This is a work in progress, partially intended to help me learn my way around Illustrator. I know it doesn't fit the Threadless style, but I plan to stick with this one as a learning experience.



So far I've just have the scanned in version. I'm not sure whether I should use live trace next or some other method to digitize this. Suggestions?



Colors, image refinements, sizing changes, and placement will come later...

i think live tracing that would be good enough. the lines are strong and tidy enough as they are. then you'd just need to add the fills as flat coloured objects behind the top linework object.

nice start.

i think it would be fun to have each eye look at another eye, in a suspicious/lustfuly/angry type manner



good start in deed

Thanks! Shirt, I might be able to do that as I work with this more... I'll play around with it.

yeah I was just thinking that d3d. Ladykat you have great pen control btw! :) My lines would be everywhere hehe.



Anyways for me my personal next step would be to run it through livetrace (although I havn't found the tool in CS3 yet but then I havn't looked really either). I like the pen tool as well but again... your pen lines have such character I would try to keep them as they are.



I'd start making layers under the black linework and then lock the black lines so I don't color on it. Each layer I would call by the color I use.



I prefer using the create shape tool and I like using the pen to trace under my lines and then filling them in. I find that filling in a pen tracing and putting it under the main line work is better for me than trying to "paint" in illustrator.



Anyways I can't wait to see your next version!

Thanks! I'm giving the pen thing a go now, but I think I will also try a version with live trace too.

nice start, ladycat! I started sketching again too but I don't have anything shirt-worthy yet :) good luck!

Thanks Tanya! I'm not so sure this is shirt-worthy, but I decided (for now) that I'd do what I feel like doing, find my own style. When I get further along I'll definitely be looking for suggestions on size, placement, etc...

Okay, the eyes have been vectorized (thank you Leon for teaching me how to use the pen too!), so I have a lot of flexibility in changing things around.



Before I start trying to add color, I'd love suggestions about placement (should the eyes be closer, more spread out, etc) and size (of individual eyes and the design as a whole).



Thank you!

Oh, also - should different parts of the image have different line thicknesses?

I'd actually like to see the eyes on the back of the tee...or maybe one eye making it to the back...sort of an "eyes in the back of your head/shirt" kinda deal. And maybe add some color to all the pupils and leave the outlines black? nice stuff so far ladykat...im really rootin' for ya on this.

Thanks FA! I'll experiment with putting an eye on the back, see how that works out. (And for that, I'll try drawing the eye straight up in vectors, without pen and paper - ooh!)



I plan to play around a lot with the coloring, I'll definitely give the pupils thing a go.

Looks like it's shaping up well.

( I have a weak spot for eyeballs so hopefully I won't be too biased )



Is there something you can do with the eyes

to make them more interesting besides changing

the irises ? I'm guessing the title relates to the

saying, " The eyes are the window to the soul. "

Is there a pattern the eyes could be in to suggest

a window ? Maybe you could blend them together

in a neat fashion so as to form some kind of

abstract shape that people might percieve as a

soul. I'm just throwing things out there. Feel

free to disregard my ramblings. Have fun !

I liked the idea of the eyes kinda scoping each other out.Would give it a feel of everyone else nosing in on your business.



This is a solid start me likey!

Woops.



I was going to say you should try playing with the line width ect, that would add a lot more feeling to them. Right now they feel flat.

Dang it! Line weight!



Stupid keyboard with it's keys.

Thanks for your suggestions, helo and tobasco!



I agree that the design feels flat now. I'll have to figure out which lines to strengthen or weaken.



I also briefly experimented with having the eyes look at each other, but it wasn't working out. I'll give it another shot though - tomorrow, after I get some sleep :-)

Hmm, I think I'm going to start working on this again - but does anyone have any specific suggestions about line weight? Or any lines in this design that I need to fix?



Thanks!

i find that eyes on shirts are a bit creepy. however, i like how each of them are so different. i would like to see some color and possibly something going on to connect them all. i'm watching this one. pun intended i guess.

Haha... yeah, color will be coming up eventually... and I'm going to try to make the eyes looking at each other as shirtflirt and tobasco suggested.



I agree about eyes being creepy... I was a bit upset when I started working on this, so I think I wanted to do something on the creepy side! Anyway, this design has been turning into an awesome learning experience when it comes to using Illustrator.

I think helo's suggestions are good ones!



Adding line weight will be nice, I think, but I would use it really subtly so as to not lose the hand-drawn feel, which is nice. I think the upper lids are a good choice for a heavier line weight, but beyond that I would just experiment with weights and see what you like.



For me, the composition isn't working right now, because it's so symmetrical and evenly weighted that it feels static. A more organic cluster and more size differentiation between the eyes would make this more dynamic, I think.



The most interesting thing about this idea, to me, is the different patterns you have working within the eyes, so it might be nice to see those patterns reflected somehow outside the confines of the eyes, in supporting roles.

Awesome suggestions, I'll play around with it more!

I really like how you made the eyes bigger on this one :) I really don't have too much to add that hasn't already been said but I wanted to at least bump this for ya!



(Oh and I hope you try some other color shirts!)

awesome...i like them plain without any color...but im sure color wouldnt hurt the design either...

Thanks Tanya and oa7mov! We'll see what happens when I start adding color... I will be trying it on other t-shirt colors, though. I'm not a huge fan of white, usually.

differ sizing of each eye i think, and does need varied line weight

and don't place them so evenly spaced, would add interest. like the concept though

each eye is just way too big, and it seems like some of them are looking at the others, while some aren't, i think they should all look at another or none should, nice idea though

See.. Now I really like that the eyes are kinda looking all over the place. I think it gives them all character. Like each eye is a different facet of the wearers personality.

Thanks for the input! I actually have done some more work on it, and went ahead and made eyes look at each other... it works out pretty well. But I'm unhappy with other stuff about it right now... I'll mess with it a bit more and maybe post it tonight.

Okay, here's an updated & colored version. I made the eyes look at each other, except for the last (teary) eye.

Also still seeking comments, suggestions... please?

?

great colors, I'd try varying the line thicknesses around the pupil and shape of the eye itself.

Thanks Herky! I'm not quite sure what you mean though.

I was thinking about the dark outlines of the pupil, because right now it looks like the line weight is even and constant. I realize now the outline of the eye blends into the purple color of the T, sorry about that.

Ah, okay... you mean the lines around the irises? I can play with those, easily.



Also, anything nitpicky is welcome too!

doh!, oh yeah the iris not pupil :)

:-D NOW I get ya!

More lecherous eyes!!! more, more, more!

Like.... all over the shirt? :-P

lol great work ladykat! So happy you're using eggplant. One of the most under used of the beatiful tee spectrum that is available.

the eye on the top has a corner along the top, try getting rid of that, make it more rounded

the corner is fine I think. It sort of delinates that one as a more manly eye. The crease across the top that causes that "point" is often found on guys.

Thanks guys! Pyr4lis is right about why that corner is there, though perhaps it's a tad too sharp - I'll play with it a little, see if I should keep it this sharp or maybe soften it slight.

Okay, here's the latest version... Click here for a larger size.

Ideas from a chat with Amelia, so I don't forget:

flowy background image?

shadows? including under the lids

rethink the whites of the eyes?

once again, suggestion to reconfigure the arrangement - but I don't know how, and am rather partial to this one...

It's really neat, but I think that it would be cooler to add more detail. Maybe some bloodshot eyes or something. Very cool, though :]

Hey, thanks... yeah, I'm thinking about what kind of detail change I could make... maybe I'll use this as an excuse to give halftoning a go (and if it doesn't work for this design, at least I'll have learned how to do it!)

I LOVE it on purple. And I love all of the colors. I agree with maybe one bloodshoot eye, but not all of them. I think maybe adding more "worry/anxious/ type lines to the eyes might be kinda cool... it would add that 'crazed' look to a couple of them. Just a suggestion, keep up the good work Kate! :)

I really like this. I would like to see some dimension in them, and see if that changes the feel. You know, like some light reflection on them? It might make them seem more rounded.

The second eye from the top is my fave, I love the lashes on it.

haha, I love that angry eye in the middle right. I also like the stark whites as they are.

Thanks so much for the suggestions! I haven't had a chance to play with the design more yet, so it's great to have some more ideas to toy around with!



The eyes were actually all taken from photos on Flickr (all Threadless people)... though they've progressed quite a bit from the original drawings that were truer to life.

you know how you put the red on the inner bit of the eye (tear ducts?)? i think you should do something similar on the other side (maybe smaller) so the eyes look more realistic.



i like what you are doing with the colors!

hey chica, how is this going?

word! i'm liking how this is looking so far!

Thanks!



It was on hold during my honeymoon, and then I came back and wanted to polish it a bit, but I haven't quite had the time or inspiration yet. Maybe I just needed a kick in the pants!

idon't get it... what makes this any better than your typical 12 yer old girl doodles?



^ i say that because 12 yo girls ARE ALWAYs drawing one eye..

and i am tired upside down typing good party here

but anywy. hope o have enligghtedn yu

i wonder if this would be more playful to the viewer if the eyes were different sizes. the width looks to be quite similar.



*watches*

i would wear the crap outta them googley eyes. awesome colors. i always get jealous of people's color palettes around here.

Thanks! Hmm, maybe I'll try to finish it off tonight... it's been on hold for too long, and I could use the escape.

do it!

just sub... you will get massive points just of love!!!

Final version - it's going in!



Thanks for all your help :-)