Hey, guess what! Cthulhu Dad has legs now, as well as a new little one. It was requested that this be made available on a shirt, but in order to do so to my satisfaction, the design needed an update. And here it is! I’ll go figure out the service I want to use now. Look for an update soon! Also, this is a big file so that it can be printed out as a free poster, if you’re so inclined.
I have a new t-shirt design up for voting at Threadless and it might just be my best one yet! Click the thumbnail image to go check it out. If you like it, give it a 5! If you really like it, tell somebody else about it (and give it a 5)! If you like like it, well, I’m sorry, but it wasn’t meant to be. It’s a shirt and you are human. You two can still be friends (still vote, though, please)!
Okay, so I got a new idea for a threadless shirt last night as I was trying to sleep. Between novel writing and the stupid cold I got from Seattle, I haven’t gotten to it until now and I’m not nearly done. So, until then, I thought I’d share a tiny portion of the new design sketch. I’m off to try and get some sleep. (As you may notice from the timestamp, I’ve also found myself on a fun new sleep schedule. It feels like maybe 10pm. It’s nearly 2am.)
Hey! I’ve made another step-by-step project. Let me give you a little backstory. I own a “supergirl” hoodie and consider it a travesty that I don’t own a batman themed hoodie as well. Especially considering Superman and that whole set don’t really interest me too much. I’ve been scouring the web for years for a Batman hoodie until I finally decided that I couldn’t wait anymore. I was going to make my own.
Step 1. Decide on a pattern. Batman’s had so many batsymbols through the ages, there were a lot to choose from. I used this great collection to help me pick a favorite. This turned out to be the third down on the left. For some reason, it didn’t occur to me to look up instructions at this point. Fortunately, I had an old shirt to test with. My pattern was cut onto paper and the paint dabbed on with a sponge. Result of testing? Epic fail.
Step 2. Do some research.! Yeah, I know this should have been step 1. Oh well. These things happen. Trial and error is kind of my thing. Anyway, I found a great walkthrough for how to do stuff like this. I bought myself some freezer paper and borrowed an iron (Thanks Katie and Justin!) and did the test again. It worked, but I forgot to get a picture of it before I wiped some excess paint and ruined the crisp edges the freezer paper gave it. The test gave me hope that this could still work.
Step 3. Secure the pattern. I cut the freezer paper using the paper pattern from my first test. Next, I measured out the placement one last time on my fancy American Apparel hoodie (there was no way I was going to leave the placement to eyeballing it). Next, I made a freezer paper sandwich, with the bread being fabric on the bottom and iron resting gently on top. Oh yeah, and the paper was shiny side down. Heating that up was what stuck the paper to my fabric and made the edges so gorram pretty. Pretty neat, actually. I’ve never used the stuff before, but it’s useful.
Step 4. Mix the paint. I mixed the three paints I bought (white, black, and super-shiny silver) and got a nice gray with a hint of silver shine.
Step 5. Paint and try not to freak out. This part was both win and fail. I painted fine, but completely freaked out in the process. What if I didn’t iron enough? What if the paintbrush lifts up the edges? What if my hand slips and I dump all the paint onto the sleeve? Oh yeah, I can be a paranoid wreck sometimes. Again, these things happen.
Step 6. Remove the paper. The big sections were easy, just peel it up and enjoy the batness of it all. The head area was a little trickier, but easily resolved with a delicate nudge from my x-acto blade.
Result: I will definitely wear this in public! I’m relieved and excited that this actually worked. Superhoodie may just find a permanent place in a box in the closet.
I’ll give another update once the paint dries and I can show it off! Til then, I’ll just sit in wait until next May when the new Batman movie comes out. Ooh! I think I’ll wear it when I play Arkham City this fall. Have I mentioned I like Batman?
*Edit! – This design just got accepted to Threadless. Show your love of math objects and single-celled organisms by putting in your vote!
I’ve found that common themes on Threadless are owls and octopi. I figure, why not join in. I patterned some owls and tweaked the Walktopus into shirt designs. Help them succeed by clicking the links and voting for them!
Up for critique, hopefully a new shirt.
I have a habit of mishearing things and turning them into something entirely different. This happened with pathological and chronological once and I remember it every now and again. I even decided to make a Threadless slogan out of it.
3rd time’s the charm, perhaps? I’m totally psyched about this one. CuddPudd’s up for scoring!
