Well, I don't normally click on ads, but the Eyeshades one caught my eye. That is until I saw the cost! $180.00 for a sun screen!!!!! That woman is NUTS!

http://artisticreflection.com/MINI_EyesPurchase.html

 

Maybe not your slice of pie but there are a lot of people who are prepared to buy them. There is a thread on here somewhere that has people signing up to buy them.

 

I hope they come with a lifetime warranty! Yeah, for 200 I can think of other things to buy especially when State Farm was giving them away at one point.

 

$180 may seem like a lot, but if you think about it, you are getting a custom designed, one of a kind piece of art for your car. Not everyone's cup of tea, but her designs are great, and I personally can't wait to get mine

 

Not really one of a kind if I can choose the same thing as you. Also, you are putting it in the sun which means it will fade over time. I'm glad you are excited and I hope you enjoy it but 180 is really steep for that kind of art in my opinion.

 

Okay, granted, they were a bit more one of a kind in the beginning, when she was taking requests for different expressions and such, but still, they are fully customizable.

Oh well, to each his own. I feel the same way about titanium shift ***** and such

 

I don't have one of those either but at least the weight adds to a faster throw so there is some functionality.

You are right to each is own and I just saw the thread and it seems a lot are interested so good for her. Enjoy your shade!

 

Well personally daflake, I think its silly when people put those Disney car images in there sig.....oops, sorry...

OK, just kidding, couldn't resist a little teasing!

 

Yeah, that didn't cost me 180! As I said, I was interested until I saw the price. 100, ok... 180 yeah no thanks!

On a serious note, if people are willing to pay then I guess she has a product. Nothing wrong with that.

 

I also think $180.00 is a bit steep for a sun shade. What most people will do is only use the sun shade for special occasions such as car shows or MINI meet ups and drives. It only makes sense to protect your investment. Use the $25.00 dollar sun shade for everyday use, why let the suns rays destroy your fancy one.I think a line of MINIS at a MINI rally with these sun shades installed would look cool, hope someone gets a photo.

 

Someone pointed out this thread to me, so I guess I'd better chime in here.

My biggest obstacle with the Eyeshades up to this point hasn't been customizing, or even coming up with ways to meet your individual design requests. It's the price.

Believe me when I say that I know it's steep for a sunshade. I nearly didn't go through with making them available at all when I had to sit down and figure out the pricing. I even went through the trouble of setting up a group purchase to save everyone some money.

The Eyeshades started out as one simple one-time print that I really only wanted for my own MINI. Then I got a lot of folks asking for me to make them one and it went from there.

Of course, over time I'll be refining the process and looking for ways to lower the price wherever possible. That might mean sacrificing the ability to pick your own colors in some cases or even using a more cost efficient shade that is no longer fitted to the MINI (not preferable, obviously, since most standard shades are way too big).

For now, I'd like to keep the quality as high as possible and won't be losing any of those specifics quite yet. I'm really satisfied with how the shades are being produced and I think that those who have purchased one will appreciate the work that went into them and the quality of the final product.

 

This might be a bit of a rant, and I have to preface it by saying that this comes out of long-standing issue in another hobby-area of mine (knitting--I know, laugh away if you want!). I'm not knocking anyone here or trying to change anyone's mind about the price tag or anything, just something to consider in regard to the pricing. Another disclaimer: I'm clearly a bit biased since I ordered one. So just take this FWIW...

There's sort of a longstanding issue in the art/hobby/crafting arenas with artists/designers/craftspeople etc. undervaluing their own work and having their work undervalued by others. Coming from that perspective, I'm actually glad to see Dittin charging what she is for her work. There's a lot of time and work that go into creating something (beyond the manufacturing, which I know is being done by a company) that people take into account. Yes, once she has an expression made, it probably doesn't take that long to change the colors, but the creation of the designs in the first place is more time consuming than people realize. I feel that she should get a reasonable fee for her work over and above the cost of production, and so I don't really have a problem with the price.

Here's an example from my knitting perspective. If I knit a pair of socks (a small item most people don't think involves a lot of time and effort), it takes me on average between 40 and 60 hours to knit the socks, depending on the design and size (and I'm a fairly quick knitter). So let's say 50 hours. Assuming I'm working for Texas state minimum wage, which is $7.25 an hour, that means that my labor cost alone is $362.50. Add to that $20 for the cost of the yarn, and my cost in producing the socks is $382.50. That's almost a $400 pair of socks just to cover my time and materials, with no added profit on top of it!

On Etsy, I commonly see handknit socks going for $30-$45 a pair. Being generous and assuming I get $45 for them, that means I would have made $1.11 an hour, not even taking into account the cost of the yarn! If you factor in that $20, I would have made $0.50 an hour!

And yet knitters consistently sell their goods at these rates. So I love seeing an artist or craftsperson who actually knows and values the value of their work. Of course, I do it for fun, and don't sell me stuff, so I don't have to worry about it, but it does give one pause to think about it, and sort of makes me think about who I bestow my gift-knitting on and whether they'll really appreciate it or not.

Anyway, like I said, I'm not trying to say anyone should or has to buy one, or that anyone should change their mind about how they feel about the cost, but it is just something to take into consideration. Dittin has to pay for the shades and the printing, and recoup her own labor costs as well. That said, I totally understand people not wanting to spend that much on a sunshade, and I'm certainly not saying that everyone has to or should only buy handmade or crafted items and shell out masses of money on them. But for those people who think that this is something they'd want to have, that's just my humble opinion and perspective on what goes into that price.

Again, not knocking anyone or their opinion/feeling on the price. Just sharing my $0.02 on it as someone coming from a crafting background.

 

Oh trust me, I get the value of art but I also understand fair market value. However, I can't see the overall process of this costing 180. Sorry, but the computer prints most of it up and the artwork should be fairly straight forward. If they were hand painted maybe but they aren't, it is just vinyl on a regular screen.

As I said, people seem to be paying but as I also mentioned there are people like me that would be interested that will not pay that cost. I can't justify it and can certainly apply 180 to other mods.

I also hope that she got permission to use that style from Disney as I am certain that is copy-written. You may need that money for lawyer fees...

 

I almost had a heart attack after clicking on the ad. I would one day like to have a cheaper version, like in the ~$50 range. Thanks for listening

 

I'm not exactly sure on this one but, you can't copyright a style of something. Its like MINI's and their unique style of bonnet stripes, you can use them on other vehicles too. The artwork is her own, the way she applied it was her own, the original idea behind it might be questionable but, the end product is deffenitly her own. They are not marketed as a Disney/Pixar product, and never where.

I support her and all the other people with hobbies such as this, to do with it what they want. If that's make a little money, so be it. I see that $180.00 price tag as fair, with the amount of work, and time spent on just making theese into reality. You cant help the manufacturing costs, which she has tried her best to keep as low as possible without selling people a pice of lazer jeted poster board. I will probably someday end up ordering one myself, if I ever start back into the show scene.

If I am wrong, and there is some copyright law protecting puting a certian style of eyeballs on a car, than it looks to me from your sig, that you are guilty of a little infringement yourself.

Keep up the good work Dittin.

 

Actually you are wrong there, it is art, and if Disney wanted to pursue it they could. Her eyes are too similar to the pixar ones that have a copyright. As for my sig, I am not selling it so they won't bother. I already said I was originally interested.

As for the rest, if people are willing to pay then go for it. However, I can find better things to spend 180 on and I am entitled to my opinion.

 

And opinions are like @ssholes...

Most folks would appreciate it if you kept both to yourself.

If you want to argue "fair use" versus "copyright infringement", your logic of, "I'm not making any money off of it." does not mean you are not breaking copyright laws. Money is not the only yardstick by which fair use is measured. If anything infringes on Disney's intellectual property, it'd be your signature block over the Eyeshades. Dittin is just just selling eyes, your signature has what appears to be a complete "Cars" character in it.

 

Yeah, uh the difference is that I am not profiting on their design. Nice try... Don't like my opinion then move on to a new thread but I do find it interesting that you had to share your opinion. Perhaps you should read the first part of your own post...

If Disney asked me to remove it I would gladly do it and I still think that the shade is WAY overpriced even at the new price of 155 but enjoy it.

 

If you could make one for cheaper, and of the same quality, go for it!

 

I stated earlier that if you liked it then enjoy it. You guys are the ones that keep coming in with your pom poms trying to create an argument. Could I get one made cheaper? Probably, as my mother-in-law is an artist but that really isn't what we were discussing here is it... Nice attempt to change the subject though.



My only argument is that it is an expensive item for what it is.

One last bit on this thread as I think it has run long enough...

I was looking at Kristan's other work and I do think that she is a fabulous artist. This certainly isn't a ding on her skills as it does take lots of talent to do what she does.

 

I was pointing out factual errors in your post, not stating an opinion. A fact is something like, "Not making money on someone else's intellectual property, does not constitute fair use." An opinion would be something like, "I think you are a self-centered jerk just trying to p!ss on someone else's good idea and good fortune."

See the difference?

 

No, yours is actually opinion much like mine unless you are a copyright lawyer which it is clear that you are not. The artwork does have a copyright and yes, I am using it but if you go and actually read the statement on Disney's site it states that you can use it for private use only and the graphics were pulled from this site posted by another member. I'll let you dig it up. She is selling, which is a HUGE difference and if you can't understand that, I can't help you.

It is easy enough to prove was the fact that the eye shade idea was originally offered by Disney via State Farm and the shade did have a copyright logo on it.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/metroxing/2393877137/


Sorry, but I am fairly certain she would lose in a court of law but that is neither here nor there and her "good" idea is actually Disney's. As I said before, good for her if she can make a buck but it is still too much for me at this point.

I guess until you have had your artwork stolen without being paid you can't understand it. Both myself and my mother-in-law have and we can tell you it is not fun.

As for the rest of your post, I appreciate you taking the pot shot at me (you know that is what it meant) and I can assure you I think even lower of you at this point.

Put your pom poms away as this is my last post in this thread.

 

See ya, Mr. Double Standard!

 

Closing at the request of the OP.