2 Designs to be Printed in Limited Editions of 500 Shirts

Insert Coins by TED BOUNDY

With a super strong score and a ton of pre-orders, I was first lost on this design. You see, a duck says “coin” in French (pronounced quon), and that play on word/sound really makes this shirt a winner. Add a retro gamer subject and this is a winner. And now we all know how ducks sound in French! Well done TED!

Anniversaire médiéval… by Jus2Pom

A dragon’s birthday party goes up in flames, who would have known?! Good thing the cake was fireproof! We liked the lively colours and the fun behind this shirt. A first selection for Jus2Pom – congrats!

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Second place: 1 free t-shirt

I’m Innocent by 2mzdesign

As experts in bottle opener usage, we got a good chuckle out of this design. But we weren’t completely convinced that the design was at its full potential. We had a long discussion about the text and whether it’s important for the design or not. What do you think?

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Thrid place: 1300 brouzoufs

Pyramid Mystery by gums

A fun design for the summer, this walking mummy of a pyramid caught our eye and 3rd place this week! Tip of the hat to you gums!

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Congrats to the winners and thanks to all participants!

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Global warming by FrigoBanjo

A black humor t-shirt with the new design by FrigoBanjo ! Check out what he says about it !

Hi FrigoBanjo, Nice to see you again!

Hi, glad to be back !
What is the story behind “Global” … sound like global warming obviously? Is is a big matter for you?

Nope, I sincerely hope that things would get worse and that we suffocate under our own trash… well beyond the « ecological message » that I enjoyed when I got the idea (And I do not have any illusions how it can reach people over a t-shirt), I thought it would be nice to deal with this kind of serious theme but with some childish aspects such as the penguin, the bear with the big head and the big glass of orange juice, maybe too simple but a very smart metaphor of an outrageous consumption system, which reflects today’s society, buried itself under manufactured flooding … or maybe well a glass of orange juice kicks ass on a t-shirt for the summer … ah nope it’s not the basic idea J
Have you any message to the community?

No message but kisses!
Could you please draw me your interpretation of «Closed for the summer, we’re on holidays”, thanks FrigoBanjo!

Thanks Nathalie & Lafraise !

Spring messenger by nikor

A fun & original t-shirt designed by nikor who tells us who he is and how came the idea !

Hi Nikor,

Could you please introduce yourself to those in the community who don’t know you yet? How and why did you get into graphic design?

Hey, my name is Niko Renger and I`m an Illustrator based in Karlsruhe, Germany. I think I always loved to draw. As a very young boy, I was addicted to Fraquin`s Marsupilami. I remember that i drew millions of Marsupilamis and it drove me insane that my drawings didn`t even look similar. But I think in this time, I discovered my all-consuming passion for drawing). After school I studied Visual Communications in Pforzheim, Germany and now I`m working as an illustrator since about one year.

Tell us about “Spring messenger”. What inspired you, how do you create designs and how much time does it take you to create a design?

My inspiration came from some pigeons before my window. There`s an old, crazy pigeon-woman, who is feeding them regularly and they always start fighting for food. When I create designs, I`m always starting with a lot of scribbles and drawings to deal with the subject, and then I choose. There`s always plenty of wastage. The time it takes depends on the design, of course. But “spring messengers” was a very fast one, because I`ve been drawing a lot of lunatic bird heads before.

Do you have a message for the community ?

Could you draw your own representation of «Closed for the summer, we’re on holidays » ? Thanks Nikor !

Pixel mort by Eown

A funny & geeky t-shirt at laFraise that will delight lots of you ! Discover the summer interview with Eown !

Hi Eown, glad to see you again!

What is the story behind “Pixel mort”? Is there any particular message and how did you make it?

Nice to see you again and I would like it happens more J There is no special message but the idiom “dead pixel” made me laugh because it means that pixel had to live before it dies! I like to personify stuff and objects like in this design. I thought that the geeky theme would fit with laFraise spirit, especially at its beginning!

Have you got any message to the community?

Thanks to those who voted for my design :-) Sometimes I look around and watch some old good designs and it is impressive to see how many of them have been created! Illustrations have so evolved ever since and especially drawings by georgeslemercenaire who gives me the power to go further even if it’s a hard way J So congrats to all of the designers.

Could you please draw me your interpretation of «Closed for the summer, we’re on holidays»? Thanks Eown!

Sorry in advance for all designs I got wrong in the drawing but I think they are excellent and you will recognize them. I think it is a funny idea to get some laFaise characters reunited; I wish I could have had more time but let’s play it as homage.

2 Designs to be Printed in Limited Editions of 500 Shirts

Trojan trap by Naolito

Beware of Greeks bearing gifts! This fine design takes its inspiration from the famous attack on Troy. The Trojans sure wish they had an x-ray machine handy. We loved this design on all levels – and think it will shine on a shirt, especially since we are printing it in Glow in the Dark ink! That Odysseus was a sly guy!

Piece of art by superbourdi

What is art? The debate carries on and we asked ourselves the same self-critical question: What is T-Shirt Design? We think this philosophic approach to t-shirts fits right in with our approach to shirts. Despite the lower score from the community, this was a winner for us. What do you think?

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Second place: 1 free t-shirt

Lune de Miel X Grande Ourse by fdegrossi

A beautifully illustrated design with striking colours. We really liked this work of art. But the philosophy behind Piece of Art won over our votes, as well as the amount of space designs already available on laFraise. Well done fdegrossi, a fine piece of work!

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Thrid place: 1300 brouzoufs

Love green or… by Ted Boundy

Cute, environmental, dinosaurs – all things that work well on laFraise. A fun shirt that made us smile and found its way to the podium in 3rd place.

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Congrats to the winners and thanks to all participants!

A forest by Whiff

A beautiful t-shirt at laFraise if you like the night, owls & cats and having a walk in the forest at night ! A lovely design by Whiff.

Hi Whiff,

Could you please introduce yourself to those of the community who do not know you?

My real name is Johannes Krohn, Whiff Focker is a name I chose when I started doing music. I played a traditional song called ‘Take a whiff on me’ which was a turning point for me and a huge influence. I don’t have to explain Focker, I guess.

When have you started with graphic design and why?

I started in 2005 when I began to study communications-design in Berlin. But I have been drawing since I was six or seven years old. I grew up reading the ‘digedags’ a german comic and I wanted to tell stories in a similar way.

Could you please tell us the story behind “A forest”? How did you make the design and how long did it take to proceed?

The initial idea came to my mind because there’s a huge tree in front of my kitchen window. I spend a lot of time sitting in my kitchen playing the guitar, watching the sun go down behind that tree. I like the contrast of the countless branches and the blue close-to-the-night-sky.

When I start to draw my mind somehow relaxes and wanders around so all kind of thoughts get into the drawing. I admire M.C. Escher and I like the moment in his pictures when the logic of a 2-d graphic collides with the logic of real life. That’s the essence of a drawing for me so I try to have something impossible in everything I do. I tend to be to technical so I asked a mysterious friend of mine to do some Animals. Hazle van Dooren thinks she can’t draw at all but I really like the naïve – instant emotional – charme of every drawing she does, so I adapted her sketches.

Do you like walking in the forest ? Do you fear night animals such as the owl for example?

I grew up in the country-side and spend a lot of time in all kinds of forests. But not often in the night. That’s one fascinating thing about forests. You know them in the day but there totally different in the night. I have no fear of the animals I know. I’m more afraid of the things I don’t know.

Do you like video games and which ones?

I don’t play video games very often. If I have time to waste I do music or I go for some ice-cream.

What kind of music do you listen to when :

You are in your bed :

No music

You are under the shower :

Myself singing Sinatra Songs

You’re drawing :

Radiohead Kid A

You’re travelling :

No Music except the Music from Train Station Cafes

You’re happy :

Myself singing Beatles-Songs

You’re sad :

Tom Waits

You’re alone :

When I’m alone I hear strange voices in my head singing Christina Aguileras ‘Beautiful’

You’re driving :

I don’t drive.

Do you  have any other passions than graphic design?

I do a lot of music. When I’m playing on my guitar it’s somehow a similar feeling like when I’m drawing. That’s why I chose to do a animated short movie about a day in my life as my diploma. The video tells a lot about how my mind works. It can be seen on vimeo:

Who is your favorite designer at the moment?

I don’t have a favourite designer as I’m turning my back to design stuff when I’m not working. But there are some Illustrators I like such as Henning Wagenbreth and ATAK, and I’m always happy when something comes out of the ‘Golden Cosmos’ in Lichtenberg. And as I’ve been working a lot with Franz Zauleck he had a big influence on me. And there are some Artist I’m trying to understand, Cy Twombly and William Kentridge for example. But as im trying to tell stories my main influences come from the Theater with Guys like Rene Pollesch or the Rimini Protokoll.

How long do you know laFraise and how long do you submit there?

My first contact was in 2007. I studied together with the Peachbeach guys who made some great shirts and won on LaFraise. My first submission was declined, though. I wont show what I did. Until then I was working mainly on paper so it took me a while to adjust my workflow.

Do you have any message for the community ?

Many thanks for making this possible.

Draw me a rocket please :-)  Thanks !

Genocide by Graetz

You guys love Marmelade, strawberry marmelade ? Check out this new funny t-shirt at laFraise ! Delicious ….

Hi Graetz,

Introduce yourself to the community – when did you start with graphic design and why?
Hello! My name is Franck Graetz (really – it’s not a nickname) and I am a French illustrator living in Brussels. I’ve loved to draw since I was 3 years old. A picture my father made mesmerized me and it was the beginning of a long love story with painting which finally brought me to graphic design.

What is the hidden story behind “Genocide”? Is there a particular message, for example, that you really love making strawberry jam?
No hidden message, this illustration shows my predilection for placing “cute” characters into a kind of trashy background. Anyway, I prefer to eat good jam instead of making it myself.
What’s your favorite jam?
Strawberry and Rhubarb! I love it! And certainly not blackberry jam that makes your teeth all black.

Do you like video games and which ones do you like best?
I will try to make it short because I’m actually trying to cure my addiction to video games – I am kind of a hardcore gamer. I am currently completing LA Noire, but without preference for any system.

My favourite games are: Shenmue, Crazy Taxi, Soulcalibur, ico, bubble & bobble on cpc 6128, supermario wii, zelda ocarina of time, Mass Effect and Final Fantasy 7, which is my favorite.

What kind of music do you listen to when you’re:
in bed:

Mr. Zero

in the shower:

drawing:

travelling:

Watch video
happy:

sad:

in a good mood:

alone:

Watch video
not alone:

Watch video

What’s your definition of art?
I don’t really have a strict definition, but I have my own vision of art and I love sharing it.
Personally I love to express my ideas, dreams and simple situations by transforming them into drawings, lines and colors.

Do you have any passions other than graphic design?
It’s really drawing that makes me get up every morning. My other passions are other forms of art (movies, music, comics).

What is your favourite illustrator at the moment?
I have several! georgelemercenaire – I discovered him at laFraise, Fabien Doulut who does a really great job, Vermin 01 and especially Winschluss.

How long have you known laFraise and when did you submit your first design?
Since October 2010, it was georgelemercenaire who posted the 1st encouraging comment for me.
I discovered laFraise on a blog run by two graphic designers I know (Joe Skull and Flame) and I thought I could do this as well. My first visual was botched, it received a  bad score and this encouraged me to improve!

Do you have a message for the community?
I would like to thank all of you fraisiens who voted for me and respect my work. And I would like to plug my first exhibition in Brussels this September. (More details on my Facebook page).
And I would like to thank you for this interview!

Draw me a rocket, thank you Graetz