http://www.threadless.com/ Fri, 01 Jun 2012 20:57:05 -0500 Wed, 16 Mar 2011 03:22:16 -0500

This is the flag of the former Japanese Imperial Army, meaning it's potentially raising issues similar nazi insignia. This is linked the bad blood of Japan, when they murdered, tortured and raped people while attempting to build the Greater Japanese Empire, for many of Chinese and Koreans, or Japanese. The flag was slightly tweaked and is still in use in the Self-Defense Forces, so it can be just a military imagery for some people, but the horrors of the past, and the mere existance of a military force in Japan being a source of endless debate among Japanese make it a rather sensitive design element that should be avoided in this contest for charity.

Also, the only time I saw this imagery used in Japan was on a van of members of a nationalist group, so no good.


I know a lot of people don't know what's behind it and just think about this as a cool looking design element, but the truth is that it can be pretty rude, especially when you use this imagery with the intention of supporting Japan.

I had a talk with a Japanese friend yesterday night, we were quite desperate about the whole lot of "pray for Japan" Facebook badges and designs on Causes.threadless using this, of course, most of them wouldn't complain because it's not japanese to complain to someone giving you a hand, but it's getting awkward.

The flag was slightly tweaked and is still in use in the Self-Defense Forces, but it is still touchy for a part of Japanese and people from other countries.

Examples in Threadless Causes of things getting touchy:
Besides being an ugly rip-off of Hokusai, it's just as if the designer was trying to talk about the great Japanese Imperial Marine
Can it get worse as a symbol?
Nice try though
Hem
Nice try too

i'm not trying to give bad publicity to these designers, but they're good examples of what to avoid.

Also, if this could be more widely shared among designers...


__________________________________________________________________
Shameless self-promotion for my own causes sub, I will give all the money to a Japanese family in need of it if it gets printed]]> Tue, 15 Mar 2011 09:20:04 -0500

IF I WIN, I WILL DIRECTLY GIVE THE 500$ PRIZE CASH TO JAPANESE PEOPLE

Recent events made me go out of my thread-retreat.

As some of you know, I'm a japanese scholar, I've studied the language and culture for 8 years, lived in Japan for one year, have lots and lots of friends there (fortunately, they're all safe as for now), and have my future linked to the country as well. It's like my second country, and I'm more deeply affected by the events than any catastrophe before.

So, I want to help, a Japanese friend told me to do something with my art, so I painted this with the japanese inks I had with me, scanned it, and made a t-shirt.

Hope you're all ok, and thanks if you can dig and score this, it means A HELL LOT to me.

Sorry for the caps locks too, I'm trying to stay cool, but it doesn't work out easily.

Cheers]]> Sat, 12 Feb 2011 02:40:29 -0600
Also, please post links to your latest subs, even if the scoring has ended, I'm sure I missed some masterpieces here.

So, things becoming hectic, and me being not really successful with Threadless until now, make me think I should may be focus on other things. May be I'll still sub, but I may be about to take on a new arc in my studies, and if so, it will be difficult to stay here just to see and improve, etc.

Anyway, my last sub:


As said in the presentation, it took me a month to complete, so enjoy the work, it's no fast food try. I don't know if subs starting to score very lowly is usual, but as for now, it looks bad. Still, I want to hope, it deserves a good score, I know it, whether it looks better on a print or not.

Btw, what are you all up to?

:)]]> Sat, 08 Jan 2011 04:42:54 -0600


]]> Thu, 06 Jan 2011 15:40:25 -0600

only 4 spot colors (fine half-tone FTW). You know you love it.

Edit:
Bigger print version
Society6 iPhone/iPod cases/skins, art prints & posters
]]> Sat, 01 Jan 2011 13:43:00 -0600
HAPPY NEW YEAR FULL OF HAPPINESS MONEY HEALTH SEXY TIMES TRANSCENDENTAL ILLUMINATION EXQUISITE CUISINE DESIGN ORGASM UNFATHOMABLE AWESOMES AND SO ON AND WHATEVER YOU WANT WETHER YOU KNOW IT OR NOT (etc.)

]]> Thu, 30 Dec 2010 08:19:20 -0600


More on Behance, or Society6, or my Facebook Page.

]]> Sat, 25 Dec 2010 06:34:24 -0600
Thanks a bunch for all the awesome gifts, I saved your package for the last present to unwrap, and it really gave my xmas a special flavour :)


The fact that you had fun looking for things that would suit me is really palpable! Bonus points for cute kitty. 可愛いにゃん子ちゃん～


Toys for my cats! The banana is full of catnip, can't wait to see my cats' reactions to it - for now, they're out in the wild.


Westcoast chocolate awesomeness check.


Err, yeah, too awesome indeed, already ate everything ^_^


The munny was indeed a very sweet idea, I'm in a designer toy mood lately, you had a great intuation, you psychic!


Beautiful little turtle.


Xmas cannibalism and pepper jam (I LOVE peppers of all sorts, and I'm really eager to taste that :)


Lego chocolate, how cool is that?!


Sheer magnifiqueness in one pic.


Secret Santa was a great idea, and Amar, you've been an awesome Santa! Thanks heaps for your time and great taste, you added that extra certain je-ne-sais-quoi that all Christmas should have :D]]> Tue, 21 Dec 2010 06:16:05 -0600 - You upload your own picture
- You write your message on the website
- You pay
- They print it for you
- They send it anywhere in the world

If there is no such website, someone has to make one.]]> Tue, 14 Dec 2010 02:42:55 -0600


And now, the 3rd version:










Nah, kidding.
It's just a pity I've already subbed it twice, it would have been interesting to see the scores in this comp.]]>