New Trello Board! And other updates!
15 days ago
– Mon, Sep 11, 2023 at 03:53:46 AM
Hi all, I know I promised an update before, but I've been working on this Trello board so you can all keep track of the progress on this project by character:
https://trello.com/invite/b/mUvZrpyH/ATTIbb42f33b876d2962e095179f656f0b1cAC9209EA/interchangeable-pride-ks
It is still a work in progress and I am currently updating it, and will be doing so regularly from now on.
I've decided that I will most likely be putting the enamel pins into production first and fixing the issues with the magnetic toppers in the meantime. My goals in the next week include moving many things in the revisions column into production as many of them require only minor edits, and to move hopefully all the items from the file prep stage into the sampling stage.
Right now, the biggest issue lies with the magnet placement in the backs of the toppers, which aren't aligned 100% on the flags. I've been attempting to test the stability of the hold with various samples I've received. However, another problem is that my manufacturer did not put the magnets in the right way, which means some magnets are repelling the toppers and so I'm unable to test every design. The smaller designs have a decent amount of hold, and while the placement of the bigger designs is slightly wider, the hold is decent on those as well. I'm not sure how much they would benefit from an exact match, but it would require retooling every back mold again, and I don't know if it's necessary. Nevertheless, my manu misunderstood the intended width apart the magnets should be on the back. I may get another back mold made and sent to see if it would be more secure, though the current magnets seem to be holding decently.
The back mold of the hearts needs a complete overhaul and I'm working with my manu to figure out a way to make them both stable and for the magnets to be in the right position. Currently, they're a bit too low, as they're in a row across the back. I'll have to stagger them to make it work, since the one in the middle cannot go higher than the dip in the middle of the heart. Also, there are three magnets in each heart, which means that the toppers do not have a bottom magnet to hold them in place. While I didn't intially think this would be an issue, as I assumed the magnets would latch onto the metal even without magnets, this didn't turn out to be true. I don't know if the hearts have enough space to fit a bottom magnet for each side. If they do, the middle would not have a bottom magnet as there is no space. Without a bottom magnet, the toppers do swing somewhat, but they are still secure on the pin. Is this a concern for y'all? Please let me know what you think.
I will be moving more designs to production after some minor tweaks in the color samples as some are still not right, but very close to it. After receiving the samples in person, I'm much better able to assess the screenprint and I'm happy to say a lot of the concerns in the last sample round were due to bad lighting. However, some definitely need adjustment, like Marceline.
And last but not least, I want to take the time to truly apologize for dropping the ball so hard on this project. I don't want to make excuses or spend time defending myself as I do want to take accountability. This has been a difficult time adjusting to my first year as a full time artist among other things, and I absolutely know that I have been really lax in keeping up with this here. Conventions and my online store are my main sources of income now, and they take away from the time I am able to be home and work on things. But again, not an excuse. I promise to be better in the future with this, and to everyone who has had the patience, thanks for sticking with me. To show my commitment, I will be shutting down my online stores temporarily to work on this project and move it forward so I no longer have outside distractions. I will be doing as much work as I can on this project in the next couple months to get everything done.
Thank you for listening, and if you have any questions or concerns, please comment below or the dms are open!