Sorry, I know Dear Reader that you are mad keen to see what I've been up to today but alas a chesty cold has stopped me from getting out on the bike. I've not got man flu or anything like that, but I always adopt the mantra that if the cold is in the head, then it's OK to ride, any lower, then don't bother! I did get my bike out, but a hacking cough made even me think twice. As I'm off to Coed y Brenin next week anyway, one less ride here wouldn't ruin my life.
Anyway I did have a ride during the week on a Boris Bike, so figured I have something in the cycling bank.
What I have done is to sign off on another t-shirt. I'll pop an image on here when I can change it from pdf to something that the blog server accepts! I prevaricated over this one. A lot. Sales of late have been slow [understatement] and prices for raw materials have gone up. When I started my print bill was under £400 per batch. Now it is £550. That's a fair wedge to splash on what is an odd hobby after all. I'm trying to get Muddy Ground up and running as a brand, hence why I keep at it. Blowing my own trumpet a bit, but the designs are always well received. People expect some shonky piece of crap on a thin base cotton t-shirt and so are always surprised at how thick the printing is, and how long lasting and comfartable the t-shirts are. I use a UK printer, one who attracts custom from all the big brands out there. I figured why save a couple of quid per t-shirt just to get a short lasting, poor quality product. Go for the best right from the off. Funny, but people that know me, and who have bought the t-shirts, figure that pretty soon things will fly for me. Fingers crossed on that one.
I like the new design [tad biased as always] so think it worth the effort of getting it printed up. For now I'll describe it; essentially I've taken what mechanics refer to as "Spannerfish" and added a coded bike warning around an image of trail side tools. The t-shirts should be here in time for the Reigate festival on June 25th.
Aha! Update as you read. Managed to convert a pdf to a gif, whatever all that means! Anyway here's my latest t-shirt. Unashamedly and whole-heartedly derivative, I've seen the Spannerfish type logo in loads of bike shops, but come on; it's fun as a t-shirt, no? Never seen the Spannerfish theme done this way. I've had this design in my head for well over three years now, mulling over textual issues. Which one to use? In the end a recent copy of Dirt magazine gave me the answer; design my own as they do. So that's what I did - designed my own text around a self drawn [OK traced!] image of some tools that I take out on the trail in my Camelbak, or have in my tool box at home. I'm still miffed that I didn't include a pump though. Can't have everything. I had to sign it off for production at some point, so did but before I'd updated it all.
Once again, my own design drawn freehand in a Starbucks cafe. I do use photoshop, but only because with that I can play with the colours and then e-mail it off to October for printing. These days there has to be some electronic input, but for me photoshop use is minimal - my t-shirts are effectively hand drawn from start to finish. Can't wait to get them! Hopefully this one will have universal appeal.
Oh yes; a warm welcome to my Nordic readers! [http://ttvehkalahti.blogspot.com/] This site has a strong focus on bird photography, but for me the most stunning image featured a surprisingly classy looking shopping bike - see http://www.finnishdesignshop.com/outdoor-bicycles-jopo-bicycle-white-p-2831.html
Anyway I did have a ride during the week on a Boris Bike, so figured I have something in the cycling bank.
What I have done is to sign off on another t-shirt. I'll pop an image on here when I can change it from pdf to something that the blog server accepts! I prevaricated over this one. A lot. Sales of late have been slow [understatement] and prices for raw materials have gone up. When I started my print bill was under £400 per batch. Now it is £550. That's a fair wedge to splash on what is an odd hobby after all. I'm trying to get Muddy Ground up and running as a brand, hence why I keep at it. Blowing my own trumpet a bit, but the designs are always well received. People expect some shonky piece of crap on a thin base cotton t-shirt and so are always surprised at how thick the printing is, and how long lasting and comfartable the t-shirts are. I use a UK printer, one who attracts custom from all the big brands out there. I figured why save a couple of quid per t-shirt just to get a short lasting, poor quality product. Go for the best right from the off. Funny, but people that know me, and who have bought the t-shirts, figure that pretty soon things will fly for me. Fingers crossed on that one.
I like the new design [tad biased as always] so think it worth the effort of getting it printed up. For now I'll describe it; essentially I've taken what mechanics refer to as "Spannerfish" and added a coded bike warning around an image of trail side tools. The t-shirts should be here in time for the Reigate festival on June 25th.
Aha! Update as you read. Managed to convert a pdf to a gif, whatever all that means! Anyway here's my latest t-shirt. Unashamedly and whole-heartedly derivative, I've seen the Spannerfish type logo in loads of bike shops, but come on; it's fun as a t-shirt, no? Never seen the Spannerfish theme done this way. I've had this design in my head for well over three years now, mulling over textual issues. Which one to use? In the end a recent copy of Dirt magazine gave me the answer; design my own as they do. So that's what I did - designed my own text around a self drawn [OK traced!] image of some tools that I take out on the trail in my Camelbak, or have in my tool box at home. I'm still miffed that I didn't include a pump though. Can't have everything. I had to sign it off for production at some point, so did but before I'd updated it all.
Once again, my own design drawn freehand in a Starbucks cafe. I do use photoshop, but only because with that I can play with the colours and then e-mail it off to October for printing. These days there has to be some electronic input, but for me photoshop use is minimal - my t-shirts are effectively hand drawn from start to finish. Can't wait to get them! Hopefully this one will have universal appeal.
Oh yes; a warm welcome to my Nordic readers! [http://ttvehkalahti.blogspot.com/] This site has a strong focus on bird photography, but for me the most stunning image featured a surprisingly classy looking shopping bike - see http://www.finnishdesignshop.com/outdoor-bicycles-jopo-bicycle-white-p-2831.html
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