Shirt.Woot

Re: Sushi Loving Owls

Oh...my...goodness....this is SO cute! Ah needs it!

sugareeali wrote:This is the only top ten shirt I want. Wish it would creep into the fog. And as far as the title goes...Japan Fan works with the the double entandre (?) as well. As in "I'm a pancake fan" or it can also be "I'm a fan of pancakes". And now I will go eat them. :p

Thanks, that means a lot! mmm I want pancakes now too!:D

HalfWheat wrote:I really like this, and I wonder if the text is holding some people back from voting.

If it needs to be there for the design balance, I wish it said something other than "Japan." If I was in Japan, I'd have no problem buying a shirt that said that, but here, I think I'd rather have it say something else. "Japan" seems so obvious that it doesn't need to be said.

Maybe if it said serenity...beauty...or maybe some play on the fact that you can "hide" behind a fan in a flirtatious way? Hidden assets?

I don't know. It's probably too late to try another version, but I'm just rattling off thoughts.

Some day, I hope to buy one of your designs.

Thanks halfwheat! I appreciate your thoughts and support! This is one of my own personal favorites of the designs I've done.

Hmmm... do you really think it's the text? I almost submitted this without the text. I understand superspryte's reason for not wanting to wear the text 'Japan' in Japan, but are there a lot of other people on woot in Japan?
I would certainly submit a text-less version (or another text), but so far I've only seen superspryte and one other's comment on the text(who still liked it?)... so if that is something holding back others on the votes, please speak up!: )

kylemittskus wrote:
I still contend that this has no Japanese reference, nor does it have to do with Japan. Neither sporks nor chopsticks are Japanese.

I respectfully disagree. We based our design on Japanese advertising, which if you do some looking around, is pretty much what we came up with. Here are some reference photos:





It's not just the text that makes this design Japanese, but the style of the text and the style of the design overall that is Japanese. It's the same for Drakxxx's "She Never Sleeps". He even states that it is "[his] homage to a notorious staple of Japanese Horror cinema".

So there you have it.

untermieter wrote:The idea and layout is quite beautiful but i dislike the colors, sorry!
(i'm not the "orange type" of guy...)

I was going for fall colors :P.. I wonder why WOOT isn't doing anything Halloweeny?

krazyloon wrote:So, you're saying there is no place for creativity on woot. We all better do EXACTLY what the topic is. How specific does the topic have to be to keep everyone from arguing? Next week maybe everyone can do cute kittens sitting on a pumpkin or something. Hopefully it will be more specific to keep all possibility of creativity out.

When I see this design, the first think I think of isn't "Japan," it's two kids trick-or-treating for Halloween. I really can't think of any other context for those two costumes.

And for some reason, the pirate kid seems to be the more prominent one to me. I don't know if that made any difference to Woot, or even to me.

If this is the ONLY design rejected for being off topic, then I agree it's not fair. But if they are starting to take their own themes more seriously and are starting to reject the questionable ones in this and future derbies, then I don't have a problem with it.

No one likes being rejected. But it happens, even to some of the most popular and respected artists in these derbies. But being on topic is part of the game, which sometimes includes seeing how far you can stretch that theme without being rejected. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

re: the samurai and the sea dragon

Just one gripe, all samurai have 2 blades, the long katana and the shorter wakizashi/ wakazashi.

The style is great, very bushido.

acobjoe wrote: It's not just the text that makes this design Japanese, but the style of the text and the style of the design overall that is Japanese. It's the same for Drakxxx's "She Never Sleeps". He even states that it is "[his] homage to a notorious staple of Japanese Horror cinema".

So there you have it.

Drakxxx's design uses a common trope of Japanese horror cinema and is easily identified as such -- especially if you are aware of that genre (Ringu for example). I understand your argument, but I don't think that the style you used and are talking about is either a) exclusive to Japanese culture or b) easily recognizable as a Japanese-style advertisement.

Your shirt seems to be doing well, and obviously it's woot's decision, but I personally don't think that this shirt fits the theme. I appreciate the civil discourse about it though.

jasneko wrote:Thanks halfwheat! I appreciate your thoughts and support! This is one of my own personal favorites of the designs I've done.

Hmmm... do you really think it's the text? I almost submitted this without the text. I understand superspryte's reason for not wanting to wear the text 'Japan' in Japan, but are there a lot of other people on woot in Japan?
I would certainly submit a text-less version (or another text), but so far I've only seen superspryte and one other's comment on the text(who still liked it?)... so if that is something holding back others on the votes, please speak up!: )

I'm definately not in Japan, but for me the text just doesn't fit with the design, somehow. The rest is so creative, I wish the message was also that creative, or that it wasn't there at all.

Re: Forget Chopsticks...

This is one of the few shirts in this derby that actually has Japanese elements in it. The other shirts are stereotypes of what Westerners think of Japan. Like I'm sure a lot of Japanese people wear shirts with ninjas and samurais on them.

REDQU33N wrote:I was going for fall colors :P.. I wonder why WOOT isn't doing anything Halloweeny?

They're waiting for a derby that will be too late for anyone to order the shirt and have it shipped on time to wear on Halloween?

the placement means i won't be wearing that one in public. Not as bad as the good bunny evil bunny dirtypillow patches, but it's up there.

mikan36 wrote:I like how you used the red temple/gate reference (that is commonly referred to in "Japanese" things) in a different way with the lanterns. It makes it unique from other designs.

OH YEAH, are you going to get your "Natural Blues" Tshirt printed later? Because you should. I'd buy it. ))

Thank you! I really wanted to include the red gate in one of my designs - I really like them for some reason P:
Oh! Well, I'm happy that you're asking about it. I'll probably post it up on my shop after the 60 days are up .

Re: Baby Monsters

Baby Monsters, we make our dreams come true
Baby Monsters, we'll do the same to you

I'm pretty happy about this derby's submissions....but where the eff are my Hello Kitty parody shirts???!!!???

Re: The Safe-for-Work Tanuki

Here's a Safe-for-Work version of The Jolly Tanuki for you! A few people mentioned that the original, with his large testicles, might get rejected. Although statues of Tanuki with his giant testicles are all over Japan, America (and some other countries) might not fly for that haha. Luckily, there is an alternative version of the statues that have an even bigger stomach, minus the testicles. More foreigner friendly, I guess.

kylemittskus wrote:Drakxxx's design uses a common trope of Japanese horror cinema and is easily identified as such -- especially if you are aware of that genre

Well...I would have to say the same thing about his design. I'm not familiar with Japanese cinema, so I would not have guessed "She Never Sleeps" was directly Japanese. In the same way, maybe a lot of people aren't familiar with Japanese advertising, but just the same it is Japanese style. And just as you said, if you are aware of that style, then it is easily identified.

Kattywampus wrote:I love this so much!

Thank you!

stargirl6878 wrote:nice design...kinda reminds me of the story of thumbelina...

That's what my cousins said too. Thanks!

sugareeali wrote:cute.

Thanks.

mikan36 wrote:I recognized the story as soon as I saw your shirt comp - I like that you based your shirt off of a story too! & cute illustration :D

Awesome! Thank you ! I wanted to do another design, so I was reading up on wikipedia on Japanese folklore, and I found this sweet little story. Then I realized that was where Okami got the name Issun.

Re: Baby Monsters

Oh my goodness...a Muppet Babies reference! And I thought I was the only one who remembered *sigh* I really like the watercolor-y style you used for this

innuendopanda wrote:Here's a Safe-for-Work version of The Jolly Tanuki for you! A few people mentioned that the original, with his large testicles, might get rejected. Although statues of Tanuki with his giant testicles are all over Japan, America (and some other countries) might not fly for that haha. Luckily, there is an alternative version of the statues that have an even bigger stomach, minus the testicles. More foreigner friendly, I guess.

I think you should have just done one like in Pom Poko where they strech out the sack of one of the guys and all use it as a trampoline. Who cares what people say!

I like both versions of your shirt.

kender42 wrote:Is he able to strech them out and do all sorts of crazy things like in Pom Poko?!

Yes, yes he can.

Re: Issun-Boshi

I really like the story behind this! Very cute and creative design

kender42 wrote:I think you should have just done one like in Pom Poko where they strech out the sack of one of the guys and all use it as a trampoline. Who cares what people say!

I like both versions of your shirt.

I wanted to keep away from any specific versions of Tanuki. I instead used the kind from actual japanese folklore

innuendopanda wrote:I wanted to keep away from any specific versions of Tanuki. I instead used the kind from actual japanese folklore

I was just picking on people in general. I like what you have done.

Interesting concept.

Re: love unrequited

hahahaha, this is hilarious.

Meant to post this, too, but I believe it should be 高くて、背が高い, as you can't really have two adjectives describing the same thing like that unless they are te-form.

Interesting concept, none-the-less.

innuendopanda wrote:Yes, yes he can.

You have just made my day. I am that bored.

jasneko wrote:Everyone loves sushi, even owls.

Check out these crazy owls on a Japanese tv show.

Text says: What do you want?

Your owls are cute! and that video is awesome - I love Japanese TV. XD

Re: Dragon Maiden (creme)

I think I like the other version better. The blue against the asphalt seemed to glow more. However after explaining the concept of the dragon coming off the kimono, the idea seems a little too similar to kaseyfleming's design from the tattoo derby, where the dragon was coming alive off the girl's skin. Obviously they look nothing alike though and this is still a nice illustration.

acobjoe wrote:Well...I would have to say the same thing about his design. I'm not familiar with Japanese cinema, so I would not have guessed "She Never Sleeps" was directly Japanese. In the same way, maybe a lot of people aren't familiar with Japanese advertising, but just the same it is Japanese style. And just as you said, if you are aware of that style, then it is easily identified.

But even based on the other Japanese advertisements you posted, I don't see this as Japanese. I don't see any blatantly obvious similarities between your design and the photos you posted. Comparatively, yours looks rather monochromatic. If anything, I imagine Japanese advertisements as using neon colors.

Re: The Safe-for-Work Tanuki

Oh, and the Kanji on this one, like the other, says "tanuki"

Re: For Honor and Glory

I really liked the colors you used for this and the distressing is a nice touch too!

Re: Neko Chan the Lucky Cat

What does 果服 mean? o.o It's not in any of my dictionaries. D:

Re: JAPANESE-ANIME-ROBOT-MOM

TENGEN TOPPA CLEANEN LAMOM! WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK I AM?

imsochady wrote:Hah! I just saw that movie last night! And Spirited Away the night before! Plus I also bought that movie book for Spirited the day after with them sketches, movie stills, and script from the movie! And now I'm about to watch Kiki's Delivery Service! Hahaha...

I was just watching some of his older stuff recently (Nasaka of the Valley of the Wind and Castle in the Sky). Now with this Japanese theme, I'm all in the mood to go watch more. Miyazaki marathon party at my house! Everyone's invited! woohoo!!

re: she never sleeps

agreed! imo this is the best design among the lot for this derby...haiz...hope it gathers enough votes before the dust settles......

Re: The Happy Samurai

hahaha, great facial expression! Is it morbid that I love the guy cut cleanly in half?

truffleshuffle wrote:I was just watching some of his older stuff recently (Nasaka of the Valley of the Wind and Castle in the Sky). Now with this Japanese theme, I'm all in the mood to go watch more. Miyazaki marathon party at my house! Everyone's invited! woohoo!!

My daughter loves all the movies she has seen that he made. We took her to the theaters to see Ponyo and she just blow away. She really enjoyed it. I might have to have a marathon as well with her this week since I have some time off.

kylemittskus wrote:I don't see any blatantly obvious similarities between your design and the photos you posted.

Uh, the eyes in the first of his photos are almost exactly the same as the ones in their spork. How is that not blatantly obvious?

Re: Tokyo Demolition

I'd also like to see the running men in the design as well! The one thing that bothers me though is that backdrop behind the monster is so distracting for me, it looks like he has a shell on his back... but not.