Tag: Photography

How to Remove Backgrounds in Photoshop

how to remove backgrounds in photoshop
~ Julie ~ 2 Comments

Are you looking to take your image editing skills to the next level? Then look no further than this tutorial on how to remove backgrounds in Photoshop!

how to remove backgrounds in photoshop

In this video tutorial I take you step by step through the process of removing backgrounds from images using the selection and lasso tools.

I demonstrate how to do this with a both a simple image of a laptop, and a more complex image featuring a person in the foreground.

You can use these skills to edit your photographs, or create designs with transparent backgrounds to use for stickers, t-shirts and other print on demand products with Photoshop!

How to Remove Backgrounds in Photoshop with Lasso Tools

  1. Open your image in Photoshop and double-click the background layer to unlock it.
  2. Use the Eraser tool to erase out major parts of the background, without getting too close to your subject.
  3. Select the appropriate lasso tool for your image, such as the Lasso Tool, Polygonal Lasso Tool, or Magnetic Lasso Tool.
  4. Begin by making a rough selection around the object or subject you want to keep. For straight edges, use the Polygonal Lasso Tool. For irregular shapes, use the Lasso Tool or Magnetic Lasso Tool.
  5. Continue tracing the outline of the object, and close the selection by connecting the endpoint with the starting point.
  6. If needed, use the Add to Selection or Subtract from Selection options to refine the selection (Can also use + or –).
  7. Hide or delete the original background layer (if there is one remaining) to see the transparency.
  8. Use the Eraser Tool or Layer Mask to further refine the edges of the object if necessary.
  9. Create a new layer below, and fill it with a solid color to check for any stray pixels.
  10. Save your image in a format that supports transparency, like .PNG.

With practice and experimentation, you’ll become more proficient in using lasso and selection tools to remove backgrounds in Photoshop.

In conclusion, removing backgrounds in Photoshop using the lasso tools is a powerful technique that allows you to isolate objects and create images and graphics with transparent backgrounds. With the flexibility and precision of the lasso tools, you can achieve clean and professional results.

Remember to practice and experiment with different selection tools to find the one that works best for your specific image. So go ahead and give it a try in your next project!


Cheers,

julie signing off

Selling your art on POD websites – Zazzle vs Redbubble

~ Julie ~ 8 Comments
zazzle vs redbubble for selling art online

Today I will be comparing Zazzle vs Redbubble for selling art online. Zazzle and Redbubble are two popular Print on Demand marketplaces where artists can upload their designs for sale on a variety of products.

They may seem like pretty much the same thing, however there are actually some pretty major differences between these 2 platforms which you should know before opening a shop.

I have been selling my designs on both Redbubble and Zazzle for many years now. Read on for my overview and comparison to help you decide where to sell your artwork online.

Zazzle vs Redbubble

Audience

Zazzle’s audience is mostly women aged 25+, in the United States but also worldwide. They cater to people looking for unique gifts, brides-to-be, and customize-able paper products like invitations, greeting cards, and business cards. They also have a wide range of unique items from home décor and accessories to edible brownies!

Redbubble’s audience is younger than Zazzle and more hip, with humorous t-shirt designs, trendy patterns and quotes being the norm. Stickers are extremely popular with teenagers and young adults. They also focus on selling unique gifts including apparel, accessories and home décor. Redbubble’s headquarters is actually in Australia but they have a worldwide presence.

betta fish sticker from redbubble
A sticker from Redbubble

Store Front

Zazzle vs Redbubble’s store fronts are quite different.

Redbubble’s storefront displays a randomly generated selection of products featuring your most popular designs, based on their algorithm. All you need to do is add your logo, header and bio to set it up. It’s much more beginner friendly than Zazzle’s.

However, your Zazzle store front is much more customize-able. The layout is left completely up to you. You’ll need to go into the store’s Settings tab under Advanced Settings to add the available sections to your home page including Categories, Featured Collections and Recently Created Products. I recommend taking this step to set it up properly.

flip flops on zazzle
You can put your art on flip flops on Zazzle!

Uploading Designs

Redbubble is much quicker to upload designs to, and you can upload to all of their products in one go. You can also add a custom background colour and create patterns in the tool. However, there is no option to add customize-able text like Zazzle has.

On Zazzle it is best to upload each product one by one. This does take an extremely long time but it’s quality over quantity here. You can start with just a small range of products so as not to get overwhelmed.

Zazzle’s design tool is more like a mini Photoshop where you can add layers, text, templates etc. and create customize-able products. I made this video with some tips about using Zazzle’s design tool which you may find helpful.

Products

I’ve ordered products from both Zazzle and Society6, and everything has been pretty good.

I slightly prefer Redbubble just due to the types of products I got, like apparel, but Zazzle has a much wider range of items available.

Here is a video I made reviewing a whole bunch of the products I’ve bought from Redbubble. I don’t have as many from Zazzle so I haven’t made a video on those yet but might show them in future. I’ve also shared photos of products I received on my Instagram.

Earnings

Royalty margins are higher on Redbubble, and I’ve personally made more money there.

However, I know others who do extremely well on Zazzle, especially making cards, invitations, stationary and designing for the wedding market.

Zazzle also has a new Promoter Program where you can get 35% for referral sales of your own products, and 15% on other people’s products. There is also the potential to get bulk orders if you designs things like wedding invitations and stationary, which is actually a huge market on Zazzle.

Zazzle pays you on the 15th of the month after you reach $50 in cleared earnings. Redbubble has a payment threshold of $20, also paid on or around the 15th of every month.

Summary of Zazzle vs Redbubble

In sum, Redbubble is a much easier and faster marketplace to upload your designs, especially for beginners or artists who create more graphic and/or pattern designs. However, Zazzle has a huge potential for customize-able products, greeting cards, invitations and stationary. So which one is best for you will depend on your art style and business goals.

I hope the above information has been helpful for you. If you’d like to receive more Print on Demand education, and keep up with my latest designs and projects, consider subscribing to my e-mail list!


Further reading:

Cheers,

julie signing off

How to Sell Your Art on Books with Amazon KDP and Book Bolt

how to sell art on books amazon kdp book bolt
~ Julie ~ 1 Comment
how to sell art on books amazon kdp book bolt

Have you ever wanted to sell your art or photography on books?

Today I’m sharing how you can get started selling your art on “low content” books through Amazon KDP using an in browser app called Book Bolt.

What is Amazon KDP and what are low content books?

KDP, or Kindle Direct Publishing on Amazon, is essentially a “print on demand” marketplace, similar to Redbubble but for books. Your book is printed and shipped only after someone has ordered it.

Now you can totally write a novel and sell it on KDP, but what I’m talking about today are “low content” books. Meaning things like journals, notebooks, planners, sketchbooks, even coloring books, with beautiful cover designs featuring your own artwork.

Watch my video below for a demonstration on how to create a book like this from scratch (cover and interior) for KDP using Book Bolt, or read below for more info on how to get started.

How to Sell Your Art on Books

Step One

Download any of these free interiors provided by Book Bolt, or you can design your own interior using Google Slides or Powerpoint.

You can access even more interiors with the pro version of Book Bolt. The pro version also includes research and design tools, a puzzle book creator, and is basically an all-in-one app to create books for KDP. You can get 20% off the pro version with code julie20.

Step Two

Choose the size you want your book to be and the number of pages you want it to have. Write this down or remember it because your cover needs to be the exact same size. You can also select Bleed or No Bleed.

Step Three

Create the cover for your first book. You can do this within the Book Bolt Design tool as demonstrated in the video, or download a template from Amazon (the same trim size and page count as the interior you chose) to create your cover in an image editing software like Photoshop.

how to sell your art on books amazon kdp
“Low content” notebooks published with Amazon KDP, created in Book Bolt

Step Four

Now you are ready to upload your files to Amazon KDP.

If you do not have a KDP account it is easy to create one. You don’t have to apply and then wait for a response like you do with the Amazon Merch program.

Go through each item on all 3 pages and fill them out to the best of your ability. You can use the Book Bolt Keyword Research tool to find relevant tags and categories for your book.

Conclusion

Amazon KDP is an easy way to sell your art on books and share them with the world, at no cost to you.

One great perk is that you can order “author copies” for extremely cheap, I’ve paid around $2.50. You do still have to pay shipping on that but that is pretty good!

I hope this tutorial has been inspiring for you to see how simple it is to sell your art or photography on books.

And make sure to check out the Book Bolt app and give their pro version a try for free for 3 days. Then take 20% off with code julie20!

Cheers,

julie signing off

*Please note: Some of the tools listed include an affiliate link. When you make a purchase through the links I may earn a commission, which helps me create more content ?

Mandalatober 2019 Week 3 Mandalas

sun and moon mandala mandalatober 2019
~ Julie ~ 2 Comments

The third week of Mandalatober has come and gone and I’m on the home stretch! I actually feel like it’s getting easier to draw them every day now the end is in sight.

You can still join in the challenge and see everyone’s entries on Instagram under the hashtag #mandalatober2019!

Check out my mandalas from week 3 below

Day 15: Sun Mandala

sun mandala #mandalatober2019

Day 16: Real Life mandala

real life mandala sunflower

Day 17: Freestyle mandala (no guidelines)

freestyle mandala pink

Day 18: Tree mandala

tree of life mandala

Day 19: Ocean mandala

ocean wave mandala #mandalatober2019

Day 20: Food mandala

ice cream cone food mandala

Day 21: Pumpkin mandala

halloween pumpkin mandala

See the other weeks mandalas below!

How to Design for Print On Demand Websites

how to design print on demand websites
~ Julie ~ 5 Comments
how to design print on demand websites

If you’re just starting out selling your art on Print on Demand websites it can be overwhelming!  How do you decide what kinds of designs to make?  How can you optimize your artwork for all of the different Print on Demand sites?

Below I’ve compiled a list of tips to make it easier for you.  I’ve been selling my art through Print on Demand websites for over 8 years now, and I’ve learned a few things in that time.  I use Photoshop and Procreate mainly, but these tips can work with whatever apps you use.

So, read on if you need help with designing and optimizing your artwork for sale on Print on Demand sites such as Society6, Redbubble, Zazzle, Teepublic and others!

Design for Print on Demand Websites – Best Practices

  • Research trends. Use Pinterest or a search engine to see what kind of art is currently trending, then use this for inspiration to create something in your own style.
  • Start with a large file size (10,000 pixels covers most products).
  • Keep your designs in layers to easily make changes or re-use elements later on.
  • Design with the products you want to sell in mind.  For example, most Print on Demand sites offer products like t-shirts, throw pillows and cell phone cases.  Keep these products in mind while you create your designs.
  • Keep images crisp (300 DPI), high resolution and colours relatively saturated (more saturated colors tend to look better when printed on fabric).
  • For drawings, use a scanner if possible (rather than photographs) and use the available settings to scan a large, high DPI image file.
  • For line drawings or black and white drawings, use Illustrator to make your lines crisp.  Check out my tutorial below on how to digitize your art for print on demand.
  • Don’t up-size your artwork if possible, this leads to a pixelated fuzzy look on the final product (this is why you start with a large file size in the first place).
  • Depending on what kind of artwork you make, you may need to adjust the size or medium you use in order for them to look good on the computer. Play around.
  • Don’t use copyrighted images, text, logos or anything else, or you risk the image being taken down, or even your account being suspended.  Some sites allow “fan art” but make sure you follow all the rules.

Now that you have some designs to work with…

Optimize your Designs for Print on Demand

  • Each website has it’s own file size and type requirements so make sure to check that before you start uploading.
  • Curate designs for each platform. Some designs might work better in different stores depending on their audience.
  • Save layers separately if you sell on Zazzle because you can layer different images and text on that particular POD site.
  • Create the same design in different colors and variations, especially once you have an idea of which designs are popular with your audience.
  • Adjust designs for individual product types. For example, use a transparent background for a t-shirt or sticker, use coloured background or make the design into a pattern for tapestries and pillows, remove text for leggings and apparel where it doesn’t work, etc.

Looking for more print on demand tips? Check out the Artist Resources section of my website!

You may also like these posts:

Here are some more posts to help you sell your art online.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you’ve found these tips helpful.  If you have any other ideas or questions feel free to post in the comments below!


Cheers,

julie signing off

15 Tips to Increase Your Sales on Print on Demand Websites

increase sales on ecommerce websites
~ Julie ~ 11 Comments
how to increase sales on print on demand websites 15 tips

Are you looking for ways to increase your print on demand sales? If so, you’re in the right place! In this article, I’ll be sharing with you 15 tips to will help you maximize your print on demand sales, whether you sell through your own website or a marketplace like Redbubble or Etsy.

If you’re just getting started, you may want to check out these posts first:

There are a few things you can do to maximize your print on demand (POD) sales. POD is a great way to get your work out there, and it can be a great supplemental income stream. But like with anything, there are ways to optimize your POD sales and make the most out of this opportunity. By following these tips, you can give yourself a better chance at success.

photo of a woman thinking about how to increase print on demand sales

Tips to Increase your Sales on Print on Demand Websites

  1. Try to complete at least one task per day related to your print on demand business. For example: post one tweet, one Instagram post, create one new design, one update to your website etc. If you can do more than one task that’s great, but even just one thing a day will help your business grow over time.
  2. Connect with other artists on social media (Facebook groups for example) or forums where available (Zazzle). Ask for feedback from them if you feel comfortable doing so!
  3. Upload as much high quality work as possible. The more designs you have, the more chances you have of making a sale.
  4. Research the latest trends and use them as inspiration to create new designs in your own style. You can use Pinterest or check the top selling designs on your chosen POD platform.
  5. Update your social media pages, even just one or two and focus on them. Instagram and Twitter great for artists. On Facebook it’s challenging to get likes on your page, but it could get your real life friends interested. Try using new tools like Facebook or Instagram stories, or even Snapchat if you are adventurous.
  6. Post new designs and products consistently. Try to stay somewhat active and consistent in all of your POD shops (uploading new work, commenting/following etc.) I’ve definitely noticed an increase in sales/activity when I’m active. If you have too many stores to stay active, maybe pare it down to the few that you have been most successful on.
  7. Don’t stretch yourself too thin.  Going off the point above, if you have too many stores you might feel overwhelmed or too lazy to upload work to all of them, so I suggest deleting those ones you don’t like or don’t have much success with.
  8. Research your target audience and find out what they like to see and buy on products.
  9. Make new colorways of popular designs that are well received. Different colour variations of a popular design or rework an element of that piece so it can have more mass appeal.
  10. Have a website or blog external to your social media, like this one! It helps with your visibility and to show up in Google searches.
  11. Tell your family, friends and coworkers about your stores and they might support you! You could even gift them stuff from your own stores for Christmas and birthdays etc. to get them excited about your work.
  12. Go back through your old designs and either delete ones that aren’t working for your brand or update titles, keywords, descriptions, etc.
  13. Use keyword-rich titles and descriptions (SEO). When buyers are searching for products on a print on demand marketplace, they will often use keywords to find what they are looking for. Make sure that your product descriptions include relevant keywords that buyers are likely to use, in order to increase the chances of your products being found.
  14. Always keep learning.  There are lots of great sources online for marketing your brand or honing and learning new skills.  Check out Skillshare for some free or paid courses in marketing, design and many other skills.
  15. Subscribe to my blog!  I’m always posting new content on selling your art on POD websites so make sure you don’t miss out.

By following the tips above, you can make the most of your print on demand stores and ensure that your products are selling as well as they can. With a little bit of effort and some creativity, you can take your print on demand business to the next level and make it a success.

Thanks for reading and I hope you’ve found this blog post helpful.  Let me know if you have any other tips to add in the comments below! Also check out the resources section of my website for even more print on demand tips.

Cheers,

julie signing off

Check out these other posts for more information on selling your art on POD websites: