also, apple shaving and the drummer are very much conceptually driven, no?

There's only one print this week that doesn't have a concept past being a pretty drawing, though, really. They all have "concepts," the concepts just aren't witty and ironic, i.e. a joke. And I actually enjoy it when a shirt has some concept that isn't a pun or a joke but that takes a backseat to the beauty of the thing.

Dammit Edword said basically the same thing I said only better and at the same time.

that is inappropriate on Jun 30 '09 at 10:24am
There's only one print this week that doesn't have a concept past being a pretty drawing, though, really.

I would say two.

againstbound on Jun 30 '09 at 3:27am
And yes, the current prints do have good concepts, but are they really good enough that even with a simpler and less "shiny" execution they would have gathered at least a good(not great) amount of attention and attraction?

I don't really see why that matters. They DID have great execution, they DID look awesome, and that's why they were printed.

my definition of concept in that above post as being punny or clever.

O.k I'm going to re post cus I ended up on the tail end of the last page.




Umm...I'm pretty sure anything conceived is a concept?

www.merriam-webster.com
concept- something conceived in the mind.

I'm thinking your really referring to jokey, clever or ironic concepts not concepts in general.


maybe not...

I'm just gonna say here, I don't like puns and jokes and "ohmigwd your shirt is so funny lololol"


and I like watercolors

it's sort of amazing to me that people complain that the t-shirts here are too VISUALLY APPEALING. it's a visual medium!

if it doesn't look good ("concept shirt" or otherwise), why wear it?

I think he means concept something that requires some kind of interpretation other than ooooohh pretty colors!

i don't think it's the fault of the style if people can't look beyond their nose to see what the image is about. it's no worse than when people can't look past the 'lol funnyyy' and realize it's really badly designed.

ginetteginette on Jun 30 '09 at 10:45am
when people can't look past the 'lol funnyyy'

like this

reprint pleeease

hahah

i don't even know if i believe that shirt exists.

concept = designs which are reprinted like thousand times

what does aesthetic mean?

aesthetic: upso´s avorite mag

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse

I guess concept based design will live forever as Threadless classic, while the aesthetic based will be one hit wonder. I might be wrong thou...

i think aesthetic within this blog means designs focused on appealing visually instead of through wit or a clever concept

consider my heart broken :(

good blog.

A good example of this phenomenon is Loves Comps. The nature of the competition always was to fit the brief in the most creative/interesting/original way. Nowadays it is obvious concept plays zero role on choosing a winning design for a comp.

aesthetics is a concept...

i don't feel like i've ever submitted a design here that was without a concept, but i'm sure i wouldn't be included in that group.

Thraesthetic.

the idea of concept is so vague. i think someone said it earlier, but everything has a concept. ginette, your print for example, has a strong concept, but its ambiguous enough to make me appreciate it as a work of art, rather than a simple illustration of a funny situation

classical music lovers hatin' on noise rock

some designs begin with a basic idea, and then are illustrated with the aim of communicating that idea. perhaps the illustration is technically amazing, or perhaps it sucks, but first and foremost a particular idea is being communicated.

other designs might have a core concept, but the concept serves primarily as an excuse to make something that looks really awesome. it's not that these designs have "no concept", but that the concept takes a back seat.

both styles can be cool, and nobody here is hating on the latter style. some of us would simply prefer that threadless print more of the former.

how can it be concept or aesthetic when aesthetics is a concept?

I think the question you want to ask is

aesthetic concept or narrative concept, most designs have both but they tend to lean in one direction or the other.

why does there need to be a reason to create a visual image?

how can it be concept or aesthetic when aesthetics is a concept?

perhaps content vs form would be more accurate.

robert rauschenberg rules

omg jeff koonz

this conversation is pretty post modern.

t shirts about creating t shirts for the sake of creating t shirts

Conceptual art
"art in which the concept(s) or idea(s) involved in the work take precedence over traditional aesthetic and material concerns."

vs.

the one we already know...art that is simply pleasing to the eye, and, perhaps more importantly, subjective to the viewer. or more simply, aesthetic art.

while the aesthetic value of a piece is indeed a concept, 'conceptual art,' the two words, together, have their own definition attached to them. it isn't the same as 'art with a concept,' in which you're saying that concept would be aesthetic appeal.
i'm pretty sure it's most appropriate to say 'concept vs. aesthetic,' not any other variation

not that this really helps the initial discussion at all, haha

conceptual art

how much of the designs concept is in the name? Like the one band-it posted. It's was name is "No Hands" but with out the name it's a guy with a tennis racket in his butt.

Either way I down with either one as long as it's done well.

I also suck at typing...

I welcome this change and I noticed it when I got my first print. I never would've printed on here a year ago.

It's a trend--with all the witty, funny, clever tee sites/brands popping up everywhere, I think the style is becoming too common and there is now a 'visual or style fatigue'. People/buyers are starting to look for something else.

Another factor is printing technology, when TL used to have a small size limit and placement, you couldn't really experiment so it all came down to the idea. And the style was very 'vectory' because you can only print up to a few colors. Nowadays, the printing capabilities have improved hundred fold and so a lot of us are experimenting on different printing techniques like all overs, simulated process, glow inks, etc. Hence the popularity of water colors, halftone colors and big prints.

Ultimately as with all trends, they will fade away and will be replaced with something new.

That is awesome, ginette

I wouldn't describe very much on threadless as "Conceptual art"

maybe Labor Day.

haha, i have labor day

I want Labor Day.

the110 on Jun 30 '09 at 11:54am Nowadays, the printing capabilities have improved hundred fold and so a lot of us are experimenting on different printing techniques

Ultimately as with all trends, they will fade away and will be replaced with something new.

Yeah, it's like music. You know , when the timestretch technique became available, everyone went beserk and over the top with it but after a while it faded out to a more sensible usage.
Or when vector became available all these logo's which bended around paths in the 90s....

That's likely to happen with techniques like simulated process. It will probably
move from obvious usage to more subtle over time.

also!!:

my favorite conceptual design printed recently on threadless is:

I Told You Not To Play With Matches

the art isn't necessarily amazing, but it got printed because of its novel concept. it's like the embodiment of conceptual art on this site, it think, haha.
fatheed's right, though, far less designs like this are printed than what used to be, if you go way back in the catalog. most of the new stuff looks real amazing, scored high, and occasionally has a concept that is universally understood by all. lots of styles are being printed that were previously restricted to the select series!

maybe joke shirts were a trend???

that is inappropriate on Jun 30 '09 at 10:40am
againstbound on Jun 30 '09 at 3:27am
And yes, the current prints do have good concepts, but are they really good enough that even with a simpler and less "shiny" execution they would have gathered at least a good(not great) amount of attention and attraction?

I don't really see why that matters. They DID have great execution, they DID look awesome, and that's why they were printed.

What are you arguing there? That's exactly my point, they're conceptually weak(ish) but have a strong execution.