Shirt.Woot

So there's been a lot of comments recently that there are a lot of topics about shirts, but very few about design. We have a fair amount of resources around the technical aspects of design creation, but very little in the way design appreciation. Given that there's a bunch of excitement about the new derby rules, I thought this might be a good way for people to start talking about why they like the designs they like as a way to branch into a more broad discussion (we'll see how that goes).

The rules are simple. Pretend you're the guest editor and pick one design that you think is the most deserving and post it here. But here is the important part...along with the design post a small blurb about why you think it's the most deserving (that means describe what's good about the shirt not why everything else sucks). By now I think most everyone who is going to submit has already so I don't think there's much chance of missing anything.

In this way, we can get an idea for what kinds of design people like, and have a launching point for more discussion.

One caveat though, pick one design and one design only! No HM's, no ties, no top whatever. The guest editor gets to pick one shirt that prints and so that's all that you get. We all like multiple things, but in this way you have to really distill it down and think yourself, "why is this shirt more deserving that everything else that was submitted?" And to start things off, I choose:

My Golden Dream (ride on air balloon) by daledreams



What I like most about this shirt is the use of perspective and color. I'm a big fan of shirts that look alive, and this shirt has a ton of depth. Looking at it you can almost see the balloon rising into the air.

On top of that, the minimal use of color really accentuates the theme, but in a way that isn't one dimensional. My personal litmus test for topicality is whether or not a random stranger could reasonably guess in the general ballpark just from looking at the design. Here I think it's clear that the golden glow is the centerpiece. It could just as easily say "balloon," but the way the color is accented on the wisps of cloud and the girl's hair not to mention the stark contrast with the greys really draw the eyes to the flame and the golden basket. It's very simple, but it tells a detailed story.

My one critique is that I think the clouds were designed too close to the edges of the printable area. It gives the design a real boxy look that I don't particularly care for. I think it's much more aesthetically pleasing with the design blends into the shirt. I really like that it's a big design, and I appreciate following the rules, but woot usually fudges those things anyway so a more natural look probably would have been fine. In this case it's only a small thing, but with less of that boxiness I think it would be that much better.

So that would be my pick. How about yours?

I'd pick "Dead Pirate's Gold" by qetza



Pirates and gold go together like peanut butter and chocolate. And while you can find plenty of pirate skull shirts online this one is chock full of cool details. I love the gold coins, the ship's wheel, the jolly roger eyepatch. It's big, interesting to look at, and badass.

I'd go with nathanwpyle's. It's clever, the other elements are nicely subtle, has a great use of the gold ink, and I like that the pirate was added in to convey a little story inside the design.

I think I would choose ochopika's "Make Your Own Luck"



I love the texture in this image. The shading, the way the hair/fins are clearly paintbrush strokes on the wall. I love the understated use of the gold tones that seem to add to the detail without overpowering the image overall.

Interesting.
I think a guest editor would have more responsibility than to just pick the design that makes them "squeeee" and instead pick something that represents excellence but also has strong marketability. Glittery gold ink is very, very easy to overdo resulting in something that looks like a glitter vinyl shirt from the 70s.

MrWednesday's pick avoids that trap quite well, but I'm not fond of the dark background.
Regardless, I really like Rasabi's Flight of the Golden Fish.

I like the Ukiyo-e style that perfectly fits the composition. It has just enough gold for accent, but not so much that it overpowers the shirt. Actually, I'd like to see it without the gold outlines and just the semi-random flecks. The piece tells a dynamic story that a viewer can easily "read".

I love this concept and will check these threads out each week if you continue them...

However, do you think this might sway the actual guest editor to maybe not pick any of the picks anyone on this thread chooses because they won't want to seem like they just picked someone else's suggestion?

As in, "I don't want people to think I only picked this design because mrwednesday pointed out to me and everyone else how cool it was." So, then to avoid that, they pick something else instead?

I'm most likely overthinking this, but if I were ever guest editor, I would most likely not look at this thread for that week because of this issue. Just my two cents.

I love the concept though, and maybe, if it is an issue, we could all just do it after the voting's closed or whenever the guest editor has to turn their vote in.

renegadetim wrote:
I'm most likely overthinking this..

Yes, yes you are. If this a request thread, that'd be funny and amusing.

It's a late entry, but my hands-down favourite this week is PixelPants' "A Million Sunsets". The textures are fabulously done, particularly the rusty patina on the robot. The use of the gold is subtle enough so as not to be overpowering, and really gives the overall design a sense of warmth. The design sets a definite mood and creates a strong sense of story. (Also, I'll admit a little personal bias. I really bloody love robots.)

renegadetim wrote:I love this concept and will check these threads out each week if you continue them...

However, do you think this might sway the actual guest editor to maybe not pick any of the picks anyone on this thread chooses because they won't want to seem like they just picked someone else's suggestion?

As in, "I don't want people to think I only picked this design because mrwednesday pointed out to me and everyone else how cool it was." So, then to avoid that, they pick something else instead?

I'm most likely overthinking this, but if I were ever guest editor, I would most likely not look at this thread for that week because of this issue. Just my two cents.

I love the concept though, and maybe, if it is an issue, we could all just do it after the voting's closed or whenever the guest editor has to turn their vote in.

People used to have an outlet for this sort of thing in Thatrobert's Bestlosers blog, but he threw in the towel after the blanks change.

The people Woot will pick as guest editors are probably going to be smart and opinionated (or geek famous!). I doubt a discussion thread is going to sway their decision in a bad way.

This is one of my favorite derby entries in a long time, if not possibly ever; the art is adorable but skilled, done in a style appropriate for the subject matter, and the use of gold was just right.

Plus, it's a cat and I'm a sucker for cats. (Even if everyone else is sick of them.)

I make a lousy judge, because I don't have training or logic, or most of the time to ability to discribe WHY I like something. I just know it when I see it as it were.

If I have to pick just one though, I think I'd go with


It just keeps drawing my eye back, and I really would expect to see it on a rack of printed Tees in a store somewhere.

My very personal favorite is this one. The use of the golden ratio is appealing and the flowing design catches the eye, allowing it to wander the swirling trails across the body of the design. Gold on red is always a stunning combination (this on a blue shirt would also look just as lovely), and the design is tastefully complex without being too busy.

bounty42 wrote:I really would expect to see it on a rack of printed Tees in a store somewhere.

I'm not judging your choice, because it's a good design, but isn't that the antithesis of what Woot represents?

j5 wrote:I'm not judging your choice, because it's a good design, but isn't that the anithesis of what Woot represents?

^ This. ^

Part of the appeal of Woot, initially, was that the shirts were unique and didn't look like anything you'd see anywhere else. I've nothing against this design specifically, but personally, it's why I find the "glowy-swirly-vector slapped on a shirt" kind of designs almost as unappealing as the twee cutesy stuff. They're boring, and look like something you could snag off the rack at any local department store.

Hm, many I would put in my top 5 are already here. So here is something new.

Star damsel turned in a very nice cute design. It has movement, and while the hord is very detailed in contrast to the dragon the amount doesn't over power the dragon.
I know the rules stat not to compar to others, but as there is a same concept in the running I would like to say why I choose this over the other. I love kinzoku's beautifully detailed dragon, but the hoard has little detail on it and is much larger than the dragon, overpowering the little guy.

Though if Star had noticed/had time to color Kinzoku's sketch in her thread that one would have won.

Great choices from everyone but I was surprised no one picked Jewelwing's entry. Love the art and the colors. It is creepy cool.

ressamac wrote:Great choices from everyone but I was surprised no one picked Jewelwing's entry. Love the art and the colors. It is creepy cool.

I'll speak for myself on this, because while you are correct about the design elements, the core of the design is based on a game that is 5 years old in its earliest incarnation and 2 years in its latest and is a somewhat obscure reference. Without knowledge of the game, the design loses the majority of its impact.

j5 wrote:I'll speak for myself on this, because while you are correct about the design elements, the core of the design is based on a game that is 5 years old in its earliest incarnation and 2 years in its latest and is a somewhat obscure reference. Without knowledge of the game, the design loses the majority of its impact.

Yeah, having never actually played the game (though I know of it) I thought it was some weird Village of the Damned riff. Or maybe something with Alice in Wonderland (lots of blue and Pinifores)

I had 2-3 choices, but I finally rejected the others and picked Artulo's Scarab design. It evokes ancient necklaces, and the colors go so well together. The gold is not overpowering, I just like it a lot.

Josephus wrote:I had 2-3 choices, but I finally rejected the others and picked Artulo's Scarab design. It evokes ancient necklaces, and the colors go so well together. The gold is not overpowering, I just like it a lot.

This was in my top 3.

j5 wrote:Interesting.
I think a guest editor would have more responsibility than to just pick the design that makes them "squeeee" and instead pick something that represents excellence but also has strong marketability. Glittery gold ink is very, very easy to overdo resulting in something that looks like a glitter vinyl shirt from the 70s.

This is an interesting take and not sure it's one that I agree with. I do think that the editor should be picking a shirt that represents excellence. I, however, vehemently disagree that the editor should give even a thought to the marketability or selling potential of the design. Something that is better as a design should never be passed up for something lesser that might sell a bit more (especially because it might not even sell more anyway).

I also think this is even more true given woot's pick for second. If they continue on like this (and there is really no reason to think that they won't), woot will be taking care of the pop culture/pandering. I'd say that makes it all the more vital that the editor picks for design merit.

edit: Woot's pick for second is also hilarious because they just picked the second place shirt roflvoteslol...

j5 wrote:I like the Ukiyo-e style that perfectly fits the composition. It has just enough gold for accent, but not so much that it overpowers the shirt. Actually, I'd like to see it without the gold outlines and just the semi-random flecks. The piece tells a dynamic story that a viewer can easily "read".

I agree to a point. I think it is a nice image and it's one that drew my eye when I was first going through the designs. I was really hopeful looking at the screenshot that it would be a contender, but when I saw the full mock it just really doesn't work for me on the shirt. I think it's partially because the design elements are a bit disjointed creating distinct contrast between the fish, the water, the hills, and the clouds. So when it is put on the shirt it doesn't blend into the shirt well and has that "pasted on" look to me.

renegadetim wrote:I love this concept and will check these threads out each week if you continue them...

However, do you think this might sway the actual guest editor to maybe not pick any of the picks anyone on this thread chooses because they won't want to seem like they just picked someone else's suggestion?

As in, "I don't want people to think I only picked this design because mrwednesday pointed out to me and everyone else how cool it was." So, then to avoid that, they pick something else instead?

I'm most likely overthinking this, but if I were ever guest editor, I would most likely not look at this thread for that week because of this issue. Just my two cents.

I love the concept though, and maybe, if it is an issue, we could all just do it after the voting's closed or whenever the guest editor has to turn their vote in.

I think that it's possible that the guest editor could be swayed and under no circumstances do I think that's a bad thing. Even when I was following and commenting on the derbies much more regularly than I do now, it was common that I would completely miss an extremely high quality design because I just glanced over it for whatever reason or because the thumbnail didn't get me to click. Having a place where good things are collected is at the very least a good check for, "did I overlook or miss something?"

That said, I expect that the guest editor will pick the design they think is the best regardless of the opinion of anyone else. That's what I'd do. I know a lot of people are worried about the guest editor being polluted or bribed or interfered with. I'm not worried in the slightest.

endangeredomega wrote:It's a late entry, but my hands-down favourite this week is PixelPants' "A Million Sunsets". The textures are fabulously done, particularly the rusty patina on the robot. The use of the gold is subtle enough so as not to be overpowering, and really gives the overall design a sense of warmth. The design sets a definite mood and creates a strong sense of story. (Also, I'll admit a little personal bias. I really bloody love robots.)

When I saw that one get submitted I lamented a bit posting the thread so early, because it was good enough to give me pause about my choice. I had to think about it a bit, but in the end I'd still go with my original thought. The design is totally worthy if it were chosen though.

j5 wrote:I'm not judging your choice, because it's a good design, but isn't that the antithesis of what Woot represents?

Not in a long long long long time if ever really. There are a lot of really bad reasons to choose a design but I don't really think being able to see it sold in a store is one of them. I don't think different is good for different's sake. There are a lot of derby winners you won't find in stores, but by no means does that make them good. the same is true for the opposite. Each design really needs to be judged on its own merit, not how popular/common the style may be.

blanked wrote:Hm, many I would put in my top 5 are already here. So here is something new.

Star damsel turned in a very nice cute design. It has movement, and while the hord is very detailed in contrast to the dragon the amount doesn't over power the dragon.
I know the rules stat not to compar to others, but as there is a same concept in the running I would like to say why I choose this over the other. I love kinzoku's beautifully detailed dragon, but the hoard has little detail on it and is much larger than the dragon, overpowering the little guy.

Though if Star had noticed/had time to color Kinzoku's sketch in her thread that one would have won.

Just as a note, that kind of comparison is fine and welcome. My comment was more about picking a design and describing why everything else sucks rather than what was good about the one actually chosen.

Anyway, it is funny how different people see things. I would make the exact opposite choice for a few reasons. One, I simply prefer the style kinzoku used to that of stardamsel. In particular, I really like the thick blurry outlines kinzoku used. It really makes the design feel hand drawn and unique. Additionally, The colors kinzoku used really contrast well and pop on the shirt. Stardamsel's looks a bit drab for my taste.

The final reason is that I don't think the two are exactly comparable. Stardamsel clearly drew a young dragon so it is defending the small coins and jewels only temporarily until it grows larger. However, kinzoku's looks to me more like a very very small adult dragon. Along with the aesthetics, just the image of this tiny dragon ferociously guarding its tiny pile of coins is something I find really charming.

ressamac wrote:Great choices from everyone but I was surprised no one picked Jewelwing's entry. Love the art and the colors. It is creepy cool.

I considered this one because there are a lot of positives, but in the end one thing went against it. As for the positives, the first is simply having jewelwing submitting again, which is awesome to see. She always does a spectacular job and I love the composition, the colors, and her style. On the negative side though, The main problem (to reiterate what others have said) is that if you don't get the reference the shirt doesn't make any sense. I've played through bioshock, but not enough to immediately get the reference, and that is a major weak point to me.

Josephus wrote:I had 2-3 choices, but I finally rejected the others and picked Artulo's Scarab design. It evokes ancient necklaces, and the colors go so well together. The gold is not overpowering, I just like it a lot.

I really love the image and artulo's work, but this is another that I just don't think looks good on the shirt. There's too stark a contrast between design and shirt and they are not well integrated. I think in the shirt world we are at the point where it's pretty much necessary that the shirt aid the design rather than just being a thing for the design to sit on.

Sorry for the long massive post of replies. I didn't really plan or want to do it this way, but I've been pretty busy. I did want to respond to comments since this is all about discussion (for me anyway). People seem to enjoy the thread so I'll keep doing them on a weekly basis till people stop being interested. I'll probably post Monday night or sometime Tuesday so that most designs have been submitted but there is still time before the shirts print to talk about them. Feel free to keep discussion going on any of them as long as you'd like!

mrwednesday wrote:This is an interesting take and not sure it's one that I agree with. I do think that the editor should be picking a shirt that represents excellence. I, however, vehemently disagree that the editor should give even a thought to the marketability or selling potential of the design. Something that is better as a design should never be passed up for something lesser that might sell a bit more (especially because it might not even sell more anyway).

I also think this is even more true given woot's pick for second. If they continue on like this (and there is really no reason to think that they won't), woot will be taking care of the pop culture/pandering. I'd say that makes it all the more vital that the editor picks for design merit.

edit: Woot's pick for second is also hilarious because they just picked the second place shirt roflvoteslol...

I guess I'm not as idealistic as you are in this case. Or maybe it's my skepticism getting in the way. I don't think Woot would allow a choice that doesn't have the potential to sell well, and is likely one of the charges of the guest editor (someone mentioned votes were to be taken into account?). That probably won't be a concern, however. Are you familiar with the concept of "middle knowledge"? I'm pretty sure Woot selects guest editors with a pretty good idea of what types of designs they will likely pick.

My pick would have been Scarab mostly because it matches Deaths Head in style. I like the intricacy and think the touches of gold were nice.

No purchases from me. Not surprised.

j5 wrote:I guess I'm not as idealistic as you are in this case. Or maybe it's my skepticism getting in the way. I don't think Woot would allow a choice that doesn't have the potential to sell well, and is likely one of the charges of the guest editor (someone mentioned votes were to be taken into account?). That probably won't be a concern, however. Are you familiar with the concept of "middle knowledge"? I'm pretty sure Woot selects guest editors with a pretty good idea of what types of designs they will likely pick.

I wasn't familiar with it, but I looked it up and you are probably right. I think it still remains to be seen how things will turn out and who their selections will be, but this week ended in a decidedly predictable way. I didn't necessarily predict Bass' choice, but it was one of the ones I thought it would be and I am in no way surprised.

I'm a little disappointed that nothing that printed this week as in any way shape or form different from the norm. I do however think that they were of generally better quality than some of their progenitors except maybe second place. That shirt was pretty much a carbon copy designwise of many that have been submitted and or printed already. That pick was pretty disappointing I think, but I'm not surprised that woot is 1 for 1 in that regard.

I really hope though that woot has no editorial control over the guest. Even if they pick something that is truly bad (like mspaint splashes bad), I do think they have a duty to print that. Now, I don't think that will happen, but even if it does I hope woot gives the guest total and complete freedom and control.

I miss the glitter shirts from the 70s, with their rubbery iron-on designs. As a kid our local mall had a t-shirt printing shop that allowed you to make your own. My closet had several.

Back on topic, I also liked Rasabi's Flight of the Golden Fish. The design does look a little plastered on, but I loved the overall composition and art style.

I'm curious what this week's thread will reveal. To be honest I'm disappointed by the entries so far.

@ Mr Wednesday
I understand what you mean, but posture wise it seem kin's is hiding behind the hoard (so the shirt turns into a pile of coins instead of dragon) while star's does seem to be guarding it.

blanked wrote:@ Mr Wednesday
I understand what you mean, but posture wise it seem kin's is hiding behind the hoard (so the shirt turns into a pile of coins instead of dragon) while star's does seem to be guarding it.

The way I see it, the dragon is clutching the coin to its chest in love and/or desire not so much hiding behind it. It adds to the personality of the design, I think, but I could see how one would prefer it the other way.

mrwednesday wrote:
My Golden Dream (ride on air balloon) by daledreams

By the way, this was submitted to GoodJoe on July 18th, it should have been rejected.