Part 1 – Part 2 – Part 3 – Part 4
We’re finally here at the last segment of our Threadless Fraggle Rock T-shirt Design Contest coverage, and only a week after the contest officially ended! (Yeah, sorry about that.) Even though it’s too late to cast any more votes, we’re pushing through with the remainder of the reviews, partly because it’s only fair to the artists, and partly because I like to finish the snarkiness and complaining I started.
In the meantime, feel free to check out all the fan art, and pretend to cast your votes (if you haven’t already). We’ll post the winners once Threadless announces them! And scroll down to the end for some statistics about the contest entries.
It sounds painful enough for a Fraggle to tie his tail in a knot, let alone in an elaborate balloon animal shape, let alone in the form of 11 letters of the alphabet, let alone with gaps between each letter. Gobo must be in agony.
My rating: 2
Fraggles aren’t incredibly recognizable just by their eyes, but I like the attempt to identify them by the colors of their word balloons. But really, the punchline of the invisible Boober drives the whole thing home. It’s not my favorite design, but it’s one of the very few that actually made me laugh.
My rating: 4
This is what Red Fraggle would look like if she was in mid-explosion.
My rating: 3
ToughPigs pal James Carroll has a terrible habit of creating incredible images of Muppets, that are both iconic and unique. I say “terrible” because I’m equal parts jealous and in awe of how he makes it look so easy. James is responsible for brilliant compilations of characters like the Muppetational Mosaic, the Muppet Theater poster, the Muppet Mindset logo, and more (with more official merchandise on the way). So it seems he’s done it again with the Fraggle gang. And here I go again, being all jealous and amazed all over again.
My rating: Withheld, since we know the artist personally.
It’s too bad nobody knows who Brool or Brio is, because this piece probably doesn’t have a chance at winning. I’d still give it a high vote, because it’s such a simple yet pretty example of what you can do to show off the Minstrels doing what they do best.
My rating: 5
Since the core cast of Fraggle Rock is so small, it’s easy to forget how big the supporting cast is. There really are a ton of characters represented here, from Convincing John to the Poison Cackler to Begoony, to Red’s Sea Monster and so on and so on and so on. I’ve already spent a ton of time staring at this one trying to identify them all. See how many you can name with the the help of the Muppet Wiki’s Fraggle Rock characters page and a lot of time to click and read and memorize.
My rating: 5
The Trash Heap sure does look a lot more adorable when you replace her garbage with freshly fallen leaves. The next time I have to rake leaves in my backyard, I’m totally putting a banana peel and fancy old lady glasses on it to see if it comes to life and gives me ill-suited advice.
My rating: 3
This is a perfectly fine drawing of Gobo, but there’s something slightly off that’s keeping me from really loving it. Maybe it’s the proportions (Is his head too big? His arms too short?), or maybe it’s the fact that his hair looks like a purple jheri curl.
My rating: 3
I’m not entirely sure what Fraggle Rock has to do with Guns n Roses, but that’s a really clever use of Doozer constructions. I’m just glad the artist didn’t try and draw Fraggle skulls ala the original album cover.
My rating: 4
Boober Fraggle’s Laundry Service
James Carroll has another entry in this contest, this time creating a terrific logo for Boober’s laundry service. I kinda want to buy a leather jacket and patch this onto the back, as if it’s the insignia for my geeky biker gang. Bonus points for the brilliant use of the Inkspot.
My rating: Withheld, since we know the artist personally.
OH MY GORG! So creepy. Why would anyone want it to look like there’s a giant Gorg eye sticking out of your torso?
My rating: 2
I’m not giving this design a low rating because all the Fraggles’ faces are yellow or because it’s dull, but because of the random floating apostrophe in the banner on the top. Let’s have a little respect for the English language, folks!
My rating: 1
I just had a bizarre realization. I think the guy on the Pringles can is a Doozer!
My rating: 3
Someone sneezed in the shape of Gobo Fraggle! It’s a sign!!!
My rating: 3
Wow! This piece works on so many levels. It’s already a great image of the Fraggle Five, it’s showing them in a unique position (not just standing around, posing), and it’s a direct reference to a scene from the episode “Sir Hubris and the Gorgs“. As an added bonus, I’m pretty sure this is exactly how they’re seen inside the Sir Hubris costume too, with Mokey’s foot on Wembley’s nose and Boober’s legs just about to give out. I want to get this one framed and stare at it every single day.
My rating: 5
Does Traveling Matt need to be deceased before we can put his face on a stamp? Because it seems like a no-brainer. Get on it, USPS.
My rating: 4
I dunno, I always saw Wembley as the Fraggle drummer. Boober is more like the quiet, reserved bass player.
My rating: 4
Here’s another entry from the last Fraggle Rock t-shirt contest, and another one that probably should’ve won. It’s so simple, yet mesmerizingly pretty. Like a Fraggle pinwheel, or Spin Art or something.
My rating: 5
I am shocked (shocked!) that Mokey made the cut for Mount Fragglemore instead of Red. As the one who’s most likely to be left off a DVD cover, who knew she’d be prominent enough to be included on a freaking mountain?
My rating: 4
Man, I don’t even care if the Doozers don’t technically have anything in common with the Beatles or Abbey Road, this parody looks awesome. The purple helmet is a secret clue that Paul Doozer is dead.
My rating: 5
Have we ever actually seen a Doozer shovel anything? Not that I’m calling shenanigans on a Doozer with any sort of tool, but the closest I can think of them digging anything is the illustration for how they harvest radishes (using a big machine, not hand tools). 99.9% of the rest of the time, they’re building up, not digging down. I think my level of complaints has fallen down a pit somewhere.
My rating: 3
Wow, what a narcissist. Even the statue thinks Gobo’s full of himself.
My rating: 3
Did Boober put himself through the dryer with the rest of his laundry? Because that would explain the puffiness of his fur. Or maybe Fraggles are made out of laundry lint! I think I’ve cracked open a conspiracy here.
My rating: 4
Yikes, what happened here? I guess I should assume that something went wrong in the rendering, resulting in a strangely stretched out image. Even if it looked normal, I’d be curious as to how they’re looking up at the earth. Is there a Fraggle hole on the moon?
My rating: 1
If you’re gonna use that iconic image of Boober in your design, you might as well do something clever with it, like this artist does. I like the aesthetic with him crammed in a cave hole, but he’s also serving as the “W”. Now that’s putting your Boober to good use.
My rating: 4
Can you imagine what would happen if the Doozers found out that there are no ceilings once you get out of the Rock in the real world? I can just imagine them building edible skyscrapers in New York City, pausing only to eat lunch and pose for photos on a tiny girder.
My rating: 5
Red Fraggle doing karate would have probably been enough. But the awkward “3-0” she’s signing doesn’t really fit. It’s like she’s telling us to to steal third base while fighting ninjas. I think I just came up with America’s newest pastime…
My rating: 3
I like the drawing of Red, and I think the Booberized word “rockin'” looks cool, but why not just make all of the words into Fraggles? Otherwise, we’re left with a sentence that won’t make a lot of sense a year from now. And for some reason, I love the completely random “Yes!” at the top. Like Red is fact-checking that the Fraggles are still rockin’.
My rating: 3
The characters all look like they’re showing emotions they don’t normally convey. Boober looks sassy, the Doozer looks like a thug, and Mokey looks drunk. At least Sprocket still looks like a dog.
My rating: 3
This was one of my favorite entries from the last Fraggle Rock design contest, mainly because it’s so representative of the different species and their interconnection through radishes. Plus, it’s really, really pretty, despite the fact that it also kinda looks like Junior Gorg ate Gobo, who ate a Doozer.
My rating: 5
This is an interesting, psychedelic design, but not very Fraggly. I guess it has a guitar in it, and some Fraggle-related text, but that’s hardly enough to make anyone dance their cares away (or vote for it or whatever).
My rating: 2
What do you think Skinny Boober is doing in this picture? Going for a morning jog? Playing Dance Dance Revolution? Doing the Hokey Pokey? Wrong, it’s all of the above.
My rating: 3
I guess this artist is going for a Georges Seurat-style, but the whole thing just looks fuzzy and blurry. I can hardly tell that they’re supposed to be playing music, let alone what instruments they’re all playing.
My rating: 2
Fraggle geography shenanigans! Suddenly the Fraggle Pond is next to Boober’s laundry room, which is inside Gobo and Wembley’s cave. Mokey could paint just about anywhere, so I guess she’s okay.
My rating: 3
Fraggles! / Jammin’ with Gobo
A Decision in the Making / Red!
In part 1 of our Threadless Fraggle Rock contest coverage, one of my favorites was a pretty painting of Boober. Now I see that it was only one of a set of four (five, if you count the collection of all four), and although Boober is my favorite, they’re all gorgeous. Sadly, Mokey is once again left out, but I guess that’s par for the course these days.
My rating: 5
The Fraggles look really off-model here, and while that’s normally a good thing, it just looks off in this case. It may be because four of them are looking downward, which is an angle we don’t see very often. Maybe there’s a reason we don’t see many navel gazing Fraggles.
My rating: 3
Cleverrrrr. Put Wembley in his own shirt. It’s probably a dream come true for him. Despite the fact that I still don’t know how Wembley even knows what a banana tree is.
My rating: 4
Now this is a dance I can see myself doing at a bar mitzvah.
My rating: 5
I love seeing the more obscure Fraggle Rock species pop up in these pieces. The Purple Sproingers, a Mudbunny, that pesky Fraggle Bird, and of course, the Inkspots. It does my geeky heart proud to see them all live on in fan art form.
My rating: 3
Wembley Medley with Chest Hair
Yeah, I was really hoping someone would submit a Banana Tree design. I’d love to have the real thing, rather than just a print with a fake shirt flap. And I can definitely do without the fake Fraggle chest hair. Yuccha.
My rating: 4
Whoa, what happened here? Gobo’s nose shrunk, Mokey got a sunburn, and Red’s upper and lower halves don’t fit together anymore. Boober looks okay, but he definitely doesn’t look comfortable.
My rating: 1
Look out, Fraggles! The Golgothan (aka, Poop Demon) from Dogma is coming after you! Maybe you can seek shelter under the rainbow with the tiny Gorgs?
My rating: 1
Brings Out the Boy & Girl in You & Me
I think I could’ve lived the rest of my life without seeing Boober’s muscular legs and Red’s vibrating kneecaps.
My rating: 2
This would be the perfect t-shirt design for anyone who wants to invoke that very specific imagery of a dog clawing its way out of their chest. There’s a t-shirt niche for everyone.
My rating: 3
And we’ve finally come to our last design! I like the radish border, but not so much the photorealistic (read: traced) Fraggles. I like the hint at the Gorgs on top, but not so much the fact that they look like they’re made out of whipped cream. I like the Doozers, but not so much the lack of more Doozers. (I really like Doozers.)
My rating: 3
Wonder which characters got the most love in this contest? We counted every single instance of most of them, along with some other statistics for your viewing pleasure. (In the case of the Fraggle Five, their numbers reflect the designs in which they’re seen alone or with no more than two other Fraggles. Designs with four or five of the main Fraggles are in the top category.) I honestly couldn’t even tell you why we bothered with this, but there ya go.
Characters:
- 4 or 5 of the main Fraggle Five: 63
- Doozers: 56
- Boober: 27
- Gobo: 24
- Red: 24
- Junior Gorg: 22
- Sprocket: 17
- Traveling Matt: 13
- Wembley: 12
- Trash Heap: 10
- Pa Gorg: 9
- Ma Gorg: 7
- Cantus and the Minstrels: 7
- Philo and Gunge: 6
- Convincing John: 4
- Mokey: 4
- Jim Henson: 4
- Doc: 3
- Inkspots: 3
More stats:
- No Fraggles: 46
- No characters at all: 6
- Boober’s “Down at Fraggle Rock” pose: 4
- Communism: 4
- Fraggle Bird: 3
Many, many thanks to all of the artists who submitted designs to the contest, and for being cool with us posting your work and being relatively snarky about it. And thanks to the folks at Threadless for hosting the contest!
Click here to talk a heap of trash about the Trash Heap on the ToughPigs forum!
by Joe Hennes – Joe@ToughPigs.com
