HarukaZsun

Hi i'm curious about starting my own business selling clothing maybe but am at a complete loss where too start really.

I have a some skills in Photoshop and have took a class on clothing creation with NCI just in case and am starting on making a few things now i just need too know really where too start really inworld.

I'm on a very very low budget as i'm currently unemployed so i'm unsure if i'll be even able too open a small store.

Though i did find this page in the forums about a Guy offering free space too designers and am wondering if it's a good idea, would others do that?
http://www.sluniverse.com/php/vb/bus...-business.html

So please any guidance on opening a small business is greatly appriciated i need major help.

Thank you in advance

Briana Dawson

Take them up on the offer. I used to do the same thing in my Malls, offer free space to new designers who had stuff that i thought would move in SL. If they are serious, it is a great way to get your feet wet and get some exposure.

Michael Bigwig

I advise you find a cozy, quiet sandbox, and work on your skills. Practice making products, and packaging them up for sale. Then when you have a few really nice pieces, rent some cheap vendor space. Slowly but surely, you should be able to move up to more vendors, then in time, you may be able to rent your own land and build a shop.

Or like mentioned above, you can try and find free space for start-ups...they are out there, but not easy to procure.

Good luck.

__________________
~Michael Bigwig
___________________Lead Designer, Glowbox Designs

Aki Shichiroji

Briana - The thread she mentioned basically asks tenants to cough up a full perms item to the landlord every week. I would never do such a thing and never give full perm items to anyone i don't trust, or anyone who hasn't paid me RL wage for making it.

I think it's cool that you offer space without any catches... but I think it is important that the OP be careful about who she deals with and that she assesses the pros and cons of each place that offers up space for free.

HarukaZsun

Thanks for the advice

Briana - It seems like a good idea up front but it's what exactly he will want from me, he mentions a Full Perm item, now i don't mind giving that out just for him too sell but no way would i want it too be going around full perm too everyone. So up front it sounds good until you have all the info, i was just curious if anyone had actually taken him up on this offer.

Michael - I've been practising a little in sandboxs and i've now got the hang of appearance sliders and some of the building tools by no stretch of the imagination am i great but i'm good enough for me. I'm mainly looking around at the moment for a type of prim skirt builder, i've heard of a free one called Vints but have yet too find it.

I've heard of Vendor space but am a little unsure what that means? Do you mean like renting a board too advertise myself?

Michael Bigwig

Vendor space is like a mini store. A little block of space for you to show your items--usually on a 2d ad board for prim constraints. Sometimes you can construct your own 'shell' for the vendor, but mostly its pre-fabricated.

Take care.

CoyoteMomiji

Haruka, how many prims would you need, roughly? How many products do you have so far?

__________________

Slick closed until further notice.

Recidivist Sideways: YOU'LL TAKE MY ROUGH, BUTTERY FRIENDSHIP, AND YOU'LL LIKE IT

HarukaZsun

Ah i think i understand now Michael, i'll look into that once i have some stuff uploaded

I don't really have anything completed yet Coyote, i'm still working on things. I should have a couple of outfits done by the end of the week once i find that prim skirt builder lol.

Briana Dawson

Oops did not read the mentioned thread. That is bad.

HarukaZsun

Ok so i've added a store on Onrez not on SLX at the moment though, for some reason i can't get my account validated so i've contacted them to let them know.

Anyway if anyone would like too see my things and tell me what they think i'd be very grateful
shop.onrez.com

Lil Hapmouche

Let's start it nice...

- Try not to clutter up your vendor/ad pics. Especially the text parts are pretty dominant in your pics, maybe due to the artistical font and the dark color. I'd suggest to use such a font for your logo (the shopname, that is) only and a pretty easy, light font for the rest of the info (outfit name, permissions). I don't really see the point of putting your name in each pic, maybe someone can enlighten me.

- You use the same white ornament twice in your pic - one on the green background, another in your red logo. Red, green and white are appealing, unfortunately, this combination makes me automatically think of Christmas. And the white part is a bit too bright.

- The poses you used for the "Asian Kimono" preview pics look pretty unpropitious. The front shot shows a major texture stretch due to the spread legs. The backside pic makes the avatar look huge... skirt shapes with 0 butt and smaller waist are your friend for system skirts.

- The techniques used in the "Funky Red" outfit doesn't seem to match, as the top looks completely hand-drawn, while the pants scream photosourced. Several folks avoid that combination. So get rid of the pants, the red coloration doesn't match the top anyway.

- For "Belted Jumpers", it would have been lovely if you'd offer some variety to wear... untucked look on a jacket layer, tucked in look on shirt/undershirt and underpants layer. Perhaps the belt as extra jacket layer. And mention that in the ad info.

- Another remark on technique... the shading on "Xmas Wish" simply looks unfinished, misplaced or simply missing (on the skirt). "Funky Red" has a heavy shadow on the front, where the straps cross, but no wrinkles or shading at all on the backside.

There are also several parts where the texture is "bleeding out"... like on "Funky Red", pose in the middle, there's a strange bolt-like red piece on the shoulder. And all backside shots show weird texture stretching on the shoulder blades.

- *scratches head* The price. Well. Unless you want to start with a "50% or more off" sale, I'd say they are much too expensive for what you'll get. Sorry.

Ned Easterwood

I looked at those too.

Bea wouldn't touch any of 'em - you can get a nice dress from Nyte'n'Day for 200L. Way too expensive.

__________________
Ned

HarukaZsun

ok i've changed text too a normal style, changed the background so it's a simple render of clouds the actual name in that's on the ads is from my logo.

i've reduced the proportions on my shape for the skirt and am working on images now for the kimono.

The Jumpers and belt are both on separate layers, the jumper on the top layer and jacket layer is the belt, i'd love too add bottom layer bits aswell but i can't remember what exact colour i used for each. So i'll just leave it as that for now and work on a different set in the future with all those types of layers.

Ok i've scrapped the Xmas wish dress after having a good proper look i'm not completely happy with it either lol and i see what you mean on the Funky red top, i'll add a little shading too the back and re upload.

Oh yes the jeans are photoshopped but and i mean no offence when i say this at all. I have personally found that most jeans i've seen are photosourced, if there is any completely handmade out there their are not many. No offence but people are obviously lying about them being hand drawn, i tried but it was just way way too hard. I will keep working on it maybe but jeans are very hard too draw in. Also the jeans are supposed too not really match, hence the name funky red. It was just a little fun.

The bleeding out bit i think is just the poses i was using, the photostudio i used was playing up a little last night so i've now swapped and am using a different one.

Prices i thought that was cheap actually, i was trying too do it in a lower price range, way too many outfits now cost over 400L and i really am never gonna pay more than 200L for a outfit but i'll reduce prices.

What would you suggest as a good price?

P.S None of this has been uploaded yet, still working on changing pictures so please bare with me.

Ned Easterwood

Nothing wrong with a 200L dress- but it's gotta be good quality. Nyte'n'Day ftw.

As Lil said - 100L max.

HarukaZsun

Ok so i've got rid of the dress and improved a couple of ad pictures.

I'll upload one on here, please let me know if that's any better.


TY Haruka

Raindrop Drinkwater

Not true. My jeans are hand-painted, for example, and I'm sure I'm not the only one to do that. It's a lot of work and it took me a few months to get the right effect (I'm slow, lol!). And I'm not a liar, thank you very much.

__________________

HarukaZsun

I never said everyone was lying just that people do lie about them being hand drawn. Like i've said i've seen way too many jeans on the market that just can't be hand drawn and people blatently lie about it because they hate being caught out.

To be very honest i don't see what the huge deal people make out of photosourcing jeans.

They have too be the hardest garment too make and i bet half the clothing out there has been photoshopped in one way or another.

Raindrop Drinkwater

Okay, I understand now. I think you meant "some people".

HarukaZsun

sorry for the confusion i do know and understand that there are many still out there that do not photosource at all so i would never say everyone does it and i will not do it myself forever.

Once i get the hang of jeans and making textures i'm sure i'll do ok. At the moment i'm still slowly putting my skills together lol and reading through texturing tutorials.

Lil Hapmouche

I said some people don't like to mix and match photosourced, aka photorealistic clothing (say ... Redgrave) with handdrawn style (ETD for example). So you might be better off if you decide for one technique.

The posing looks better now, by the way.

For 400L, you'll either pay for the brand or you'll get an extremely well done outfit with several clothing options, prim parts and everything.

But let me get that straight... you think that clothing prices are too expensive and you wouldn't pay more than 200L, so you're perfectly comfortable to sell your first work for that price? Huh?

Anyway, as suggested in your other thread, make use of the Beta Grid or try AVPainter. There's a free version to display textures and a pro version, available on XStreetSL, which allows painting on the model.

Johnnie Carling

Not a clue what you mean by photoshopped.... every clothing item in SL was created using a graphics editor.

A basic pair of jeans is easy. And not harder than any other type of clothes.

Here is a good how-to

Denim Jeans Tutorial using The GIMP « Random Ramblings, Tip & Tricks

Lil Hapmouche

Emphasis on "photo" as in "image", I suppose...

Elanthius Flagstaff

As for the original offer mentioned in OP. I've had 4 or 5 different people come through and take me up on the offer. I wouldn't say it's been a great financial success from my perspective. The number of people interested has been very low and it's hard for me to spend any time and focus on something so small so most of the objects I've been "paid" have just sat languishing in my inventory forever instead of getting them up on xstreetsl.

I don't think any of the people who rented from me have considered thmselves worse off for the deal and the offer is still open. Although I don't think when you get down to it that a big hunk of free land on some random mainland sim is actually all that useful for new players who are specifically interested in making and selling things. What they reallly need is a sandbox and a spot in a shopping mall somewhere.

If I'd had a lot more interest I could have focussed the parcels together into one giant newbie business center or something but since it has very low interest it'll probably continue to stay on idle with just one or two renters coming through every month.

__________________
We donate tier to your group for L$0.25/sqm/week.
We pay for tier you donate to our group at L$0.15/sqm/week.

We have a fancy website and a huge land store in the sim Steamboat with dozens of available mainland and residential estate rentals

Advertise my store in your profile and get free money: Search Scumming

HarukaZsun

Ok gonna try answer each person individiually

Lil - Ok i'll stick too that one style and drop photosourcing, may take me a while too get the hang of it especially jeans lol.

Thanks i'm very glad the adds are better though i'd like too ask do you think i should a little more colour of leave the background in white, i've noticed a few in colour elately and was curious what others thought.

Ok for clothing yes i would pay no more than 200L for a outfit if it only contained say two or 3 things, if it had alot more in it i'd pay more so i could mix and match so too speak. I don't mind paying for quality if i think it's worth it.

To mention 2 names. MIS and Kitties Lair i'd pay there prices for things because the clothing is very detailed and i love alot of it. Oh and gown's i'm not really sure on prices i don't really have any gowns, i don't like wearing them really so never purchased one before.

Johnnie - Hi Photoshopped is another way of saying photosourced, it comes from my background from playing the Sims 2. Alot of clothing on there were photosourced, not many were handdrawn and it's just kind of a habit that stuck from my time playing that lo.

Elanthius - Hi thank you for explaining it a little i might just contact you in world if thats ok if i have any questions that i can think of. Though if i may quickly ask the item that you take full perms do you pick the item you wish from a list or does the tennant just give one of her choosing?

Thank you everyone agin for the help, it really means alot too me so thanks

Oh almost forgot too ask, textures where does everyone go for fabric textures. What are good places that you can use for free?

Elanthius Flagstaff

You choose the item, my standards are pretty low. I'll be reselling the stuff and have no plans to release it full perms or as a freebie but at the same time I do not promise anything because I don't want to be sued or accused of dirty dealings if some accident happens.