Based on the Grimm's fairy tale, the Musicians of Bremen. Wiki article here!



Larger image can be found here.

Alternate version (with off-set colors) can be found here.



Any feedback would be appreciated! Thanks! :D

What do you guys think about placement and the wrap-around on the shirt?

It is great? The fact that there's an instrument on the wrap-around adds a nice subtlety to the shirt.

mmmmm, loving the characters!!

Yeah this good, nice style/execution

I really like it. The placement really works. This could easily clutter a shirt, but the wraparound keeps that in check

Thanks everyone, for the great feedback!



People who voted needs work/do not submit: I don't know what to change unless I get some sort of constructive critique--!

They all look so proud of themselves ... ! XD



Maybe add/change something to emphasize they're terrible musicians - make the axxxion lines crooked or something?

i didn't read the article, but i agree w/ slackertype. if the animals are supposed to be horrible musicians, the little dashes should indicate horribleness. also, the bright color of the dashes makes them pop too much, distracting from what should be the focus of the design. maybe if you varied the sizes and shapes of the dashes from animal to animal, it might suggest different sounds? that's all i think you need to change, though - the design is great and it would be adorable on a kids shirt!

I think it's really cute! The donkey's "hump" bothers me a little after I've looked at it for a while now, but otherwise I don't think I'd change it.

If you're wanting to show the bad music though, try some crooked looking musical notes. You could use different ones for each of the animals. I think they'd look best in white and not too big (if you decide to add them), just because I think that would distract less from the main design. I think it leaves more to the imagination without any extras, though, so it's up to you.

Just a random thought I had before I finished writing this... instead of having something around the instruments that shows whether the music is good or bad, maybe you could have a little character on the back right with his hands over his ears? Or even put the thieves from the story really small on the back with their hands over their ears running away?

Just some thoughts. I'm sure I'll like it, whatever you decide to do with it! :)

I gave a shot at making it obvious that they're awful musicians and differentiating the kinds of sounds they're making. My problem is that is I make the noise action lines too odd or interesting, it's going to draw your eye away from the animals. It might even already do that now. Should I give a shot at making the lines uniform, but still jagged?



I was actually thinking of drawing the silhouettes of the robbers from the start, but decided against it. Doing that would more or less distance the design from being accessable by people who don't already know the story.



I also tweaked the yellows some, but that's barely noticable.



Thank you everyone who's been giving feedback! You guys have been a great help. :D

To be honest it works either way. The first version could be seen as their view of themselves. Obviously they think they sound good. The second one could be the more obvious 'they're horrible but they don't realize it'.



Either one works and the design itself is very good. The placement is perfect, the small wrap around makes the eye travel instead of just having a one shot image on the front. Very well done. You're very talented. Though having read your comic since 2003 (was it really that long ago?), I have to tell you you've only gotten better in your designs.



Keep up the good work hun! :D:D:D

They're both good. I slightly favour the second version because the lines look more dynamic, but either way you're ready to submit I think!

I like the second one more now, though I kinda liked it with the 'noise' marks in white, And I was thinking that since you got a cat and dog there...a mouse with a tiny instrument would be a nice touch?

I like the second one better too (squiggly lines)



Genius! I really love your drawing style!

Mmm... one of the symbols I used seems to have messed up my post. Anyway here it is again:





Hey, finally checked up on your LJ... and found this awesome shirt design!



Now I don't know much about t-shirt design (-_-) but I have to say I like it better with the more subtle sound lines... and I think my biggest concern is either like, the shade of red used or the rooster beak/dog nose being red. Personally something about that red dog nose bothers me, I don't know if it's the brightness or what...



Have you tried doing some duotone versions of the art at all? That might look good too... a little more subtle.



*SHAWN AWAY!*

Yeah I got bored at work.



Anyway, just an idea... also I think notes might add a nice touch, altho they would look way better if you drew them in matching the art style!

Oooooh, I like 'em both!

I love it! Awesomeness! You should sumbit it.

I remember this story from childhood. Very well represented.

Very nice! I love the cute donkey. The only thing is, I don't really like the colors. But that's not very informative. Sorry.

The cats my favorite.





Awesome.

Hello again! Thank you everyone for the great feedback.



Sorry I've been away for so long, I was traveling for the entire month of July and didn't have regular computer access. I'm hoping this'll be the last pass at this design-- I've gone and lightened all the colors, redone the noise, and poked at a few other odd things.



I realize a lot of people don't like the colors of the design, but I really can't imagine any other way to do it. (although I did put this together quickly to see what the design might look like in different variations of one color... I think it takes away from the spirit of the design a lot.)



Larger version of the design can be found here.



Feedback is appreciated! Thanks! :D

It looks great! You should submit it!

Thanks! :D

A friend of mine noted that the navy and chocolate clashed in the background, so I made the back solid chocolate. (I think the design works better on the denim than the brown now anyway...)



If no one has any objections, I'm going to push this into the running in a few hours. (I'm nervous, it's going to be my first submission!)



Thank you so much everyone for the feedback! I really appreciate it.

H-hey--! If you think it still needs work, say something so I know what I should change--!

this looks great....submit already :)

B-But--- people are giving me mixed messages....



....



;_;

I think it looks really great. Your art has a nice cartoonishness that goes with the nursery rhyme/fairytale thing that its based on.

this is really cute for a kid's shirt! nice job!

My mother was born in Bremen and personally I'd love this shirt. I wouldn't change a thing. If you do let me know so I can order a couple of them!

Yikes guys! Do you think we can stop bumping 2+ year old designs?