Shop makeover Wednesday

My new ribbon shop, Ribbonzella, had only three sales and halted. I have great expectations from this shop, so it was obvious something is wrong with its setup (advertising and promotion will be held after shop makeover is done).

I did some research and asked people for advice, and finally came up a plan which includes:

1. Adding a second item image, showing the actual spool (people commented the primary images are brilliant, but don't show the details of the ribbon).
2. According to the advice given on Danielle's latest "Etsy success" email, I did the math to realize what minimum price I need in order to return my investment (it's easy with this shop, cause have all the ribbon is already at hand).
3. Changing the price for the majority of the items, mainly increasing the amount of ribbon from 3 to 5 meters.
4. Changing the banner to match my shop styling (will be done soon). Pitty, cause I like the current banner which my friend made for me..
   
5. Find more unique ribbon to add to the shop.
6. Notify my potential customers of these changes.

I thought I would take advantage of this, to show you guys how to improve your item iimages. I am a very poor graphic artist, so if I can do it withouht even using Photoshop, so can you!

I took photos of my ribbon spools, in natural daylight (on the roof, as usual) on white background. I got horrid images, since I had to use low exposure, or else the picture would turn out "burnt" from all the white.


I edit it in MS Photodraw, but you can use other tools, such as the wonderful free online editing tool Picnik). First, I turn the image into a square, since Etsy shops a square thumbnail, and I want it to show the entire spool. I crop it, to remove as much as possible of the dark background.

I place the item in the middle of the square, and fix the tinting, to make sure the color pallet is correct. I want the white to be as white as possible.

Now, I start fixing the brightness and contrast. My goal is to eliminate the dark background, and make the spool "pop out" of the screen. I increase contrast and carefully play with the brightness till I reach the point where further brightening will hide the details and change the actual color of my ribbon.

Now I use a faded erase tool, to get rid of the left over dark spots. The fading edges will eliminate deleting parts of the actual spool, and will leave a nice shade which helps to highlight the very bright item.

And here it is - a nice crisp item image. Who would have ever believed it used to look so bad to begin with?

Pink organza ribbon with red hearts available at 3.60$ for 5 meters (5.46 yards)

My main problem remains that shipping price makes the ribbons less attractive to the buyer, while I cannot reduce them without hurting myself. Any ideas to go around that will be most welcome.

Creating the illusion of life

The other day I was coughing about when I got an SMS from my friend saying "I didn't know you have a puppet in a movie". I SMSed right back "neither did I". He then sent me a clip from a 2006 Israeli kids movie titled "Little Heroes", which indeed features a puppet I made and sold, having no idea it will star in a film (lawyers already advised).

More than not knowing, more than not being credited or paid, I was shocked at the horrible way the poor puppet was operated. No wonder it looked so blue. Time for a puppet operating and handling 101 boys and girls, based on all the errors made in the movie clip my friend sent me.

Here we go - watch and learn.

The errors are:

1. Poor thing is being operated from the.. well.. butt.
   God (or me, in this case) gave your puppet an operating opening at the back of the neck. Use it! No need to sodomize your puppet, or hurt your arm. The operating hole is placed at the best place to provide optimal control of the mouth and head, and minimal harm to your wrist.
   
2. The puppet is not focused.
   His eyes are all over the place, which ruins the illusion of a real character talking. The eyes of the puppet, and therefore, the point which should be facing the audience, are on your knuckles. Make sure you are holding your hand with the knuckles facing straight and slightly downwards. Practice in front of the mirror, to make sure your audience, be it many or or a single person, feels the puppet is looking and talking straight at them.
   
   
   
3. He is moving his mouth too much
   The puppet's mouth is moving non stop. If you look at yourself speak in the mirror, you will realize much of the speech is pronounced with a closed mouth using your tongue and teeth. The puppet should not move its mouth more than twice per word. Practice your puppet saying "toilet sit" (or אזדרכת in Hebrew) while moving its mouth only twice.
   
   Check Erez singing Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix for reference. I'm moving his mouth way too much in this clip, but still it is about half the times the blue one is moving in the movie. This is, after all, opera!
   
   
   
   
   
   

In conclusion, here are the three golden rules for creating a successful illusion of life:

1. Use the tools the puppet designer gave you. Learn the advantages and minuses of your puppet, and the proper way of operating it. And practice practice practice.
2. Keep the puppet focused on its audience.
   
3. Move the puppet as little as needed. Mannerisms are nice on a puppet, but only in the right measure. Do not make it look as if it is possessed.
   

If all this made you long for a puppet of your own, I will gladly make you a small or large one.