gorilla INK design house

Only in Atlanta...

2011-10-31T17:26:00.001-04:00

Just a quick post.

So, I'm driving around downtown Atlanta, trying to find SCAD. Decided to stop for a quick food intake, and went by the nearest convenience store. I walk in, remove my hat, and collect some healthy snacks and a bottle of milk. Proceeding to the checkout cage (yes, cage), I placed my fresh GIDH fitted on the counter...

SN: They just so happen to sell hats here, but they're all Atlanta hats...moving on...

So, the clerk starts ringin me up and asks if I'd like to purchase the hat as well. Laughing it off, I reply that this is my hat, and there's nothing to purchase. She then rebutted that the hat looked new, and must be one of hers off the 8 foot high hooks, to which I countered by laughing, revealing my tattoo, then pullin up my photo gallery of all 11 of my hats, and saying in a stern voice, "No ma'am, y'all cant get these."

She laughs and goes on about how she's glad I had so much proof, or she would have charged me...idiot.

Then it hit me that they look good enough to bootleg, and that made me smile for the test of the day...StR!

The Good, The Bad, and The Ridiculously Fun Contest to Come!

2011-10-17T01:25:00.000-04:00

I feel like it's only fair that if I'm going to keep this blog about starting up a business/empire fair and balanced, then I have to sprinkle the bad in with the good. It's not all pink ponies, lollipops, and Cinnabons in the freelance/indie clothing world, and sometimes...stuff happens.

See, what had happen'd wuz...

It was bound to happen eventually. Had a chance to build a couple relationships, and pretty much dropped the ball. One went south fairly quickly, and words were exchanged, and although it was hard to hear, some of what the person said rang true. Long story short, I left some money on the stage. It was mostly my fault, though, so I can't complain too terribly much.

For those of you who know me, you know that Gorilla Ink Design House/Big Wood Paddles/"Insert Catchy Title" Photography is a labor of love for me. That being said, I hope to one day provide for my loved ones with this instead of having to go to work for someone else all day...beg pardon to my past present employers (most of you were great!), and it's a struggle having to sacrifice being my own boss to the constraints and demands of the outside world.

Enough of the emotional hubbub. What I need now more than anything is feedback, so I'm opening the doors of the chuuch. I would like to know what you, the consuming public, have to say, thoughts, questions, concerns, anything that can help me grow my brand, and help me make doing what I love stupid amounts of money, and at some point, provide happy feelings in general whenever the words "gorilla INK design house" are spoken!

A lot of what I'm looking for is why you haven't used me for your creative needs, partly due to my own overwhelming curiosity, but also because knowledge of such things is important to growth and retention. If you're willing to be honest with me, then there might be some awesome kind of giveaway or something to thank the masses for their opinions.

However, I would ask that if you're going to flat out bash me, just shoot me a message instead of making a public post. This would also pertain to issues that have already been discussed/hashed out/mediated. If you REALLY know me, then you know that I don't let much in life go to the wayside, and the police would have all the evidence they needed to convict...kidding...not really...

That being said, this is also a tool to see who actually follows the brand, so I know who gets a trick and who gets a treat sometime in the NEAR future...so don't be shy! Let me know what you think!

If you don't have the contact info: gorilla.ink@gmail.com

OR

follow the blog: gorillainkdesignhouse,blogspot.com

OR

shoot over a FB message/respond to the note

CONTEST: I'm going to move forward with a contest promotion I've been mulling over for awhile. There will be a post about it sometime this week, and in the spirit of candy-induced comas, it should be fun to let your inner child have some fun for a bit!

As always, never ride a one-eyed, seven horned, wild purple unicorn without a magic pineapple from under the sea in your pocket, and throw sand in the face of every squirrel you see! support THE revolution! gorilla INK!

And the heat is on...

2011-10-14T17:56:00.001-04:00

Had my first dealings with a bad working relationship today. Long story short, it will take an act of God for me to work with this guy again. I've never had a client say nothing but good things until you send the bill, then everything is horrible, not what he wanted, bad customer service, and all this extra. I'd have been ok with them being disgusted with my work prior to completion, but after that point, all I gotta say is CTC (cut the check). Whew...it's been a trying day to say the least.

Horribly unprofessional for me to blog this, but hey, that's the creative life!

On another note, the hats are still available, so get yours today. Contact us for details!

On another note, why do I switch between first and second person, and make myself plural? Who knows...the revolution is an enigma sometimes...

As always, eat your veggies after you dessert, and support the revolution! gorilla INK!

Protect the HEAD of state! Fitteds!

2011-09-25T23:08:00.001-04:00

Quick update! Fitted caps are running wild!

A horribly involved labor of love, I've finally secured a product line of GIDH headwear. Custom colored to order, and available in several sizes, these caps are the perfect accompaniment for the discerning art lover/covert operative in us all!

I'm also working on a collectible series of comic book-inspired versions, starting with Iron Man! I'm thinking limited runs, available bi-annually. I've already got the next one planned...I'm geeking out about it, even if you aren't...no, really...EXCITING.

I'm working on getting New Era, so stay tuned for updates. Those jokers are ridiculous, in both good and bad ways...12 hats is flipping stupid for an independent startup, but what can you do?

If you want one, then contact me!

Get yours today! Support the revolution! gorilla INK!

Clive Hayles Photography - FLA

2011-07-22T09:25:00.002-04:00

So...

I'm hanging out on the Canon photography forums (www.photography-on-the.net) last week, and I run across a post of someone in need of a logo. Standard fare for a forum, I suppose. I figured it couldn't hurt to inquire as to what was needed, and see if I could be of assistance.

I shot the guy a PM, and he responded within a few hours (quick for a forum post), informing me that he was in need of a logo and business cards, and needed a QUICK turnaround. Normally, I don't jump at the QUICK jobs because design isn't really a process that can be rushed...but something told me that I should do it.

I responded in the affirmative, and was inclined to tell him I could turn it around in 24 hours! Absolutely no idea what came over me, because I don't get to design full-time, as I have a 9-5er every day. Anyhoo, I jumped on it like a guido wingman on a grenade on the shore in late July! Inspired by the ridiculous goal I had set for myself, and the thought of meeting the challenge, I threw up a lil' prayer, and caution to the wind!

In a surprise move by my creative juices, the floodgates flew open, and within 46 minutes, I had actually come up with a concept, done a quick sketch, and composed the design on Illustrator...crazy, I know. Upon completion of what I deemed to be a pretty decent logo, I forwarded it to Clive, thinking the usual artist thoughts, many of which concerning with the likelihood of the design coming back with multiple revisions,changes, suggestions, etc...but I got nothing. For about 4 hours, I heard absolutely nothing. Not a phone call, text, email, tweet, PM...NOTHING. It's not like I was freaking out, but I'm used to getting feedback within a 2 hour window. But this guy was stone cold silent throughout damn near the whole day.

...then...

I got a text. A lone, solitary text. A text that I'm definitely not accustomed to getting:

"I have to say this. I wasn't expecting to say first time that I like it, but I really do. I think it's really nice!"

*Insert designer jaw droppage...right...about.....................here.*

Never have I ever (take a drink) EVER hit the nail on the first go. I tell ya, I'm a humble designer/artist, but even that made me take notice of myself. After that, the business card was a breeze. Slim style, black on one side, gray tonal on the other. I even got to print samples, and hand cut each card (which I actually like to do, gives a certain something to each order). Mailed on Saturday, received on Tuesday. And the best part: he preferred to pay in full PRIOR. To date, he's one of the best non-friend customers I've had, if not the best TO DATE.

"He shoots, he scores! It's a hail mary pass down the sideline with 3 seconds left on the clock...he's got it! One-handed on 'em! He's on the ropes, look out! And...wait a minute...he's taking the offensive. An unexpected flurry of rights and lefts, body, body, head, body. It's poetry, I tell ya...and he's down!" ...sorry about that...had to let it sink in. Back to life...

As always, eat your vegetables, slap the taste out of the mouths of unruly adults, and wrestle bears in the offseason...

SUPPORT the REVOLUTION! gorilla INK!

Designer's Block / Protect Ya Neck (and your brand)

2011-07-07T13:50:00.001-04:00

Just a quick update for those of you following the blog...

I have designer's block!

It's really just that simple. Every now and again, I have to take a step back from my beloved GIDH, and do something else. I'm slowly getting back into the swing of things, and making good on promises that I made to myself when I decided to keep a blog to give a glimpse into how things work in this [crazy] freelancing industry.

It's definitely A LOT harder than it looks from the outside. I'm learning some valuable lessons, mostly about marketing yourself, and saying 'No' when you have to.

Marketing is ridiculously important to a freelancer, as you don't have the luxury of someone taking care of it for you. Friends will sing your praises for awhile, but unless you do a good bit of recurring work for them, you will fall from sight. If you don't talk about you, and have no clients, then who's going to speak up? ...crickets...

I also learned that even when a job seems like it would be fun and challenging and right up your aesthetic alley, you may have to pass on it. For example, I was approached by an indie brand looking to get some work done. The usual stuff (logo, tee designs, etc.), except in this case they had already had sketch work done, which lessens my work load immensely. They were referred to me, which is awesome, and they knew my work, so we didn't really have to go through all the usual song-and-dance, which will be covered in another post. So, I priced the job, and was almost instantly hit with a counteroffer (with steep stipulations) that was significantly below what I would charge. Not even in the range, ballpark, cosmos, stratosphere of anything near what I would charge. So, I politely responded that I wanted to do the job, and offered a counter-counteroffer, but I had to protect my brand/business first. It hurt to turn it down, because I believe their project has potential. But I have to remember that I'm in the business to do business, and undercutting myself is counterproductive to that.

Some people will say that it's instant failure to turn away business, but I disagree. You hire a (insert artisan/skilled job title here) because you either can't do it yourself, or don't want to invest the time to do it. I go to a mechanic because he knows what to do. Hopefully, that's why people come to me.

I also work in retail, so I know it to be true: no matter what price is presented, people will ALWAYS try to get a better deal. At some point, though, quality is traded for price. People buy knockoffs because they don't want to scrimp and save for the real deal. You probably know someone with a bootleg version of a Gucci/Fendi/Prada/Louboutin/Louis Vuitton something. In case you didn't know, Nike doesn't regularly make Ones or Dunks with Louis "LV" leather...just saying. One of my favorite indie brands [Johnny Cupcakes] went after the bootleggers on their home turf, and won the battle!

That's enough for today...I'm tired of ranting.

As always, stop traffic, make history, change lives, and dare to eat uncooked Spaghetti-Os.

SUPPORT the REVOLUTION! gorilla INK!

Updates: 15 Feb 2010

2010-02-15T13:57:00.000-05:00

Just touching base with my constituency. Gotta make sure you guys are doing well, or else who will raise the flag of the revolution? Anyhoo...

Fitted/unstructured hats: AVAILABLE NOW

Basically, you just need to send me an email/FB message with your hat size, preferred hat color, and thread color. The non-New Era caps are $30, while the New Era ones are $50, and limited in colors to black, royal blue, red, and navy blue.

Tees:

I promise that the tees will be up soon. It's mostly just a matter of getting things straight with the printer, and narrowing my choices of designs down, so we don't go bankrupt inside 6 months...lol...seriously. But I plan to have a St. Patrick's design up by March 1, as well as a limited edition release that will probably blow your mind. Just stay tuned!

Miscellaneous:

Buttons/stickers/polos are in the works. You can get a car decal now. Just hit me up for details. I've got some stickers done up now, so if you're local, you can get one, and show your support.

Paddles:

I plan to keep designing and carving and grinding in that arena, so if there's nothing out there catching your eye, maybe you need to make a move to Big Wood...just saying, anybody can put your letters of a piece of wood...but you deserve better.

Also, I will hereby be referring to myself in the 3rd person, as well as changing my name to "The Predicament", in honor of the recent success of Jersey Shore on MTV...j/k!

As always, rant and rave, throw your hands up in disgust, discover your inner rebel, and...

SUPPORT the REVOLUTION! gorilla INK!

NEW DESIGNS: The Diplomatic Approach, Vol. 1

2009-12-07T15:01:00.000-05:00

Greetings to all!

Just wanted to share what we've been working on lately...

Trying out some designs, based on 80's cartoons. Let me know what you think. I've gotten some positive feedback on some, and some not-so-positive feedback on others. I don't ask for opinions often, so TAKE ADVANTAGE! This is for the masses to enjoy, so take part. It's like voting, only it might actually change something...HA!

As always,

SUPPORT the REVOLUTION! gorillaINK!

Looking for a few good people...

2009-09-28T15:47:00.000-04:00

So...the movement has begun, and I need your help. I'm looking for some people to lend their blood, sweat, tears, and expertise for the REVOLUTION. All you have to do is contact me, and let me know what your skills are. Every stone will be unturned, all talents WILL be exploited...well, not so much exploited...

Really, all I'm looking to do is to create and sustain an arrtistic movement. One where people are not bludgeoned by a tsunami of bad design. One where Curlz and Comic Sans die the horrible deaths they deserve. One where good work is appreciated, and compensated, or at least not lied to about it...nothing big, really.

If you think you have what it takes, or know someone looking to take up the fight against all things unaesthetic, then direct us to each other, or give me a holler. Wherever there's bad art, gorillaINK will be there to pull the trigger.

As always,

SUPPORT the REVOLUTION! gorillaINK!

Business License Acquired! New business cards!

2009-09-21T11:09:00.000-04:00

So, it's time for another blog update from the not-so-world-famous gorilla INK design house! It's been a big few weeks for us, and I just wanted to let the fans know what we've been working on...

First things first, we got our business license, so we are LEGAL in the eyes of the government. It was surprising easy to get, all things considered, and that's fine by me. The next steps will be considerably more time-consuming: trademark registration, obtaining a tax ID, and setting up accounts in the business name. Not to mention the fact that I have to get some shirts out, so this can be a profitable venture...but I digress.

Next, I've acquired an employee, and it looks to be a good move for the company. He has great vision, and is creative as heck. He's a painter, which is something that I don't really relish in, so that's always a plus. He's also younger than me, so his hunger for success might be near the level of mine.

Finally, I decided on a new business card design. I included a picture, so you guys can tell me what you think!

As always, thanks for your adoration, or lack thereof...

SUPPORT the REVOLUTION! gorilla INK!

New Shirts!

2009-08-19T16:43:00.000-04:00

Designs are on the horizon, and I am really excited about them. I have to finish up some sketches and artwork to go with them, but I think I can guarantee that they will be worth your time and attention. Don't forget to stalk this blog, Twitter us, Facebook us, and whatever else you feel you need to do. The website is NOT up yet, but we're working diligently to remedy that situation. Be on the lookout!

SUPPORT the REVOLUTION! gorilla INK!

Website Acquired! Watch out, peasants! StR!

2009-08-13T10:13:00.000-04:00

I am now officially the owner of www.gorillainkdesignhouse.com! Momentous day in my eyes...good vibe for the company. There's nothing on the site yet, but that will change soon. I am extremely amped about this, because it's a stepping stone towards getting away from other people's dreams and making my own. Wish it, see it, achieve it!

I'm also still making strides towards a launch of the site and merchandise, which will hopefully include 6 designs, consisting of 2 staples, and 4 more detailed works, all of which will be available as prints or as shirts. I'm also working on strengthening the brand's identity, but I need something that just bludgeons the senses, in a good way of course! Once we get that done, and solve the packaging debacle, I think we'll be golden.

If you know me, you should know how excited I am about this. This is a pet project that is growing and thriving in my mind, and it wants to get out.

I'm about to go BANANAS...so set your TiVo, 'cause it's gonna go fast...

Now, let's get down to brass tax...StR!

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

2008-07-18T16:55:00.000-04:00

For the faithful few, I'm working building up the site and my brand. Stay tuned for updates, changes, and media content as I craft the graphic experience.

The Beginning of the End

2008-06-20T11:56:00.000-04:00

...of the purveyance of bad design...

It's time to take a stand against disorganized composition, shoddy workmanship, pixelated graphics, Photoshop posers, and abusers of all things graphic.

Stand up against the tyranny of blinged-out crap art. Stop the saturation of America with the aesthetically ugly. Grab the industry of half-ass "graphic" designers by their collars, and shake them until they understand color agreement, layout, and composition.

No longer will the world tolerate this assault on our senses. No longer will the oppressors of creativity be allowed to corrupt us with templates and clip art.

The time for change is now, and you will...

SUPPORT THE REVOLUTION.