Benton Park Prints

Meet Dan, shop owner of Benton Park Prints. This was such a fun shop to browse through. See what he had to say.


 http://www.etsy.com/shop/BentonParkPrints?ref=top_trail

1. What do you sell and how did you get started?
I enjoy selling prints about bacon, beer, animals, and other fun things. For the last 6-7 years I have been a freelance graphic designer and web designer. At the end of 2011 most of my work consisted of very corporate boring designs. Earlier in my career I had a lot of variety in the projects I took on. I needed some of that variety back for my own well being. That was the start of Benton Park Prints. It was started as an outlet for the more goofy side of things that I like to design.

2. Who or what is your inspiration?
My inspiration really comes from things people like. Almost everyone loves beer, bacon, music and animals. That is the majority of my shop. Prior to working for myself I was a designer for a t-shirt shop. I think of lot of my mindset when making a print comes from being a t-shirt designer. Someone needs to get a chuckle or understand the print in first few seconds... or else the design isn't effective.

3. What is your favorite part of your creating process?
My favorite part of the creative process comes from the first sale. That means that someone, somewhere in the world, is going to hang something I "thought up" on their wall for many years. I know those people will be asked many times where they got the print... there answer will probably be "some guy on Etsy, in St. Louis, Missouri". I enjoy being that person. It gives me joy to know that so many people have something I created hanging in their house or apartment.

4. Do you have any special routines?
Not really a set routine. I normally design later in the afternoon or first thing in the morning. I keep a giant list of print ideas that I keep in my iPhone that I can go to and start creating. I normally get ideas while I'm driving and make the prints later. Many times inspiration on a print strikes when I am working on another print. I do like doing my shipping in the morning, but many many many times I get to the post office right at closing time to ship orders that came in that day.

Bacon is the duct tape for the kitchen

 

5. What is your most favorite item in your Etsy shop?
My favorite item is probably my "Bacon is Duct Tape for the Kitchen" prints. That idea hit me while I was driving in a car about a month after I opened my shop

 

Bacon and beer make your belly cheer

 

 

6. Do you have any social media links?
I do. You can find my shop on facebook at www.facebook.com/BentonParkPrints and on twitter @bentonparkprint . I regularly post new prints on each and offer coupon codes on each.

7. Anything else you want to share?
I am just hoping for another fun year on Etsy and hoping to continue to spread joy in my artwork.

8. Are there any coupon codes or promotions you have going on?
I do. People can use "MUSTACHE" for 10% their order in my shop.

Thanks,
Dan