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OvercomPETsation
Current Status
In PrintComments (38)
man i loved this one. i might just have to support this even though its on yellow.
Posted by peppersagooddog 346 days ago
Consider a bigger giraffe? Why do artists feel like they need to keep things like the w00t size limitations when they bring a design over?
Posted by tpapp157 346 days ago
Thanks for the support guys!
tpapp: Admittedly upping the size never occurred to me, I'll definitely keep that in mind if/when I do a future submission. I'm not sure if I'd want this one really large simply because it's already bright yellow and gold. Adding a jumbo print might be pushing the limits of what I myself would wear.
Posted by TGWA (The Artist) 346 days ago
Not design related, but giraffe related: giraffes in the wild never lay down.
My Middle Child and I did a zoo sleep-over with her class. On the flashlight tour of the big animal barn, we saw the family of giraffes sleeping with their legs folded under them. The zoo keeper explained that they don't sleep like that unless the barn doors are closed and the people have left. So in other words, giraffes must feel COMPLETELY safe to lay down.
I wouldn't feel safe next to Napoleon either.
Posted by Janie 339 days ago
Now that this is in the list of highest support amounts, it will hopefully get the push it needs.
Posted by Omnitarian 312 days ago
Thank you for placeing this design Travis!
I was waiting for this to go somewhere, my girlfriend freaked when it didn't win on woot.
Posted by lkackman 281 days ago
This looks nothing like Napoleon, so that comment is of questionable merit.
Of unquestionable merit: printing this.
Posted by AdderXYU 281 days ago
Although my kids didn't get the Napoleon inference, I explained this was like Lord Farquad from Shrek. THAT they understood.
I think Napoleon is the victim of political satire. His contemporaries made fun of him by joking about his height. We still do the same thing. Modern examples would include: President Reagan with an Elvis-style hair-do; President Carter with a big, toothy smile; President G.W. Bush with cowboy boots and hat; and finally the current president, President Obama, with his ears as big as Dumbo the Flying Elephant.
The giraffe lovers* and I have supported this one. (*My three children.)
Posted by Janie 281 days ago
If you do not think that this shirt is intended to be a napoleonic reference your logical faculties are of questionable merit.
Posted by fleebenworth 279 days ago
I can see where I'd be off. After all, Napoleon was a monarch, and dressed as royalty. The crown and dress, especially, are far more reminiscent of Napoleon than a king or other nobleman from long before Napoleon's time. And certainly Napoleon was the only short guy ever to be born. Considering that Napoleon was often given exotic animals, unlike royalty, who NEVER owned such frivolities as gifts from afar, I concede that you're right. This is about Napoleon, and not just a riff on the idea of "overcompensation", like the title implies.
Posted by AdderXYU 278 days ago
Adder I just overdosed on sarcasm after reading that comment... O_o
Once I get my paycheck Tgentry I hope I can add at least $20. Love the concept and the shirt!
Posted by Icemank91 277 days ago
So I guess you spend so much time reading t shirt blogs that you haven't had the opportunity to take a basic art history or modern European history class. It's ok, I can help you.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/28/Ingres%2C_Napoleon_on_his_Imperial_throne.jpg
You do know he was fucking emperor right?
I would not be surprised to learn that Napoleon actually did have a giraffe shipped to Paris in tribute to his Egyptian conquests, but I think it is meant to serve as a visual contrast.
Posted by fleebenworth 276 days ago
I present to you, dear readers, the concept of visual hyberbole as a tool with which to convey the artistic expression of a verbal pun.
SHOCKING!
(Adder, your sarcasm, it.... my mental faculties are not functioning at full capacity today... please, shame me and tell me that you are clearly aware--being an intelligent, observant man--that this is based on the popular cultural perception (then and now) of Emperor Napoleon I, and are just employing that crazy, contrary sarcasm--for which you are known--to amuse yourself and your audience? Right? Tell me I'm stupid, baby.)
Posted by goldenthorn 276 days ago
"This looks nothing like Napoleon, so that comment is of questionable merit."
Yeah I'm sure he is just pulling an elaborate joke and not actually completely ignorant about the reference to Ingres tableau and Napoleon in general.
Posted by fleebenworth 276 days ago
I figure it's worth commenting, even late, re: this.
I am completely aware of the cultural perceptions and connotations of Napoleon.
However, while it is entirely possible that tgentry was thinking of Napoleon as some inspiration here, the fact is that the tableau works even if Napoleon didn't exist. The scene has no relation to him except for containing a short ruler, overcompensating for his height. The joke is strong enough as is. And as is, there is no direct reference to the guy. So I'm unsure why people are presuming this is him, when it's clearly a much older representation of royalty, and a generic one at that.
Not everything has to be a reference. This is a punch line either way.
I just hope where this thread has derailed to hasn't been what's keeping this piece from printing for so long. That would be silly.
Posted by AdderXYU 205 days ago
First of all:
This is a fantastic design; I love it; I supported it a very long time ago and I desperately want it to print because I love it so much. When it gets a little closer to $500, I will add another $10 support to it.
Moving on:
Adder, there is direct reference to Napoleon in this design, because it is Napoleon in this design. The throne is the same. The arms are in the same position. The clothing is the same. The fold of the cloth is the same. The colours are the same. The hair and the laurel are the same. The necklace/medallion are the same. The face is similar enough to be considered a pouting caricature.
Yes, this tshirt conveys a general joke about overcompensating for one's shortness of stature with a large animal. And, specifically, this joke is illustrated using Napoleon. Not royalty in general, not a much older representation of royalty, and not a generic one at that. It's Napoleon.
Now, you seem to believe that people saying that this tshirt depicts Napoleon makes it somehow less worthy and diminishes it as a clever design.
I, on the other hand, believe that this tshirt depicting Napoleon makes it much more awesome and greatly elevates it as a clever design. There is nothing wrong with this shirt having a representation of Napoleon on it. It's funny, it's beautifully drawn, the colours are rich and vibrant, and it's clearly recognizable without being at all negatively derivative of the original painting.
Conclusion:
Who's right? I am. Absolutely. And I accept your apologies.
:-)
Posted by goldenthorn 201 days ago
Ahh, hells. I'll just throw in the last $10, too. Brother can use a new, cool tshirt.
Posted by goldenthorn 193 days ago
Hoo.....hoooo........nice-ness. We'll be printing this puppy on American Apparel.....boom.
Posted by kamil 193 days ago
Thanks everybody for the support!!! I can't wait to see how it comes out.
Posted by TGWA (The Artist) 193 days ago
