OMFG. Craft Warehouse and Michael’s were both semi busts. So I have had to order pin-backs and eye-screws off of ebay. For translucent polymer clay I’m going to buy from Blueberry Beads. But I can’t believe how hard this shit is to find! So I’m kind of waiting on supplies to be able to make things. I spent an appalling amount of money on Artxx acrylic paint markers. I’m going to need to get polyurethane from the hardware store. I have a lot of packages trickling in this week. I also discovered that Holbein acrylic gouache is $9.99 a tube at Craft Warehouse and I can’t decide if that’s good or bad…
Anyway all the COOL KIDS making pins and charms use UV resin for the coating and I am sad I can’t be one of the cool kids right now. I’m also surprised how many people use Himi gouache (it’s a gel gouache) to paint their pins! It looks great but I’m guessing that it’s because the artists already know how to deal with it. I am also looking at getting a clay rasp.
While we wait on clay pin makings here is one of my gouache paintings.
It’s the most ambition one to date and I’m not super thrilled with it. I later discovered that Posca paint markers go over gouache like a dream. I still need to practice more but the clay pins are consuming my one and only brain cell right now. For those who don’t know this a painting of Pokemon, they are called Marill, they are a water type Pokemon.
I am just hoping that the pins will sell! I need more income streams. Of course I made all the wrong decisions in life and I imagine the clay pin ship has sailed as well.
Doll sales are going poorly. Games, also poorly. Ideas though, well, I have lots of those! The clay pins are only phase 1. Phase 2 is polymer clay. Blob what am I doing? OK, I know exactly what I’m doing. I’m making the same mistake I have my entire life. Thinking I could make money doing something creative and trying new things in the hopes that eventually one will take off and make money. Hoping people will like and pay money for my creative endeavors. Speaking of which I finished my commission! LOL! Yes, once in awhile I do get money for art. The problem is consistency. You can see the process shots for the commission on my Instagram. I have GOT to change my username on that thing…
Love the Marills! Gouache isn’t easy to work with.
You can sell stuff—but it takes a lot of time and effort and sometimes some investment of money. You will need to constantly market your items, publicize them, and look for outlets to sell them. And you can’t be discouraged at not selling in the beginning. It takes time and experience and flexibility.