About and FAQ
If you are here from a live event and are not finding a product you saw, my live events feature old stock I no longer sell online. Please contact me at:
info@machinecloudcreative@gmail.com
Pins. Made by people. Made to be worn by people. I'm Brian Nowak, and I enjoy creating original concept art, especially for enamel pins. I started Machine Cloud Creative in 2020, producing ornate, limited edition, multi-variant art pins, as well as prints and other creative projects. Bringing those concepts to life was an awesome, life-changing experience.
I have reduced the complexity of most of my designs, but all the whimsy, story-based art, and quality you've come to expect from Machine Cloud remains. And who knows? I might do a big pin once in a great while too...
SHIPPING AND QUALITY ASSURANCE
info@machinecloudcreative@gmail.com
Pins. Made by people. Made to be worn by people. I'm Brian Nowak, and I enjoy creating original concept art, especially for enamel pins. I started Machine Cloud Creative in 2020, producing ornate, limited edition, multi-variant art pins, as well as prints and other creative projects. Bringing those concepts to life was an awesome, life-changing experience.
I have reduced the complexity of most of my designs, but all the whimsy, story-based art, and quality you've come to expect from Machine Cloud remains. And who knows? I might do a big pin once in a great while too...
SHIPPING AND QUALITY ASSURANCE
I am mostly a one-man show and currently have a job outside of my art career. Orders will ship within 2-3 days of purchase. I take pride in my work and pack my art with care. Shipping is a flat rate of $5.00 across the USA. If there is ever any problem with your order, please reach out to my email (be nice): info@machinecloudcreative.com
My return address is a PO Box. I keep busy, vend events, and I work a fairly rigorous schedule on top of it all. It is easier and more secure for me to have returns (fortunately rare) sent to and held at my nearby post office.
Pin grading: pins are held in good light, at ~12 inches in front of my face, and are examined for major flaws that distract considerably from the artwork for approximately 10 seconds. Pins are also given a cursory examination before packing. Backs and sides are generally not graded, but any pins exhibiting significant damage/plating problems or issues with post integrity are considered "flawed". Enamel pins are handmade and will feature small differences like glitter saturation/placement, direction of glitter shine, and other small details consistent with hand manufacturing. If you ever feel your enamel pin could be described as flawed, please reach out to me for a replacement or return. I always strive to do my best, but human mistakes are always a possibility, and I will always do my best to make things right.
My return address is a PO Box. I keep busy, vend events, and I work a fairly rigorous schedule on top of it all. It is easier and more secure for me to have returns (fortunately rare) sent to and held at my nearby post office.
Pin grading: pins are held in good light, at ~12 inches in front of my face, and are examined for major flaws that distract considerably from the artwork for approximately 10 seconds. Pins are also given a cursory examination before packing. Backs and sides are generally not graded, but any pins exhibiting significant damage/plating problems or issues with post integrity are considered "flawed". Enamel pins are handmade and will feature small differences like glitter saturation/placement, direction of glitter shine, and other small details consistent with hand manufacturing. If you ever feel your enamel pin could be described as flawed, please reach out to me for a replacement or return. I always strive to do my best, but human mistakes are always a possibility, and I will always do my best to make things right.
A NOTE TO CUSTOMERS OUTSIDE THE USA
I have fans all over the world and I love you all. VAT and import taxes make it really hard for one dude who doesn't even hire a CPA (glad I married a smart lady) to handle all the forms and whatnots that come along with selling art via e-commerce to foreign countries. Sometimes it's simple. Sometimes it's not. Reach out to me via email and we can take a look as to whether I can get some art to you.
FOLLOW MACHINE CLOUD CREATIVE:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/MachineCloud/
Facebook Group - Machine Cloud Creative Crowd:
Facebook Group - Machine Cloud Creative Crowd:
Instagram:
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Rubber clutches vs locking backs
Rubber clutches vs locking backs
I own and have used hex screw locking pin backs, such as the Mudder locking backs available through Amazon. While secure, I also noticed some wear and tear on the posts of pins I used them on, and unless they are incredibly tight, they do tend to slip off of posts. I prefer rubber clutches for this reason, and also like the comfortability of them. Pressing a rubber backer into place firmly while twisting in one motion has resulted in far fewer issues with pins on my persons. Were I attaching a pin permanently to an item like a backpack or bag, I would recommend taking the risk of slightly damaging your post to ensure it is locked onto your item. Should you require locking pin backs my suggestion is to check Amazon or other places like craft retailers for reasonably priced options.
Backing Cards Are On The Way
(UPDATE - Backing Cards are on hold - the economy sucks and I don't want to foist additional expenses on my customers at this point. Backing cards add multiple dollars in cost to each pin, and I want people to be able to get great quality pins as affordably as possible. I will be adding story and historical elements to my pin pages over time!)
All Machine Cloud pins are story-derived. They come from characters and parts of my life that I want to enshrine in shiny metal. When I reopened Machine Cloud my intention was to keep production costs as low as possible and pass those savings along to my customers, so I temporarily stopped producing story backing cards to aid in that quest. In late 2024 (just yesterday as I am writing this) I vended a multi-day convention, and had some old stock with story cards available. The visceral response to the story cards from some of my old stock was palpable. We will be adding story cards for all available pin designs asap.
Caring For Pins
Machine Cloud Creative enamel pins are almost always constructed from zinc alloy, but general pin care also applies to pins comprised of iron or copper.
DO NOT use sanitizers or solvents to clean pins. A soft, lint-free cloth, slightly damp if need-be, is more than sufficient to get the job done.
Avoid storing pins in direct sunlight, intense heat/humidity, or severe cold for extended periods. Excessive direct sunlight will cause colors to fade and eventually yellow or fog epoxy, and improper environmental conditions will age and damage pins over time. Avoid excessive moisture exposure or letting pins sit in liquid. If wet, dry as soon as possible. Consider using an appropriately sized desiccant pack if storing pins in a sealed container for extended periods of time.
Caring for Patches
Machine Cloud Creative offers iron-on patches, which, if applied properly, should survive general wear-and-tear for 2-3 years provided the item and patch are cared for properly. Iron-on patches can also be sown to whatever fabric you would like to attach the patch to.
It is best to hand wash garments and accessories that feature any embroidered patches. If machine washing is a must, use the gentle cycle, with cold water, and a mesh laundry bag to protect the garment or item, then hang as flatly as possible or lie flat to dry. There is conflicting opinion on whether you should hang or lay flat patched items to dry, as in some cases a patch may warp if hanging in an odd position. Make good decisions based on where you've put your patch.