July = Tee design month?
I’m really glad to have the new site up and running. Updating the site is a lot easier when I’m happy with how it looks (not to mention that it functions perfectly, which is always a plus).
I had planned to do another video blog, but I got two great contracts a few days after my last update. I was invited to do a Threadless Select shirt and I had an offer to do a shirt for Oddica. Both of these were cool in that I got to dictate the subject matter and do my own thing. Oddica offered some poignant art direction and made the whole thing much better, too. I love when the people I’m working with get my concept and I’m happier when they have input that makes it better.
If you haven’t been to Oddica, go. Just the other day, as I got a vegan hummus wrap from my daily lunch stop, the employee behind the counter offered me a free sandwich, ’cause, “You always come in with the coolest shirts. You can have my daily sandwich.” He broke his jaw not long before and couldn’t eat it anyway. Protein shakes and soup, for him, I guess. Ouch.
However, Oddica = free lunch. You can’t beat that with a stick.
I’m usually a black pocket-tee sorta guy, but one of the advantages of doing a lot of tee designs this past year has been the freebies. I haven’t bought a shirt in about six months. Well, except for a few Herbivore items, but I’m doing work for them now, too. The magazine/shop is for a cause I believe in, and I offered to do some stuff pro bono, but they insisted I at least take store credit. That’s fine with me. They have a bunch of awesome vegan cookbooks and gear. I’m eying my recycled bicycle inner-tube belt as I type this. Really rad.
Anyhow, I wanted to post some progress shots for the Threadless Select shirt, which was the first thing on my daunting list of freelance.
Jul 29th, 2007 #
Nice! Reminds me of the Santa Cruz skate designs. A real throwback to the 80′s. Any particular reason for picking a Gorgon’s severed head?
Jul 30th, 2007 #
Well, to be painfully honest, I was a national mythology scholar in eighth grade. I don’t quite remember the requirements or the specifics, but I took some Greek/Roman mythology test after having spent my free time for the year pouring over the myths.
I don’t remember a lot of it, but the plight of Medusa and the potential of her head to be used as a really badass weapon definitely stuck with me.
The concept was one of about three I was tossing around for the Select design.
Aug 7th, 2007 #
Hey Ray – this is fantastic.
Looks like I’m gonna be spending some money on Threadless again soon! Keep up the amazing work.
And how’s the comic coming?
Aug 7th, 2007 #
Thanks, Graeme. So far, so good. I’ve decided to rough out a few weeks worth to start. I need a good buffer, I think.
Aug 8th, 2007 #
Sounds like a good plan.
I’ve been reading this Fantagraphics “Anthology of Graphic Fiction”, which is making me kind of indie-comics obsessed at the moment. I could look at a page of Chris Ware’s work for hours and hours and hours. It’s like a musical composition…
Anyway – look forward to seeing your stuff, and buying your t-shirt.
Aug 8th, 2007 #
Graeme, I just bought that Saturday! Woo! I made it to the first Ware strip and had to put it down to work. Check out Great American Comics 2006 too. Another good anthology.
Sep 10th, 2007 #
Hey Ray – just wanted to say that the printed T looks effing brilliant. Looks like it’s already selling really well.
Congrats man.
Btw, check the comments on your latest post – something that might interest you.
Sep 10th, 2007 #
Thanks! I’m really excited to get one of the tees myself. I hope that isn’t vain. I’ve just always wanted a gorgon head on a tee!
Sep 10th, 2007 #
I stopped by the Threadless store for the opening today. Your shirt design is probably the coolest design I’ve ever seen in my life. I tried to buy it, but apparently their credit card reader wasn’t working. I’m going back tomorrow to pick one up.
Keep up the amazing work!
Sep 11th, 2007 #
Awesome. I still haven’t seen it in person. I’m coming for the Threadless party-deal on Friday, so I hope to see it then in some capacity.