Shapeshifters Are Us by Mikko Walamies (henrillo) is the best shirt of the week for me. I love the transitions between objects, and the way each evolution relates to the shapes nearby it. The colored geometric elements really make the shirt, though, at times appearing to create a kind of modern warpaint on the animals below it. They also reinforce the motion of the artwork, and that pop of color is very successful at moving the eye around the piece. Tremendous work, and definitely a shirt I'll be buying.
Eat Shirt and Die by Andrew Bell (deadzebra) is this week's Select, imagining a huge-mouthed and loop-legged creature. It's a nicely done illustration, and does a good job of showing dimension and shadowing. But overall, it's the kind of shirt that just makes me think... Why? The creature, while odd, is not really odd, endearing or gross enough to capture my attention for long. Similarly, the dribbled text "eat" appears on the ground, but doesn't really add much value for me. If it drew from the other half of the title and read "die" I think that would at least have made for more of a story here. Overall, nice art, but the concept is lacking.
The Great Escape by Wenceslao Almazan (walmazan) hinges on a very cute idea, the prison-style escape of a rabbit and bird from the hat of a hapless magician. The style is funny, charming and full of whimsy (I especially like the spirals all over the hole the animals have dug). That said, I think this could have gone from being a very good shirt to being an excellent one if Threadless had gone the extra mile on the printing. I think that using metallic ink (as the artist requested) and relocating the ending of the tunnel to the back of the shirt would have improved the print. It's still a good shirt, but the potential for better was there.
Horrorscope by Kneil Melicano (roadkill3d) brings astrology to life, set in a purple-tinged sky. What I really dig about this, honestly, is that for once Libra looks cool. That never happens. That's sort of the beauty of the shirt, to me- all the signs are shown in their full glory, and none of them feel overlooked. Further, the colors and renderings are incredible. Even the constellations themselves are incorporated (and with glow ink, at that!), making this one of the most impressive shirts I've seen recently both in concept and execution.
Identity Crisis by Hector Mansilla (againstbound) depicts an old-timey radio trying desperately to keep up with the times by becoming a television. In the same sort of miscalculation so often seen when cougar-types try to dress young, the radio misses the mark entirely by imitating a test pattern instead of a program, the real reason the TV attracts viewers. It's a funny, charming, and well-drawn piece with some nice details, such as the way the radio dial approximates a frown.
Bye Bye Apocalypse by Budi Satria Kwan (radiomode) is a creepy and interesting shirt. The creepiness goes far beyond the skull framing the piece- the posture of the figures and the dark, huge and looming balloons both also serve to communicate a sense of unease. The mixture of peaceful, natural elements (the birds, water, etc) with the death imagery makes a powerful statement, sure to provoke some conversations.
Bigfoots Watch In Bewilderment by Aled Lewis (fatheed) is another favorite this week, showing what really goes on when people plan a bigfoot hoax. What I like about this design is the levels of watching. The faker is watched by the camera, his friends, and the bigfoots, but the bigfoots are watched by the dog. It's a nice, humorous nod to the fact that overcomplicated plans often miss a more obvious solution. I'm really won over by the woodsy color scheme and the emotions of the bigfoots (posture implies a variety of feelings, from sadness, to anger, to confusion).
If You're Interested In Time Travel... is a slogan by Ben Vernel (bensticle). As slogans go it's a pretty good one, instantly capturing the coolest element of traveling through time. The style of the text is a great fit, and Threadless's extra attention to the type was well-spent. I'm also happy to see a purple shirt printed, even though this is one I'm unlikely to buy.
While You Were Reading My Shirt... is a Ross Zietz (arzie13) slogan. While the slogan itself doesn't do much for me (it's a little amusing, but not quite at a laugh level), they've done a great job with the presentation. The word "wallet" is literally shown being nabbed by a subtle, sneaky arm that snakes around the entire phrase. That element greatly increases the value of the slogan, and makes it a shirt worth wearing.
Threadless prints new shirts every week, chosen from the designs submitted by and voted on by site members. Winners get $2000 cash and $500 in Threadless credit, with the possibility to earn more through Bestee awards, poster prints, and reprints.
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Friday, October 31
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