We are all individuals... I'm not!
03/10/21 04:29
So it's been an interesting few weeks here in Custom'd land. This site is slowly taking shape, the Facebook and Instagram accounts are all set up and the tricky process of setting up listings, discounts, shipping etc on the shopping cart software is taking shape and slowly making sense.
However, over the last couple of years I've shared my ideas for this venture with several colleagues, friends and family members while I sus out what they would want, are interested in and what they'd like.
The biggest thing is that almost everyone I've shown the painting by numbers too LOVES the idea of getting stuck in but one person asked if it can be painted for them (Carmel!) and several people made the point that they were never happy with the results of their photos, from a camera or on their phone. I took this on board and felt that I didn't want to exclude anyone and really wanted the experience to be for everyone so I took this away and decided that choosing an image collectively was still making a choice and creating something individual.
James, a long suffering friend and rock solid supporter just didn't get it. He asked why I'd fundamentally changed my principles of offering affordable, personalised goods at a great quality and initially I was stumped.
Why had I? Was the Splat Pack a truly terrible idea?
The way I see it, if enough people tell you that they would love to have a go at your product or service but they don't have the thing you require- you're letting them down by not adapting.
I made the decision that we could try a painting or two that weren't individual… then it hit me, why not make it a membership and allow people to show each other what they were doing, help each other with techniques and tips and allow those members to choose the coming months paintings.
As I enjoy the Beatles (best band in the world EVER) and there are lots of great images of them to choose from we could start there. Then each month we can choose a different icon of entertainment. I'm completely open to suggestion.
There are obvious choices (Bowie, Madonna, Prince, Michael Jackson etc) but there must be thousands when you start to factor in actors (Brando, Pacino, Marilyn Monroe etc) and each person will have their own ideas.
It'd be cool to be in a group all painting the same image at the same time, and that image will still be customised by me to make a more perfect image to paint as well.
So what do you think? Have I broken my own rules before I've even started? Is it right to choose the first image to make into the club?
Let me know!
However, over the last couple of years I've shared my ideas for this venture with several colleagues, friends and family members while I sus out what they would want, are interested in and what they'd like.
The biggest thing is that almost everyone I've shown the painting by numbers too LOVES the idea of getting stuck in but one person asked if it can be painted for them (Carmel!) and several people made the point that they were never happy with the results of their photos, from a camera or on their phone. I took this on board and felt that I didn't want to exclude anyone and really wanted the experience to be for everyone so I took this away and decided that choosing an image collectively was still making a choice and creating something individual.
James, a long suffering friend and rock solid supporter just didn't get it. He asked why I'd fundamentally changed my principles of offering affordable, personalised goods at a great quality and initially I was stumped.
Why had I? Was the Splat Pack a truly terrible idea?
The way I see it, if enough people tell you that they would love to have a go at your product or service but they don't have the thing you require- you're letting them down by not adapting.
I made the decision that we could try a painting or two that weren't individual… then it hit me, why not make it a membership and allow people to show each other what they were doing, help each other with techniques and tips and allow those members to choose the coming months paintings.
As I enjoy the Beatles (best band in the world EVER) and there are lots of great images of them to choose from we could start there. Then each month we can choose a different icon of entertainment. I'm completely open to suggestion.
There are obvious choices (Bowie, Madonna, Prince, Michael Jackson etc) but there must be thousands when you start to factor in actors (Brando, Pacino, Marilyn Monroe etc) and each person will have their own ideas.
It'd be cool to be in a group all painting the same image at the same time, and that image will still be customised by me to make a more perfect image to paint as well.
So what do you think? Have I broken my own rules before I've even started? Is it right to choose the first image to make into the club?
Let me know!