the time came, I created so many styles that I had a hard time picking one! I loved the process of designing invitations so much that I didn’t want to stop….and I’ve kept designing invitations ever since!

Zazzle: How would you describe your design aesthetic?

Shelby: I love to create and tend to be drawn more clean, simple designs with a strong attention to detail in typography.

Zazzle: What inspires you to create?

Shelby: Weddings, parties, interior design, patterns and fashion are some of my favorite things that give me inspiration for my designs!

Zazzle: Your products are very occasion oriented, what is your favorite occasion to design for?

Shelby: I love designing invitations for specific parties and events, like housewarming parties and baby showers, but wedding invitations are by far my favorite because I remember so well how much I loved planning my big day. Wedding invitations have really changed a lot over the years. Brides are becoming slightly less traditional and are looking for more unique and modern designs to suit their own personality and style.  I just love exploring and creating new styles and color schemes. There’s so much that goes into planning your wedding, like choosing colors, flowers and decorations. When I sell a set of invitations I get so excited because it’s great knowing that one of my designs is being incorporated into someone’s wedding day!

Zazzle: What got you interested in selling your art on Zazzle?

Shelby: I contribute art and designs on a couple of stock image websites where I have the opportunity to make royalties on my designs each time I make a sale. I was doing some more research on the subject when I found a blog somewhere about a graphic designer talking about making money on Zazzle and the fact that you are able to set your own royalty rate. I decided to give it a shot, and once I discovered that you can create invitations, that’s when my real passion for stationery took off. And that’s when I decided to open up a shop called Origami Prints, specializing in invitation design and other paper goodies!

Zazzle: Other than yourself, who’s your favorite seller on Zazzle?

Shelby: After looking at some recent Today’s Best Award Winners I’ve come across a seller which I LOVE! Her store is called Liza Phoenix and she creates the most adorable little characters!!!

Zazzle: What tips can you give someone who is just starting out on Zazzle?

Shelby: To anyone who is just starting out on Zazzle, try to find your niche- what makes you special and unique. Only put up for sale designs that you think will do well or that you, yourself would buy. Stick to your passion and design what you love….and others will love it too!

Zazzle: Can you give us a sneak peek of future designs?

Shelby: At the moment, I have no sneak peeks to show, but I can definitely say that my plans for my future designs include fresh new color schemes and bold typography!

Zazzle: Thanks for sharing Shelby!

Tammy, from the Zazzle store tammysmithdesign, discusses how she became a surface pattern artist and where she finds inspiration. Check out the interview below and don’t forget to check out her store tammysmithdesign!

Zazzle: Tell us a bit about yourself! When did you become interested in design? What inspires you?

Tammy: I’m a self-taught artist who became interested in design around the age of 27 when I realized that there were actually people who did surface design for a living. I took some night classes in surface pattern illustration and was hooked!

Tammy: As far as what inspires me, I honestly believe that good ideas can come from SO many places: a rusted piece of metal lying in the street or visiting blogs of artists that I love–I also keep a notebook with me to sketch down ideas for later.

Zazzle: Where’s your favorite space to create?

Tammy: My favorite space to create is my home studio. I also make mixed media work so my studio is sometimes a bit messy with clay or wire bits lying around, but I like not having to drive somewhere each day to create.

Zazzle: What’s your favorite product to create?

Tammy: Well I have to say I’m really liking doing t-shirt design–so far on Zazzle, I’ve opened 3 stores because it’s so easy to do and now I have a tshirt store, a color themed store for products that are black, white and ultrabright, and a store that sells products based on different styles like traditional, hand lettered, graphic, floral, etc.

Zazzle: What was the first product you’ve sold on Zazzle?

Tammy: It was a t-shirt; maybe that’s why I like them so much!

Zazzle: How would you describe your design style?

Tammy: I would describe it as eclectic, textural and graphic. I like to make things that give the look of felt, linen or some other texture–I think it looks really interesting when you see it on an iPad cover, for example.

Zazzle: Do you look up to any artists or designers? If so, who?

Tammy: Oh definitely! I look up to many artists, one that I have loved forever is Tammis O’Keefe. She was a brilliant illustrator who had a wonderful style that has become classic. I also love some of the illustrators on the Artsprojekt on Zazzle–completely inspiring.

Zazzle: What got you interested in selling your art on Zazzle?

Tammy: I read so many good reviews when I did my research on where to sell POD designs. Zazzle kept getting the highest ratings so I went with them!

Zazzle: What tips can you give someone who is just starting out on Zazzle?

Tammy: Read the forums and also read the HELP section before you begin. It will save you lots of time in the long run and they have terrific advice there.

Zazzle: Can we get a sneak peak of any future designs?

Tammy: Sure! Here are some more that I plan on putting in my shop within the next week or so:

Zazzle: Awesome stuff! Thanks for sharing Tammy!

Marcel, from the Zazzle store mzobcn, talks with us about his hopes of fame and his dream world of color. Check out the interview below and don’t forget to check out his store mzobcn!

Zazzle: Firstly, when and how did you first become interested in art? How long have you been making art?

Marcel: I grew up next to a tattoo studio and traced the designs as a child. At age 12, I began to design my own designs. Get ready for me.  Ed Hardy’s was yesterday’s news! I was born to paint and 2012 is the year of chance! MZO-BCN stands for MAZO from Barcelona.

Zazzle: How would you describe your style?

Marcel: Graffiti, tattoo , old school, and not conventional.

Zazzle: When you’re not designing, what do you do for fun?

Marcel: Family, friends, good food, long sleep, and parties.

Zazzle: What got you interested in selling your art on Zazzle?

Marcel: Zazzle is one of the best sites on the net with a lot of products that work with street art designs very well. People from all over the world can design their own products. Unfortunately, they only print in the US, which unfortunately creates high delivery costs in Switzerland. I hope that Zazzle prints in Europe soon!

Zazzle: What tips can you give someone who is just starting out on Zazzle?

Marcel: Stay true to your style and try to create recognizable features in all your designs. Have patience. Take time each day to develop your own style.

Zazzle: Do you have any fun stories about being a seller on Zazzle?

Marcel: No, not yet. Lots of people have visited my shop, but only 2 people have purchased a product. But all beginnings are hard, so thanks to everyone for visiting my shop!

Zazzle: And lastly, on a very serious note, if you could be a superhero, what would be your super power?

Marcel: The whole world is painted by telepathy. I could live paint with my mind. I could make every day a new, positive world of color. I’d create MAZO planet!

Zazzle: How creative! Thanks for sharing Marcel!