This project has been testing and rewarding in equal measure and on the whole I'm glad this is the research I chose to do. There have been a number of experiments that I found to be much more difficult than I had imagined and some that were downright disappointing (such as the fired ceramic piece) but the positives and lessons learnt far outweigh the disasters.
Some of the experiments have proven to be projects in themselves that I want to expand upon in the future. The plates: I want to re-evaluate the designs and move around (or completely disregard) the circles within the images to make them work better on ceramic - in particular on the plates as they are more traditionally hung as artwork and therefore are easier items to sell. Eventually I think I'll be able to use what I've learnt experimenting with the ceramic transfers in my future projects as well as continuing with the 'Menagerie' - making ceramics a product I wasn't expecting to make for my shop, but one I'm now very keen to explore. The paper dolls: I think this experiment has proved that with the right image this could be a very exciting project and another less run of the mill item I'll be selling in the future. I want to go further with the tattoos but I need to make sure I can source the correct materials in a way that proves cost effective. The playing cards and the desk calendars are both something that I want to take further - both require more drawing and more character development but it means I have something I can start working on straight after University. The other experiments I made (that I haven't mentioned above) and information I gleaned, will, no doubt, come in useful the more my business grows and my product line expands.
One enormous benefit to using my Final Major Project as the basis for my experiments has been that I've really learnt to explore all possible corners of the series in a way that I never normally would allow the time to do. It's taught me to not discard a project and move on just because a new idea has crept in. I've also been given a head start as far as my online illustration shop is concerned, in that I've been able to explore ideas and processes that I would have taken a lot longer to get to.
In exploring the products I could make out of this one series of drawings, I now have an unexpected list of projects to get started on immediately and they're all for products that I'm really excited to get made.
In answer to the question: what products can be realistically hand-made by me and do I know when to throw the towel in (and outsource)? I think that the answer is still a work in progress. I could very easily throw the towel in on all the projects I've chosen to take on further - they would nearly all benefit from me finding someone to make them in bulk by machine. The thing is though that I really want to keep pushing - the thrill of the chase is in finding a way to do it as efficiently and as cost effectively as possible, not give another business most of the profit. More importantly - the thrill of the making is why I'm an illustrator in the first place, and if I'm not putting my heart and soul into a project, I need to make sure I can find a way that I am able to.
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