My Threadless submission based on a fable by Aesop is in the running and seems to be getting good feedback. I used a homebrew SWF file for the presentation. It allows for zooming in and out with lossless quality. Woo!

The newest submission, however, might be a bit of a tough sell to the wider Threadless demographic:

It’s got gore – albeit toned-down gore. Regardless, gore is historically about as limp as a wet noodle voting wise.

I’d been practicing my ability to draw a likeness by asking Threadless’rs for photos of themselves. I decided to turn that idea into a tee shirt and solicited 30 people for new photos and for their permission to use their likeness on a shirt. The tricky part was getting everyone zombified (for lack of a better term) while still leaving enough features intact to make them discernible.

Now, I realize that their likenesses being recognizable was not necessary for the design to be successful. I thought doing so was the least I could do to repay them for use of their image as a point of reference. Mind you, I didn’t trace their photos or anything. I know some guys include tracing reference as a portion of their workflow. I’m just not comfortable doing that. Seems cheaty.

The interesting thing about this tee design is that it features a seamlessly tiled image. It repeats endlessly in all directions. Over 30 heads repeated in a 5 across, 6 down table.

Uncolored, reduced, still mostly tileable version suitable for putting in a blog post:

See the image on a tee and a whole lot of process after the jump.

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I was recently asked to create the logotype and mascot for a new, Chicago based clothing line named Mr. Tastees. The art director indicated that an ice cream cone mascot that paired well with scripted hand-lettering was the ultimate goal.

We went through a few revisions (in nailing down the look of the cone, mostly). They were worth it, though. The final is something I’m proud of and, paired with the Fox and Crow illustration from the last post, is clearly more cartoonish than most my work.

I spent a few years as a project manager and art director at a print design mud hut and another as an art director in the games industry. When necessary, I can break out of my “house” style. Frankly, if it’s lineart I want in on it. I love making pretty lines. And this job wasn’t that much of a departure. Well, except for this sheet of roughs. This one was a bit out there:

Ultimately, it veered back to a more comfortable place and both the client and I dig the results.

Thanks to Vimeo, I have a really easy way to post some of the longer videos that I’ve had sitting around. One such video is nearly two hours long and offers real time narration throughout. I’ve posted some of my digital pencilling and inking before. Here, I speak at length on my coloring as well.

Before the video, however, come the pretty pictures!

Now for the good stuff!

Electric Zombie Tee Creation from Ray Frenden on Vimeo.

As usual, your feedback is really appreciated!

Inspired by Aesop’s Fable:

A fox once saw a crow fly off with a piece of cheese in its beak and settle on a branch of a tree.

“That’s for me, as I am a fox,” said Master Reynard, and he walked up to the foot of the tree.

“Good-day, Mistress Crow,” he cried. “How well you are looking to-day: how glossy your feathers; how bright your eye. I feel sure your voice must surpass that of other birds, just as your figure does; let me hear but one song from you that I may greet you as the Queen of Birds.”

The crow lifted up her head and began to caw her best, but the moment she opened her mouth the piece of cheese fell to the ground, only to be snapped up by Master Fox.

“That will do,” said he. “That was all I wanted. In exchange for your cheese I will give you a piece of advice for the future:

“Do not trust flatterers.”

I know it’s Wednesday, but I have a specific reason for titling this post as such.

Every Thursday (work schedule willing), I intend to post a new design to Threadless. It might be a critique, it might be a completed design, but something is getting posted there, period.

Here’s a video of the creation of the first entry for Threadless Thursday, Crow No!

Crow No! from Ray Frenden on Vimeo.

Here’s a WIP image. I’m still working on the coloring phase.

This was a bit of a spur of the moment decision, so I hope to post the completed image tomorrow. And, well, a new completed image every Thursday.

Several months ago Threadless announced its first ever Bestee Awards, the winners of which were declared this morning. The awards were to go to exceptional designs, contributors, and community members with categories ranging from Design of the Year to Overall Achievement in Blogging. How awesome is that?

Here comes my part in the affair. The Threadless Select line is a subset of the Threadless line curated by a fellow named Upso. It showcases multiple-design winners and designers or designs that might not otherwise be voted into existence. I knew Upso as a talented illustrator, designer, and publisher of Faesthetic Magazine with a discerning eye for good work and good people and was very excited when asked if I could contribute a design. I’d had a concept cooking in my noggin for quite a while that I was eager to get to work on.

When my Select tee, Medusa (seen above and available for purchase here), was released some weeks later, I was flattered by the critical praise from my peers. The exposure on Threadless was tantamount to that received with my appearances on Drawn!, Design is Kinky, Coroflot’s Featured Portfolio, and other prominent sites. It was really great for both my career and my wardrobe, heh!

When the Bestees were announced, I noticed that there were one or two categories I might have a shot at. About two months ago, I went freelance full time. I’ve had less time to post to forums and, in turn, Threadless. I thought the Bestees came and went. When I checked my email this morning and was greeted by a message with the subject line “Congratulations! You have won a Threadless Bestee!”, I was totally floored! The announcement came entirely out of left field for me.

I’m happy to say that I won the Threadless Bestee Award for Select of the Year! Woo!

In addition to the monetary award of $5000, there’s a really awesome award statue designed by Dan Ballin and Joe Suta! Frankly, I’m terribly excited to put this on my desk!

I’d like to thank Upso for offering me a chance at a Select, the Threadless staff (from the guys stuffing the packages on up), the members of the Black Rock Collective and Stylus for all their advice and friendship, the Threadless community at large for tolerating my ridiculously long blog posts, and, well Medusa for being one hell of a saucy gorgon!

Lastly, here’s a video Threadless put together announcing the winners:

Threadless Bestee Awards Recap from cshimala on Vimeo.

I’ve got a truckload of work at the moment. Several tee designs, a few branding/lettering assignments, a children’s book – the list goes on. I took a quick brake the other day to do a logo for a friend’s softball team. I only spent about forty minutes on it, but I think it’s worth posting!