Being Genuine, and Designing Shirts

So, I've thought about designing shirts for a long time now. I have a sketch pad of shoes and shirt designs that I've created in the past. I never saw those drawings and ideas become a reality due to part laziness and part being overwhelmed with dimensions, size fittings, and seamstress details.

Then, I recently came across an advertiesment that showed a photograph over a whole sweatshirt. Stylisitically, it looked a little over-the-top for my style preferences, but I thought that if I made some changes to the design and adjusted the size of the photo, I could make something that I like. So, with all the online designing programs and pre-fitted shirts available, I realized I could make shirts with art and photographs without much stress.

Maybe that's the simple point of art - just making something you like. Once you try to make something for the sake of selling it, you're already starting to change the natural creative process into what you think it more "martketable." It then begins to become inauthentic because you're trying to make something based on the hope that someone else will like it - not because you are creating something for the joy of creating.

We all know those people who seem to be really smiley and excited all the time - never letting others show what's on the inside. The act may fool some people, but ultimately, we can sense what's real and what's fake. Be genuine in creating your art and you'll respect yourself for it. Real art is unique art - that's the kind that the world needs. Don't do it to be famous - however, and ironically, the artists who are most respected and whose work lasts the longest are those who dare to be genuine.