Just a few months ago, I was graduated from college, didn't know what the hell I wanted to do. Tried to get in with some design agencies, but I didn't want to do that. I don't want to wake up and do the 9 to 5 thing, that sounds absolutely horrible... so a few months ago I started e-mailing t-shirt and apparel companies and would get the standard response of "We Like Your Art but right now we aren't looking for any new illustrators/designers" So I signed up here, posted my crap, kept drawing and drawing to the point of no sleep. Now all of a sudden those same companies that turned me down only a few months ago are approaching me. The turnaround was pretty fast, I don't know if it was just Emptees that helped me out (maybe behance, coroflot, carbonmade, flickr and my website had something to do with it too). But it made me realize how important an online presence is. I never even heard of this place until Wotto told me in one of my blog posts over at threadless that I should come here (btw this post is in now way talking myself up, I just wanted to share) 2008-09-04T05:14:47-04:00 24 2008-09-03T17:19:09-04:00 true 0 7104 false false 2879 6102 1 2009-11-21T02:19:02-05:00 681 happy you're here and things are working out! 7104 Post 2008-09-03T17:20:48-04:00 184873 1404 2008-09-03T17:20:48-04:00 i think your stuff is awesome. keep it up! 7104 Post 2008-09-03T17:29:16-04:00 184882 4933 2008-09-03T17:29:16-04:00 i was showing one of my lady friends your work last night! its all ill! 7104 Post 2008-09-03T17:31:02-04:00 184884 2691 2008-09-03T17:31:02-04:00 yeah dude, emptees has hooked me up with a bunch of new clients 7104 Post 2008-09-03T17:31:16-04:00 184885 269 2008-09-03T17:31:16-04:00 <blockquote><cite>sht! said:</cite> i was showing one of my lady friends your work last night! its all ill!</blockquote> Using ithew to pick up eh eh eh? Nah, congrats man! I thoroughly enjoy your work! 7104 Post 2008-09-03T17:33:18-04:00 184887 3005 2008-09-03T17:33:18-04:00 im still waiting on my time to shine... but it will be mine oh yes, it will be mine... haha good stuff tho bro, I am indeed a fan of your work 7104 Post 2008-09-03T17:36:37-04:00 184894 1498 2008-09-03T17:36:42-04:00 <blockquote><cite>Ameeee said:</cite> <blockquote><cite>sht! said:</cite> i was showing one of my lady friends your work last night! its all ill!</blockquote> Using ithew to pick up eh eh eh? </blockquote> i wish that would work for me! 7104 Post 2008-09-03T17:39:20-04:00 184897 6102 2008-09-03T17:39:20-04:00 Best of luck man, I'm hoping to start picking up my game a little and get out of the 9-5 and start freelancing full time, it's encouraging to here success stories. 7104 Post 2008-09-03T17:45:21-04:00 184903 1611 2008-09-03T17:45:21-04:00 Im fairly new here just trying to get recognized the same way. You definitely deserve the attention, your work is really good. 7104 Post 2008-09-03T17:45:34-04:00 184904 7093 2008-09-03T17:45:34-04:00 I couldn't agree more. I feel like emptees IS the reason why I've grown as a designer and challenged myself to be better. It's really true for a lot of people here. Look at some old designs by anyone and then look at where/who they work for now. 7104 Post 2008-09-03T17:47:46-04:00 184907 182 2008-09-03T17:47:46-04:00 <blockquote><cite>kenny g said:</cite> Best of luck man, I'm hoping to start picking up my game a little and get out of the 9-5 and start freelancing full time, it's encouraging to here success stories.</blockquote> I've learned that the best thing you can do is draw something every day. Those day that you don't have any work coming in, draw anyway. Maybe someone will buy it, maybe someone wont. I'm still find it hard sometimes for myself to get motivated. Motivated to work on my own and for other people. 7104 Post 2008-09-03T17:48:34-04:00 184908 6102 2008-09-03T17:48:34-04:00 <blockquote><cite>ithew said:</cite> <blockquote><cite>Ameeee said:</cite> <blockquote><cite>sht! said:</cite> i was showing one of my lady friends your work last night! its all ill!</blockquote> Using ithew to pick up eh eh eh? </blockquote> i wish that would work for me!</blockquote> my laptop was open from earlier and i had the werewolf mock up opened on the page! she asked to see it! she loved it! i jokingly said i did it! she proceeded to take off my pants! after we were done i told her i didnt do it! she punched me in the balls and told me to lose her number! THANKS ITHEW!!! 7104 Post 2008-09-03T17:49:38-04:00 184909 2691 2008-09-03T17:49:38-04:00 <blockquote><cite>sht! said:</cite> <blockquote><cite>ithew said:</cite> <blockquote><cite>Ameeee said:</cite> <blockquote><cite>sht! said:</cite> i was showing one of my lady friends your work last night! its all ill!</blockquote> Using ithew to pick up eh eh eh? </blockquote> i wish that would work for me!</blockquote> my laptop was open from earlier and i had the werewolf mock up opened on the page! she asked to see it! she loved it! i jokingly said i did it! she proceeded to take off my pants! after we were done i told her i didnt do it! she punched me in the balls and told me to lose her number! THANKS ITHEW!!!</blockquote> I lol'd! 7104 Post 2008-09-03T17:50:57-04:00 184911 1855 2008-09-03T17:50:57-04:00 HAHAHAHA 7104 Post 2008-09-03T17:51:09-04:00 184912 6102 2008-09-03T17:51:09-04:00 Emptees landed me my first paid t-shirt design! 7104 Post 2008-09-03T17:58:16-04:00 184921 2765 2008-09-03T17:58:16-04:00 great work man. working in an tshirt shop was the best thing i ever did. helped me learn about the whole process, seps, ordering, printing, artists are bitches, etc etc. good luck with the job if you decided to accept. your work is better than any schmucks art i ever saw back at my shop when we were trying to find a few artists. ;j 7104 Post 2008-09-03T18:00:56-04:00 184928 2865 2008-09-03T18:01:16-04:00 <blockquote><cite>jimiyo said:</cite> great work man. working in an tshirt shop was the best thing i ever did. helped me learn about the whole process, seps, ordering, printing, etc etc. </blockquote> that is the thing I wish I knew most....they didn't even teach us how to prepare a file for printing in college..stupid college all i did was party 7104 Post 2008-09-03T18:02:00-04:00 184929 6102 2008-09-03T18:02:00-04:00 Glad it's been working out for you man. Lots of inspiring success stories here on emptees. 7104 Post 2008-09-04T00:17:45-04:00 185334 1259 2008-09-04T00:17:45-04:00 touched by an angel, an emptees angel, glad everything is working out man ill be your financial advisor 7104 Post 2008-09-04T00:23:23-04:00 185342 2940 2008-09-04T00:24:24-04:00 congrats dude...hard work always pays off 7104 Post 2008-09-04T00:26:52-04:00 185345 3021 2008-09-04T00:26:52-04:00 <blockquote><cite>ryanmiller said:</cite> yeah dude, emptees has hooked me up with a bunch of new clients</blockquote> yeah. me too. best of luck, ithew ;] 7104 Post 2008-09-04T02:03:04-04:00 185453 4864 2008-09-04T02:05:20-04:00 glad things are working out for you dude. For some reason I sensed emptees would be good for you (I has the spidey sense) 7104 Post 2008-09-04T02:36:59-04:00 185472 2991 2008-09-04T02:36:59-04:00 thanks everyone...this place has acted like a 2nd home to me, everyone has been awesome and I owe you BIG wotto 7104 Post 2008-09-04T02:47:19-04:00 185477 6102 2008-09-04T02:47:19-04:00 Stoked that emptees has worked so well for you. I hope it helps everyone as much (me included one day) 7104 Post 2008-09-04T05:14:47-04:00 185528 2879 2008-09-04T05:14:47-04:00