6.9 KiB
Mycopunk Workflow Guide
This document describes the end-to-end workflow for creating, managing, and fulfilling mycopunk merchandise.
Overview
┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐
│ Design │ → │ Export │ → │ Publish │ → │ Fulfill │
│ (Inkscape) │ │ (CLI) │ │ (POD) │ │ (Orders) │
└─────────────┘ └─────────────┘ └─────────────┘ └─────────────┘
Phase 1: Design Creation
1.1 Create Design Scaffold
# Create a new sticker design
mycopunk design new stickers/mycelium-mandala --template=sticker-4x4
This creates:
designs/stickers/mycelium-mandala/
├── mycelium-mandala.svg # Source file
├── metadata.yaml # Configuration
└── exports/ # Output directory
1.2 Design in Inkscape
Open the SVG file in Inkscape:
inkscape designs/stickers/mycelium-mandala/mycelium-mandala.svg
Design Guidelines:
- Work at the specified canvas size (e.g., 1200×1200 px for 4×4" sticker)
- Use sRGB color profile
- Keep important elements away from edges (safe zone)
- Add 1/16" bleed if design touches edges
- Save frequently!
1.3 Configure Metadata
Edit metadata.yaml:
name: "Mycelium Mandala"
slug: mycelium-mandala
description: "Sacred geometry inspired by fungal networks"
tags: [mycelium, mandala, sacred-geometry, nature]
created: 2025-01-24
author: jeff
source:
file: mycelium-mandala.svg
format: svg
dimensions:
width: 1200
height: 1200
dpi: 300
color_profile: sRGB
products:
- type: sticker
provider: prodigi
sku: GLOBAL-STI-KIS-4X4
variants: [matte, gloss]
retail_price: 4.50
- type: sticker
provider: printful
sku: 358
variants: [white]
retail_price: 4.50
status: draft # Change to 'active' when ready
Phase 2: Export & Validate
2.1 Export to Print-Ready Files
mycopunk design export stickers/mycelium-mandala
Output:
✓ Exported: designs/stickers/mycelium-mandala/exports/300dpi/mycelium-mandala.png
Size: 245.3 KB
Dimensions: 1200×1200 px
2.2 Validate Design
mycopunk design validate stickers/mycelium-mandala
Output:
Validating: Mycelium Mandala
✓ Metadata field 'name' present
✓ Metadata field 'slug' present
✓ Metadata field 'source' present
✓ Metadata field 'products' present
✓ Metadata field 'status' present
✓ Source file exists: mycelium-mandala.svg
✓ Dimensions correct: 1200×1200
✓ Products configured: 2
✓ Validation passed
2.3 Generate Local Mockups (Optional)
For quick previews without API calls:
./scripts/generate-mockups.sh stickers/mycelium-mandala
Phase 3: Publish to POD
3.1 Test in Sandbox First
Always test with sandbox credentials:
mycopunk product create stickers/mycelium-mandala --provider=prodigi --sandbox
3.2 Update Status
Once satisfied, update the design status:
# In metadata.yaml
status: active
3.3 Create Production Product
# Ensure MYCOPUNK_ENV=production or use live API keys
mycopunk product create stickers/mycelium-mandala --provider=prodigi
3.4 Generate Production Mockups
mycopunk mockup generate stickers/mycelium-mandala --all
Phase 4: Selling & Fulfillment
Option A: Use POD Storefronts
Both Printful and Prodigi integrate with:
- Etsy
- Shopify
- WooCommerce
- Amazon
Connect your accounts in their dashboards.
Option B: Custom Shop (Phase 5)
Build your own storefront (see architecture in plan).
Order Flow
Customer Order → Payment → API Call to POD → Fulfillment → Shipping
Batch Operations
Export All Active Designs
mycopunk batch export --status=active
Push All to POD
mycopunk batch push --status=active --provider=prodigi
Generate Price Report
mycopunk report pricing > pricing.csv
File Organization Best Practices
Design Directory Structure
designs/
├── stickers/
│ ├── mycelium-mandala/
│ │ ├── mycelium-mandala.svg # Source (edit this)
│ │ ├── mycelium-mandala.xcf # GIMP working file (optional)
│ │ ├── metadata.yaml # Configuration
│ │ ├── reference/ # Inspiration images (optional)
│ │ └── exports/
│ │ ├── 300dpi/
│ │ │ └── mycelium-mandala.png
│ │ └── mockups/
│ │ ├── sticker-mockup.png
│ │ └── product-photo.jpg
│ └── spore-spiral/
│ └── ...
├── shirts/
│ └── network-tee/
│ └── ...
└── misc/
├── patches/
├── pins/
└── zines/
Naming Conventions
- Slugs: lowercase, hyphen-separated (e.g.,
mycelium-mandala) - Files: Match slug (e.g.,
mycelium-mandala.svg) - Categories: Plural (e.g.,
stickers/,shirts/)
Git Workflow
Committing Designs
# Add new design
git add designs/stickers/mycelium-mandala/
# Don't commit exports (they're gitignored)
# They can be regenerated with mycopunk design export
git commit -m "feat(stickers): add mycelium mandala design"
Branching Strategy
main # Production-ready designs
└── dev # Work in progress
└── feature/new-sticker-pack
Troubleshooting
Export Fails
Problem: Inkscape export produces error
Solution:
- Check Inkscape is installed:
which inkscape - Verify SVG is valid: open in Inkscape GUI
- Check file permissions
Validation Warnings
Problem: "Low resolution" warning
Solution: Ensure source SVG canvas matches target dimensions at 300 DPI
Problem: "No exported PNG found"
Solution: Run mycopunk design export <path> first
API Errors
Problem: "401 Unauthorized"
Solution: Check API keys in config/.env
Problem: "Invalid SKU"
Solution: Sync catalog and verify SKU exists:
./scripts/sync-catalog.sh prodigi
jq '.products[] | .sku' .cache/catalogs/prodigi-catalog.json | grep -i sticker
Quick Reference
| Task | Command |
|---|---|
| New design | mycopunk design new <path> --template=<t> |
| List designs | mycopunk design list |
| Export design | mycopunk design export <path> |
| Validate design | mycopunk design validate <path> |
| Create product | mycopunk product create <path> --provider=<p> |
| Push updates | mycopunk product push <path> |
| Generate mockups | mycopunk mockup generate <path> |
| Batch export | mycopunk batch export --type=<t> |