Seventh.Ink Shirts and Apparel Blog

Original Art and Previews

Seventh.Ink (Matt Johnson) — Wed, 02 May 2012 14:49:40 +0000

Lately I’ve been working on a variety of original pieces for Seventh.Ink as I move to expand the brand to be more than just a clothing line. My ultimate vision is that it will evolve into something that mixes art and apparel into one brand.

I’ve been posting quite a few preview photos through Facebook, Tumblr, and now Instagram. Below are a few highlights of things that have recently been posted. Some are still coming as a final product, some are here, and some are already gone. So, follow Seventh.Ink as I continue to work on new and exciting projects!

Voorhees 4″ Custom Munny

Seventh.Ink (Matt Johnson) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 18:01:13 +0000

Today I released a special Friday the 13th custom Munny figure, and to my surprise it sold in 10 minutes! This was a test run to see if there is any interest in this sort of thing as I continue to push Seventh.Ink in new directions.

You’ll notice a new Original Art category in the Seventh.Ink Store. Although this was the only item thus far you can bet that there will be more coming soon. I won’t be sending newsletters out every time I post a new item here, but I will be avidly pushing it on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, etc., so follow Seventh.Ink to be in the know. Full social media list is on the right side of this page, check the icons and let’s connect.

Happy Friday the 13th!

How to Professionally Prep Your Files for Screen Printing

Seventh.Ink (Matt Johnson) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 22:40:17 +0000

I was honored to be asked to write a recent guest article for my new printer of choice, Real Thread. Located out of Winter Park, FL and specializing in water-based and discharge inks, Real Thread is an up-and-coming printing brand that really knows how to kick it. In fact, they printed my most recent release, the Gods & Goddesses Series 1 set.

The focus of the article is to share my process for separating and prepping my design files for printing. This is something I’ve been refining for years, and I can safely say that at this point it’s the best way for me personally to get the job done right.

In the article, I use the Zeus design as an example and show a step-by-step process for separating and mocking up the art for print. Check out the article if you’re looking for some tips from someone who’s been through this process quite a few times. Hopefully some of you out there will find this to be a solid resource, if I can help at least one person you can call me satisfied.

Imperial Stout 11×17 Prints

Seventh.Ink (Matt Johnson) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 06:28:10 +0000

I’ve been getting requests for Imperial Stout prints since the shirt came out last year, so I thought it was time to do a quick run. These are four color 11×17 prints on 50% recycled 95lb. matte cover stock. Hand numbered and signed by yours truly in delightful metallic silver.

This is a Limited Edition run of 50 prints, this will not be reprinted. Get yours here.

Gods & Goddesses Series 1 Full Preview

Seventh.Ink (Matt Johnson) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 06:40:50 +0000

I’m very excited to finally unveil this line, it’s something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time. The concept came up over two years ago, but I’ve been waiting until I could make sure I had the time and energy to do it right. After a ton of time and work, I’m proud to present Gods & Goddesses Series 1.

If you’ve been following Seventh.Ink on Tumblr and Facebook you’ve likely seen a lot of the process sketches and screenshots as I worked on these designs. It was a wild ride, and I’m excited to introduce Zeus, Poseidon, and Aphrodite for your enjoyment.

The line consists of shirts, hoodies, tanks, buttons, belts, and a special set of engraved book boxes. All of these items are limited, as always. The big launch is set for 12am on Wednesday, March 14th.

Here’s a rundown of what will be available when the release launches:

Limited Edition Engraved Book Box Sets

The book box sets are limited to 7 of each design and will include a matching shirt. My camera cannot do these justice, they are even more awesome in person.

Limited Edition Shirts

Like the Knocked Speechless shirt from the last release, these shirts are printed with water based inks. Water based inks give the print a super soft feel and also increase the life span of the print because they actually dye the garment as opposed to resting on top like standard plastisol inks do. This heightens the overall quality of the shirt, bringing it a step closer to perfection.

Limited Edition Tanks and Hoodies

These are much more limited than the shirts, and both of these feature front and back prints. Like the shirts, they are printed with water based inks, making them super soft with a long lasting lifespan.

Limited Edition Die Cut Button Packs

These die cut button packs consist of four 1.25″ buttons and are limited to 25. They will be signed & numbered.

Limited Edition Cloth Belts

These belts measure 44″ and are limited to 10 of each design.

Mark Your Calendars

The Gods & Goddesses Series 1 launch date is Wednesday, March 14th. Be sure to RSVP with the link below and sign up for the newsletter at the top of the site to get the reminder so you don’t forget or miss out.

Knocked Speechless Shirt Details and Video

Seventh.Ink (Matt Johnson) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:00:25 +0000

I have to admit, the new Knocked Speechless shirt design was done purely for fun on my part. I did the sketch for this design a few years ago and recently came across it while perusing my books. Something about this sketch really enveloped me, so I decided to flesh it out into a functioning shirt design. In fact, I like it so much that I happen to be wearing it this very second.

This is my first shirt to be printed using water-based inks, and I’m excited to be hopefully moving in this direction for more of my designs. Not only are water-based inks better for the environment than the standard plastisol inks used in screen printing, but they feel so much lighter and breathe more.

I thought I would share the initial sketch from this design as well as a detail shot and the final product. Also did a time lapse video of the digital inking process from start to finish, that’s included below as well.

These are available now in the Seventh.Ink Store, and I’ve even got a few 3XL sizes in stock to boot!

Enjoy, and be sure to follow Seventh.Ink on Tumblr and Facebook for more frequent updates on sketches and designs.

2011 Recap and 30% Off This Weekend

Seventh.Ink (Matt Johnson) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 04:14:28 +0000

Let’s start the new year off right! 30% off this weekend on all items with the coupon code "NewYear2012" in the Seventh.Ink Store.

2011 was Seventh.Ink’s best year yet, and looking back on it is really motivating me to push the boundaries of the brand even further for this coming year. In 2011 I released tons of great new items beyond the traditional shirts and hoodies, items that included hats, tank tops, a Japan Relief charity tee, skate decks, a box set, an anniversary poster, keychains, leather wallets, and leather wrist cuffs.

I’m hard at work on new designs and am amped up for the upcoming Spring Line. Until then, I want to thank you all for the fantastic support. Here’s to a great year for us all!

Trap Set Trike Time Lapse Video

Seventh.Ink (Matt Johnson) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 01:58:22 +0000

Since there was a lot of positive feedback on the Shakespeare’s Wolf Time Lapse video that I posted a few months ago, I thought I would do the same thing for the recently released Trap Set Trike shirt. This time I recorded the illustration from start to finish including the coloring of the design.

I hope you like it, more to come!

Behind the Scenes: Leather Card Wallets

Seventh.Ink (Matt Johnson) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 18:34:33 +0000

I love seeing how things are made, like watching behind the scenes features about movies that have lots of special effects and set decoration. I know that other people like to see this sort of thing as well, so I’m proud to share these photos that were taken during the making of the new Leather Card Wallets that I just unveiled yesterday. There are a few near the end that also show bits of the Leather Wrist Cuffs being made.

Both of these items are professionally made by the very talented Seth Daniels of Imperial Wolf Leather with raw vegetable tanned leather that has been stained black and sewn with custom blue stitching. Only a handful of these items were made, so don’t wait too long if you’re interested in either one.

And so, without further ado, here are the photos. Enjoy!

Winter 2011 Preview

Seventh.Ink (Matt Johnson) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 15:14:58 +0000

Winter is here! It’s been an amazing year, so I wanted to end it with a great release before the holidays. This is actually only a partial preview if you can imagine that, there are some other amazing products that will be announced once their production is complete.

I’m hoping to release all of the items below by next week, either Monday the 21st or Tuesday the 22nd, so stay tuned and make sure you’re on the newsletter list to avoid missing out on these limited quantity items.

And with that, I give you the first full preview of the Seventh.Ink Winter 2011 line. Enjoy!

Dueling Axes

Never Surrender

Trap Set Trike

Frosty’s Pints

As I said, there are a few more great products coming that I will announce soon. Stay tuned, and look for these items next week!