The Derby is Over

Well, after an exhausting week of living on the edge of my seat and promoting my maze design like crazy, the voting has finally closed and the winners are being announced. 1st place was announced this morning at 1AM Eastern Standard Time. It was a goblins design that I was sure would come in first. It's really a fantastic sketched piece utilizing great detail and a great sketchy quality that makes it feel more organic and artistic.

Second place will be announced again at 1AM tomorrow morning, and 3rd place at 1AM Sunday morning. I think I've bitten my nails to the bone. I know I'm in the top 9, and judging by the voting patterns I was watching, I think it would be safe to say I'm in the top 7.

A win would be huge for me. Coming in 2nd or 3rd at this point would mean $1000, plus $2 for every shirt sold after the first day. If the shirt does good in sales, this could mean a nice little royalties check every month until the shirt is retired. I could catch up with the bills I'm behind on, and with the royalties check, put money aside for the vacation in May, and start putting some money aside for a down payment on a house.

I started this year with 1 resolution, to make an extra $10,000 this year with my illustration work. I think it's both a modest and an ambitious goal. Totally achievable I think.

Also, more big news! A certain well known T-Shirt company has contacted me this week to inform me they want to print one of my designs! I don't think I should discuss the details of this little transaction yet. I will say, it's a design we've all seen, and it will be on sale for 24 hours and 24 hours only with very little hope of a re-print from this company. During that 24 hours, I will be making $1 for every shirt sold. This would make a nice little paycheck for the few hours work it took to design. I will update when I have anything official to say.

I'm working on a couple illustrations this weekend that I think are absolutely hilarious and have gotten great responses from the people I've told the ideas to. So, with any luck, by Sunday I'll be able to post sketches and finals in a new post.