From the moment their eyes met across the deli tray, they knew it was on. As the DJ dropped some cold cuts, Bologna and Bread made their way across the table hoping to make their open(faced) sandwich a threesome. They needed a top, and the fresh little slice in the push-up wrapper looked just right. This little sourdough wonder was open to anything, and she particularly liked the look of the deviled ham combo that was now placing its tasty order. But what happened next? Were more toppings invited? After all, there was one hot Tomato making the rounds, and if her partner Lettuce was offended, he could just leave. Cheese was of an appropriate age, and no one was pickled enough to make a decision they’d regret after the date expired.
If you find this week’s sub — THREESOME — risqué after last week’s super-Disneyfied post, please don’t. You shouldn’t see lunchmaking as a dirty act, but rather a beautiful expression shared mutually between sandwich fixings in their (USDA) prime. 
Here’s the link if you’d like to score (you know … the design).
I really had fun with this one. I had a few chuckles here and there while I was drawing it out. I drew most of it out on paper in parts and then pieced it back together on my Mac to do the final drawing digitally, because I kept changing my mind about various parts. (My scans folder is filled up with files with ridiculous names such as “orgy arms” and “party cuts”.) I drew the faces in Illustrator without planning them out first, and I’m really happy with how they came out, even if Bologna does look a little rapey. Also, I originally wanted to have the bread on the right to be eating an olive off of a toothpick, but couldn’t figure out how to make that scale work … the olive would be too big! My original concept was just the front party image, but once I started it, the idea for the back came to me and I’m glad it did, because that seems to be everyone’s favorite part … more on that below.
Anyway, this one was originally to come later in my list of ideas to submit to the site, but my last one only received a so-so rating so I wanted to gauge what they were reacting to … the G-rated content or the G-rated illustration style. We’ll see. That said, I studied past winning entries, and plenty received lower ratings than mine (no one seems to get above high-3’s [3.6, etc.], for example, even though 5 is the tops). Plus, I’ve since found out that the scores don’t really matter … Threadless just uses them to see what people are saying … they still choose the designs they like regardless. After 90 days I can take anything down and use it elsewhere anyway, which is what I’ll likely do, such as putting it in my zazzle and cafepress stores. Last week’s entry — GROUNDED — has already received interest elsewhere … more on that when there’s more news.
BTW, if you didn’t notice, I already missed a week here … although technically I did 95% of this design last week, I didn’t have time to post until this week, so I guess I’m already going to an every-other-week plan. Every week is just too much. Although I’m already working on the next one for part of their current design challenge. This one is more like what you’ve come to know and love from me (okay, I was assuming the love part), and is a twist on a vintage sign style.
So that’s it … I’ve already gotten some feedback on this design that helps me understand what it is the Threadless customer likes. Basically some of them want me to throw out the front image altogether. I still like the front, but I think it’s better used on a more mainstream site. The Threadless customer doesn’t seem to like to be hit over the head with a joke, and I appreciate that. (Or as one of my good friends said, “The back tells the joke must faster and funnier.”) I’m still glad I drew the front, though, as it’s more practice/opportunity to work out my illustration style. (I’ve been designing for other licensed characters for 10 years and sorta can’t remember what my own look like!) I’ll probably end up grabbing the scene from the front, filling out more detail, and using it as a promo postcard sometime later. No art goes to waste.
Until next time …
ridge.out
for more. 
I’m starting a weekly feature here, now that I have time to update my shop more regularly. I’ve been designing for other brands for so long, that it’s really exciting to just sit down with my sketchbook and draw out whatever I want to design. I’m still working on other brands on the side a little, but for the most part I’m finally doing my own thing, so to speak. Therefore I’ll be posting featured designs once a week.
I’m also pretty happy with how my “Awesome Airways” plane came out. This was an exercise for me to see if I could think from memory of what a plane looks like (proportion, etc.) – especially since I never fly – and I think it came out pretty good. Not exact, and I didn’t include jet engines and stuff, but I’m happy with it. It’s funny, ’cause I live near the airport and kept hearing planes fly over while I was working on this piece. 
