Q. Why is it called Ellen Million Graphics when there are a whole lot of other artists featured here?

A. Because from top to bottom, everything here goes through my hands. I make all of the products myself, I select all of the work, I pay the taxes, I balance the books, I ship the orders, I deal with all of the customer service, I maintain the webpage (with help from my wonderful minions) and I take all the blame for anything that goes wrong. And because I seem to suck at thinking up really good names. By the time I started adding new artists, I had been in business for a while, already had the business license in the current name, and it was going to be a bit of work to change.

Q. So your guarantee is pretty vague... you don't really have a money-back guarantee for any reason, do you?

A. Yup. I believe in happy customers, and if you don't like what you've gotten, then I haven't done my job. If the quality isn't good enough, send it back. If you decide the art doesn't match your decor, send it back. If it's the wrong size t-shirt, or the transfer doesn't hold up after a couple of washes, send it back. I will even refund your return shipping, if it's a quality or product problem!

Q. Are you one of those unstable dot com businesses that is going to go under right after I place my order?

A. I like to think not. I have been running EMG for thirteen years, and I have no plans to abandon the business at this point.

Q. Can you tell me when you update?

A. I invite you to join one (or more!) of the mailing lists. Updates are text-only, so don't worry about getting big attachments or obnoxious blinking newsletters.

Q. Where'd you get that cool script for the drop down menu?

A. Isn't it great? I got it through Milonic Solutions.

Q. Where did you get the backgrounds and graphics used on this site, and can I use them?

A. All graphics, including background, accent graphics, and graphic links, were made from scratch by either Ellen Million or Jennie Seay with Photoshop. Please do not use them for your personal or commercial site.

Q. What are your prints made of? Are they good quality?

A. I use an Epson 7- or 8-color printer (I have two different models), name-brand inks only. The prints are on Hannemuhle's award-winning 188 gm fine art photo rag heavyweight paper, completely stabilized, acid-free and tree-free. (I have used the Epson brand papers before and found that they are not quite the quality that Hannemuhle's are.) They are archival, rated to between 75 and 150 years. Never leave prints in full sunlight, of course, and any print will last longer when protected from air inside a frame.

Q. What size are your magnets? Are they strong? Durable?

A. The medium-sized magnets are exactly 2.5 x 3.5 inches, with radiused corners. They are printed on heavyweight matte, the same gorgeous print quality as the prints themselves, laminated and the backing is flexible and tough. They are moderately strong magnets (I've seen stronger, but they aren't too wimpy!).

Q. What size are the stickers? Are they permanent?

A. The medium stickers are exacly 2.5 x 3.5 inches, with radiused corners. They are printed on adhesive-backed vinyl. They aren't *quite* sticky enough for outdoor use, but perform admirably in almost all other situations. They are waterproof!

Q. How about those bookmarks? What size are they? Who makes them?

A. Bookmarks are printed on the same great paper, with the same great printing as the prints, by the same great person who does all of the printing, and are laminated with 5 mil lamination for great durability, tassels optional. The lamination is trimmed to the edge of the bookmark, so dropping them in a puddle would not be good for them. The corners are radius-cut for a beautiful quality finish. They vary in size per design, but are between 1-1/4" x 7" and 1-3/4" x 6". I thought it was more important to preserve artistic composition than have uniform sizes on all designs of bookmarks. There is also a 'squat bookmark' option that is printed in the same fashion, but a perfect, uniform 2.5 x 3.5 inch, radiused size. (These come with tassels automatically!)

Q. Is this stuff made in Taiwan, China, etc...?

A. No. Some of the blank stock possibly comes from overseas or down south somewhere, as I shop around for good deals, but for the most part, I buy locally and make everything myself. Printing and packaging for most products is done in Fairbanks, Alaska, USA. Calendars and books are printed in Canada or US, through US-based companies.

Q. What are the mousepads like?

A. The colors are rich, the detail is excellent; these are top-quality, durable, thick mousepads. They are about 7.5 x 9 inches, 1/4 inch thick, textured enough to work well with optical mice. You can wipe them clean with a wet rag, and I've spilled enough on mine to know that most anything will come up without staining.

Q. What about the purses?

A. The purses and wallets are faux black leather, with a flap beautifully printed with the artwork you choose. The handbag is a satin-y black material with nylon adjustable straps. The artwork on the handbags and purses is interchangable! Just buy an extra flap for any mood or style and change your look with a quick velcro switcheroo. Wallets are 7.5 x 4.5 inches, with lots of card pockets, plus one zippered pocket and two long cash pockets.Purses are 11.75 x 7.8 x 3.5 inches, with a roomy zipped-up interior containing a cellphone pocket, a keyring snap, and a small zipped pocket in a nylon lining. Handbags are 7.5 x 7 x 2 inches, lined, with zipper closure under the flap and one interior pocket. Bags made in China, printed in USA using high resolution settings and 8-colors of ink for great capture of fine details and rich colors. VERY limited stock!

Q. What about the t-shirts?

A. The t-shirts and tapered babydolls are 100% cotton pre-shrunk t-shirts, and the images are applied with high-resolution transfers printed with the same 7-color process as the prints for excellent detail and color blends. They are machine wash and dry, with specific care instructions included with each shirt. Headless photos below, from left to right: cap-sleeved shirt and babydoll shirt. Unisex shirts and photos with heads forthcoming...

Q. Why isn't the design that I want as a t-shirt/mousepad/print available as that product?

A. It depends! In some cases, the artist didn't wish to grant me rights to put their design on something - often because they have an exclusive license elsewhere, or because they were selling limited editions of a print. Check their webpage to see if they offer it there, if they have a link listed. Sometimes, the image is very small, and not suited to be printed large on a big print. The other possibility is that I have a lot of designs, and I've tried to streamline the designs to what I personally feel they are best suited to. The individual product pages are already quite unwieldy and I don't want to intimidate a customer by offering so many choices they don't get past the first page! You are encouraged to use the contact form to request a design on something that it isn't available now. I won't know that people want a design on t-shirts if they don't ask! In many cases, even if I don't have everyday rights to a product, an artist is often willing to grant me a special permission to get you what you are looking for.

Q. Can I get a sweatshirt or long-sleeved shirt or clock with these designs?

A. It doesn't hurt to ask! Some of these items are things that I can get; I just don't stock them regularly. I can often print things up on request, and won't charge you an arm and a leg for the service.

Q. I don't have paypal or a credit card. Can I still order?

A. Sure! I also accept checks or money order mailed to: Ellen Million Graphics, PO Box 82851, Fairbanks, AK 99708. You can even send cash, but it's at your own risk! Feel free to use the shopping cart to compile your order and just print out the page (or copy-paste into an email) when you're done.

Q. Can I have a free sample? I promise I'll order lots and lots of stuff if I like your products.

A. Alas, I have heard this more times than I can count, and the follow-up is rarely worth as much as the free sample cost me to send (though the excuse is never because of the quality of the products). You'll find that buying a sample is rather painless, as I have no printing service minimums and very reasonable prices.

Q. Do you have wholesale pricing?

A. Sure! To apply for a wholesale account, please sign up here.

Q. Can I order stuff with my own art or photo on it?

A. Sure! Go here for more information.

Q. How long does it take to get an order?

A. I usually get orders out every few days once I have enough to make a trip into town worth the gas, but if I know you're in a hurry to get it, I'll rearrange my schedule to get it out even more quickly. Just drop me a line when you order and I can usually get it out the next day. Standard shipping is via priority mail and orders are filled within 10 days (usually just 2-4!), but add up to a week for mail-time. I send packages with delivery confirmation, and I will cheerfully respond to any order queries.

Q. How much does it cost?

A. The shopping cart calculates a shipping fee based on the size and weight of the items you order. You have three speed options in the US - slow, priority or 2nd day air. Most orders ship for about $6.00 in shipping fees.

Q. Why does it cost so much to send it to me??

A. The USPS recently raised their prices, for one, and for two, I default to priority mail wherever I can. Shipping from Alaska always takes longer, and is not 'closer' to Canada, for example - they seem to want to send everything through a few states in the lower 48 before it leaves the country, and first class mail in the US can take so long that customers get antsy. So, the default is faster (and pricier!) shipping to keep people happier. If you would prefer that I sent something super slow to save you a little money, I'm happy to. Just use the contact form and let me know what you'd like to order and where it needs to go (zipcode or country!). I'll see what your options are!

Q. Do you ship to PO Boxes?

A. Absolutely!

Q. Do you ship outside the US?

A. Yup! I use global priority everywhere it is available, otherwise, your order is shipped via air mail. There is a sliding scale calculated using the size and weight of the items you order.

Note! Your postal service may charge customs and/or handling fees! I have heard about custom fees shipping things in particular to Scandanavia, Canada and the UK.

Q. I need my order right now. Can I get speedier service?

A. If you are in the US, you can select second-day air as your shipping option for a higher rate. This includes an in-house rush, so your order should be mailed the next day (same day whenever physically possible for me!) via second-day air (Express mail or UPS 2nd day, depending). If you need faster out-of-country service, let me know and I'll see what I can discover. I'm always willing to work with a customer to see that they get what they need when they need it.

Q. So, did you do all this artwork yourself?

A. Who, me? Definitely not. The artwork is all credited to the artists who created it. I only did some of it!

Q. How do I become one of your artists?

A. First, read the guidelines. Hopefully all of your questions will be answered on that page. No, I am not always accepting new work. Adding new artists can be a real time-sink, so I occasionally have to close down the submissions end of EMG to deal with what I've got in the queue and catch my breath - particularly during the Christmas season.

Q. Do artists get paid per sale or do you purchase rights at a flat fee?

A. I pay per sale. Support your favorite artists with your purchases!

Q. Do artists get free stuff?

A. I wish I could afford to give free stuff to all my artists! However, I do give artists wholesale rates on their own work - including group projects that they are involved in.