“Death, at last, shall spread its wings over all . . .”
Early last week, during a Blizzard press conference at Gamescom 2013, Blizzard Entertainment announced the new Diablo III expansion “Reaper of Souls.”
Along with the expansion to Diablo III, a new class and new characters will be added to the Design By Humans and Blizzard Entertainment T-Shirt Design Contest. The three new characters added to the competition are Crusader, Maltheal and Fallen. We know it takes time to design your epic Diablo III artwork, so we’re extending the contest submissions by one week. Designs must now be submitted by September 13, 2013. Get stoked for the upcoming expansion, and good luck on your designs!
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More about Diablo III Expansion
The expansion includes an entirely new character class dubbed the Crusader class, described as a “war machine made human.” A walking tank, the Crusader wields heavy armor and cruel, punishing weapons. They weaken foes and strengthen allies using battle magic. The class is attributed by devastating weapons and attacks including the Shield Bash and Falling Sword; your character becomes a bolt of lightning crashing down from the heavens in a mighty collision of eminent destruction.
The Reaper of Souls Expansion incorporates an Act A and increases Diablo III’s Level Cap to 70. Additional spells and abilities will be added to existing characters, and the expansion offers new quests, monsters, and two new game modes: Loot Runs and Nephalem Trials. It will establish a darker tone than Diablo III has previously, and will be set in gothic Westmarch. A new villain is introduced; Malthael, a fallen angel, whom players will confront in a newly introduced 5th act.
Blizzard Entertainment has not yet announced a release date for the new Reaper of Souls expansion pack, but they have provided us with a teaser trailer to give us just a little taste of what it will be like.
A new world is coming. A darkness is on the rise, and I can sense creativity bubbling in the minds of artists and designers everywhere. With brand new Diablo III characters to choose from, you will now have the opportunity to bring something new and essentially unknown to life. The question is, can you handle such an endeavor?
Three New Diablo III Characters Added + Submissions Extended
Basic Illustrator Tips for T-Shirt Designers
As a T-shirt designer working in illustrator, there are some basic tips and tricks to help you get started and possibly simplify otherwise tedious steps in the design process. When spending countless hours on an illustration, the efficiency from shortcuts will be very helpful. Use these basic keyboard shortcuts, and simplified illustrator functions to get those designs out of your minds and onto that T-shirt!
10 Need-To-Know Simple Keyboard Shortcuts
New File: Ctrl/Cmd + N
Open File: Ctrl/Cmd + O
Save File: Ctrl/Cmd + S
Print File: Ctrl/Cmd + P
Select All: Ctrl/Cmd + A
Copy: Ctrl/Cmd + C
Cut: Ctrl/Cmd + Z
Paste: Ctrl/Cmd + V
Undo: Ctrl/Cmd + Z
Redo: Shift + Ctrl/Cmd + Z
Create an Opacity Mask in 8 Simple Steps
- Open layers panel [F7]
- Create a new layer [Ctrl/Cmd + L]
- Place artwork onto the layer [File>Place]
- Select all of the content within the layer [Alt/Option + Click layer in layers panel]
- Open transparency palette [Shift + Ctrl/Cmd + F10]
- From the palette drop down menu, select ‘make opacity mask’
- Your artwork will ‘disappear’. Click the black square in the transparency palette.
- Return to your artboard and use white (paintbrush, shapes, gradients) selectively on your artwork will reveal it.
Use Opacity Masks to create T-shirt designs like these!
Live Trace an Image in 9 Simple Steps
- Open layers panel [F7]
- Create a new layer [Ctrl/Cmd + L]
- Place artwork onto the layer [File>Place]
- Select all of the content within the layer [Alt/Option + Click layer in layers panel]
- Live Trace and Expand the artwork [Alt/Option + Live Trace]
- Ungroup your Vector image [Shift + Ctrl/Cmd + G]
- Open the Selection Tool [v]
- Select all unwanted areas and negative space [Shift + Click]
- Delete selected areas [Delete or Ctrl/Cmd + X]
Use the Live Trace tool to create T-shirt designs like these!
Create a Clipping Mask in 6 Simple Steps
- Open layers panel [F7]
- Create two new layers [Ctrl/Cmd + L] x2
- In the first layer, create a vector that your artwork will take the shape of. Ex: Circle shape [L]
- In the second layer, Place your artwork [File>Place]
- Using the selection tool [V], select both layers [Shift + Click]
- Create a clipping mask [ctrl/cmd + 8]
Use Clipping Masks to create T-shirt designs like these!
Social Media Quest: Tell Us Why!
There are many ways to win prizes in the Diablo III Contest. Want to be challenged beyond the official T-shirt design contest? Throughout the length of the Diablo III contest there will be four social media quests utilizing many social media outlets and challenging your creativity. Challenges will begin on Mondays with five days to submit your best entries, and winners will be chosen on Fridays. So grab those smartphones, you’ve still got a chance to win free gear with weekly Social Media Quest!
Quest #2: Twitter – Tell Us Why
September 2, 2013 – September 6, 2013
Who is your favorite character in Diablo III? Select one character from the three character classes (Heroes, Demons and Angels) then use the hashtag #D3Fave on Twitter and tell us why they are your favorite character! The most creative answer will be announced on September 6th and will win an awesome prize.
“My fav #D3 character is _____________ because ______________ ” #D3Fave
Winner will receive a $25 gift card to Design By Humans.
Examples
My favorite #D3 character is the Witch Doctor because he can summon Zombies. Come on, how do you defeat something that’s already dead? #D3Fave
My favorite #D3 character is the Barbarian.. because of his epic beard #D3Fave
My Favorite #D3 character is the female Barbarian because she is a powerful female figure #D3Face
Evil is Coming to Console
“Today, the war over Sanctuary claims a legion of new souls”
Today, September 3rd, Blizzard has announced the release of Diablo III, the latest chapter in the action-RPG Diablo series, for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles. The release is currently available in North America, Latin America, Europe, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
According to Blizzard Entertainment, “the console versions of the game have been custom-tailored for gamepad-driven action.” It exhibits brand new features allowing the game to be compatible with controllers. I know we’ve all gotten pretty used to playing on those desktop keyboards; adapted muscle memory, click-clicking those keys without needing to think about it. With the way they have altered the game for each console, the transition from keyboard to controller will be accomplished with ease. The Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of Diablo III are unique in their new dynamic camera perspectives, putting their character front and center.
Diablo III for Playstation 3 is available in stores as well as through the Playstation Network. The Xbox 360 Version is also available in stores, and will be available through Xbox LIVE started October 4th.
Demonstration and Information on Diablo III for Xbox 360
“In bringing Diablo III to consoles, our main focus has been on making sure we deliver a really fun experience for up to four friends online or on the same couch,” said Blizzard boss Mike Morhaime.“The game looks and plays great on PS3™ and Xbox 360, especially with the new direct-control elements and new interface. We know players will have a blast battling Diablo on their big-screen TVs.”
Black Magic bars our way!
9 Life Hacks for Graphic Tee Collectors
Owning a cornucopia of epic Design By Humans graphic tees can be tough. Your drawers are overflowing; hangers are falling, clothing literally spilling through those tiny cracks between your closet doors. We have some tips and tricks and awesome life hacks to help you handle your massive wardrobe, and keep your tees in top notch condition (the fast way)
1) Stack your T-shirts vertically in your drawer to double its capacity and see/have access to all of them. This also seconds as a tiny graphic art display in your drawer. How many of these tees can you recognize?
2) Collect all of your soda tabs and use them to help save space in your closet. Loop the tabs onto one hanger, and hang a second hanger in the tab’s second hole. Hang your shirts on your shirts!
3) How long does it take you to fold your T-shirt? Try two seconds.
- Pinch the shirt in the two locations shown in the video
- carry your left hand over your right hand and pinch the bottom of the shirt inline with the two pinch points you already have
- Lift up and let the shirt fall into a perfect square
- Place the lowest edge on a table and fold over that edge so the front design is facing up
4) So you’re a little sloppy and most of your clothes end up on the floor. Spray a T-shirt with water to get rid of wrinkles. This can also be done by hanging your T-shirt on your shower rod or door while you take a hot shower.
5) Okay this one is a little gross, but I know we all have this problem. Remove lovely yellow armpit stains from your T-shirts using oxyClean. A cheaper alternative to specialty products that removes the stain 100%. Avoid antiperspirants with aluminum to prevent stains in the first place.
6) Did your roommate accidentally shrink your T-shirt in his load of laundry? Well now you can un-shrink it. Soak shrunken T-shirts in a mixture of hot water and hair conditioner for five minutes and then stretch it back to its right size.
7) It’s a chilly morning, but you don’t want to cover up your graphic tee with a sweatshirt, so you're bearing the shivers for fashion. But your backpack keeps pulling up the back of your shirt letting that icy breeze in! Tuck the back of your shirt into your pants a bit and it won’t ride up.
8) Make your tee unique by cutting it up or upcycling it (preserving the design, of course). There are many tutorials on the web on how to change up your tee. You can find our skull tee tutorial here.
9) Preserve the quality of your Design By Humans graphic T-shirt. Don’t wind up like the guy in #6 with a shirt so tiny your dog could wear it. Here are some helpful washing instructions to keep that tee in tip top shape!
- Wash your T-shirt inside out to help preserve its vibrant graphic art
- Machine wash on a gentle cycle in cold water to prevent shrinkage
- If you really want your shirt to shrink a bit after losing those ten pounds, wash it in warm water
- Machine drying is not recommended. Air dry your tee so it won’t fade!
We hope these tips, tricks and life hacks find your T-shirt organization abilities in a level of expertise, your lack of dingy yellow-stained armpits absolutely irresistible, and your backside much, much less chilly. Life thinks it can just throw T-shirts at you and it will disrupt your daily life with tedious inconveniences!? Ha! No more. We’ve got it on lock.
Social Media Quest: Gameplay Screenshots
September 9, 2013 – September 13, 2013
Challenge #3: Gameplay Screenshot
Time to get some gaming in. We all know you’ve been playing Diablo III nonstop for months; now it’s time to show off a little bit. There are two ways to enter this contest. Take a screenshot of Diablo III game play and post it to Tumblr with hashtag #D3Gameplay, or post a screenshot to your Facebook wall. Tag Design By Humans in your post and hashtag #D3Gameplay. Remember, you need to like the Design By Humans Facebook page to tag us in your post! The most awesome screenshot will be selected on September 13th and a great prize will be awarded.
Winner will receive a $25 gift card to Design By Humans.
Screenshots from PlanetDiablo
2 Days Left to Submit to the Diablo III T-Shirt Design Contest!
Many incredible artists have been hard at work producing their Diablo III T-Shirt Design Contest entries. The last day for submissions into the Diablo III T-Shirt Design Contest is this Friday, September 13th! It’s not too late to rack out those last few hours and pull together an epic, majestic T-shirt design submission. For your inspiration, here is a collection of some of the work in progress images and videos that artists have put together documenting their amazing design processes. Only two more days left to submit your designs. Good luck!
Witch Doctor Skull by DonMotta
DonMotta used a very unique approach in his T-shirt layout. The design shows the character in a multi-layered overlay of different opacities from different points of view. The use of numerous vibrant colors makes the artwork eye-catching, and the strong vector gradients receding into the artwork make it appear three dimensional, almost jumping out at the viewer. DonMotta paid close attention to detail, incorporating intricate embellishments from golden earrings to gleaming eyes in tiny skulls in his design.
Archangel of Justice by IngKong
Working in a team has proved marvelously effective in the creation of IngKong’s Archangel of Justice. Note how they used a wide range of golden hues, pulling their artwork forward and giving it depth. Their process work provides an eye into what goes on behind the scenes of the design process, as we see them scan their original sketch to begin building their artwork digitally. The sharp highlights and sparks contrast against the darkness of the character making a dynamic and interesting image.
Justice Will Prevail by Nyogtha
Nyogtha uses intricate brush strokes in every individual aspect of this design. The detail that can be seen when the artists zooms into small portions of the artwork in the process video is absolutely breathtaking. Note the texture that the artist creates, giving the character realistic and beautiful flaws. His armor gleams and shows tarnish and scratches from battle. Nyogtha uses exceptional blending of his colors, leaving his art smooth and pristine.
Demon Slayer by SilentOp
The process that went into the creation of SilentOp’s Demon Slayer is astounding. He begins with a very rough sketch and develops it into a work of perfection. In the third frame of his design process it is still clear which areas of his artwork remain preliminary sketch, but by the fourth frame it is nearly impossible to imagine that it was ever anything but a three-dimensional demon slayer, popping right out of the screen. SilenOp uses textured brushes to streak electric light across his final design, emanating directly from the character’s armor; a powerful warrior, and an incredible work of art.
Malthael Angel of Death by Davast
Davast uses very fine lines in the initial stages of his design process. He begins his work digitally rather than on paper, erasing few times and quickly producing the base structure of his character. When illustrating, Davast begins with his brightest highlights fabricating the character straight out of the background, and works his way into the darker shades of the artwork. The details drawn into the armor go above and beyond in this contest entry.
VOODOO FIGHTER by dzeri29
The documentation of all stages of dzeri29’s design process allows us to see how much effort and intrinsic detail goes into producing a true artistic masterpiece, from blank page to realistic Witch Doctor ready to jump off the screen and attack. With deep shadows and dazzling highlights within such perfect line work, dzeri29 has produced a dark and menacing, yet majestic and breathtaking design.
Work In Progress video by Graphicollapse
Graphicollapse uses a vintage-style texture for the background of his design. He begins with the brush tool, drawing out the detailed, textured outline of the character. He uses a textured brush to add fine detail over the hooded figure, highlighting and shading with intricate precision. The artist uses a multitude of brushes for each individual aspect of the artwork: a rough brush in the deepest shadows and a soft brush to for the most highlighted features. Excellent artistic talent!
Model Interviews: Frankie and Dallas
We’ve interviewed the designers behind the graphic art we so proudly display on our T-shirts, but what about the awesome people who get to model those T-shirts for the Design By Humans website? Meet Frankie and Dallas, two of our models who have modeled some of our most popular T-shirts. On Wednesday the pair rocked the Shirt of the Day‘Wild Beauty’ together, and today you will get to know a bit about our friends behind the camera themselves with a peek into the lives of these Design By Humans models!
Frankie Kelly
Frankie Kelly grew up in Paskenta, California and was captain of the wrestling team in High School. After graduation he went on to the Marine Corps where he became a machine gunner, graduating in the top of his class at the School of Infantry. After serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, Frankie lived in beautiful Hawaii for a year before moving back to California.
Q: Are you going to school? What are you studying?
I am in school for nutrition and food science.
Q: How did you hear about the modeling opportunity at Design By Humans?
I received a modelling offer on my Model Mayhem site, which I only made because my friends told me to lol
Q: What do you like/dislike (if anything) about modeling?
I like modeling because it’s fun to see an emotion captured in a moment, or to show that all your hard work at the gym paid off lol. All that I dislike is that there are people who think they can't do it when really there are modeling jobs for all shapes and sizes, it’s just a question of how badly you want it.
Q: How does it feel to have your face all over the internet?
I think it's cool to be on the Internet lol I’m not going to lie, Zoolander was one of my favorite movies growing up.
Q: Can you recall any funny/embarrassing moments from a photo shoot?
One of the funniest things I did in a photo shoot was kiss a girl. The funny part was it was in front of my grandma who had never seen me kiss a girl before. The photo shoot was out in Paskenta where my family's ranch is.
Q: What is your favorite Design By Humans T-shirt that you've modeled?
My favorite shirt is the one I modeled called Pixel Heroes. I love comic books lol so when I saw that I was like no way this is meant to be!
Q: Do you own any DBH Tees? Which one(s)?
Yes I own some DBH shirts, many superhero ones lol
Q: Can you tell us a random/interesting fact about yourself?
Random facts about myself? Um I love the gym, comic books, video games, cows and horses, and I really want a French bulldog lol. Oh and my favorite super hero is Captain America because of his morals and values; the will to never give up is something I strive for :)
Follow Design By Humans Model Frankie Kelly on Instagram at kellyfrankiee
Dallas Heath
Dallas Heath is a country girl at heart. She grew up on a small ranch surrounded by horses, cattle and quads. She absolutely loves to go to the gym; when she isn’t at work or school, that’s where you’ll find her.
Q: When did you first get into modeling?
Really just very recently! I did a few small things here and there when I was young, but nothing much until working with Design By Humans.
Q: How did you hear about the modeling opportunity at Design By Humans?
I first heard about modeling for Design By Humans from a friend of mine that had just started modeling and had done a few shoots with them.
Q: What was your experience with your Design By Humans test shoot like?
The test shoot was awesome. Easy, fun, quick, and most of all comfortable.
Q: What do you like the most about modeling?
The people you get to meet! Everyone you get to work with is so amazing, and always just a blast to be around.
Q: If anything, what do you dislike about modeling?
Could I do it everyday? Haha there's really nothing negative I can say about it.
Q: What is your favorite Design By Humans T-shirt that you've modeled?
My favorite shirt was definitely the "B Positive" one. It describes me so well, I always am laughing and having a good time and love looking on the brighter side of things.
Q: Can you tell us a random/interesting fact about yourself?
I am a pretty hard core gamer girl.
Q: What are your favorite games?
Favorite games would have to be World of Warcraft, Skyrim, and Halo.
Q: How do you feel about the Diablo III T-shirt Design contest that's going on right now?
Because I'm already a huge fan of Blizzard I love the idea of the T-shirt contest. I think it's brilliant and I know we're going to see some seriously epic art come out of this.
Find Design By Humans model Dallas Heath on Instagram at DALLASHEATH
Cat Shirts Hit the Internet Trends Hard
Cat T-shirt design is growing and developing, and often incorporates Pop Culture. As we've all seen from endless hours of getting lost within the depths of YouTube, cats have been a prominent figure in Pop Culture. Lions have been popular in T-shirt design as well as other large cats, and recently adorable and funny domestic cats have blown up in the world of popular culture; this has absolutely reflected in T-shirt design on Design By Humans. In our Cat T-shirt Collection we have 58 cat shirts ranging from Lions to Tigers to radical galaxy-print space kitties. So, why does the internet love cats? Because they're cute? Because they're not cute? No one knows, maybe it started with Keyboard Cat. Cats prevail on the internet and in Pop Culture, and I can only imagine and increase in cat-related T-shirt design. Because cats rule.
Save 10% on all T-shirts until September 27th with Coupon Code CATalyst
9 Awesome Cat Shirts
Famous Cats in Pop Culture
Keyboard Cat
Keyboard cat is a classic internet sensation. Filmed in 1984, this home video could have been the source of the internet's obsession with cats. If you haven't watched this video, it's a must. This cat is one of the most talented cat-pianists I've seen yet. How does he do it?
Nyan Cat
Nyan cat is another pop culture internet classic. The original video was uploaded to YouTube on April 5th of 2011 and has since received over 100 million views. Enjoy a harmonic melody of angelic sounds that will sooth your ears and calm your soul. Nyan cat is one of the most prominent figures in popular culture with a website, Facebook, Twitter and merch store. I don't know when that cat has time to tweet with all that nyan.
Business Cat Meme
An internet meme is an image or symbol used to represent and spread an idea from one person to another in popular culture, often via the internet. Business cat is your everyday commuter, working the 8-5 shift. A desk job can be tiresome for a cat, even after 14 hours of sleep.
Hipster Cat Meme
There's this hipster cat meme; you've probably never heard of it, it's pretty underground. This meme is just too cool. Look at a few of the top hipster cat memes if you want. I saw them all before they went on the internet.
Grumpy Cat
Cat's with beautiful deformities have become increasingly popular in pop culture. Who wouldn't love a face like that? Grumpy cat has grown so popular in our culture she has her own cornucopia of merchandise from T-shirts to coffee mugs and has an enormous following on the internet and social media platforms. Don't let that adorable frown fool you! Grumpy cat is a sweetheart and will warm your heart.
Lil Bub
No, Lil Bub is not making fun of you. The adorable kitty's tongue is always sticking out because she's a bit short on teeth, but who needs those! She's adorable and is the perfect cat: she will always look like a kitten! Lil Bub has appeared on Good Morning America, as well as Today and the View. We can't seem to get enough of that sweet little face!
Hamilton the Hipster Cat
Moustaches have also taken a large presence in popular culture. From moustache necklaces to wallets, stick-on moustaches and even moustache embellished clothing, moustaches are a hot trent. But, a cat with a perfect moustache? Hamilton the Hipster Cat could be the poster child (cat) for pop culture.
Inbread Cat
Inbread Cat is in bread. And he's not the only one! Since this hilarious image was birthed into the internet, people have made many attempts to create an inbread cat, but nothing will ever be as hilarious as the original that shocked the internet with such supreme silliness.
Princess Monster Truck
Princess Monster Truck is one of the most beautiful cats in Pop Culture. A princess with edge, she has an enormous internet following. She has her own website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr accounts. Now what I really want to know is, how do these cats manage so many accounts without opposable thumbs? Talented, talented pop culture celebrities.
Cats seem to rule the internet and pop culture. Will we be seeing more cats in T-shirt design if this healthy cat obsession continues? I sure hope so. I only own four cat T-shirts. I can't continue to wear the same four T-shirts every four days for the rest of my life. People are starting to notice. More cat shirts!
Inspiring Female Artists in the Design Community
Asunción Macián Ruiz, or MedusaDollmaker, is a 30-year-old digital and traditional illustrator, mercenary and sculptor, entirely self-taught. What might surprise you about Asunción is that she is a part-time Gorgon. A Gorgon is a monstrous feminine creature in Greek mythology who would turn any unfortunate soul who laid eyes on her into stone. Asunción wields pencils, colored pencils, pen and her Wacom Intuos 4 to produce her masterful and intricate works of art. Oh, and she speaks fluent nerd.
Cate Jose, or pinkstorm, is a full-time graphic designer from Manila in the Philippines. She specializes in Photo Manipulation, Wedding Layouts, Product Shots and T-shirt Designing. Cate currently has a beautiful submission in the Diablo III T-Shirt Design Contest titled The Hunter. She has been a member of Design By Humans since 2008 and has had thirteen winning T-shirts. Her designs often incorporate bright colors and various animals, which she creates using Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.
Katie Campbell, or campkatie, is an illustrator and designer residing in Savannah, Georgia. Katie’s art style is simple yet tasteful, often incorporating few colors in a pleasing visual manor. She produces fun, unique posters in her free time for famous musicians such as Jack Johnson and the Indigo Girls. Her ability to creative incredible, aesthetically pleasing illustrations with simplicity inspires artists, reminding us that art does not need to be complex and highly detailed. Minimalism is incredibly popular and looks great on a T-shirt.
Melita Curphy, or MissMonster, is a multi-media artist currently residing in Chicago, Illinois. Her mediums include gouache and acrylic paint as well as tangible objects like plastic, leather and wood. Melita is a empowered, self-employed artist. There is something very unique about Melita; she creates very unique and interesting sculptures of creatures of a different world; monsters reminiscent of the 1986 film the Labyrinth with snouts and fangs, bat wings and horns, talons and full coats of fur. She is self taught in the art of sculpture, leather and casting work. She runs her online store out of her own home where she creates her artwork by hand.
Megan Lara, or MeganLara, is a 25-year-old illustrator and self-proclaimed book, movie, music and video game nerd. She has a fervent love for pop culture. Her passion for illustration began when she was gifted a computer for her 10th birthday, when she had been promised a fainting goat. She spent the next years of her life falling in love with computer illustrating from MS Paint to Photoshop Elements. She studied studio painting in college and now enjoys designing T-shirts and comic book covers, as well as attending Comicon events.
These are only a few of the extremely gifted female illustrators and designers on Design By Humans. These women are truly inspirational with an undeniable artistic vision. With such spectacular talent they have developed well-known names for themselves outside of the Design By Humans website, and we are grateful to have such talented artists designing T-shirts within the DBH community. You amaze, and you inspire. Never stop doing what you love.
Choose the Winning Diablo T Shirts and Win
Do you have what it takes to pick the winning t-shirt designs? Test your eye for legendary artwork against the Creative Directors at Blizzard Entertainment and Design By Humans.
Today, Design By Humans and Blizzard Entertainment begin a Bonus Quest within the Diablo III T-shirt Design Contest: Be the Creative Director. In this quest, each registered Design By Humans user will receive five gold coins to place on the five T-shirts they think are the best, the most brilliant, the winners the Diablo III T-Shirt Design Contest. Upon placing all of your coins and guessing all five winning T-Shirts correctly, you will win each of the five winning Diablo T-shirts. By correctly guessing four of the winning T-shirts you will win those four T-shirts. Select three of the Diablo III T-Shirt Design Contest winning T-shirts and you will win those three incredible, masterful creations to own and wear, because you have the eye of a Creative Director.
You must be registered with the Design By Humans website to participate in the Diablo III T-Shirt Design Contest Bonus Quest, Be the Creative Director. If you have not registered, you can register here.
Keep an eye out for those incredible T-shirt designs, and good luck!
Tee Grinder Hits Ten Million Grinds!
Thanks to you, our awesome friends on DBH, yesterday the Design By Humans Tee Grinder hit… Drumroll please… Ten million grinds and counting! So to thank all of you grinders out there, we’re offering a special Tee Grinder deal. Get that grinder spinning, because until Friday, September 27th, you will receive your three T-shirts for only $20! This is an incredible opportunity, so take a gamble and try out our Tee Grinder!
The Tee Grinder was released a little over one year ago; a T-shirt gamble offering a an irresistible deal. Select your gender and size, click the ‘Grind’ button, and like a slot machine three T-shirts will be selected for you at random. Click ‘add to cart’ and you receive those unique tees at an incredibly discounted price.
The Tee Grinder has come a long way with ten million grinds in just over a year’s time. That’s 27,397 grinds a day; 1,141 grinds an hour; 90 grinds a minute! And if that doesn’t astound your face off, since it hit the ten million mark yesterday, we’ve received another 200,000 grinds!
We love that you enjoy this feature so much and hope that you’ll enjoy this week’s super Tee Grinder discount as well as the huge new selection of T-shirts we’ve added! So remember, three shirts for $20 until Friday!
What are you still doing here!?
Alex Chousmith, Cat Tee Connoisseur
“I enjoy craft beer, the San Diego Super Chargers, & I tend to wear T-shirts with cats on them…”
Meet Alex Chousmith, a University of California, San Diego graduate working as the Senior Web Developer at Ninthlink, Inc. in San Diego, California. Why do we love Alex? He is a collector of one of our favorite items here inside the internet: cat T-shirts! But Alex is not just any T-shirt collector; he has one of the most incredible collection of cat T-shirts we have ever seen. So incredible, you need to see it to believe it. Check out Alex’s website! We were so amazed by Alex’s astounding collection, we had to interview him to learn the story behind the cornucopia of cat tees.
Alex Chousmith, Cat T-Shirt Connoisseur
Q: First, here’s the most obvious question. Why Cats...and Why Cat Tees?
I love cats, big and small. I grew up with a couple cats, one at a time. But somewhere along the way, I developed an allergy. When dating my wife got serious, years ago, we agreed that we wouldn't get an actual cat as a pet, so as a compromise, I decided to start wearing shirts with cats on them. Maybe we should have just gotten a kitten instead? Haha
Q: Exactly how many cat T-shirts do you own?
About 270 I think? I guess maybe it got a little out of hand…
Q: We hear you have a website dedicated to all your cat tees! Tell us about it…
My New Year’s Resolution going into 2012 was to start a blog type of site and post a cat shirt each day. At that time, at the end of 2011, I had accumulated maybe about 80 cat shirts. I thought hey if I could keep track and wear a different one each day and make it to maybe 100 days, that'd be pretty cool. Then 100 stretched a little more, and stretched again, and I made it through June 30th, half the year. So I figured that was good at that time, and started over. But the collection kept growing. When I turned 30 last month, my wife threw me a ridiculously rad surprise party where guests were asked to either bring me beer or a cat shirt. So I'm still going now. There's even some crazy instagram video of me wearing all the shirts I got for my birthday at one time, if you are in to that sort of thing : http://instagram.com/p/ckWgC2M3lY/ + http://instagram.com/p/ckXBH7lRKm/ . So every day, I take a picture of me wearing a shirt, and post it to the site, and then tweet the link and try to give credit to whoever designed the shirt, in the tweet, which then goes straight to my Facebook page.
Q: Which was the first Design By Humans tee that you ever purchased?
The first I ever got would be a tossup between two we ordered at the same time - Caspian Tiger (1947) and Primal. I'd have to check with my wife to see if she remembers which one was added to the cart first.
Q: Has anyone ever struck up a conversation with you about your DBH cat tee?
Of course! I wore Kitty's Mouse-tache to a Starbucks, and the barista dude asked "what drew you to that shirt?" I told him my wife picked it out, and he said that maybe it was a sign that she was hoping to leave me for Tom Seleck. I think I'm safe though.
Q: Which is your favorite Design By Humans cat tee?
It's hard for me to name one favorite, but I'll stick with that [ Space Cat ]
Q: What do you think the perfect cat T-shirt would look like?
Hmm. Some kind of neon colors, maybe laser beams, probably some kind of nerd glasses involved... that, or just like a ton of cats all over the shirt front and back, doin stuff.
T-Shirt Reviews from a Cat Tee Connoisseur
No King by kdeuce
“Clean design, and the lion wears the crown. But I don't understand the random circle on the lion's chin. Maybe I'm just not in the know there.”
=Hunting Season= by pinkstorm
“This tee has a huge neon tiger on it - so fierce. I feel like the design is so clean and huge that you could wear that shirt while going with the dudes to watch a UFC fight, and fit in with people wearing whatever fight shirts they wear these days, but you are wearing a righteous design with a tiger on it, from the internets.”
Grumpy Astronaut, Not! by zerobriant
“Just whimsical fun - why is the grumpy cat going to outer space? Don't we still need him on earth? Well designed, and you can choose your color, which is super nice. It seems like people seem to like making cat shirts just on black T-shirts, and it’s nice to be able to diversify. I got mine on red. Or, well, my wife bought it on red :-)”
View Alex Chousmith’s entire cat tee collection on his website, and to follow him on social media, see his about page. You can find even more cat T-shirts in our Cat T-shirt collection on our T-Shirt Categories page. I’m inspired, are you inspired?
Pin-Ups Still Thrive in Art and Design
The pin-up girl has been a classic icon since the 1940s. Beautiful models, actresses and celebrities with their images mass-produced and distributed to be ‘pinned’ onto the walls of their admirers began the pin-up girl craze and pop culture phenomenon.
Today, pin-up fashion has an edgy and alternative modern twist. Pin-up girls have always been classic choices in the world of body art, but now pin-up has become a popular fashion trend for women who themselves have a passion for body art. The combination of classy and edgy is unique and beautiful.
In the T-Shirt Categories page on the website there is a Pin-Up Girls category with some awesome T-shirts featuring some beautiful and iconic women.
5 Awesome Pin-Up-Style Tees
Dama De La Muerte by Geno75
A modern goddess of death, a representation of darkness with elegant features and undeniable beauty, Dama De La Muerte is your edgy alternative to a the classic pin-up look. You could say she’s drop dead gorgeous?
Ready for Battle by dzeri29
This portrait is reminiscent of the classic pin-up girl poses. A powerful woman proud to fight for her country sits atop an army tank and still manages an eye-catching smile and a strong salute. That tank can’t be very comfortable to sit on, so props to her for the composure.
Little Dragon by Winardi
From anime enthusiast to dragon slayer, Little Dragon is the perfect pin-up beauty to proudly display on your T-shirt. A strong and powerful woman, she is the martial artist from the novel Return of the Condor Heroes and could probably beat you in a fight.
Dark Messenger by Mouchy
With an enticing stare, this dark beauty will draw you in and leave you entranced. She is the perfect picture of elegance from a mysterious world. Does she present flowers inviting us to join her in a place unknown? This Dark Messenger is a gothic alternative to pin-up style and a beautiful work of art.
Axe Girl by barmalizer
Axe Girl is strong and proud. She can fend for herself and tackle any obstacle that gets in her way, including large trees? With an axe like that I wouldn’t stand in this bombshell beauty’s way. Don’t let that sweet face fool you.
Pin-up girls are classic icons as well as a modern pop culture sensation. Try incorporating some pin-up style women in your T-shirt designs for a unique retro-modern look. Here are some classic pin-up icons to drive some design inspiration!
5 Classic Pin-Up Girls from the 40’s and 50’s
Ava was one of Hollywood’s leading actresses circa 1946 known for being “one of the most beautiful women of her day,” nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress in the film Mogambo.
Marie was an American singer/actress nicknamed “The Body” for her role in a film called Pardon My Sarong. During World War II she posed for the United States Military magazine Yank, and became one of Hollywood’s most popular pin-up girls
Betty was an American actress, dancer and singer celebrated for having the most beautiful legs in Hollywood. No, seriously. Her legs were insured for one million dollars by an insurance agency in London. The photo on the left of her in a swimsuit made her the #1 pin-up girl during the World War II era.
Rita Hayworth was an American dancer and actress during the 1940’s celebrated as one of the era’s top stars. She appeared in a total of 61 films in only 37 years, and is listed in the American Film Institute as one of the 100 Greatest Stars of All Time.
Stop ogling.
Classic Pin-Up Art
5 Tees from our Pin-Up Collection
Check out the Pin-Up Girl T-shirt collection on our Categories page for more pin-up style inspiration to spark some modern-retro ideas in your awesomely creative brains.
DIY: Tee to Cute Tank in Four Simple Steps
The 2013 Design By Humans Fall Lookbook features graphic tees worn with unique style, straying from the basic T-shirt. This specific tee, The Native, was an oversized men’s tee styled into a feminine-yet-grungy loose scoop neck, cut-collar tank top. Paired with a cute pair of skinny jeans, this look is a unique and trendy fashion statement. It’s easy to get this Lookbook look. Turn your Design By Humans tee into a cute tank top in just four simple steps!
Step One
Measure about one inch past the collar of the T-shirt, and cut the entire collar off, front and back, at the same distance.
Step Two
From the center of the neckline, cut a 1 ½ to 2 inch slit down the middle of the shirt. This slit will fall open naturally and look very cute and feminine.
Step Three
Remove each sleeve by cutting along the inside of the seam. Extend the cut about an inch below the seam line for a wider arm hole.
Step Four
Remove the bottom hem of the shirt by cutting above the seam line. To get the baseball-tee look from the Lookbook, cut the bottom corners of the shirt into rounded edges.
Design By Humans T-shirts are definitely awesome just the way they are, but sometimes that one tee that you’re absolutely in love with only comes in men’s sizes, which aren’t the most flattering on a feminine figure. Now you have no reason to deny yourself that epic men’s tee you’ve had your eye on for so long. Even a baggy shirt can be cute if you know how to work those scissors!
Art & Inspiration Straight from the Streets
Street art is a form of graffiti but is also appreciated as a form of modern art. Though many still believe it to be vandalism and paint over it the minute it shows up on the walls of their establishments, many appreciate its beauty and, in the case of Banksy, preserve it with plexiglass for all to admire. T-shirt design often exhibits street art-style attributes, and street art itself is a great outlet to look to for design inspiration.
5 Street Art Inspired Designs
Limited Edition - Retro TV Colour Test Man by LukeBatten
Retro Colour Test Man brings homage to street-art style design and the classic cut-out stencil. This design seems to symbolize a society brainwashed by technology and the media. Banksy often uses similar cut-out stencil techniques in his artwork, and delivers equally substantial messages relevant to our society.
Everything in my Head by Eyesore427
This skeletal street artist is overflowing with creativity and ideas. The figures spewing from his noggin are reminiscent of doodle-filled notebooks and urban character street art. The somewhat animated abstract characters in this design can be compared to the characters by street artist D*Face.
Seasons Doodle by Wotto
This design is a small wearable mural of street-art style characters representing seasons, weather, and robots? These unique characters could be compared to the artistic stylings of street artist Buff Monster. Vibrant characters can really brighten up a bare city wall.
Panda Drip by Dzeri29
This panda seems to have been literally spraypainted onto the t-shirt with paint still dripping from his eyes and ears. I commend Dzeri29 for managing to digitally produce an image that seemingly sits and drips on a wall right in front of me; i can almost smell the fresh paint.
Street Art Superheroes who Inspire Design
Banksy is a widely-known modern street artist whose art delivers satirical yet powerful messages to the public. He is famous, yet chooses to remain anonymous. His artwork often consists of images produced from cut-out stencils incorporating black and white paint with some accent colors here and there; often red. His design styles have shown up in many recent popular T-shirt designs, as he is a powerful artistic inspiration. His clever images express to the world what words alone could not.
Buff Monster melts delicious monster ice cream characters all over public city walls. he uses bright and eye-catching colors; pinks and bright greens, teals and neon orange to bring a little fun to the world for the public to enjoy. His characters are cute and possibly a little creepy, and absolutely delicious.
Upon hearing his name, you might think that D*Face does just that; defaces properties and the walls in the city streets. However, the art that D*Face produces is a bright and uplifting sight in the otherwise dull gray humdrum of dismal buildings and bleak factories.
ETAM CRU’s work has a unique distinction from the usual street art look. Artists Sainer and Betz use the sides of bare buildings as canvases to produced incredibly detailed realistic and surreal portraits of common people in uncommon situations. Their perfect blending of colors and use of highlights and shading make their artwork very aesthetically pleasing.
Check out our new Street Art T-Shirt Category and look to your local street artists for more design inspiration!
Pin-Up Fashion & Style
A lot of work goes into the classic pin-up look, and modern pin-up girls add a fun and unique twist to the style. The pin-up was once an icon, or even just an image pinned to a wall for admiration. Today, ‘pin-up’ has become a fashion statement all in its own. Especially present in the world of body art, modern pin-up style is an awesome and unique tribute to the classic pin-up girls. Here are some must-haves to get the perfect pin-up look!
4 Unique Pin-Up Style Tees
Get the Modern Pin-Up Look
Victory Rolls
Bandana
Bright Red Lipstick
Dramatic Eyeliner
Vintage-Style Outfit
Colorful Pumps
An Array of Beautiful Body Art
The Confidence to Match!
The pin-up style is a classic look, and the modern pin-up gives it an alternative edge. Check out our Pin-Up Girl T-shirt category in the categories page on our website. How can you incorporate this distinctive look in your T-shirt designs?