Ok, this might not be the best forum, but since I have an image and I'd like to know what you think--I figured it was a work in progress.

So, I am fairly new to graphic design---but really new to inkscape. I've been doing all my work the hard way in photoshop elements because I couldn't afford illustrator, I didn't realize I could get something similar for free!! Love google.

Anyway, I sent some of my work to a group that will remain nameless to see if they would carry it--they resell stuff--and they kept saying my images weren't trimmed---so I did a couple of items that I thought were trimmed. One they said was---the other (which was the same image but a different size), wasn't---so how could one be and the other not when they were the same, but that's neither here nor there---and that the whale I'm including was not.

I did the whale in inkscape and I did the cupcake in inkscape. I used the beizer tool for both. I thought since it was a vector image, the trim would be right? I didn't have any special effects, etc. I don't know how one was right and one wasn't. So, I'm going to try to attach both of these in here and if y'all can give me some guidance that would be great.

Any other pointers would also be appreciated. I am trying to market myself to the work at home boutique owner moms, etc. I love the monogramming, personalization, etc. I used to own my own monogramming shop. I like this so much better.



(this is the one they said was trimmed in one pic and then in the other said it wasn't?? it was the same thing...so I'm really confused.


So, can you tell me exactly what trimming is and how I do it? What do you think of these---improvements, not trimmed, trimmed, etc. Also, is there a standard size for clip art?

Any help is appreciate, night.
Brandi



Anyway, that's enough. Thank you in advance.[svg][/svg]the Inkscape Guide

So, can you tell me exactly what trimming is and how I do it?

Lol, that was going to be my first question! Since I don't know, and because activity here is down lately (probably because of the holidays -- otherwise I'd wait for someone who knows more about it), I'm going to suggest looking around that other site, and try to find out if they define trimming. Like maybe there's an faq, or tech support? I'm also wondering if trimming refers to a certain size? That could explain why one was acceptable, and the other wasn't.

And meanwhile, I'll also do some investigating.

There's no certain size for clipart, as far as I've ever heard of. I'm speaking here as someone who has downloaded LOTS of clipart. Typically it is on the small side, but I've seen anything from smiley-size (15 pixels) up to 400 or 500 pixels. I've even seen wallpaper called clipart, so I think it's all very loosely defined. I guess most of what I've seen called clipart in the range of 50 px to....I don't know, up to 200 px. But this other site you mentioned, perhaps has their own size restrictions?

If you haven't already, you will definitely be interested to look at the Open ClipArt Library. In fact, if you're interested in sharing any of your work through the Creative Commons license, you could even upload some of your work there.

Anyway, those look like cute little images. I'm not an artist, and could not give you any technical advise. They do look perfect for those cutter machine type of images, you know that people use for scrapbooking, and really all sorts of things these days. That might be another good market for you to look at. Although I would guess one might want to own one of the machines, in order to test their work before selling it. But just a thought.

Ok then, I'm off to try and learn about "trimming". Let me know what you learn from the other site, and I'll let you know if I learn anything

Edit -- I haven't been able to find much at all...which leads me to think the other site must have it's own definition. The only info I've found uses Trim synonymously with Crop. So I'm guessing that site means that the images need to be of a certain size. So I would really urge you to peruse the site, and maybe even email and ask them.

Thanks so much!

Ok, well I"m not exactly happy with the folks on the other site and I don't think I'll do business with them. They acted like I was an idiot, but it's like they changed their mind every time I sent them something. I'll pm you with their website so you can look at what they had. I honestly don't know---they had said it had to do with jagged edges maybe---I should have put that in my original post.

As for the cutters---I have one of those!! I have already cut some of my art with it and it was incredible to see something cut that I designed. I am going to try to go that avenue, as well. I might just put some of my stuff on the site you mentioned to spread the word that I exist and then maybe people will come to my website to purchase other stuff.

I and my two children have mitochondrial disease and this is about the only job I can do, so I need to try to make money with it....plus it's super super fun!!

They had said both images cupcake wise were too small, they were in the 300px range!! I was thinking, geez....that's kinda big for an image in my opinion. But, hey...according to them....

"Sorry dear, but you just do not have enough experience in this industry to be a designer at __ yet. We suggest that you join one or more of the smaller scrap stores and get some experience and knowledge of what our industry standards are and then re-apply after you have 3-6 months of exposure in the digital scrapbooking market."

their standards are apparently clip art saved in png format, backgrounds in jpg, but i have no idea for size and what they mean by trimmed! they said no bevels or designer elements for the clip art, either....it's a site that sells commercial clip art. i don't know. i thought the best format was vector so i sent them an svg file and they said it was unacceptable....as well as a photoshop file. i had just sent a little of this and a little of that to show that i knew how to do all that stuff, and it just came across as though i didn't know what i was doing, i guess. oh well.

"Sorry dear, but you just do not have enough experience in this industry to be a designer at __ yet. We suggest that you join one or more of the smaller scrap stores and get some experience and knowledge of what our industry standards are and then re-apply after you have 3-6 months of exposure in the digital scrapbooking market."

OMG!!! How rude! I guess that's just their loss then.

I might just put some of my stuff on the site you mentioned to spread the word that I exist and then maybe people will come to my website to purchase other stuff.

Hhm, I don't think you could explicitly advertise at Open ClipArt Library. But you could have your website link in your profile. That sounds like a good idea. Besides, if you're putting up stuff at some "store", doesn't the store get part of the profit? Seems to me like you'd be better off on your own

LOL!! Thank you, I thought it was really rude. I am so over that, though. I am going to list some stuff on Zazzle and Cafe Press. I got a free cafe press store for 5 years by purchasing a Wacom Tablet that was $100----wow, that means I got a $300 savings for buying a $100 tablet that came with Photoshop and one other software, that's a no brainer!

I figure that if I put it on open clip art library, my name would be sissyfrissys and there aren't a whole lot of those, so if people googled it, they'd find me. I named it after my niece, she's my sissy frissy....100% pure diva. She's 9. At Christmas, I had given her a journal with her name on it and a matching pen that I had designed and printed...on the back I had ©2010 Sissy Frissys.com and she loved that more than the actual journal---she was like---THAT's Me!! LOL.

Anyway, I appreciate your kind words. I think it's their loss, too! I just want to get my stuff out there as much as I can. We definitely need the money. Kinda tricky getting used to that tablet!