According to Erik Cartmill, president of Cornerstone Impressions, Fort Worth, Texas, his business operates on the following philosophy: “Where there’s a Bill, there’s a way.” It honors Bill Cartmill, his father, who launched the company out of a spare bedroom in 2002.
“My dad has always had a can-do attitude,” Erik Cartmill says. “This is such a huge part of who we are today.”
This work ethic trickles down to the entire Cornerstone Impressions staff, with employees like in-house artist Brandy Cleveland always striving to deliver unique artistic creations. Recently, she created an out-of-the-box design inspired by Steven Curtis Chapman’s song, “Warrior.”
“It’s a beautiful anthem that lifts you up and makes you feel good,” Cleveland says of the song. “One of the lines says, ‘The Lion of Judah is on our side.’ It’s a beautiful reminder that we are not alone in this world.”
Hoping to create a T-shirt that evokes this message, she designed “Lion of Judah” using a CMYK ink setup. “I played with the colors and blending modes until I found something that was bright and colorful without being so saturated that it would print heavy on a garment,” Cleveland says.
She used black and white for the lion and text, and applied a blending application to allow the colors underneath to seep through for a bohemian feel.
“I wanted the colors of the design to be what drew the eye, but then the surprise of the lion and the wording would make a person viewing the art interested in the design,” Cleveland says. — From the Impressions Archives
Design Details
Dimensions: 12″ x 13.5″
Screen-Printing Press: M&R Sportsman
Separations Software: UltraSeps
Ink Colors: CMYK
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