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The concept of painting living things as vertical beams of light comes from Rabo Karebekian, a character from two of Kurt Vonnegut's novels ("Bluebeard" and my all time favorite, "Breakfast of Champions"). And for those KV fans at home, the buildings are all part of old Dresden.
*
-R
You do not know how badly I want this.
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Well, I'm not sure I exactly understand what's happening in this picture, but gosh ain't it purty?
rglee129 wrote:The concept of painting living things as vertical beams of light comes from Rabo Karebekian, a character from two of Kurt Vonnegut's novels ("Bluebeard" and my all time favorite, "Breakfast of Champions"). And for those KV fans at home, the buildings are all part of old Dresden.
*
-R
I love Vonnegut so much, but I've never read "Bluebeard." Is it one of his better ones?
Oh yeah, and the design is awesome. 
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Want so hard.
My love for Vonnegut knows no bounds. And Robbie, the same goes for your robots.
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Need!
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This is a very cool design but I don't know... Maybe it's just a smarter take on "Oddball" than I can grasp.
Sure the robot is mechanical, but so is the airplane. Guess I'm just not getting how this is on theme.
Love the shirt though.
genericsmith wrote:This is a very cool design but I don't know... Maybe it's just a smarter take on "Oddball" than I can grasp.
Sure the robot is mechanical, but so is the airplane. Guess I'm just not getting how this is on theme.
Love the shirt though.
It's a bunch of living things, and the robot is the oddball. I guess the airplane could also be considered the same way, but the robot is kind of like a zombie or a marionette or something- it's alive but not alive. But the presence of the airplane does kind of (inadvertently) add emphasis to how the robot is not a living thing, so I think that's kind of neat.
rglee129 wrote:The concept of painting living things as vertical beams of light comes from Rabo Karebekian, a character from two of Kurt Vonnegut's novels ("Bluebeard" and my all time favorite, "Breakfast of Champions"). And for those KV fans at home, the buildings are all part of old Dresden.
*
-R
I totally love that part in "Breakfast of Champions"!! I've always wondered if Rabo Karebekian's painting was supposed to be a fictional parallel to Barnett Newman's "Vir Heroicus Sublimus" (or translated "Man, Heroic and Sublime"). Anyway, I've always liked that painting more after reading Karebekian's explanation of his own work. Very cool reference
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I don't get this shirt....
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this WILL print. Sometime. Somewhere.
why not this week?
flycat wrote:I don't get this shirt....
It's actually cool, artsy and brilliant all at once, but I didn't get it at first blush either, here is my attempt to break it down.
Every living thing in this design has a colored beam of light by it. The bird, the girl, the cat, even the bug has a distinct color shining in it. However, the bug and the cat are sedintary and the girl--who should be active and involved in life--is playing with the non-living electronic thing. But the robot, who apparently has no unique color because he is not "alive" is taking in the moment and admiring the bird, which is also the only other active "living" thing in this piece. (It beautifully contrats the girl's lack of taking part in life)
It's a bit of a heady shirt if my interpretation is right. It is totally on theme, and I will totally buy this and frame it if it wins.
Did I get it right Robbie?
Edit: I hope I don't sound snobbish, because it did take me a minute or two to realize that it was on theme, because at first I wasn't sure. But the more I look at it, the more I love it.
BootsBoots wrote:I love Vonnegut so much, but I've never read "Bluebeard." Is it one of his better ones?
Oh yeah, and the design is awesome.
I prefer "Cat's Cradle" and "Mother Night", but "Bluebeard" is still a great book.
This shirt is amazing!
bluejester wrote:It's actually cool, artsy and brilliant all at once, but I didn't get it at first blush either, here is my attempt to break it down.
Every living thing in this design has a colored beam of light by it. The bird, the girl, the cat, even the bug has a distinct color shining in it. However, the bug and the cat are sedintary and the girl--who should be active and involved in life--is playing with the non-living electronic thing. But the robot, who apparently has no unique color because he is not "alive" is taking in the moment and admiring the bird, which is also the only other active "living" thing in this piece. (It beautifully contrats the girl's lack of taking part in life)
It's a bit of a heady shirt if my interpretation is right. It is totally on theme, and I will totally buy this and frame it if it wins.
Did I get it right Robbie?
Edit: I hope I don't sound snobbish, because it did take me a minute or two to realize that it was on theme, because at first I wasn't sure. But the more I look at it, the more I love it.
I really like the thought I put into this design. I give it an "A+." But I give the thought you put into this design an "A+++"
Honestly, the core of the design was what you described (living things with vertical beams of light, robot without one), and I just like the imagery of kids flying RC planes (probably after seeing Max Fischer fly one in "Rushmore"). Plus, the airplane works well since it's flying over (actually in the foreground of) images from Dresden ("Slaughterhouse Five" is based on KV's experiences as a solider dealing with the friebombings of Dresden). BUT the idea of the girl admiring a machine, while the robot is admiring life is really cool (although accidental). Still, I tell my art students to use cool imagery, and if compelling storylines or themes accidentally happen, then run with it!
Thanks for great comment!
R
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Waaaaaant.
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Thanks for all the great comments, everyone.
@Boots, "Bluebeard" is great, but it's not as crazy and cool as some of his other sci-fi'ish stuff. Still, it's about an artist, so I think you'd like it. I've read it twice, and I liked it a lot more the second time.
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I just want to say again, NEED!
missmissa07 wrote:Waaaaaant.
Also-just wanted to make sure-are the pink and the red actually the same color? Because if not I am seeing 7 colors, and I would absolutely hate to see this shirt rejected...
Unless I'm miscounting. Please say I'm miscounting!
missmissa07 wrote:Also-just wanted to make sure-are the pink and the red actually the same color? Because if not I am seeing 7 colors, and I would absolutely hate to see this shirt rejected...
Unless I'm miscounting. Please say I'm miscounting!
Thanks for the comment, but, yeah, the plane and the red beam are the same color. The beam is just a half tone so it looks lighter.
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This is out of the fog?!
kylemittskus wrote:This is out of the fog?!
Not for long.
Also, I like the duality of a machine playing with a flying life form, while a life form plays with a flying machine.
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This is impressive on multiple levels. GMV, though there aren't enough hours in the day for me to 'splain this to curious viewers when I wear it.
paigeg wrote:This is impressive on multiple levels. GMV, though there aren't enough hours in the day for me to 'splain this to curious viewers when I wear it.
Just say, "Vonnegut." And walk away all erudite and stuff. 
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I am shocked that this is out of the fog. It's apparently far too good for woot.
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I wanna add that the first time I saw this (on Threadless), I was absolutely blown away. This is seriuosly a fantastic piece of work. I really really hope that the voters rally around this, because it's a piece truly deserving to be made real.
thanks for this!
This is so many of the best kinds of awesome.
Edit: Whoa I think I just threw this back into the fog. I'm so great.
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wow...
got my vote
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Whoa! This is all kinds of amazing.
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need this shirt. hope it gets printed!
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I think my vertical beam of light is tad bit brighter after seeing this design. I love, love, love Vonnegut. I want, want, want this shirt!
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I'm so tired of low-grade shirts making it to the top. It's really refreshing to see a quality tee like this in the fog. GMV Good luck.
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This is so awesome and looks terrific on the tee! please return to the fog!
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WHAT THE HELL IS THIS DOING OUT OF THE FOG
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This is one of your best! Colors, placement, concept... so good.
Why is it not in the fog!
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Absolutely the most thoughtful and well-conceived piece of art I have ever seen on this sight.
I wish more people would do shirts based on classic science fiction novels.
Oh my goodness this shirt is amazing. I will have to buy at least two, one to wear and one to frame. =)
rglee129 wrote:The concept of painting living things as vertical beams of light comes from Rabo Karebekian, a character from two of Kurt Vonnegut's novels ("Bluebeard" and my all time favorite, "Breakfast of Champions"). And for those KV fans at home, the buildings are all part of old Dresden.
*
-R
I love the artwork and the concept but I'm not sure it fits clearly with the derby's theme.
Please don't misunderstand; this is amazing work and much better than any of my pieces. However, I might have liked to see a man surrounded by robots like "Now it can be Told" for this particular topic.
GMV. I've studied in Dresden for 6 years and I want this. Badly.
I recognize the building on the left and I guess the one in the foreground is the round cinema but what's that on the right?
P.S.: They actually rebuilt the church. It looks amazing.
tdallinger wrote:I love the artwork and the concept but I'm not sure it fits clearly with the derby's theme.
There are a group of living things and one non-living thing = the odd one out. The dichotomy is living vs. not.
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sorry to see this out of the fog.
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Would buy this shirt in an instant, I really think this deserves to win and thought it would when it was in the fog. Hopefully your shirt shows up somewhere else, because it surely does deserve to.
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Shame that this slipped out of the fog.
penichillin wrote:Shame that this slipped out of the fog.
The fact that this isn't in the fog makes me lose faith in shirt.woot. It used to have awesome shirts all time, now we just get generic little cartoons all the time.
absolutely stunning!
peabody3684 wrote:absolutely stunning!
Glad so many people like this design as much as I do. Thanks for the comments.
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This needs to be printed. Period.
juliaL719 wrote:WHAT THE HELL IS THIS DOING OUT OF THE FOG
.
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Its been a while since Ive been back here, but I cant vote for this and I dont know why
seamuspeyton wrote:Its been a while since Ive been back here, but I cant vote for this and I dont know why
Because you're under an alternate ID without any purchases on it.
And the fact that this shirt is not in the fog is really sad.
kylemittskus wrote:And the fact that this shirt is not in the fog is really sad.
So true. This and "Happiness" not being in the fog anymore made for a bad Monday morning.
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Beatiful!!!
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I love this so. If it doesn't make it this time please PLEASE resub as soon as you can! Thanks and great job!
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Sorry that this isn't in the fog anymore, if it doesn't hop back up there, please let us know if it prints somewhere else. This is some really great work here. (Sorry if I sound to gushy, but I love the work here. I may like the funny goofy shirts, but every now and then I see an artsy shirt design that I really dig and want. )
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No! I was looking forward to buying two of these - one to wear and one to frame, but now it seems I'm out of luck. What the hell?! This is just a beautiful shirt. Are people just not seeing this??? Please put it up somewhere else if it doesn't make it here.
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I love the design, loved it more on threadless with the lines going over to the back of the shirt too.
I didn't get it at first either, but with the explanations, it makes it that much better.
However.... I still don't get the title. Any help with that?
rglee129 wrote:The concept of painting living things as vertical beams of light comes from Rabo Karebekian, a character from two of Kurt Vonnegut's novels ("Bluebeard" and my all time favorite, "Breakfast of Champions"). And for those KV fans at home, the buildings are all part of old Dresden.
*
-R
Great artwork, but you had me at POO-TOO-WEET. I would pay an extra dolla for this shirt if the girl's RC plane was dropping little tiny bombs.
korvis wrote:The fact that this isn't in the fog makes me lose faith in shirt.woot. It used to have awesome shirts all time, now we just get generic little cartoons all the time.
They should have a "proportional face for each animal/inanimate object" rule. Then we'd have some good shirts in the fog. Seems like every time there's a "No bunnies" rule there's a ton of cat shirts. "No cats" - all mice. "No mice" - all penguins. "No penguins" - all bunnies...
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I think the robot is a little out of place... KV wasn't really into robots, more of a Humanist. But it's soooo nice to see someone actually try to make ART on here, instead of Jatravartid shirts for tasteless imbeciles.
If only the majority of voters on shirt.woot weren't so base...
So it goes.
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For anyone considering reading "Bluebeard", I heartily recommend it. It's one of my favorites and I would argue one of Vonnegut's best (or at least most accessible) in terms of telling a structured story with a satisfying ending.
renegadetim wrote:
However.... I still don't get the title. Any help with that?
It's the last line from "Slaughterhouse Five". Two birds are talking and one of them says it to the main character, who's walking by.
cdrewlow wrote:It's the last line from "Slaughterhouse Five". Two birds are talking and one of them says it to the main character, who's walking by.
Bingo. Except I forgot the question mark. And I spelled it wrong in the shirt comp (but spelled it right in the entry name). Huh?
seanmesky wrote:I think the robot is a little out of place... KV wasn't really into robots, more of a Humanist. But it's soooo nice to see someone actually try to make ART on here, instead of Jatravartid shirts for tasteless imbeciles.
If only the majority of voters on shirt.woot weren't so base...
So it goes.
So it goes.
I really wasn't setting out to make this KV fan art or a "best of stuff that was in his books" as much as I was simply exploring Rabo Karebekian's idea of painting living things as vertical light beams. So that's why there's a robot, which is, like you said, not really a Vonnegut thing. It's a me thing, though, and I'm the boss. Of my own artwork at least. Sometimes.
Anyways, it evolved into a piece where I threw in little Vonnegut allusions, but the piece is really meant to stand on its own. Of course, if you're a big Vonnegut fan, then I hope it's even more satisfying. I think there's enough narrative hear to tell a story, but it's got enough mystery to allow a degree of interpretation. Anyways, I know Mr. Vonnegut was an artist, himself, and if this design ever prints anywhere for a decent chunk of change, I want to buy one his hand-signed prints, maybe the portrait of Kilgore Trout. So please, someone with 500 accounts or so, hurry up and vote!
-R
thatrobert wrote:For anyone considering reading "Bluebeard", I heartily recommend it. It's one of my favorites and I would argue one of Vonnegut's best (or at least most accessible) in terms of telling a structured story with a satisfying ending.
+!
And thanks for the BL nod.
flycat wrote:I don't get this shirt....
agreed
mrsjamie wrote:agreed
Not every damn shirt needs a punchline. Not every shirt needs to be "gotten". Sometimes, a shirt is just a nice image. Nothing more is needed.
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I normally never post responses, but please please PLEASE woot shirt, print this at some point. It really is pure genius, on many levels.
