grandpa cassette tee shirt

i always enjoy starting the day with a laugh, so i think this new tee shirt at threadless is perfect to look at right now. it was designed by florida artist zack finfrock.

purchase this tee and see more shirts right here (right now all tee’s are only $12!). see more work from zack on his website.

share this story

tony forte photography & design: miniview

i am back in the saddle this week and today’s miniview brings us more insight into the projects of tony forte, a graphic designer who creates works through digital techniques and photography with strong urban themes. tony’s photography is striking and his rich mixed media pieces with glints of vintage influence intrigue me, so i thought i’d ask a few questions…

q: where do you live and where do you create your work?
a: i’m living in north new jersey, and all the creative workload gets done in my office/studio which is also in jersey.

q: do you have a formal education in art or design?
a: i have a degree: applied science in visual communication and graphic design. i’ve been drawing since I was a kid, and have always appreciated photography.

q: can you tell us a little about the backyard project you have founded?
a: backyard project was founded in late 2005. it was a venture that i had been trying to get off the ground for a very long time. it was tough with working during the day, and bar tending at night. (NO sleep.) me and dan puleo, a friend and artist who shared similar taste when it came to throwing ideas around, launched the backyard site. we had put some cash together to get the website up and running. it was a great way to finally get some more exposure, and also develop a t-shirt/apparel line, with one-color design concepts. the apparel mainly concentrates on simple designs that represent our everyday creative outlook in our neighborhood, that we can share with the world.

q: do you have a favorite piece in your collection?
a: um, i think one of my favorite pieces is “Yesterday” (below) which can be also viewed with many other pieces of mine on my website. i really do NOT get tired of looking at that piece, i feel that i get something else that pops out of it every time i look at it. it’s hanging in my apartment.

thank you tony!

share this story

i love the (eighteen) eighties tee shirt

okay, this inspired embroidered tee designed by nathan stilley CRACKS me up.

yep, minutes later it’s still funny. ah, memories…

find it at threadless, where you can request a reprint in your size if you find it sold out (and where you may go broke buying tee shirts).

via rare bird finds

share this story

christian siriano tributes (funny)

me, myself and i fans of project runway might enjoy this goofy tee shirt created by chris glass, which features most recent winner christian siriano’s favorite word. at the beginning of the season i had picked jillian lewis to win, but i think christian’s designs were just a tad more spectacular. except for that prom dress in that one challenge that one time.

i read on gawker that christian is officially eliminating this favorite catch word from his repetoire. i’m a little sad about this, because i’d like this one to stick around for a little while longer. i guess grabbing up the shirt would be a way of preserving a sentimental teeny slice of pop culture (like a concert tee) that me myself and i we can hold and keep with us for a long, long time.

if you missed the snl sketch from this past weekend immortalizing christian’s vocabulary, take a two and a half minute break, watch this clip and have a good howl.

purchase the tee and see other cool shirts at wire and twine.

via the tcritic

share this story

bear art round up

new york giants 21, chicago bears 16.

i’m not the biggest sports fan in the world, but my home team, which should have won today’s professional football game, bombed out in the 4th quarter. i think i like these other bears much more right now:

birthday print from milwaukee’s little friends of printmaking

polar bear on ski vacation blank greeting card from delray beach’s citrus tree designs

bear vs. robot wallet by chris bishop for portland’s tiny meat

handknit merino wool koala bear from houston’s barking dog designs

long time original acrylic painting from tampa’s christina lyon

happy bears tee shirt from brooklyn’s marilyn patrizio

the bear regretted his decision print from sydney’s yellow monday

handmade benedict bear from adelaide’s little red pear

roomscape polar bear collage from austin’s one creative girl

surprise! they’re all available on etsy!

i think we have enough players assembled here for the tee formation now…

share this story

supermandolini designs

tikanis, kala? let’s chat about the moderne hipster graphic designers over at greece’s supermandolini for a moment. they first set out making tee shirts, but that evolved into an intriguing product line which includes hand assembled and finished items like acrylic jewelry and prints as well. perhaps you have already seen the avant daily commuter necklace, but what about the rest of the line?

it’s all very urban to me, with a tiny salute to the late seventies and eighties. that humorous-but-foreboding tension flowing through all their work sets my teeth on edge, but i think that progressive emotional response equals success in art.

efharisto for the info, emanuel!

view the entire product line and purchase it on their website (they ship round the globe!).

share this story

anna woltz illustrations

beloved readers, you may find the little snippets about my life to be a tad dull, but hey, for me this is a creative outlet and a place to seek inspiration and a space to get personal. is that not the essence of the interweb? anyway, today i will tell you that when i was a youngster, i went to a small school where i was the only asian kid. in the whole school. and i can’t really even call myself asian, i am a halfsie pacific islander, being a happy-go-lucky filipino half the time! knowing i was the only one there made it a surreal experience at times, especially when kids would try and guess what nationality i was. i wonder if the reaction would have been the same if this wonderful illustrated book from colorado artist anna woltz had been available then. anna has created a playful soft cover illustrated book and toddler tees which feature a multicultural culinary alphabet lesson for her company, wondertoast. check it out:

i think this is such a terrific way to engage a child’s curiosity while educating them about food and other cultures. maybe if these had been around back in the day, i wouldn’t have been bombarded with that pesky “are you hawaiian?” question all the time. and i actually think the whole alphabet featured as a fun oversized print would be a marvelous piece of art in a kid’s room, or anyone’s kitchen for that matter.

thank you so much for the photos, anna!

buy her adorable and very affordable items at wondertoast, and find anna on her art blog or baby blog.

share this story

stereotype movie synopsis tee shirts

i think these tees from new york graphic designer mike joyce, for his company stereotype, are quite clever.

oop, i think i just dated myself with my selection… 

available at 2k gingham.

via uncrate

share this story