Derby entry comments for Derby #54: The Old West

Comments for individual derby entries are placed in this thread.

When the theme was announced, my first idea was to do a literal play on the term “spaghetti western.” I later learned that Threadless had already printed a design with a similar idea. Too bad for me. However, I eventually came up with this design, with the focus being on the meatbulls. While still connecting with the original pun, this design also pertains to the bison hunts that nearly wiped out the species. I think the direction I took it in is quite different from the Threadless shirt.

One photo (taken by me) was used in this design. I just can’t draw forks freehand with perspective.

Six colours on red.

I’m particularly proud of my use of colour for shading and highlights this week! Hi-res image (click for full size):

http://img391.imageshack.us/img391/8948/meatbullsut6.gif

It’s tomato sauce, by the way. Anyway, thanks for looking! :slight_smile:

The Old West makes me think about the past 10 years we spent in Colorado and all the great wildlife in the Rocky Mountains and their foothills. One of the animals we’d see is the Rocky Mountain Bighorn sheep. Here’s a whimiscal folk art design for a real Rocky Mountain high…this little guy got to the top…now what? Off-center placement on yellow. Thank you for your vote.

How the West was Won

The spreading of viruses to the indigenous people is a drastically under represented aspect of colonization, especially the colonization of the Americas and the eventual conflict of the cowboys and indians. I wanted to create a design that would reference this aspect of the old west, as opposed to the gunfights glorified by Hollywood. I tried to create a wearable design that would bring some knowledge of the severe impact that diseases, smallpox in particular, had on the old west. It is estimated that as many as 20 million might have died from smallpox and other diseases during the west being “won”.

Some Info

Bart Broccoli shows cousin Gai Lan his workout routine on the horse.

I’m not usually a fan of the skull shirt. But, big bull skulls with horns just scream Old West to me. I drew the skull in a sketchy style and added Rocky Mountain columbine for accents. The Columbine is the state flower of Colorado. Shown on the olive tee. Thank you for your vote.

First, I’ve got to give credit for the Fat Horse idea to my lovely wife.

Second, I really want to wear this shirt, so please vote.

“It was once in the saddle, I used to go dashing.
Once in the saddle, I used to go gay.
First to the card-house and then down to Rose’s.
But I’m shot in the breast and I’m dying today.”

“Get six jolly cowboys to carry my coffin.
Six dance-hall maidens to bear up my pall.
Throw bunches of roses all over my coffin.
Roses to deaden the clods as they fall.”

“Then beat the drum slowly, play the Fife lowly.
Play the dead march as you carry me along.
Take me to the green valley, lay the sod o’er me,
I’m a young cowboy and I know I’ve done wrong.”

“Then go write a letter to my grey-haired mother,
An’ tell her the cowboy that she loved has gone.
But please not one word of the man who had killed me.
Don’t mention his name and his name will pass on.”

When thus he had spoken, the hot sun was setting.
The streets of Laredo grew cold as the clay.
We took the young cowboy down to the green valley,
And there stands his marker, we made, to this day.

We beat the drum slowly and played the Fife lowly,
Played the dead march as we carried him along.
Down in the green valley, laid the sod o’er him.
He was a young cowboy and he said he’d done wrong.

Little Bear was mocked by his chief and was told he couldn’t be a basket weaver. He was told he had to be a totem maker. Well, we’ll see who gets the last laugh

The Old West makes me think of the past decade that we spent in Colorado. It’s a lovely state with great landscapes, animals, flowers and more. We always enjoyed seeing the great herd animals throughout the state. Really made us feel as though time stood still. One of the animals we’d see grazing out on the range were the Colorado bison or buffalo. Here’s a design inspired by those times. A bison/buffalo design on heather. Go CU Buffs! Thank you for your vote.

An abstract horse inspired by stained glass windows. Shapes are similar to traditional drawing aides used when drawing a horse.

Cactus! Ummm…hope you like it. :slight_smile:

not sure if wearing a shirt with cartoon bugs is for me, but very well drawn

Yes please

Classic western sunset scene. Clip art was used that was purchased from GoMedia.

haha the thumbnail for this design looks quite penis-esque

This gets my vote if that white outline on the shirt disappears!

Trying new colouring/styles… please vote if you like it. =)

Also, October is 3 months away… and you KNOW Woot will make you overnight a Halloween shirt… this one, you don’t have to :wink:

Meh . . .

This fruit bowl isn’t big enough for the both of us.