Summer Resolutions
Ah, blessed summertime, when the days get long and hockeyless. How I loathe thee.
Still, I guess it's not all rotten. I've been furiously packing and preparing for my move to Irvine, which should get really underway next week. Once I get my head above water, though, I do have one project that I'd really like to get done. Really, it's been sitting on my plate for something like five months, and it's well overdue: a Battle of California t-shirt.
The ever-awesome guys at The Pensblog asked me back in February to draw up a t-shirt design to merchandise in their impressive Storeblog, and I lied and said, "For sure, right away!" Since then, I've sat down with a blank paper and pen quite a few times, fully intending to put a masterpiece together worthy of public display, but I keep coming away unsatisfied with the result. I mean, it's one thing to put together cheap cartoons for a free internet, but I guess I'm holding myself to a higher standard for product with an actual price tag.
Here's one of my recent efforts, which is probably close to what I'm imagining:
Whoops, forgot the Star.
Now I'm not exactly sure on how copyright rules work in a money-making* venture like t-shirt sales, but to be safe I'm hoping to fully create the whole thing -- no stealing from Bill and Ted or Itchy and Scratchy, for instance. I'm pretty sure Pensblog will allow more than one design, so I'm certainly open to concept ideas. What would you like to see a duck, a king, a shark, and a star doing on a BoC t-shirt? I'd love to hear some reader ideas, and I'll probably run some design ideas throughout the summer just to take a reader pulse.
* I'm not really planning on making any money, but there will be a cost.
So anyway, that's one thing to look forward to. On a different note, yesterday I made a brash, stupid, awesome decision (one that I haven't done anything towards and still might back out of). If my loose plan works out, I think I'm going to spend New Year's with my kid brother in Chicago, and then freeze my ass off at the Winter Classic at Wrigley. I'll keep you guys updated as this plan really gets developed (or scrapped), but for now, the loose plan is that myself, the lucky green shirt, and up to a dozen other layers of clothing are going.
And who knows? Maybe by then the green shirt will be replaced by a BoC t-shirt I can be proud of.
22 comments:
I like this design, but my favorite is still the one on the left, with everyone thinking, "what a bunch of morons." Slap the new logo on there, and I'd buy one for sure.
Yeah, that one does look pretty good -- oddly that one was done in the days before I was scanning hand-drawn pictures. Maybe I need to get back to my MS Paint roots for this one.
It's more the concept than the drawing that does it for me. I'm no art critic, that's for sure.
Oh man, I guess I'll have to juggle this t-shirt design with Puck Daddy's new Gary Bettman art contest, too.
Seems up my alley, at least.
Sorry to state the obvious, but just in case...don't forget to put the BofC web address on there somewhere.
Re: Copyright rules. You can't use previously licensed images and logos so fully original is the safest way to go. However, it might also apply to the font you use if you're using a privately designed font unless it's one you've paid for.
Thanks, Sherry. I think we're OK on font (or at least, I hope). I believe it was created for BoC use, nearly a year ago by a generous design student. Still, if it's contentious I don't mind doing some font-work.
...don't forget to put the BofC web address on there somewhere.
For sure. It will be a marketing juggernaut.
Ya know, I just read about the Gary Bettman Art Contest over on Puck Daddy and immediately wondered if Sleek would enter it.
Silly me, but of course!
I'd buy a state rape shirt.
Ya know, I just read about the Gary Bettman Art Contest over on Puck Daddy and immediately wondered if Sleek would enter it.
Well, not only that, but Wyshynski sent me an e-mail threat on the side: "If you don't enter this contest, I will find you and kick you."
Anybody got any good Gary-themed ideas (I'm trying to avoid the obvious Batman-Bettman angle)? Pirates of the Garybbean? I'll take any ideas about that, as well.
I'd buy a state rape shirt.
Ha, I'll talk to Pensblog about that one -- it is original, that's for sure, and if there's no issues, I'll submit that one as well.
For anyone who's new or forgetful, here's that link.
How about a Pronger lifting the cup and saying "haha! Stupid Oilers!" design?
Stompy t-shirt = Morbo opens wallet.
How about a Pronger lifting the cup and saying "haha! Stupid Oilers!" design?
That would make me cry. And yet be awesome, from a purely objective standpoint.
2 for state rape. Morbo's got a great idea as well, and ANYTHING that says "stupid oilers" will get me to open my empty wallet.
Maybe you need to create a whole line: Shirts, Hats, Hoodies, the works.
I've always liked the one where they're drinking, personally.
Or, there's always the one I did of Corey Perry, which I would pay anything to get on a t-shirt.
Maybe you need to create a whole line: Shirts, Hats, Hoodies, the works.
What do I look like, Sidney Crosby? I'll probably start small on the back of Pensblog and see how it does with just a couple of designs.
2 for state rape.
I've always liked the one where they're drinking, personally.
I think these are the designs I'll go for at this point. Look out, Minnesota!
Oh yeah, and Stompy, too! Though that's a bit more Duckish and a little less BoCish, I'm still willing to give it a stab.
Of course, before Stompgate, I would have suggested creating a Pronger shirt designed only at the elbows (Holmstrom's face on one elbow and McAmmond's on the other), but now that seems so dated.
I would 4 sure buy one of the characters all drinking @ the bar. I think you should use the tag; "the biggest/best "pathetic hockey market" in the west" - stupid oilers....
You absolutely have to have one with the California state rape. California doesnt have to be raping anyone but it has to have those crazy rape eyes.
Also count me in on the State Rape.
The brilliant thing is that it can be a series of T-shirts, thus prolonging your revenue source.
I like the concept on the design on this post, but going back to your MS paint would be great. Maybe something like this cartoon (I liked the googly eyes and you don't have to put the coyote in if you don't want to) where they're drinking together.
Yeah the State Rape one is funny... though I'd say take the geographic colors out because it looks like it's supposed to be blood or something.
Also, a gag about including Texas might be funny. Like a Star disguising itself amongst the other mascots by wearing a California shaped mustache or something.
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