Brain Storming Session: Raw Paw Design Challenge

I recently stumbled upon this T-Shirt design contest by Raw Paw Ink (https://rawpaw.ink/ in case anyone reading this also is interested). The prompt is “World Wide Web.” Basically artists submit designs and then campaign for people to pre-order their designs. Person who sells the most wins the grand prize, but what I really appreciate about this contest is 1. the artist keeps the rights to their work 2. all pre-ordered shirts get made and 3. the artist gets paid for the shirts purchased! even if its only one shirt. And I think that is an incredible way to run a contest like this. The due date is May 6th, so there is still plenty of time, but now that you have the concept I can delve into what I am thinking:

As someone born in the late 90s I have an nostalgia for the mid to late 00s internet. The idea of games like webkinz, neopets, farmville, the flash games online. There is something interesting to me about that “crispy” era of the internet; everything was either super box-y ad square sharp pixels or weirdly bubbley like the mouse icon in webkinz. Okay so thats the inspiration, but then to design an illustration around these ideas is another beast.

I have not “stretched” my illustration skills in a while; most of the work I create these days art but I wouldn’t call them illustrations. This challenge only allows for one color. I’m not sure the last time I did a piece that was exclusive one color, not tones, no anything else just line work. And then on top of that what is the piece itself? So what am I thinking right now? Well I can tell you some of the ideas currently popping around in my head. I like the idea of playing on the literal “web” and that old logo of a globe. I like the idea of doing something with spiders and maybe in the style of a neopet? Or even doing something a-la poptropica. Poptropica did have all those different islands? But then I think about the popularity of Y2K style and jokes and maybe poptropica is not enough in that vein. Maybe it won’t be popular with even the people in my circles. But should I focus on that?

Lets say I do follow this more y2k vibe then maybe I do like an old computer screen with an open window with a 404 error page. It could be fun do something about a physical bug in a computer. I feel like the fun of these ideas is the aesthetic of the times so I wouldn’t want it to become too circuit board-esque. Definitely more thinking to be done but for now I’m spinning my web about this ;).

Possibly a sneak peak for next post but I’ve started reading Acts of Resistance (The power of art to create a better world) by Amber Massie-Blomfield. I’m only about a third of the way through but I already have some thoughts. So far, I would recommend it for individuals interested in any form of protest.