THE BIRTH OF A SHIRT! Part One: Early Sketches
Today, I’m kicking off a new segment on the blog featuring all the steps we take in creating the best, most kick-ass shirt designs for you! I’m going to take you behind the scenes and show you exactly how we do it…everything from the concept phase up to actually printing the shirt. So take a look inside for Part One of our series…
PART ONE : EARLY SKETCHES
When I first started Fright-Rags, I designed all the shirts myself. I had the ideas, I picked out which ones I liked the best, and I drew them up. As much as I enjoyed creating the designs, it began to take longer and longer for me to come up with unique looks for the ideas…and as the business grew, so did my responsibilities as the person ultimately in charge of running it. So, I made a decision one day to look for outside designers and I now have a few solid people I work with that help bring my ideas to life.
The concept for this shirt started on the Rue-Morgue message boards in a thread about an upcoming design I was about to release. Someone mentioned how cool it would be to do a “Zombie VS Shark” design based on the now infamous scene in Fulci’s Zombie. Here is the infamous scene!
As soon as I read that post, I thought that was perfect. And who better to do it? Jeffrey Zornow!
Jeff is the man behind such Fright-Rags classics as Father’s Day, Party Time, and CHUD, so clearly he’s got the chops to get this done right. Apparently he thought it was great too because before I had a chance to write him, he contacted me about the same post and wanted my opinion. So, right then and there it was decided that we’d take it on….
At this point I let Jeff go for it…he’s damn good at coming up with something right out of the gate, so I wanted to see his vision. A week later, he returned with this sketch:
I saw it and flipped…it was awesome! But in my opinion, it still needed some work. For one, I felt the box was to confining, and I also wanted the text to be different. I wasn’t sure if it even needed the tagline, either. As much as I don’t mind text on a shirt, it has to serve a purpose. And for this design, the gore needs to be upfront and center…nothing should take your eye away from the most awesome (or only?) zombie vs. shark battle in history.
So, I wrote back with some changes, and altered the design myself to look like this:
Ok, I’m going to leave it here because there are more versions to post soon! Look for part two in a week or so where you will see this design start to come alive as I continue to unveil the process of choosing the perfect look for our next killer design! Stay tuned!
-Ben
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vezolution
on June 27th, 2008
That is just plain and simply AWESOME!!!!
Eric
on June 27th, 2008
Jeff Zornow rules! He did a couple of designs for me last year that turned out amazing! Definitely one of the most talented horror artists around.
ROT GRAFIX
on June 27th, 2008
This is a super cool addition to your site….just like the special features on DVD…and Jeff Zornows art rocks!
stevie nicks
on July 13th, 2008
i don’t know about this stuff. granted, some of your shirts look pretty cool, a lot of them look terrible. (im referring to the shirt site owner, not this particular artist.) the creepshow shirt with Leslie Neilson drowning looks AWFUL. it doesn’t look like him AT ALL. the pet cemetery shirt looks like a kids movie. im not even gonna mention how bad that frog brothers shirt is. the thing shirt??? how come there is no slime or goo on the “thing”, IT WAS COVERED IN GOO THE WHOLE DAMN MOVIE. the braindead shirt, well, you should just be flat out embarrassed for selling that disgrace to horror. its looks nothing at all like Lionel!!! i think the biggest problem for most of these artists is faces. the “i got my cake” creepshow shirt really pisses me off, the line is “i got my OWN cake”. that’s just lazy. the “own” actually does make it a completely different statement. and the hitchhiker creepshow shirt doesn’t even look like a face, its like the artist made the outline of the head and just stopped. now, i do love all of the other shirts on your site, just had to get those few off my chest. im gonna give you the benefit of the doubt and check out your next line of shirts.
Ben
on July 14th, 2008
@ stevie nicks – Well, I’m sorry you don’t like some of the shirts. I know we cannot please everyone but hopefully you’ll like some of the stuff we’re coming out with in a couple of months.
stevie nicks
on July 14th, 2008
me too, i look forward to seeing them. i didnt mean to come off as angry.
MFO
on July 18th, 2008
this guy jeff do ag reat work He has much talent
Andy
on July 30th, 2008
Incredible shirts, Steve you need need to take an eye test!
Bennie "the Gift" Gavin Jr.
on August 4th, 2008
I am a local artist here in indianapolis and i currently started up my own business which involves putting my authentic artwork onto tees; i wanted to expand and learn how i can get pics,album covers,old movie clips,etc….and put them on shirts because my taste of things are different than the places like you guys.I might want a scene from from “CHILD’S PLAY” or an M.C. HAMMER album cover on a tee and i wanted to know how you do what you do because i want to learn as much as i can as an artist! I draw, paint, airbrush, tattoo, i’m also a barber. Please share with me. Thanx!!!
Ben
on August 4th, 2008
@ Bennie – I would definitely suggest (and that goes for anyone else who is interested in shirt design, or starting a shirt business) to search online and find some forums or sites dedicated to it. Places like that weren’t really around when I started (at least they weren’t easy to find) but now you can find a wealth of information just by doing a simple search. Here are a couple places to check out:
http://www.t-shirtforums.com/
http://www.emptees.com/
Good luck!
Zack Sawicki
on August 5th, 2008
guys great job on all of the shirt designs!
they all look really badass and take an authentic twist on some of my favorite horror movies. really cool stuff guys keep it up!
Cass
on October 15th, 2008
–the shirt designs are absolutely original in a market saturated with the same old thing..keep up the great work.Can’t wait for the new stuff!
Don of the DEad
on October 15th, 2008
Awesome as always!
Deserie
on October 16th, 2008
You guys make some awesome shirts
John
on October 16th, 2008
Awesome, i’ve long wondered how your shirts come to be! I bought the zombie vs shark shirt a couple months back and it’s one of my favorites! Keep up the good work…Fright Rags rocks!
Bobby
on November 17th, 2008
I love this design. I own this shirt and get so many compliments on it.
And just for clarification stevie nicks. The scene from Fathers Day DOES NOT say “I got MY own cake” the text is correct as is on the print.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrlKKaI9PVg
jennifer everett
on November 20th, 2008
i think this shirt is awesome. you always see zombie and shark movies, but never the 2 combined. keep up the good work
jennifer everett
on November 20th, 2008
i love horror movies and to me this is the ultimate web site.
Mr. Bones
on February 2nd, 2009
Keep on rockin’ it. I have F-R shirts from two years ago with the transfer still in perfect condition. Best quality horror gear, ever.
DarkArtist
on February 10th, 2009
This shirt is just one in a long line of awesome and original designs. The thing I love about FR is that you guys don’t just do what has been done, you attempt to do far more… It’s that that keeps calling me back.
Nate
on March 2nd, 2009
I liked this design so much I got it as tattoo.
Sarah D.
on April 30th, 2009
This is facinating. I always wondered what happened when the biz expanded. I love all the shirts that Jeff Zornow did too. Can’t wait to see how this shirt turned out. I feel like I’m reading a cliff hanger….
(hey, DID you end up making this shirt? I don’t remember it!)
Ben
on April 30th, 2009
Yup, it came out last August. Here is a link to it! ZOMBIE VS SHARK
dal
on August 3rd, 2009
kool
Drew D.
on August 21st, 2009
I love seeing how your process works. It’s very similar to writing. Great stuff… and somehow… I feel that perhaps a Zombie vs Shark shirt is in my future…
Keep up the great work guys!
Kate
on September 3rd, 2009
I’m so glad I found Fright Rags. Jeff Zornow’s designs are just bad ass – I love that he’s able to take things that horror fans know and love and put an awesome graphic spin on them without deviating too far from the classic images – and the color schemes are amazing. I would like to see some Nightmare On Elm Street commissions from Zornow. I know that there are tons of Freddy shirts out there, but with Jeff’s strong style and your knack for creating cool concepts, I know you guys could turn out something fresh. I suggest something from Dream Warriors since I’ve never seen that done on a shirt.
michael
on September 10th, 2009
Quality and talent are the only words that can describe this site. I look forward to ordering some of these unique shirts in the near future. Ben takes the time to follow up on ALL his customers concerns.
beau ti ful
on October 26th, 2009
Perfect. Astounding. Just great. I bought the hoodie. And now I definitely need to go find Fulci’s Zombi and watch that scene over and over again. KUTGW!
Jean-Paul
on December 3rd, 2009
I’ve never actually seen Zombi. Though I have heard of that scene.
Sicx
on December 8th, 2009
KILLER!!!!!!!!! Thanx 4 putting this together and making it available to horror enthusiast like myself.
Brooks Huntley
on December 18th, 2009
I have been buying shirts from you since you started and I love them all, the first one I bought was the Frankenstein tee. Iv’e turned alot of my friends on to FR, it’s nice to buy exclusive clothing for a fair price and know you’re getting quality work everytime. Stevie, you’re an asslick, get your facts straight before you make yourself look like a douche again. Cheers!
Dan
on January 24th, 2010
I like the fact that he used a great white shark in the picture instead of a tiger used in the movie, you guys rule the horror shirt styles hands down, up the irons, Dan
David Lore
on February 20th, 2010
Thank you and Jeffrey for lts us behind the scene of the creting of your atrwork and shirts. Great work,your passioor Horror Movis ralyshows in these clips.
Keep up the horrific work.
C heers David.
TypH
on March 18th, 2010
Zornow is the man,even the rough sketch of it kick ass, it’s an awesome design for a killer shirt!
Adam
on April 29th, 2010
it was such amazing scene and the first concept design looks amazing too
is that done with water colors ?,
cuase it looks like water colors to me,
but i may be wrong
Maxxi
on July 2nd, 2010
I think i’ts hella fresh. I’ma have to pick me up one em!
Maxxi
on July 2nd, 2010
i think it’s hella fresh. Zombie vs Shark…classic!!