After the bomb, the Earth was a lonely, cold place.
Original layout by popular demand.

Drawing: Drakxxx
Colors: CrescentDebris

DETAIL 1:


DETAIL 2:


DETAIL 3:


DETAIL 4:


Thanks again.

Re: I Bet It's Better There...V2

this is very, very cool. I liked the other version too.

Re: I Bet It's Better There...V2

Definitely prefer it this way!

(The comp shows the big moon design too though. Needs a quick fix.)

Re: I Bet It's Better There...V2

Eek, I spoke too soon I just finished commenting on the other one. I like how you kept the moon looking the same, it looks really cool. I'm worried about the belly placement though, might cost you some votes. Both are awesome though =)

I like the other one better, so I'm going to keep my vote there. But if you decide to eliminate that one, then I'll shift my vote over here

Can't wait to see your other 2 designs (especially that crazy ducky!)

Spiritgreen wrote:Definitely prefer it this way!

(The comp shows the big moon design too though. Needs a quick fix.)

No no, this is why the last version existed. Drakxxx said "hay dood what u think of dis comp?" I was like "WOooooah I like that big moon close up, let me make a version like dat"

Turns out, they were already in love with the thread version and rose against the big moon version.

I'm an spoon. Looks like you already got rid of the other one, lol. Ok then, GMV! :P

Very Nice! Love the scene

Re: I Bet It's Better There...V2

Most excellent, most excellent! GMV and definitely in for one when it prints. Also, shooting a private message your way about something.

Re: I Bet It's Better There...V2

Brilliantly drawn, although I have to be honest. The skeleton in the car makes it a little morbid to be something I'd wear.

Re: I Bet It's Better There...V2

Awwww, I loved the new layout. The composition was much stronger on the shirt. On this version the bulk of the design will end up really far down.

In any case, this is still a lovely design and a very heartfelt scene. Great work, I think this is going to make it!

CrescentDebris wrote:No no, this is why the last version existed. Drakxxx said "hay dood what u think of dis comp?" I was like "WOooooah I like that big moon close up, let me make a version like dat"

Turns out, they were already in love with the thread version and rose against the big moon version.

Sorry if I'm getting confused, but I thought you'd accidentally used both versions in this resub. I figured you were intending to go with the small, high moon as people seem to prefer it (I do!) but the larger image still shows the original, low, big moon.

(Maybe they don't have to match? I'm not clear on the rules - but I thought you guys *meant* for the two images here to be the same but had made a mistake. I was only saying it to try to be helpful. ^_^)

Spiritgreen wrote:Sorry if I'm getting confused, but I thought you'd accidentally used both versions in this resub. I figured you were intending to go with the small, high moon as people seem to prefer it (I do!) but the larger image still shows the original, low, big moon.

(Maybe they don't have to match? I'm not clear on the rules - but I thought you guys *meant* for the two images here to be the same but had made a mistake. I was only saying it to try to be helpful. ^_^)

I appreciate you. So you know, I haven't slept at ALL and everything is becoming extremely amusing so that wasn't meant to be taken negatively.

The thumbnail image has to match the shirt design. All they care about is the design ON the shirt. You see people do a low opacity version behind the image. Drakxxx does it on most comps. This was intended to show the detail of the bottom and then the ghosted image of the moon at a low opacity. Drakxxx sent me the comp just to see what I thought and I liked the idea of a close up moon. SO, I delayed him and made a version similar to that. We debated about which to go with and wondered what headaches would ensue. Yep. Haha. Oh well. Vote for "Duck and Cover" when it hits. Only ONE version of that coming out :P

And you know, as long as you all are saying "liked better", that's cool. At least it's not "sucked less".

Re: I Bet It's Better There...V2

I definitely like this version better than the other one.

Re: I Bet It's Better There...V2

*Clapping* Gorgeous work, truly. I really like the colors you chose for this. Here's hoping it will print.

Re: I Bet It's Better There...V2

I think the moon should be somewhere in between and I liked the clouds from the rough drawing. The black and white version is great also and could totally work on a white tee. The colors almost seem to take away the impact for me.

Re: I Bet It's Better There...V2

This is incredible, you guys! I love the placement and colors. I'm always a fan of a well-done cranberry tee. If this prints, I will have to seriously consider buying. ;)

Re: I Bet It's Better There...V2

glad you went back! Has my vote now :P

Re: I Bet It's Better There...V2

Drakxxx, your ability to come up with these compositions is always amazing.

Re: I Bet It's Better There...V2

@CrescentDebris. Right, yes!, good! I'm a bit slow today. I would delete my ramblings but it would just make the thread more confusing to read back. :^)

The important part:

otterific design! I like this placement a lot more. GMV. Go go go!

Wow, this is two weeks in row that I have to vote for one Drakxxx/CrescentDebris's designs. This is so lovely and sad.

Is it odd I find this shirt sexy? Because something about the longing portrayed makes me want to find the artist(s) and love the hurt whole again.

Fortunately for the artists, I'm old, fat and happily married enough that that particular vision is even less likely than death by duck. ;)

Josephus wrote:this is very, very cool. I liked the other version too.

This shirt otterific! Don’t know why, but it reminds me of Fahrenheit 451 (my favorite book) after the bomb.

Re: I Bet It's Better There...V2

otterific. perhaps your best yet.

TacToc wrote:This shirt otterific! Don’t know why, but it reminds me of Fahrenheit 451 (my favorite book) after the bomb.

Your brain is less cynical than mine.

Love this. Voted.

Re: I Bet It's Better There...V2

Soooooo pretty.

toby8915 wrote:otterific. perhaps your best yet.

Your signature creeps me out EVERY! SINGLE! TIME! I need to learn my lesson.

And brilliant design, D&C. Needs to be printed.

Re: I Bet It's Better There...V2

Damn .. my previous comment was on the right thread all along .. sorry for the double-post. I just wanted to say I think this is amazing and I hope it prints!!

Re: I Bet It's Better There...V2

I'm hoping for this one to print too.. could be an expensive weekend next week. Hopefully. GMV and my admiration for your continually brilliant work. You are both extremely talented.

Re: I Bet It's Better There...V2

I missed the posted v1, but from the detail, I REALLY like the big moon effect. I understand being outweighed on this, but I just wanted to comment.

Re: I Bet It's Better There...V2

great illustration, really captures the feel of isolation. +1 from me, especially since you threw in a dog =)

megsck wrote:great illustration, really captures the feel of isolation. +1 from me, especially since you threw in a dog =)

otterific design really like it.

Re: I Bet It's Better There...V2

I voted for both, of course, but I'm conflicted about which I want more. This is much better artistically, but the duck was is so cool.

Re: I Bet It's Better There...V2

I'm confused. On one of them the moon is real big and close and on the other its more up in the sky? Is both of them on sale? Or are they the same shirt and one's just a close up?

artist42 wrote:I'm confused. On one of them the moon is real big and close and on the other its more up in the sky? Is both of them on sale? Or are they the same shirt and one's just a close up?

The design on the t-shirt is the design. The rest is to show the detail of the bottom and the moon is shown behind that for a closer look at the moon and for filler for the comp. A lot of people do this on comps. Drakxxx does it a lot. Even in last week's entry The only difference is that here it gives the illusion that the big moon is part of the design but it isn't. It's the way that it's shown on the shirt.

People that are referring to the "other version" are talking about a different sub we did based on a larger moon idea that we removed after about 30 minutes of whining I admit, that after getting some rest and taking a fresh look, I prefer this one too. The larger moon was an idea that popped in my head when I saw this comp and we figured we would try it out. Ultimately, people preferred the previewed version.

Re: I Bet It's Better There...V2

Nice composition and colors, I might buy this if it prints.

Re: I Bet It's Better There...V2

Its great but cmdixon did a shirt exactly like this a while ago

Re: I Bet It's Better There...V2

I like this version much better. GMV

Deep

Re: I Bet It's Better There...V2

I love this design, and I love the color. But as a woman, I won't be buying it, because I don't believe it would be flattering to have ruins on my stomach and a moon over one of the girls.

Re: I Bet It's Better There...V2

I hope this wins, I REALLY want it as a shirt!

Re: I Bet It's Better There...V2

When I saw this in the pre derby thread I was like "sheesh" "why bother?" (To myself...because this is poignant and beautiful and still has that ray of hope we all need. But I totally went to bed after seeing your pre derby drawings!!! Not that I will always give up so easily!

You guys nailed it, again. Your talent is out of control.

Re: I Bet It's Better There...V2

This shirt reminds me of anime film I saw many years ago, can't come up with the name. It's about a boy who lives in the slums and dreams of getting to orbiting city above. As I recall, it doesn't go well for him...

Re: I Bet It's Better There...V2

Reminds me of the Don Johnson movie from the 70s.
A Boy And His Dog

Re: I Bet It's Better There...V2

This reminds me of "I am Legend".

This shirt reminds me of Space Balls!!

This entry seems to look, smell and taste like a lot of things. But I suppose if all the things in question are GREAT, then fantastic.

----------------------

Now it's time for a look at a couple of progress images.

This entry was Drakxxx's idea and started with his line art. He sent me an earlier version then did some tweaks and whatnot and sent this.



Asphalt is a necessary color too often because it's DARK but still shows black lines fairly well but I didn't want to use it. (MORE COLORS PLEASE WOOT! Violet perhaps) Navy would have been too dark resulting in a bright MOON and some distorted mess at the bottom *squints eyes* OH, ok, a kid and his dog on a destroyed world. I just did Royal Blue on "Lost Already" and honestly none of the other colors appealed to me. So I went with Cranberry for a sunset look. So I worked up a color concept and got an epic thumbs up from Drakxxx.



As I worked on the real colors, I had a couple of things that I felt could be better. The main thing was the dog was looking to the left as if the moon was hanging above them, not in the distance. Or else was focused on something else, so I changed that. I then just redrew the boy to make him look up more and posed him with his knees pulled in for more of a cold/alone sort of look.



The only other line change is something hardly worth mentioning but was the only other thing I changed which was the skeleton. It's not going to win any awards but I roughed in some changes to make it a bit more realistic maybe. I also scaled it up a bit.



Lastly was the moon which Drakxxx left sketchy so I could do whatever I wanted to with it. Believe me, I tried about a dozen different versions. From this sketched outline, to clean lines, to clouds, to no clouds, to hatch lines, to halftones, to bright, to dark, to solid outline. I probably spent a third of my time just experimenting with the moon. Ultimately this was the look that didn't say "FIX ME" so I went with this. Visible, but not a huge white ball. A touch of realism, a touch of fantasy. I liked it, so that's how I left it.

Thanks as always!

tascott02 wrote:Reminds me of the Don Johnson movie from the 70s.
A Boy And His Dog

Definitely the film I used as literal inspiration for the drawing. Just watched it not to long ago as well.

Thanks evreyone for your otterific support this contest.

CrescentDebris wrote:This shirt reminds me of Space Balls!!

This entry seems to look, smell and taste like a lot of things. But I suppose if all the things in question are GREAT, then fantastic.

Tastes like the ash of a world fated to destroy itself,....and COTTON!