Shop Shop Designs - An Original Austin Artist

Sam Ladach-Bark, owner of Shop Shop Designs, is the epitome of the DIY movement. About a year ago, he wanted to learn how to screen print - so like any modern DIYer - he turned to the web for tutorials (or "tutes"). Screen printing is one of the oldest ways to made designs onto fabric - and the term is most often used in reference to t-shirts or posters.



You start with a screen that is stretched taut around a frame, then you use one of many techniques to create an image on the screen for printing. The image you want to print is left "open", while the rest of the holes in the screen are "closed." Next you pick the item you want to print, lay down the screen, and spread ink across it with a squeegie.

Admittedly - this is a VERY short hand version of how the process is done - but it covers the basics. Artists like Sam are popping up all over Austin, the US, and the world - people who have an inherent creativity that calls out for expression, and the mindset and patience to learn a new craft or trade to express that creativity.


Sam studied Journalism and Mass Communication in college, with a minor in Photography. He uses many of his own photographs to create images for printing on t-shirts. Some of my favorites are the bicycle parts tee, and the oak tree tee. You can see some of his work in the slideshow at the end of the blog. Shop Shop Designs is available locally at Parts & Labour - where you can also get tickets to our event!

Shop Shop Designs is one of our Haute Sponsors for The Lone Star Ladies Present: Shop Austin. In an effort to grow his business and networking circles, Sam kindly agreed to print our amazing Goodie Bags and all of our Event T-Shirts. He is working hard in his South Austin Studio to get everything finished for this weekend's show as we speak!


If you are smart enough to be one of the first 30 people in line on Saturday April, 18th, you will get one of our AWESOME Goodie Bags - stuffed with jewerly, t-shirts, keychains, gift-certificates and coupons worth over $300! We hope to see you at our 2009 event - you can meet Sam in person, see his amazing designs, and check out all of our other talented vendors!

xo, Anne Marie