Sales have slowed for me lately but it is so easy to upload to that as long as it keeps ticking over I am willing to keep supporting them.

Not sure if this is a really great idea or a really bad idea but some of the logos made me smile

Drawing you a horrible logo

As you can see from my name nicemonkey, I also went down the professional route! 

No in all seriousness I dont think it really matters but something memorable is always good.

If you ever fancy chancing your arm at vectors I have put some tutorials on my site.

Count me in...I would be up for some kind of co-op arrangement.

Here is a stock site that is for sale...we just need to re-brand it! http://flippa.com/auctions/104239/Creative-Stock-Website

Just wondering if the owners/employees/reviewers from one site submit their images to other site? or is this a big no no?

Quote from: lefty on August 25, 2010, 19:12
Summer holidays. August. Everybody go away with family . 100% face change too incredible turn face for even Shutterstock. The rejection must be due to substitute reviewers . Thank you for warning. I will withdraw my submission until I see indication  regular reviewers back from vacation.

Sadly not the case it seems like they have made a policy change, I have just got a reply from shutterstock

"As Shutterstock's collection continues to grow, the need for certain types of common images decreases. Your recently rejected images fall into this category.  This is not to say we have quit approving these types of image completely, only that we have become more selective with them. If a flag or abstract image is particularly dynamic, we will certainly accept it. "

Quote from: sobm on August 25, 2010, 12:03

Quote from: keo on August 25, 2010, 10:52
me too! all abstract background and seamless vector also rejected.

so what kind of vector they want??SS please tells us...............

I guess the type that is more detailed and are one offs...the kind that you do not want to give away for a few cents!

I am not normally one to moan  and I tend to keep my head down but recently I have noticed that my approval rating for my illustrations on shutterstock has flipped from pretty much 100% to 100% rejection. I understand that rejection is all part of the game and its just something that you have to take but the thing that worries me is the swing.

The main reasons have been either "Too Simple--Overly simple vector" or "Too many on site--We do not need this image at this time". If my images were not selling or just one type of (category) image I would understand but I have they are not. Has anyone else had the same issues?

I don't envy you, trying to get into istock with my illustrations made me age at least 5 years! and if I remember correctly it took 4 attempts.

Background are definitively a big no no for the application, check out the "highest rated" section in the most popular list. I echo the thoughts of Stormchaser regarding the open points, gradients etc...

For the initial sublimations they like something a bit different.

Good luck, and expect rejection the first time then if you get through you will be pleasantly surprised 

I agree with cthoman, it would also work if you just focused on the shark itself and the blue sea background...make it bigger and ditch the rest of the elements.

and as for the comment (tongue in cheek) from "stormchaser" they dont take all the vector crap us vector artist submit..some of it gets rejected. 

The 8 speed hub has been around for a couple of years now and has stood up very well to British winter conditions.

As for the lights / bike dilemma its quite easy...both  Getting back on your bike will give you the energy (and time to think of new concepts) to produce more images and thus pay for the lights! 

Shimano is releasing their new Internal geared Alfine hub which will be 11 speed, currently it is only 8 speed. Which basically looks like a single speed thus no rear mech or cassette to fill with mud or dangle in the greenery.

The bike is designed mainly for winter riding and mud so the spread of gears is less of an issue as well as the lack of top end.

Not a bad idea Magnum....maybe a laptop might be more useful.

If it gets enough favorable reviews, they will produce a prototype for me to review. So with some help from my friends on here.....

Not related to microstock in any way but I just wanted to tell somebody of my latest project.

I have combined my two loves illustration and mountain biking and with the help of the people at Kingdom bikes, may I present...the Mud plugger

Its always been a project that has been bubbling in the back of my mind and with some encouraging feed back on the website it might make the light of day 

I have the same issue and another bug is if you choose the "apply search filter from other image" it not only changes the categories and other data it also changes the file name (but not the keywords)

dead for me too and getting deader! 

Just got mine today....

Graphic Leftovers is a nice little find with regular sales (about the same level as fotolia for me).

Graphic Leftovers

I have had 11 sales so far and I have only put a small part of my portfolio online so I am watching closely to see if things pick up.

DepositPhotos Link

Yes it does increase your sales as it give the customer an editable option.

I have put some tutorials on my site to get you started. 

I have 242 files online with DepositPhotos to test the water and get the initial bonus for upload (which they paid out promptly), since then I haven't uploaded any more images but have had 10 sales. I was wary at the start but I am now reconsidering uploading more of my portfolio.

Uploading Vectors can be a nightmare and it has taken me a while to work out a system that works.

Dreamstime, upload the jpeg then check in the "unfinished file" section, each file has a "file ID" copy and paste that to each of the relevant eps files then upload the files via ftp into the "additional folder"

Fotolia, Forget about SVG (they tried that then allowed eps upload) just compress each jpeg and eps together...with the same name (into one file) then upload via ftp as normal.

All of these people shamelessly promoting their affiliate links, you wouldn't catch me doing it! 

Dont click me!