“It Ain’t Over Till It’s Over”
Although grammatically incorrect, this phase is often quoted during the times when all hope of winning or completing something looks lost. The quote is remarkably obvious, humorus and philosophical all at the same time.

Yogi Berra, (not Yogi Bear!), a Hall of Fame Baseball inductee (1972) and former coach/manager of the New York Yankees and Mets, was responsible for this infamous quote and others.

We take the liberty of modifying Mr. Berra’s words by saying, Pop Culture, Graphic Design, and Funny T-Shirts ain’t over till it’s over. We present part two of this series.

We’ve selected a few funny t-shirt designs to demonstrate the phenomenon where popular media has become a foil for humor by graphic designers and artists through t-shirt designs. Click on each image for information about these cool designs.

Enjoy!

Star Wars
Many individuals grew up with the Star Wars saga.

Whether they are fans of the original trilogy, the prequels or all of the episodes, a Star Wars fan has the inherent ability to memorize and recite dialogue, trivia or facts about the movies. (”I plead guilty on all three counts, your honor…”)

A startling revelation occurs in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back when Luke Skywalker realizes (spoiler coming if you don’t know the plot!) there is an unbelievable connection between him and Darth Vader.

One graphic designer decided to take a famous scene from the movie and do a parody on it. And thus we have:
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Logos
Tens of millions are spent annually by corporations and businesses on logo creation and designs. They are looking for just the right image that may help them make a memorable market brand.

Logos have also become part of pop culture. In 1964, artist Andy Warhol transformed the lowly Campbell’s soup can logo into a piece of art, thereby adding his mark on the pop art movement.

Product logos can not only be seen as good examples of graphic and artistic design; they can also become fashion statements.

In the following t-shirt design, an artist has turned a very recognizable company logo into a different message that will make you smile.
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Slogans
Who hasn’t heard the slogan “What goes around comes around,” as a roundabout reference to Karma or cause and effect? This and other popular sayings permeate our daily speech.

In this rendition of a popular catch phrase, the graphic designer pokes fun at this slogan while also pointing out, with a cynical eye we think, the simplistic failure of the advice.

We think vegetarians will like this one.
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Next Time…
Yes we heard those groans out there; they will be a next time for Pop Culture, Graphic Design, and Funny T-Shirts. In the last installment, we’ll see how famous individuals have been incorporated into popular culture and t-shirt designs.

Until then, keep on designing!

Funny is in the Eye of the Beholder
In this series of Pop Culture, Graphic Design, and Funny T-Shirts we’ve seen how modern media influences t-shirt fashion in a humorous way. We continue in part two with more examples.

As far as graphic designs a little humor, if used properly, can help a piece be memorable instead of forgettable.

If this premise seems doubtful, try to remember a recent advertisement on television. Usually, the funny ones tend to stick with you.

And now, we present part two.

Enjoy! (And hopefully laugh too.)
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“I’ll Make Him an Offer He Can’t Refuse”
Humor sometimes is based upon tragedy or misfortune. Why? Because everyone can relate to those situations. We’ve all had days where things don’t always work out.

The phrase above is from the movie, The Godfather. Here we see a graphic designer’s interpretation of what could happen if a barber had the ultimate “bad day” with Don Corleone, the boss of the powerful Corleone crime family.
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The Aliens are Coming!
Or perhaps we should say they’ve already arrived. In 1978 a stand-up arcade video game named Space Invaders swept the world and became an international phenomenon.

Millions of people fed millions of quarters into the coin slots of this game for a chance to shoot down the fast moving aliens.

The game was simple but addictive. And to this day, it is still played by gamers in its various iterations.

The movement of the little aliens was predictable and if you had quick reflexes, you could play for a long time.

The repeatable movement of the aliens had one graphic designer wonder, “What would a meeting of these aliens look like during a strategy session?” Here is the result:
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The Mummy’s Predicament
In pop movie culture there are films that define the monster-horror category. Movies such as Frankenstein, the Alien series, Friday the 13^th, the Twilight saga, and The Mummy are familiar to most movie fans of this genre.

In the case of the Mummy, tragedy hits home as the Mummy contemplates what to do to get out of a particularly embarrassing situation.
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Next Time…
We continue our quest to show you the humor of artists and graphic designers in t-shirt designs. Be sure to come back and laugh along with us.

Until next time, keep on designing!

Be Prepared
This phrase is the motto of the Girl and Boy Scouts. This is also good advice if you are applying for grants or scholarships to help you finance your education at a graphic design school or college.

In this article we’ll offer some tips regarding the logistics of applying, where to find funding, and how you can increase the odds in your favor for successful submissions.

Details, Details, and More Details
The good news is that there are funds out there for you to apply for. The bad news is there are funds out there for you to apply for. In other words, if you hate paper work and applications, this will definitely be a challenging experience.

Make sure you fill out all forms completely, accurately, and neatly. This will make the job of screening your application much easier for the person in charge of scholarship reviews. So always “be prepared.”

Here is some advice on the process of applying for scholarships:
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Does the Scholarship Apply to You?
Make sure that the specific grant or scholarship you are applying for is geared towards your specific needs. If you are seeking financial help for your career training at a graphic design college, applying for a science scholarship makes no sense. Do your research to be certain you fit the scholarship category.

Keep Your Grades Up
A good deal of scholarships require a minimum GPA of 3.0 or better. In some instances, a 2.5 or higher is acceptable. If you want scholarship money, your GPA scores are one of the first qualifying prerequisites that will be looked at.

Get Letters of Recommendation from Your Teachers
Anyone can say they’re great, but backing this up with facts is another matter. If you are exemplary in your scholastic abilities, talents or other positive qualities that fulfill the requirements for a scholarship, ask your teachers to put in a good word for you by writing a letter of recommendation.

Don’t Skimp on the Details
You will probably be asked to submit a written essay on the reasons why you are a good candidate for the scholarship. You need to emphasize your strengths and not shy away from making your case. Make sure to list any awards, activities or personal achievements that demonstrate your expertise in your field of graphic design.

Keep at It
Filling out scholarship applications can be tedious and tiring. But according to those who are in the know, they understand that the rewards can be worth all the work.

Where to Start
Now that you know the “how,” the next step is knowing the “where” of scholarships.

The following Internet links are filled with valuable information and strategies on scholarships and grants:
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CollegeAnswer.com
You’ll find a wealth of information pertaining to funding, selection of colleges, and college related topics. There is plenty of good advice and resources here.

FedMoney.org
This website describes itself as, “Your FREE Guide to All U.S. Government Grants and Loans Benefiting Students!” This website has an easy to use interface that can narrow down your search for government scholarships and grants.

Schoolgrantsblog.com
This blog was mentioned by Time magazine. This resource lists various grants that are available to students as well as listing the specific grant categories.

Next Time…
What are the specific scholarships available to you? Who runs them? What are the pitfalls in applying for scholarships? These questions and more will be answered in Graphic Design Scholarship Basics and You - Part III.

Until then, keep on designing!
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Graphic Design and Fashion
When the topic of graphic design comes up in conversations many people will associate this activity with advertising, packaging, logo creation or business applications. But graphic design also reaches into the world of fashion.

The ubiquitous t-shirt is a mainstay of virtually everyone’s wardrobe. T-shirts have become so commonplace that they can be worn at the office or at the park. But behind every t-shirt graphic there is an artist or graphic designer.

In this series of Pop Culture, Graphic Design, and Funny T-Shirts we’ve combed the Internet for examples of how pop culture influences the ideas behind modern t-shirt design.

You’ll see references made to popular media and realize that graphic designers have well-developed funny bones in their bodies. Click on each photo to see its source.

Have fun and feel free to laugh or groan at the following examples!

Late Night Television
If you ever stay up to watch late night television on a consistent basis you know that this is the time slot that is ripe for infomercials of all kinds.

These mesmerizing 5 to 60 minute commercials try to slowly break down the viewer’s resistance until some of them finally give in and say, “I’VE GOT TO HAVE THAT STEAM-POWERED PENCIL!” or whatever the product of the day is.

But the infomercial has also spawned a new marketing gimmick by inferring that products sold on these television commercials can be trusted. And hence we have the t-shirt design of:
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The Movie Was Better
The Lord of the Rings was J.R.R. Tolkien’s masterpiece work chronicling the struggles of the inhabitants of the fictional world of “Middle Earth.” The novels were quite daunting to read as the pace of the story was rather slow-going with the first novel, “The Hobbit.”

These books were translated to the big screen by über movie director Peter Jackson. The resulting movie series won many Academy Awards and opened up a large fantasy world for many who were unfamiliar with the genre.

In this movie an important catchphrase was used in the movies. In this t-shirt design, the graphic designer has elected to do a literal interpretation of it. As a result, we have:
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Superheroes Have Problems Too
Before spectacular computer generated images came on the scene, those of us who grew up reading about our favorite comic book heroes could only dream about them coming to life in movies.

Of course there were animated series on Saturday morning cartoons and a few poorly produced television shows, but these couldn’t measure up to what our mind’s eye created. But now with today’s amazing technology, that dream has come true for all loyal fans.

As far as superheroes, one artist imagined that superheroes must have their own set of unique problems. In this instance, The Flash, who possesses the ability to move at hyper-speed, is shown here with his predicament:
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Next Time…
We’ll continue our tour of funny graphic designs for t-shirts and find out that having a sense of humor can sell products.

Until next time, keep on designing!

It’s a Love Hate Relationship
After graduating from  graphic design school, being employed in work that incorporates your design skills and creativity can be fulfilling. You can reach mountain top experiences when you design something fantastic.

On the flip, you can enter dark, shadowy areas when your designs falter or even worse, are flawed.

One graphic designer expressed this love/hate situation by saying:
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“I love the comment, ‘You must love designing for a living.’ At that point I usually start to laugh or break into uncontrollable tears.”

- Andrew Lewis, art director, designer, and artist

In this installment of Gotcha! Graphic Design Advertising Mistakes we’ll display actual ad mistakes taken from websites, magazine ads, and brochures. A great big “thanks” to the members of photoshopdisasters.com for digging up many of these examples in our Gotcha! series.

Enjoy and have fun!
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300  - The Movie
This action thriller film was an adaptation of  Frank Miller’s comic book mini-series of the historical Battle of Thermopylae (480 BC). During this event a small army of Spartans held off a barrage of attacks by overpowering Persian forces.

Here is the DVD box art:
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But What is Wrong? (Click on Image)
At first glance everything appears to be correct. But upon closer inspection the sword held by the main character isn’t being held at all. The hand seems to be gripping a handle that isn’t connected to the blade.
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Santander Bank
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The international banking institution, Santander, is headquartered in the UK. The photo is from their website and displays a group of people posing as staff members. They all look pleasant and professional.

But What is Wrong? (Click on Image)
Although the group photo looks inviting, some of the images of people have been inserted through Photoshop. You’ll notice that the woman with the red skirt has legs that mysteriously meld into the back of the woman in front. Her legs also never reach the floor.

Other problems concern improper use of the magic wand feature in cutting out portions of background and various other cut and paste errors.
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Moët and Chandon Champagne
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Most special celebrations start with a bottle of bubbly. Moët and Chandon have been producing fine champagne for over 260 years. This advertisement displays the effervescence of one of its sparkling wines.

But What is Wrong? (Click on Image)
The photo of the product is well lit and composed nicely. The champagne looks good enough to drink and the bubbles…are rising in an oblique angle to counteract gravity!

The simple mistake of not paying attention to the superimposed image of the sparkling beverage and the bubble orientation makes the ad a little less believable.

Look Before You Leap
We hope you’ve had as much fun with this series as we have. And hopefully, these examples not only make us smile, but make us more aware of the details when we design.

Graphic design schools and graphic design colleges provide the education needed to become successful graphic designers, but responsibility for good attention to details falls upon the designer.

Until next time, keep on designing!

Billions and Billions of Ads
Carl Sagan, a renowned astrophysicist, astronomer, author and host of the Public Broadcasting television series Cosmos, was fond of using the catchphrase “Billions [and] billions of stars…” in his distinctive nasal pronunciation.

Although there may not be “billions and billions” of ads since the very first one was produced, (probably on a cave wall), there can be no argument that the shear number of them is quite staggering.

Art directors and graphic designers are the gatekeepers for preventing design errors from reaching the final stage of publication in advertisements, graphic designs or other media. But as we all know, sometimes these little gremlins sneak past the guards.

Can you see the errors in the following examples? Look at the ads closely and then read the Do You See It? answers to find out if you are correct. (The mistakes can be seen by clicking on each photo.)

Have fun!

Props R Us
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We’ll start with an easy one here. The photo for this ad from the Banana Republic website shows a woman modeling a pantsuit. She looks happy and the clothes on her fit very nicely.

Do You See It? (Click on image to see mistakes)
All photographers should be able to point out this error immediately. A standard piece of equipment in every pro photographer’s bag is the 18% gray card.

The model is holding it above her head so that a light meter reading can be taken off the card. The resulting information from the meter gives the photographer information on the proper exposure to use.

This photo was probably just a test shot during the photo shoot to calibrate the light meter and was never intended to be used for the website.
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What’s in Your Wallet?
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This is a high profile ad for Louis Vuitton handbags. No doubt the fashionable accessories are well made and highly prized. The staged set is dynamic with the models assuming their standard issue pouting poses.

Do You See It? (Click on image to see mistakes)
One of the hardest scenes to photograph is when mirrors are in the shot. The reflections off of mirrors can show the surrounding studio equipment and camera people. These errant images are usually digitally removed for final copy.

In this case the art director has opted to enhance the realism of the set by replacing the offending reflections with Photoshopped images. The problem with these insertions is that the images do not reflect (pun intended) the actual model posses. The reflection on the left mirror shows the model’s arms together, but in the real scene she has them apart.

There also seems to be some inconsistencies with the reflections of the lights and lamps in the center mirror as well.

Details, Details, Details
None of the errors we’ve seen are deal breakers by any means. But they do demonstrate that mistakes can happen to the best of us.

What is important to realize is although it is important to receive the best career training from graphic design school centers or graphic design colleges; the level of attention to detail is our personal responsibility.
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Next Time…
We’ll post up some more “boo-boos” related to marketing ads in our next installment of Gotcha! Graphic Design Advertising Mistakes.

Until then, keep on designing! (…and look out for those mistakes.)