When starting a t-shirt business, there are many things to consider. What type of shirts will you sell? Who is your target market? How will you produce and distribute your clothing? And most importantly, is it legal to use licensed characters on shirts?

You can legally sell t-shirts with licensed characters as long as you have permission from the copyright holder. Otherwise, you could face legal penalties. To avoid any trouble, be sure to get written permission from the copyright holder before printing your shirts.

There are many things to consider when it comes to selling shirts with copyrighted material, and it’s not always as simple as putting a logo on a shirt and calling it good. In this blog post, we will explore the legality of selling shirts with licensed characters and give you some tips on how to make sure your business stays within the bounds of the law. So, let’s jump right in.

Can I Sell a Shirt With a Character On It?

If you’re a fan of licensed characters, you know that there’s nothing quite like wearing a shirt with your favorite character on it. Whether it’s a superhero, cartoon character, or movie star, wearing a shirt with their face on it is a great way to show your fandom.

It’s even more fulfilling if you get into the business of selling shirts with licensed characters on them. In this kind of set-up, you’re not only able to celebrate your favorite character by wearing their shirt but also earn money in the process.

But before jumping right into this kind of business, it’s essential to know what the law states about selling shirts with licensed characters on them. The last thing you want is to get sued for copyright infringement just because you didn’t know any better. So, can you sell shirts with licensed characters?

You can only sell shirts with licensed characters if you get the rights to use the images from the copyright holder. If you don’t get permission, selling shirts with these licensed characters will be considered copyright infringement.

However, creating fan art isn’t illegal. Confusing, right? Fan art is a way to create your own characters based on an existing world, but they don’t have to be exact replicas of the copyrighted images. You can use them as inspiration and turn them into something new that doesn’t infringe on copyrights.

As long as you’re doing this without selling your fan art, you’re on the right side of the law. The problem comes in when you sell your design.

You see, your fan projects can hurt the sales of officially sanctioned and licensed merchandise. Therefore, it’s best to avoid selling fan art or original images altogether if you don’t have permission from the copyright holder.

Source: Wasted Talent Inc

How to Safely Sell Shirts with Licensed Characters

The safest way to sell shirts with licensed characters is by getting permission from the copyright holder. But, as you might have guessed, this can be challenging.

You’ll likely need to jump through many hoops before you get any kind of answer at all, and even then, it could be a straight-up no.

So, what do you do? Do you quit your dreams of selling shirts with licensed characters? Not necessarily. There are several things you can do to ensure the images you’re printing on your shirts won’t land you in legal trouble. These include:

Follow Fair Use Guidelines

Fair use protects your right to sell shirts with licensed characters if you’re using them for news, criticism, research or parody. Under fair use guidelines, a company can’t sue you as long as your use of their copyrighted character does not affect the demand for the original work itself.

However, if your shirt business doesn’t fall under the fair use category, then you’re going to have a hard time using copyrighted material. In this case, you’ll need to get permission from the copyright owner or use an unlicensed character.

Purchase Licensed Images

If you really want to use a specific image, you should purchase the rights from its owner. First, contact the company and ask about their licensing requirements for images. Then, follow those guidelines accordingly so you won’t be infringing on any rights when you start selling your shirts.

Use Unlicensed Characters

There are several unlicensed characters that you can use for your shirt designs without having to worry about any legal ramifications. Just be sure to do your research before settling on a specific character or image. You’ll want to ensure that the character is in the public domain or is otherwise available for commercial use.

Go for Creative Commons Licensed Images

Creative Commons is a system that allows content creators to share their work with others while still retaining certain rights. If you use a Creative Commons licensed image, follow the license agreement carefully. Most licenses require that you give credit to the creator of the image, and some may not allow use for commercial purposes.

Therefore, ensure you read the fine print!

Check the Angel Policy of the Image

You’ll also want to find out if there are any limitations on how you can use a licensed image. This is particularly important for pictures of popular cartoon characters that have been used in merchandise, including greeting cards, toys, and t-shirts. These restrictions are known as an “Angel Policy” and may include limits on quantity, types of products, and geographical areas where the image can be sold.

Source: Grace Dobush

Wrapping Up

Starting a business is already hard enough. You don’t need to make it harder on yourself by infringing on another company’s intellectual property. By doing your due diligence and ensuring that you’re using images legally, you can avoid any potential headaches down the road.

If your goal is to create shirts with licensed characters, do the heavy lifting and get permission from the copyright holder. It may take a little more time and effort, but it will be worth it in the end.

However, if you’re flexible with the designs, it’s best to avoid using copyrighted characters altogether. There are plenty of other designs, pre-made t-shirt design templates, and images to choose from that won’t get you in trouble with the law. Not to mention, taking this route will be way more affordable.

Following an update the Photoshop team made to the program in May of last year, users on both Windows and Mac can no longer use the “Save As” function to store images on their devices in JPEG format. Understandably, this change has frustrated longtime users who pay for access to the program. What can you do when Photoshop does not allow you to save as JPEG?

According to the development team, you will have to choose to “Save a Copy”, which creates a copy of your file that you can export as any file type you like. Alternatively, you can use the shortcut control or “command + e” to save files in JPEG format.

Saving files as JPEG is a common function that many people use daily as they complete creative work on their laptops. So, read on to find out more about what you can do when this function no longer works, and why the change was implemented in the first place.

How Can You Save Files as JPEG When Photoshop Won’t Allow It?

There are two key ways you can resolve this issue for yourself and get your work in the file format you need:

1. Using the “Save a Copy” function in the latest version of Photoshop
2. Using shortcuts like Command or “Control + e” 
3. Use alternatives to Photoshop like Placeit.net

1. Save a Copy 

“Save a Copy” is the new function that was added in the May 2021 update to Photoshop rolled out to users on all platforms. It is separate from the “Save As” function but serves the same purpose.

The regular “Save As” function allows you to save files as TIFF, PSD, and PSB files which as non-layered. On the other hand, “Save As Copy” is reserved for the layered file types such as JPEG and PDF.

To use the “Save a Copy” function, go to the File tab and select “Save a Copy” from the drop-down menu, then follow the prompts to choose the file format you need and add a copy of your work to your computer’s hard drive.

2. Using Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts are the quickest way to perform actions on a computer because they allow you to accomplish tasks without relying on drop down menus and dialog boxes. This creates more efficiency. Who doesn’t like getting things done faster?

The shortcut to save a file in JPEG format is “Command + e” on Mac or “Control + e” on Windows.

Piggybacking off of the subject of keyboard shortcuts, you can also change your key bindings in Photoshop settings to make it easier for you to use the Save As Copy function. For example, if you are comfortable using “Control + Shift + S” to Save As, you can go into the Edit menu and select Keyboard Shortcuts to change this default so that it initiates Save as Copy instead.

This process is a bit more involved, but not terrible. Now that we know how to work around the Save As issue, let’s explore why the Photoshop team made this change to begin with.

3. Using a Photoshop Alternative 

Placeit.net is a graphic design site that saves you time and money by allowing you to create your own designs directly in your browser without pesky downloads. You can create an account for free or sign up for premium to access even more templates and design options.

Why frustrate yourself with the changes to and cost of Photoshop when you could be using something more cost effective.

Why Does the Save as Copy Function Now Exist?

The change to Photoshop is a result of an update that Apple made to the Mac operating system recently, which led to the removal of the API (application programming interface) that is used by Photoshop to make the Save As function possible. Because of the change, the team could no longer manipulate the Save As dialog box to allow users to name different file types.

 So, the Photoshop developers were forced to make the Save As Copy function as a result. They had to make sure the base name of files was final before adding the dialog option to save them. This is the way that the Mac operating system now operates.

Long time users of Photoshop are frustrated with this change because they have to work against their muscle memory and complete extra steps to use a function that honestly has not changed since it was invented. There is also disagreement over the fact that the change affects users on all platforms, despite only Mac users needing the change.

Some of the other complaints about the change are that users now have to remove copy from the file name every time they want to save, and that the addition of the extra steps disrupts their workflow within Photoshop.

Reverting to the Original Save As Option

As of last year, it appears the Photoshop team has listened to user feedback and added a way to restore the typical functioning of Save As. You can update the settings within your personal Photoshop by doing the following 

• Windows– navigate to Photoshop, preferences, file handling, then file saving options and choose enable Legacy Save As
• Mac– navigate to edit, preferences, file handling, then file saving options and choose enable Legacy Save As

On Mac, Save As and Save As Copy will appear in the same Legacy dialog box allowing the workflow to function as before. If you pick Save As instead of Save As Copy, you will get a warning that the files could be overwritten because a copy is not being made.

On Windows, the workflow will return to normal, and it will be as if the update never happened. There will be no warning about overwriting files like there is on Mac because the need to make copies of files was never apparent on Windows

With Legacy “Save As”, all user concerns are addressed and everyone can go back to using Photoshop just the way they like it. When users are accustomed to a certain look and feel of an application, it is best not to change things unless it is for the better. However, Photoshop did not have a choice in this case.

Conclusion

To save photos as a JPEG when Photoshop won’t let you, you can either save a copy of your work in JPEG format, use keyboard shortcuts, or enable legacy “Save As”. The change in “Save As” workflow was prompted by Apple’s deletion of the API that made “Save As” possible in a recent operating system update.

We have all been there. We are showing off our PowerPoint and the slide continues on when we aren’t completely done. It is frustrating when this happens, especially when you don’t know how to disable it.

You can disable it though. It only takes a few minutes to adjust the settings within your PowerPoint program. You just need to follow the steps in this article and you will be good to go for when you present your slides.

How To Stop PowerPoint From Moving To The Next Slide

Stopping your Powerpoint from moving from one slide to the next is not difficult. It should only take you a matter of minutes and even quicker when you know how to navigate through the Microsoft program. 

The steps to follow depend on whether or not you are doing the entire presentation or if you are doing an individual slide. You can do either or. 

How To Edit Individual Slides

Sometimes you just want to edit the individual slide instead of the entire presentation. This could be because you have more information to explain to your audience or maybe there are more texts to go over. No matter the reason, here are the steps to editing an individual slide:

1. Open your Microsoft PowerPoint program.
2. Find the slide that you want to edit from the left thumbnail list.
3. Click on “Transitions” under the “Advanced Settings” options.
4. Look for the option “After.”
5. Unclick the box next to the “After” option. 
6. You can also change the option for clicking the mouse for the next slide.
7. Save the PowerPoint before you close the application.

Now you can present your PowerPoint knowing that the slides you need to last longer will do so while the others will continue to automatically transition to the next slide. You can adjust this at any time if you realize you need to make these edits.

How To Edit The Entire Presentation

If you just want to control the rate at which you go from slide to slide, you can edit so the entire presentation won’t automatically move on. You don’t have to do each slide individually. Here are those steps:

1. Launch PowerPoint.
2. Open the slide show you want to edit.
3. Click on the “Slide Show” tab in Microsoft.
4. Choose “Set Up Slide Show”.
5. Select “Manually” in the advanced setting menu and then “Ok”.
6. Save the slide show before exiting the program.

This will change the settings for the entire slide and not just an individual slide. You don’t have to spend extra time sifting through the slides yourself. Always remember to save before you exit your PowerPoint document. If you don’t, the edits won’t be saved and you will have to adjust the settings once again.

How To Edit The Timing Of A Slide

Sometimes you may just want to change the time of the slide without having to turn off the automatic slide transitions. This way you don’t have to manually change the slide which sometimes can disrupt the flow of the presentation.

Editing the timing won’t take you more time than if you were to take off the automatic timing unless you want to change specific slides to be longer or shorter. Here is how you can change the time within your PowerPoint:

1. Open PowerPoint program.
2. Click on the “Transition” tab on the slides.
3. You will find the “Timing Group” where there is a “Duration” box.
4. Change the duration of your slides in the “Duration” box.
5. Ensure you save the settings before leaving the document.

You can also change the type of transition and other features depending on what you want. You can be as unique and flashy or as simple as you want. You can choose what best fits the topic of your presentation.                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Tips To Making A Smoother Presentation

Sometimes it is not the timing of the slide that is causing a disruption in the flow of your presentation. It could be that you need to make your presentation smoother for people to really follow along. Here are some tips to making a smoother presentation to catch your audience’s attention:

• Limit the amount of text you have on your slides.
• Break down text into short, concise chunks.
• Add different types of multimedia like pictures, narrations, music, videos.
• Add some color.
• Try not to overdo it on a slide.
• Don’t crowd the slide.
• Try to only put the most important information on the slides.
• Stick with a consistent theme.
• Simple is sometimes best.
• Ensure the theme matches the ideas and topic within your PowerPoint.
• Practice your presentation aloud a few times.
• Time your presentation before presenting it to an audience.
• Don’t read from the slides the entire time.
• Allow silence for information to sink in as well as to ask questions.
• Don’t rush yourself or the presentation.

It is always good to be concise and straight to the point when you are creating a presentation. Only show the important information and you can add any other information verbally. You want them to focus specifically on the imperative information and adding that to the slides can make it more difficult for your audience to remember that.

Don’t overdo it either. You want to bring attention to the slides but you don’t want it to be so crowded with multimedia that you distract from the topic or just make it hard for your audience to concentrate on one thing at a time.

If you can’t seem to create a theme that works or just having trouble with some of the style of your presentation, you can look at websites that offer templates and pre-made design assets. They give you clean-cut items that you can put into your presentations.

Outro

Microsoft PowerPoint is pretty straightforward when it comes to editing. With a little exploration, you can learn all the ins and outs of the program so that you can make the best presentation. You can make something perfect for you, including the timing of your slides.

If you have an Apple Pencil, you might run into the recurring problem of your Apple Pencil making random lines either in incorrect places or when you are not even intentionally writing. This error can make you question whether you have a faulty Apple Pencil or not. So, why does your Apple Pencil make random lines?

Your Apple Pencil may make random lines for several reasons. This does not mean you have a faulty Apple Pencil. While Apple Pencils can be great, they are bound to have their fair share of problems. In most cases, you can fix the problem of random lines made by your Apple Pencil.

Continue reading to learn more about why your Apple Pencil makes random lines. Whether it is a problem with the connection, the pencil itself, or your device, fixing an Apple Pencil that makes random lines is generally easy. Read below to find out how you could solve this problem.

Why Does Your Apple Pencil Make Random Lines?

There are many reasons why your Apple Pencil makes random lines. From poor connection to a dirty iPad screen to a major hardware issue, it can be difficult to tell what the problem may be. Below are the most common reasons to explain why your Apple Pencil makes random lines.

1. Bluetooth Connectivity Issues

The overwhelming majority of problems that arise from an Apple Pencil have to do with a disrupted Bluetooth connection between your Apple Pencil and iPad. While it is not the only cause, checking to make sure your Bluetooth connection is secure is the easiest way to decide if further action is required. 

If the Bluetooth connection between your Apple Pencil and iPad is disrupted, it can cause your Apple Pencil to lag or may simply make incorrect lines. As mentioned, this is an easy fix. The best way to go about the problem is completely disconnecting the two devices by turning the Bluetooth setting off. After doing so, switch it back on and test for a secure connection.

2. Which App Are You Using?

It may not be your Apple Pencils fault. Sometimes, there may be an internal issue with the application you are using. For example, Notability is one app that customers have repeatedly reported as not working as smoothly as other apps with the Apple Pencil.

This is not to suggest that Notability is not a good app, but if you notice that your Apple Pencil makes random lines in a particular app and not in others, consider finding customer references online regarding the same app to see if this may be a recurring problem. It is also worth keeping in mind that apps that have problems such as this are constantly being updated with bug fixes.

3. Apple Pencil Sensitivity

Another common problem you might have with your Apple Pencil is that the tip is too sensitive. Apple Pencils have a pressure-sensitive Pen tool that can change the sensitivity of the pen. On one end of the spectrum, you can ensure that your Apple Pencil does not make random lines by lowering the sensitivity. 

In another case, your Apple Pencil’s sensitivity may be too high. Even just grazing your iPad’s screen could result in random or unwanted lines. Make sure that you are familiar with the sensitivity of your Apple Pencil to prevent the inconvenience of having to erase random lines.

4. Hardware Issue

In a more serious instance, there might be a problem with the hardware of your iPad or Apple Pencil. It is not common, but you might have the unfortunate occurrence of receiving a faulty Apple Pencil or iPad. If this is the case, your Apple Pencil may make random lines. If you provide proof of the problem to Apple, there is a chance they will fix the situation by offering you a new Apple Pencil or iPad.

Other times, you might simply need to update your iPad. Bugs such as random lines could result if your iPad does not have the latest software. Plus, before you buy an Apple Pencil, make sure your iPad is compatible with the product. You do not want to waste money on a useful tool that does not work with your device.

5. Dirty Apple Pencil Tip

Your Apple Pencil might make random lines simply because it is dirty; there is not always a problem with the setup of your Apple Pencil or iPad. If the tip of your Apple Pencil is dirty, it might not write correctly. If this causes your Apple Pencil to lag, it can make random lines appear.

It is important to make sure you take care of your Apple Pencil to avoid petty problems such as this. Always place it in a clean storage area when not in use, and, before and after use, make sure the Apple Pencil – especially the tip – does not have debris, residue, or anything of the like.

6. Disabled Palm Detection

In some circumstances, your Apple Pencil making random lines may have nothing to do with your Apple Pencil or iPad at all. Palm Detection is a feature that notes whether the object touching your screen is the Apple Pencil or your hand that might sink too low while you are writing. If it detects your hand and not the Apple Pencil, it can know not to mark on that area of the screen.

If your Palm Detection is disabled, this may be the reason there are random lines on your screen. They are not from your Apple Pencil but instead your hand. To fix this, simply enable Palm Detection through the connection settings of your Apple Pencil through your iPad.

7. Screen Protector Interference

If you have a screen protector on your iPad, it may interfere with your Apple Pencil’s connection. Particularly if the screen protector is old, has air bubbles, or is cracked in some areas, it may disrupt the connection. It can cause your Apple Pencils connection to lag, so writing could result in accidental or random lines.

Depending on where on the screen you press, it might make another line in an entirely different area. To avoid this, make sure the screen protector on your iPad is clean and in good condition.

Takeaway

Your Apple Pencil may make random lines for several reasons. As you have learned, most causes are very easy to fix. Other times, you may have to wait a bit to resolve the issue with help from Apple.

PDF files are a great way to send documents, especially across different platforms and devices. You don’t need to purchase a program, and it is easy to view. You don’t have to worry about the formatting or the font changing when you send it this method.

But as many people understand, editing a PDF file can be difficult. Sometimes you may not even edit the document without converting it first. So why is it hard to do this? Here are five reasons it is hard to edit a PDF.

5 Reasons Why PDFs Are So Hard to Edit

PDFs are well-known for how hard they are to edit. Some new users may not even know how to edit these documents. If you have ever wondered why here are some reasons why these documents are difficult to edit:

1. PDFs Are A Flattened File
2. Because PDFs Allow Font Styles To Be Transferred
3. The Programming Of PDFs
4. The Encryption Systems Make It Difficult
5. PDFs Are Designed That Way

1. PDFs Are A Flattened File

PDFs are flattened files meaning that it is compressed. PDFs have all objects within a file like images, links, videos, and more. To ensure that all of that gets transferred when sending the document elsewhere, it is all compressed.

It is hard to isolate the one object you want to edit because there are so many objects within the file. When you try to edit that one object, it could affect all the other objects and thus changing the document completely.

2. Because PDFs Allow Font Styles To Be Transferred

PDF files make it easy to transfer font styles, while other easily edited programs may not have this simplicity. The font storage system enables those fonts to be transferred, making it more difficult for the document to be changed.

3. The Programming Of PDFs

The programming of PDFs makes it hard to change the document. There are so many objects within the document that the programming is designed to make it difficult to edit. It would be hard to program an easily altered file with that many objects.

It was programmed this way to transfer documents filled with so many objects without the document changing. Many devices may not read certain documents or don’t have programming to do so. The way that these are programmed allows this to be possible.

4. The Encryption Systems Make It Difficult

The encryption systems make it hard to edit PDFs. This is meant for security purposes, and when the document can be easily changed, the document isn’t as secure. Anyone could come in and alter the file. With PDF, this encryption system protects this from happening.

5. PDFs Are Designed That Way

PDFs were designed so that they couldn’t be altered easily. This protects the file and makes it better for companies and businesses to send contracts and other legal documents. It makes it harder for others to steal or plagiarize written content.

Documents are safer from being altered and make it easier for a file to be transferred to different types of devices. PDFs are easily downloaded on smaller devices like phones when word documents or Microsoft word are not.

What To Do To Make It Easier To Edit A PDF File

Although editing a PDF file can be difficult, it is not impossible. You can do simple edits on your PDF files with basic Adobe Acrobat programming. You will get more features when you pay for the monthly premium. It depends on what you are looking for and what you need.

You can download several other methods and programs to edit a PDF file. Just understand that the formatting or multimedia within the document may be changed. It could be quite a headache.

Why Not Convert Into A Word Document?

There are many programs that you can use to convert a PDF file. These programs are free most of the time, and you just have to deal with a few advertisements. You can find these online. If you want something that doesn’t have ads or doesn’t have bugs, you can pay from programs as well.

There are a few downfalls when you try to convert a PDF document to a word document or any other type of document. Here are those downfalls:

• Fonts may get changed.
• Fonts could become unreadable.
• Links and attachments may be lost.
• Multimedia objects could convert strangely or be lost.
• The formatting can come out weird or messy.
• The document may become unreadable.

Be aware that any of these things could happen. If you want to try this method, be sure to save the original document just in case the document becomes broken or unreadable. Then you can try other means of editing the document.

How To Edit A PDF File

Although there are several ways you can edit a PDF file, one of the best and easy solutions is to use the Adobe Acrobat program. It is meant to work with PDF files, so there is less chance that the document will become unreadable or change drastically.

Many of Adobe Acrobat’s features are free, but you will need to pay for the premium for more in-depth editing or amazing tools. Here are the steps to editing a PDF file using this program:

1. Ensure that you have downloaded or updated the Adobe Acrobat program.
2. Open up the program.
3. Choose which PDF file you would like to edit.
4. Once the file is opened, sign in to your free account.
5. Use the toolbar to start editing the document with Adobe’s tools.
6. Now you can download the new document or share a link.

When you choose to use Adobe Acrobat, you can use many tools with a PDF file. These tools include the following and so much more:

• Text
• Sticky notes
• Highlights
• Drawings
• Strikethrough content
• Underline content

Outro

PDFs may be hard to edit, but there are many reasons for this. You get a protected document, and you can share it across different devices and more. But don’t fret. You have many options on how to edit a PDF file.

Graphic design is one of the most important aspects of any business. It can be the difference between a customer staying on your website and leaving or picking up a brochure from your table and putting it down. But why does it take so long to complete?

Graphic design primary has two parts; creative and production. The creative part can take a few minutes or hours, but the production part is way more complicated and takes longer. This is mainly due to factors like budget, design needs, the complexity of the design, and back and forth between the designer and client.

Many more factors influence how long it takes to complete a graphic design. This blog post will discuss some of the most common ones. You can work more efficiently with your graphic designer and get your projects completed on time by understanding these reasons.

Why Do Graphic Designs Take So Long to Complete?

Graphic design is one of the most important aspects of any business. It can make or break a company. Therefore, it only makes sense that you’d want to get your graphic design completed as quickly as possible.

But the truth is, the process of creating a graphic isn’t always straightforward. There are several reasons why it can take so long to complete a project:

1. Budgeting Issues

One of the common reasons for delays in graphic design is budgeting issues. Sometimes, businesses don’t have the money to spend on a project and need to wait until they do. 

In other cases, the designer may need more time to create a design within the budget. If the designer has to spend a lot of time tweaking and adjusting a design to make it more affordable, that can significantly increase the overall project time.

2. Lack of Communication

Another common reason for delays is a lack of communication between client and designer. This often happens when clients provide minimal feedback or change their minds about what they want halfway through the project. This can cause delays as the designer tries to figure out what the client wants and make changes to the design.

3. Requests for Changes

Sometimes, clients request too many changes or ask for something simply impossible. This can add hours (or even days) to a project that would otherwise be completed on time.

Clients need to be clear about what they want from the beginning and provide timely feedback to avoid these delays.

4. Designers Have Multiple Projects

Graphic designers are often juggling multiple projects at once. Unfortunately, this means that they may not be able to dedicate all their time and attention to your project right away.

This may be frustrating, especially if your project is urgent. Still, it’s important to remember that designers are not robots and can only complete so many projects on a given day.

How Can I Speed Up My Graphic Design?

While some factors are out of your control, you can do a few things to speed up the graphic design process.

1. Provide Clear Instructions and Feedback

Clients need to be clear about what they want from the beginning and provide feedback promptly. This will help ensure that both parties remain on the same page.

And if you don’t have a lot of design experience, be sure to research the types of fonts and graphics you want to use before meeting with the graphic designer. This way, you can provide specific instructions and avoid any delays.

2. Set a Clear and Realistic Budget

Another thing you need to do is set a realistic budget. To ensure that your project will be finished within your budget, it’s essential to research the average costs of graphic design services in advance and determine how much you are willing to spend on each stage of the process.

For example, if you want a website designed for $200 and have no idea how much it will cost, you need to research how much website designers are charging.

You may also want to consider hiring a professional who can help you with your project and guide the process. This is especially important if you don’t have a lot of experience in graphic design. This way,  you can focus on your business and not worry about the details.

3. Prepare Some Materials Yourself If Applicable

Another way to speed up the process is to provide the designer with all the materials they need upfront. This includes text, logos, images, and other graphics you may want in your design.

If you have a specific vision for your project, make sure to communicate it to the designer as clearly as possible. The more information and materials you have, the easier it will be for them to get started.

4. Make Yourself Available When Necessary

Graphic design is a collaborative process, so you should expect to be involved along the way. If your designer has any questions about your project or needs clarification on something, make sure they know that you are available and ready to help out whenever they need you.

5. Give Reasonable Deadlines

It’s also crucial to give your designer a reasonable deadline for the type of project you’re working on. While it may be tempting to try and get something done quickly, keep in mind that often quality suffers when there’s too much pressure put on designers.

If possible, try to allow for at least one week between each step so that they can take their time. While it may seem like a long time, it will help to ensure that your final product is something you’re happy with.

6. Use Pre-Made Graphic Design Templates

Believe it or not, professional graphic designers don’t always make their projects from scratch. Using pre-made templates as a starting point is becoming more and more popular for many reasons.

This means you may not even need to hire a graphic designer for your project! For instance, Placeit.net is the leader in pre-made graphic design templates, and they offer over 90,000+ templates to customize and use commercially. That’s right, these templates can be used commercially! You can sell them, copyright them, and trademark them!

Source: VMG Studios

Wrapping Up

In an ideal world, you’d be able to hire a designer who could complete your project quickly and easily. However, even the best designers need time to work on their creations.

 While there are things you can do to speed up the process, remember that quality should always be your top priority. By taking the time to plan and design correctly, you’ll end up with a product you can be proud of.

There are a lot of debates about whether Macs or PCs are better for graphic designers. Some people swear by their Macs, while others prefer PCs. Of course, there are pros and cons to both options, but most graphic designers generally prefer Macs.

There are many reasons for this, but we will discuss a few of the most important ones in this blog post. So, if you are a graphic designer and are thinking about switching to a Mac, or if you are just curious about why they are so popular among this group of professionals, then keep reading!

1. It’s the Industry Standard

The primary reason most graphic designers use Macs is that it has become the industry standard. This means that most agencies, companies, and other institutions that hire graphic designers expect them to be proficient in working with Macs.

In addition, since most software used for graphic design is developed for Macs, it can be challenging to find tools that work well on PCs. While some options are available, they often do not have the same level of functionality as their Mac counterparts.

Therefore, most graphic designers choose to work with Macs to ensure that they have access to the best tools and can work seamlessly with other professionals in their field.

Source: Media Caterer

2. They’re Faster and More Reliable

Macs also tend to be faster and more reliable than PCs, which is another reason why many graphic designers prefer them. This isn’t to say that all PCs are slow and unreliable, but Macs have a reputation for being more stable and efficient.

This is due, in part, to the fact that they use different software than PCs. For example, Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator are both available on Macs and PCs, but they work differently on each platform.

However, while some tools are exclusive to Macs, most graphic designers find that the tools they need are available on both platforms. In the end, it comes down to personal preference and what will work best for their workflow.

Some people might prefer PCs because they’re more familiar with the Windows operating system, while others might prefer Macs because of their stability and speed.

3. Simpler Operating System

Another advantage Mac has over PC is its more straightforward operating system. The Mac OS is much more intuitive and easy to use than the Windows OS, and it’s also less prone to viruses or malware. This means that you don’t have to worry about your computer getting hacked by cybercriminals trying to steal important information from your company’s database or your personal files.

Mac computers are also known for their reliability and stability. They’re not as likely to crash or freeze up while you’re working on design projects as their PC counterparts.

Not to mention, you’re not constantly required to install updates like you are on Windows PC. Therefore, you never have to worry about your computer shutting down for an update at the worst possible moment.

Source: Wellfed

4. Luxury Lifestyle

A Mac computer is a luxury lifestyle choice. They’re beautiful, well-made pieces of technology that have been designed with high quality and attention to detail in mind.

Most graphic designers want their workstations at home or office to reflect those same qualities. So, it makes sense that they’d choose an Apple product.

5. Mac Powered Accessories Offer an Unmatched Experience

Another reason many graphic designers prefer Macs is the wealth of high-quality accessories available for them.

From monitors to keyboards, trackpads and mice, there’s a vast array of peripherals explicitly designed for use with Macs. That means you can get an unmatched experience when using your computer for design work.

Not to mention, many of these accessories also work with iPads and iPhones. So, you can have a complete Apple ecosystem in your home or office. Unfortunately, finding compatible accessories for Windows PCs is often a challenge because there are so many different manufacturers with their own unique hardware.

With Macs, you don’t have to worry about compatibility issues, and you can use products that deliver high-quality experiences.

6. The Consistent Design Language

Apple has always been known for its consistent design language. Across all of its products – from the MacBook to the iPhone – users know what to expect when they use an Apple device.

This can’t be said for Windows PCs, which come from various manufacturers like Dell, HP, Lenovo, and others. The design language is all over the place as each manufacturer tries to differentiate themselves with their own unique designs.

With Apple products, it’s easy for designers to transition between devices because they’re all familiar with how they work. This can improve productivity by reducing the time it takes to learn how to use a new device.

7. Top-Notch Hardware

Apple doesn’t come to play when it comes to the hardware inside their devices. Graphic designers need a powerful machine that can handle heavy workloads, and Apple has always delivered.

For instance, the Retina Display on newer MacBooks makes images look crystal clear, which is essential for designers who need to see every little detail in their work.

The MacBook Pro has a powerful M1 Pro processor and 16GB of RAM. So, you won’t have any problems running graphics-intensive applications like Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator.

If you have a laptop that’s not as powerful, consider using an online based graphic design tool (rather than resource heavy Photoshop or Illustrator) to do the same level of graphic design, but without the power requirements.

You don’t even need the latest model either; even an older MacBook Pro can still handle most design-related tasks without breaking a sweat.

In addition to the hardware itself, Apple has also released accessories such as Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad explicitly designed for designers who use their Macs daily.

These peripherals have been designed with ergonomics in mind. Therefore, they are comfortable to use, even after hours of drawing pictures or editing videos.

Source: Austin Knight

Wrapping Up

If you’re a budding graphic designer, or you’re simply looking for a new laptop that can handle all of your design needs, you may have wondered why every designer seems to be hooked to the Apple’s Mac lineup.

There are many reasons, but the ones we’ve listed above are some of the most important.

Do you have any reasons why you think Macs are better for graphic design? Let us know in the comments below!

When working with freelance designers, you have a lot to consider. In many cases, freelancers can cost less than traditional employees. But you may want to know if they charge things like sales tax.

In general, freelance designers don’t charge sales tax because they offer services and not physical products, but it can vary between states. However, a designer may charge sales tax if they sell a physical item, such as a design print. Be sure to consider the work and location to determine if they will charge sales tax.

Whether you’ve hired a designer before or not, you should consider all of the costs. You may not have to pay employment taxes on freelancers, but sales tax is different. Keep reading to learn more about designers and sales tax.

Sales Tax Rates

The sales tax rates can change, so they may go up or down depending on the year. However, it helps to get an idea of the sales tax rates. That way, you can know how much you’ll have to pay for a given service.

As of early 2021, Tennessee had the highest sales tax rate of 9.55%. Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon didn’t have sales tax at all. Alaska had the lowest tax rate that wasn’t 0%, and the state’s rate was 1.76%.

These numbers include state sales tax as well as local sales tax. Be sure to ask your freelance designer if they also have to collect local sales tax. Then, you can estimate your total cost based on the service and all applicable taxes.

Including Sales Tax

Before you hire a freelance designer, you may want to consider if they will include sales tax in their overall rate. When you buy products, you usually have to pay sales tax on top of the total that the items cost.

Some freelance designers may run their businesses the same way. So you can expect to pay the rate they quote you as well as the sales tax. For example, if you hire a designer in Tennessee for a $1,000 project, your total may end up being $1,095.50.

Knowing if the designer will charge you more in tax may not seem like a big deal. But as you hire for bigger projects, you can see that you may owe a lot more. Then, you can make sure you can afford the total amount.

If you’re on a tight budget, tell your potential freelance designer. They can let you know the total with sales tax. In some cases, the sales tax may make you rethink hiring a particular designer. You might choose someone else or no designer at all.

Design Services vs. Products

When buying from a freelance designer, you will probably hire them for a service. You may order a custom logo or some other design materials. That can be a great way to get the designs you need to start or grow your business.

Of course, you can consult your state and theirs regarding sales taxes on services. Then, you can figure out if you will owe extra money.

However, you might buy a design product from a freelancer. Some freelance designers will sell templates, prints, and other products. In that case, they will need to follow the sales tax laws for products, which can differ from that of services.

If you purchase design templates from a designer in a state with no sales tax at all, you will just need to pay the listed price. But in most cases, you can expect to pay some state or local sales tax when buying a design product.

Is It Worth Hiring a Freelance Designer?

Before you hire a freelance designer, you may wonder if it’s worth it. Design rates can already be quite high, and sales tax can make the total that much more expensive.

In many cases, hiring a freelance designer is worth it. You may need to pay sales tax, but you won’t have to pay employment or payroll taxes like you would with an employee. Even if you hire someone who charges a high sales tax rate, you could still come out ahead.

Of course, you can also do some basic design yourself. Tools like Placeit.net make it easy to create simple designs that you can use in your business.

As your business grows, so will your design needs. At that point, it can be worth using tools to generate your own ideas. Then, you can hire a designer to flush them out and make them look unique and on-brand with your business.

How Much Do Freelance Designers Charge?

Along with an overall fee and potentially sales tax, freelance designers shouldn’t have a ton of fees. When you hire a freelancer, you can expect to pay either a flat rate per project or an hourly rate for their work.

If a designer charges hourly, you may pay anywhere from $25 to about $150 per hour. A designer with more experience will be closer to the top end of that range.

Some designers prefer to charge project rates. That can be nice when working with a designer because the price you pay won’t change. Consider pricing for some common design projects:

• Logos: $100-$5,000
• Business cards: $100-$2,500
• Illustrations: $90-$465
• Infographics: $100-$2,000
• eBooks: $200-$2,500

The price you pay for these services depends on the designer’s experience, location, and demand for their services. Some designers may charge a rush fee if you need them to finish your project quickly.

Freelance designers can be very helpful for you and your business. But be sure to keep the total cost in mind when setting up a project.

Final Thoughts

Freelance designers can charge a lot for their expertise and their craft. Before you hire one, you should consider all potential costs, including sales tax. Not all freelance designers charge sales tax, but some have to, depending on where they live. Be sure to ask a designer if they include sales tax in their pricing to get a full idea of the cost.

When it comes to graphic design, there are a variety of different art styles and ways to convert and move different images. Often in graphic design, you will see pictures that are comprised entirely of pixels that need to be converted into a clearer image that is created by using programs that have mathematical formulas. Two such programs which convert pixelated images are Live Trace and Image Trace. Are these two the same thing?

While the result on a picture is the same and they are both used in Adobe Illustrator, these are two entirely different programs. Live Trace is used in older versions of Adobe Illustrator, while Image Trace is used in newer versions.

Because these two programs have the same result and are both used in Adobe, some aspects of how the images are converted may be similar. However, there are also differences, as well. Below, we will explore some of these similarities and differences. Read on to find out more.

What are the Similarities Between Live Trace and Image Trace?

If you have updated to a newer version of Adobe Illustrator, then it might come in handy to know what some of the similarities are between Live Trace and Image Trace. It can help ease you into a smoother transition and you won’t be overwhelmed thinking that you need to relearn everything. Some of the similarities include the following:

• In both, you will import and paste the image from elsewhere. In either program, after you have opened it, you will paste the picture you want to use by clicking the file button, then clicking open and selecting the image you want to use.
• For both, you will click on a button labeled “Image Trace” to convert the image. Although these buttons are located in different places depending on which program you are using, they both serve the same function.
• For both, you will have the option to change the preset option. This means you are not limited to simply converting to a black and white image, though the default option is black and white for both.

What are the Differences Between Live Trace and Image Trace?

As already stated, the final result of using either of these programs will be the same or very close to the same. However, since Image Trace is a newer program some improvements and adjustments have been made to make the process more streamlined. Some of these differences include the following:

• In Image Trace, you will need to highlight the picture you want to convert before you can convert it. In Live Trace, the image will highlight itself after you have entered the menu are where you will be able to select the trace options.
• In Image Trace, the Image Trace button is located right at the top center of the page. In Live Trace, to access the image trace button, you need to click on the button labeled Window at the top left of the screen, then click on the option labeled “Image Trace” from the scroll-down menu which will then open up another menu where you can choose which settings you want for your image trace.
• In Image Trace, if you want you can convert the image to a black and white image right away by just clicking the “Image Trace” button, and to access the other options you will click the down arrow button to the right. In Live Trace, you will have to press the “Mode” button before you can choose any style or color to convert.
• In Image Trace, it converts the image immediately. In Live Trace, you may have to give additional permission and it will take a bit longer.

Conclusion

As a graphic designer part of the job is converting images from one style to another. One common conversion that you may have seen others do or will do yourself at some point is converting pixelated images into trace images. There are many options for trace images including black and white or highlighting different areas or using different effects. Two programs used in Adobe Illustrator for trace imaging are Live Trace and Image Trace.

While both these programs do the same thing, the process of how to get to the result is a bit different. Image Trace has a much more streamlined approach, where you can just click an “Image Trace” button at the top of the screen, for a nearly instant conversion. Live Trace, on the other hand, requires you to get to the image trace option via the “Window” button before you choose the settings to what you want and click “Okay”. 

Whether you are a designer, a business owner, or a merchandiser, well-designed shirts can be a hit. In recent years, shirts with song lyrics have gained popularity as a fun and poetic way to advertise one’s music taste. However, you may be wondering if it is technically legal to print and sell shirts with song lyrics on them.

Although it is possible to sell shirts with recognizable song lyrics on them, a business often has to obtain a licensing agreement with the copyright owner of the lyrics. This can be difficult to manage and potentially costly. If a business does not obtain this permission, it may be subject to a copyright infringement lawsuit.

Navigating legalities, especially when you are a business owner or designer, can be difficult, especially when you are dealing with information that is legally owned by someone else. Keep reading to learn more about why it is difficult to sell shirts with song lyrics on them and how you can get permission if you wish to do so.

» MORE: Can You Sell Custom Shirts Without a License?

Is it Legal to Sell Shirts With Song Lyrics on Them?

Maybe you are a business owner with an established line of clothing or an aspiring designer with an idea for a great t-shirt. Either way, if your design requires the use of song lyrics, there are several reasons why it can become legally tricky to sell this product.

The Rules of Copyright

Copyright law is an intricate field that many people spend years studying to become knowledgeable professionals. When there is intellectual property, such as songs, it usually belongs to one or more of the following entities:

• Individual artists
• Agencies
• Record labels

A hit song is likely to be heavily copyrighted and finding out who owns them can be a challenge.

The Price of Copyright Agreements

If you are determined to have the lyrics of that new hit song on your shirt design, you may have to face the reality of a hefty price tag. Negotiating copyright agreements often involves legal fees and also money you will have to pay to the artist or individual who owns the lyrics. Even if this is a fairly obscure song, the prices can quickly add up.

» MORE: How To Make A Free T-Shirt Design Without Photoshop

How to Legally Design Shirts With Song Lyrics on Them

First and foremost, the borders between what is a song lyric and what is just a collection of words may seem difficult to distinguish. In general, if the lyrics are recognizable and can be attributed to a certain artist, that most likely means that these lyrics fall under the protection of copyright laws.

If you are determined to include song lyrics on your shirts, it is essential to follow these requirements.

• Talk to the copyright owner: Whether this is the musician or an agent, you will need to somehow get in touch with a representative who owns the rights to the song to negotiate permissions.
• Talk to a copyright lawyer: Having someone on your side who understands the intricacies of copyright law can be very helpful. Schedule a consultation with an attorney who specializes in matters of copyright law.
• Make the lyrics unrecognizable: If all else fails and getting an agreement for certain lyrics is unattainable or too costly, you can choose just a few select words from the lyrics to avoid recognition. Though this may seem to defeat the point, it can still result in an eye-catching design without the potential legal repercussions.

These different strategies will help you should you still choose to include lyrics on your shirt design.

What Happens if You Do Not Ask for Copyright Permission?

If you decide to print lyrics on a shirt and sell it without copyright permission, you may find yourself the recipient of a cease and desist letter at the very least. If you intend to sell your merchandise to a wide audience, it is inevitable that sooner or later someone will investigate the copyright. When they do, you may even find yourself subject to a copyright infringement lawsuit.

It is up to you to make sure you have the permissions in place before you start circulating shirts with song lyrics widely for public sale.

» MORE: What Happens If You Use A Free Font For Commercial Use?

Conclusion

The appeal of words as a design tool is undeniable, especially when the words in question are catchy song lyrics. However, if you choose to print song lyrics on a t-shirt design intended for sale, you may run into some legal issues. Most song lyrics are protected by copyright laws, and you may need to arrange an agreement beforehand to legally sell them on a shirt.