Shirt.Woot

I'm not being snarky, I'm serious. Are the art directors focusing on pop culture now for daily designs? I know it hasn't been all pop culture all the time, but I think I'm seeing a trend this week and last week. I love a well-done pop culture shirt, I just don't do them very often. Should I start now?

*edit* I guess by this week I meant mostly last week since it is Tuesday...but yea you know what I mean.

For your financial benefit? Yes.
For the benefit of those who aren't all into pop culture, no.
HTH.

j5 wrote:For your financial benefit? Yes.
For the benefit of those who aren't all into pop culture, no.
HTH.

5 of the last 6 were pop culture. If the trend continues designing stuff "for the benefit of those who aren't all into pop culture", would just be a waste of time. I'm not saying that woot is becoming 100% pop culture, this latest trend might just be the way the shirts happened to be scheduled. Still, an artist would be a fool not to pay attention to what the art directors are picking for dailies, and try to design something that gives them a great chance of scoring a print.

odysseyroc wrote:designing stuff "for the benefit of those who aren't all into pop culture", would just be a waste of time.

I honestly don't expect any such accommodation, so my comment was intended to reflect the realities of the rest of your reply.
Looking back further than 1 week, though, it's not all pop-cult, so it does appear to go in waves.

In the end, going "pop-culture" is an easier win, but not really required if you nail the Woot demographic, which Ocho seems to do pretty well.

eta: For the record, the last Woot shirt I purchased was Crescent's "Waiting for the Sub". I also purchased it in the reckoning on purpose in support of his efforts. Wonderful shirt.

ochopika wrote:I love a well-done pop culture shirt, I just don't do them very often. Should I start now?

Not that one of my newest favorite artists needs my help, but all I can say is this:

If you have a pop culture design that you genuinely want to do, I would say to absolutely go for it. However, if you find that you are compromising your art in hopes of selling more shirts, it becomes more a matter of what you are comfortable with. Ethics vary from person to person so widely with this subject that there is not a simple answer that everyone agrees with. You can count the number of my printed designs on one hand even with a couple of fingers missing, so I am in no way an authority here. It's also based completely on my opinion but that's about all I can offer in the way of advice. The fact that you even asked the question makes me think you already have qualms, but only you can decide what suits your end goals best.

Thanks, guys for helping me think about this a little more clearly. I hope my post was relevant to other artists as well because it might be something other people are thinking about...or not...I dunno.

@j5: I'm hoping that it does continue to go in "pop culture waves" with other kind of designs mixed in. I guess we'll have to see about that... either way I plan on making designs that woot will print because I really like it here.

@odysseyroc: I pity the fool who doesn't pay attention to what art directors pick for dailies. No really, you're right. Thanks for the advice.

@specsmachine: newest favorite? awww shucks
I don't care how many shirts I sell as long as I like my own design. That said, I would rather make something that prints than something that doesn't. I guess that's why I asked on the forums here.

specsmachine wrote:Not that one of my newest favorite artists needs my help, but all I can say is this:

If you have a pop culture design that you genuinely want to do, I would say to absolutely go for it. However, if you find that you are compromising your art in hopes of selling more shirts, it becomes more a matter of what you are comfortable with. Ethics vary from person to person so widely with this subject that there is not a simple answer that everyone agrees with. You can count the number of my printed designs on one hand even with a couple of fingers missing, so I am in no way an authority here. It's also based completely on my opinion but that's about all I can offer in the way of advice. The fact that you even asked the question makes me think you already have qualms, but only you can decide what suits your end goals best.

Ahh, but when you print you print BIG