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Spec Work
One thing I would say about spec work is: I have done it. I have done a ton of
it. It seemed like in the early 2000’s it was all spec. Some of it I enjoyed, made
life time friends and good connections out of it. My Motion City Soundtrack jobs
were spec and that turned into me being a designer at Atticus and I still talk to
all those dudes to this day.
On the other hand, I never let anyone take advantage of me. If someone asked
me for a $50 design, then I would give them something typed out in a font and
made sure I did it within 20 minutes. 20 minutes of my time would equal a $50
design. I don’t do spec now, unless it were some amazing opportunity that I felt
passionate about. I think spec work should be up to the designer, especially
the prices. If companies want people to do spec, then the designer should say
how much the art is worth. Not the other way around. It’s your creation. You tell
them how much you want for it. If it’s amazing, they will agree to pay for it.
My Advice to You
Work hard, network, look for inspiration beyond the web, especially t-shirt
specific sites. Don’t be afraid of rejection. Be easy to work with. Stay humble.
Someone is always better than you at something. If you’re truly passionate
about what you do, it will show, people will notice. Don’t be a follower. Just
because people are buying neon zombie shirt with guts spilling out doesn’t
mean you have to make another one. Take the style of the time and put your
own spin on it.
What you can do now is design and learn. I think blogs like Emptees and Design
by Humans are great resources for critiques and feedback. There are also
millions of tutorials out there on the technical side of things. But you should
always draw, look at the world with unfiltered eyes, (gets harder when you are
older) and jump on anything you can get your hands on. Just keep hustling and
designing. I’ve personally noticed some growth of young designers with heart.
Their stuff started out kind of whatever, but over time they are getting better
and better. Never rest, never feel settled.
Trends I Have Observed
Over the last 10 years some trends have lasted longer and some are short lived.
All over prints were huge as was the whole Affliction craze and the neon gore
zombie 80’s style. Nautical has been big the last 2 years with brands like Mr.
THREAD’S NOT DEAD • Jeff Finley
Freedom. Vintage surf style is starting to come in now. Vintage in general is
always big. Cleaner easier graphics are making a comeback too. Photorealism
was big for a bit. I have to do a lot of trend analysis at my job, so I see a ton of
flash in the pans and small trends that stick.
The Appropriateness of Graphic Distressing
This is something I have had to deal with at the bigger companies who can afford
washes and sprays on their garments. If a t-shirt straight out of the box
is getting printed on, use less distressing on the art. Nothing is weirder than
a crisp bright colored shirt with faded distress graphics. It just doesn’t make
sense. But if you have a faded sprayed down t-shirt add all the distress you
want. Just keep in mind what the whole garment is going to look like when it’s
done. Don’t just think about the art.
What’s My Secret to Success?
The secret to my success is love of clothes, networking, hard work and a humble
attitude. Be in love with what you do and it will show. Bug people you
want to design for and when there are changes be cool about it. At least up
to a point. Work hard! There are always people out there who really want it.
Talent only goes so far.
Case Studies & Interviews 100
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XVLA by Jamie
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