susy,

this is to marlene montgomery, i like your designs. i am interested in your background and how you launched your business. my name is susan booth, i graduated from the colorado institute of art about 15 years ago. did free-lance graphics work for a while (which did include some t-shirt designs), also did some t-shirts for a chile festival some years back. i have been interested in doing my own screen-prints for a long time and am wondering if you did your own, and if so how did you learn? did you begin by getting people w/ shops to carry them? i'm thinking of starting out going to arts festivals to see how they sell. t-shirt art is the art of the people ,and i would like to make my living designing. any comments, advice, would absolutely be appreciated. susy_1@msn.com thank-you for your time, susan booth

MARLENE'S RESPONCE
Dear Susan,

Sorry it has taken me a while to respond. I've got a busy schedule. As far as my background goes it starts with being a graphic designer after finishing art school with a BFA.

I first worked in a photography studio, in the mid 80's doing what then called keyline-pasteup. I put together (photo/copy placement) for catalog companies like JC Penny, Sears and occasionally Spiegel.

From there I went to the apparel industry working for five clothing designers doing all of the graphics, screenprints, patches, hangtags and even redesigned the company logo. While working there was when computers came on the scene and I was elected to be the first to test out the new equipment, so I got to do whatever I liked. I designed whatever came to mind, record jackets, soda can labels, cards, gift wrap, fabric designs, etc. Again while working there I answered an ad for a freelance T-shirt designer. They liked everything I brought in and bought the rights to my graphic designs.

Designing T-shirts as a freelancer is 2where I learned to do separations for screenprints, which is different than what it is for paper. And again while doing this I got let go from my apparel industry job. Well, with a severance pay of $2,000 plus vacation checks and the last week's check, I decided to go into the t-shirt business. So, 30-day7s later I was. Also living at home at the time helped by cutting my expenses in half.

I approached the t-shirt business coming from a commercial background. In this business time is money, (so full of deadlines and anxious people) so things must be done executed perfectly, with the right colors and things looking a certain way. The volumes are high 1,000's. I am not a fine artist, even though I tried in art school. My talent is I can draw very well, I knew what happens between the artist sketch and it ending up on thousands of greeting cards or whatever substance and how to deal with business people.

My T-shirt business started in the retail store. My first store I walked in. It was a T-shirt shop on Michigan Ave. At this time nothing was on T-shirts. I asked for the owner, he looked my sketches and told me to come back showing certain sketches on T-shirts. I did a few weeks later. During those few weeks I looked for a printer that would give me 30-day terms and found one. When I went back to the t-shirt shop, he ordered. From there I was in the commercial T-shirt business, volumes of 36-144 per design. After that first walk-in I always called ahead and scheduled appointments. I would arrive on appointment day with order forms, my sketchbook and printed T-shirts to show the quality of the work.

Yet, do look for a printer that will do small quantities. A screenprinter starting out might be willing. Or you can hand paint for one-of-a-kinds T-shirts. Small quantities I did at the Uptown Multi-Cultural Art Center because they taught me how to screenprint. Simple 1 to 2 color prints I did myself.

My commercial work for retail stores were all Chicago themes, much different than the artistic work you might have seen. My commercial business supported me enough, where I felt free to venture into more humorous, novelty and primitive designs.

At art fairs I sold my extra commercial and novelty T-shirts and would raffle some as I asked people for their comments on new designs. I also, let people know that my T-shirts were sold in retail stores, Carson Pirie Scott, Nordstrom's, Marshall Fields, Accent Chicago, etc., and to please go look. At the art fair I sold them for half price or less. Typically people enjoy meeting the artist at art fairs and I too enjoy them and their curiosity.

Susan work very hard. If your heart is in it then that this is what you should do. I worked extremely hard for 4 years and long hours, but loving every minute of it and at times when physically tired, I was still happy. My philosophy is if the work is positive, "Do the work you love and be happy," but have another job (or income) that takes care of the basic expenses in the beginning. Until your T-shirt sales can at least pay the essential bills, keep a day job. At least part-time, if you need flexibility.

Find a way to do your artwork, keep doing your artwork. Live creatively no matter what. Life should be happy and if your art is an important part of you, do it. Be happy.

Susan, I have gone onto other things. As a creative person I am always exploring the next venture, but with happiness inside whatever work I do.

Enjoy the T-shirt Biz/Love Marlene