Part 1 – Part 2 – Part 3 – Part 4
We’re back with more reviews of artwork that may or may not end up being sold in t-shirt form! Take a look at all the things we had to say about things people made with their own two hands (and sometimes a computer).
Beautiful AnimalOh yes, what a beautiful Animal that is. You just want to cuddle up with him and dress him in funny costumes and take pictures and post them on Tumblr and watch him become an internet sensation of adorableness. And then wash your hands, because he looks filthy.
My rating: 3
Kermit Gets FramedToughPigs’ own Smig made this one, which totally reveals the entire plot of Muppets Most Wanted!!! Spoilers, Smig! Come on!
My rating: Withheld, since the artist is one of us.
Cute MuppetsInteresting, I like how the characters look like they’ve been made in an untapped genre. Piggy especially looks like a character I’d want to see more of. It’s a little weird that her colors are muted while he seems to be radioactive, but they still look good together.
My rating: 4
The Wide World of MuppetsGreat use of all those characters! Sweetums is particularly perfect as Greenland. It fits him, somehow. Or, he fits it.
My rating: 5
Crime Does Not PayYet another one from Smig! He really made a lot of great pieces, so hopefully one of them will take home the gold. This one shows one of the many parallels between Kermit and Constantine, the least of which happens to be their mirrored appearances.
My rating: Withheld, since the artist is one of us.
PIIIIIGS IIIINNN SPAAAACEI want a Pigs in Space t-shirt!!! Why can’t I have a Pigs in Space t-shirt?? Someone make one and I’ll give you cashdollars and I will wear the t-shirt and everyone is happy. Especially me. I demand satisfaction!
My rating: 5
Dr. Bunsen’s Beaker Experiment
I’ve seen a few variations on this joke, but Bunsen is usually in the form of a honeydew, not a Bunsen burner. So, props for keeping things all sciencey. But subtracting science points for how unstable that beaker looks on that curved stand. Something’s going to break and someone’s going to get hurt and it’s going to be Beaker.
My rating: 3
We never really knew what kind of animal Animal is. Maybe he’s not an animal at all, and he’s just a knotted up ball of yarn, just waiting to be accidentally unraveled and strewn all over the floor.
4My rating:
The Muppets Family Coat of Arms
That’s a really complicated coat of arms. But I guess the point of a coat of arms is to be detailed enough that no other clan might have the same one. There’s no danger of that here! Although mine might be pretty damn close.
My rating: 5
This piece was featured on ToughPigs a little over a year ago. It was great then and it’s great now. It comes courtesy of our talented friend Mike Boon, who you may recognize as the artist behind the Muppet alphabet. Easily the best part about this piece is the range of obscure to super-obscure aliens scattered around the Pigs in Space logo. It warms my heart to see other people give the various beings of Koozebane the respect they deserve.
My rating: Withheld, since the artist is one of us.
Cookie Monster?? You don’t belong here! Didn’t you just have your own t-shirt contest?? Take a break, rest your ego. You don’t need to be everywhere.
My rating: 1
This one took me a second, but that extra second just made the joke all the more satisfying. My only question is: What island nation is Kermit reporting on? Because I want to live in this magical land of rainbows and weatherfrogs.
My rating: 4
I like that neither Bunsen nor Beaker are phased at all by the mushroom cloud forming in the middle of their laboratory. Atomic explosions are just another humdrum day at Muppet Labs.
My rating: 5
Strange, this looks really similar to an entry in the first Threadless contest, but further off model and not as… good. I wasn’t crazy about the first one, and there’s definitely no improvement here. It’s especially strange since some characters look like they had a photo reference (like Gonzo and Sweetums) while others were drawn from memory (like Beaker and the Swedish Chef). And both styles look way under par for this contest, and that’s saying something.
My rating: 1
Isn’t there a Muppet t-shirt in stores right now featuring the characters’ eyes? It may not glow in the dark, but I’m pretty sure it exists. And this is a design contest, not a “find a way to make the shirts more expensive” contest.
My rating: 3
Beaker and his backup band, The Beakers, are here to serenade you with their latest hit song, “MEEP”. Take it away, Beakers!
My rating: 3
If you had shown this picture to me and told me that it was an official illustration from the Muppet Show days, I would’ve totally believed you. Not only is it gorgeous, but the characterization is spot-on and the gags are subtle and funny. This is one of the best pieces in the entire contest.
My rating: 5
In the first Threadless contest, I marveled at the idea that a lot of illustrations managed to depict the Muppets with just one detail in their anatomy. There were images with just eyes or just legs or hands. I wouldn’t have thought that we’d see one with just necks. Sam’s is probably the odd man out, since he’s still a little unknown by the overall public, but the rest work pretty well.
My rating: 4
I wouldn’t want to live in the house on top of the Muppet “M”. Sure, the view is great, but you’d end up being copied and pasted onto every other t-shirt contest submission.
My rating: 1
I wish there was a cell phone in Fozzie’s right hand, because it looks like he’s saying, “Hold up, my girl’s calling… Hey girl, you got Fozzie, whatchu need?”
My rating: 3
Muppet BuildersShirtless Beaker. Sweetums’ tiny legs. Muppet heads on human-porportioned bodies. Everything is weird in a not-so-good way.
My rating: 3
I’m willing to suspend my expectations for a minute and accept the idea of Miss Piggy as Rapunzel, with a tuxedoed Kermit as her Prince Charming. So, what’s going on over on the left side? Is Kermit floating up or jumping off the roof or just hovering in mid-air? Whatever he’s doing, does it have anything to do with the story of Rapunzel? And the most important question: Why am I still asking questions as if I care enough to deduce the answers?
My rating: 2
Beaker SquaredBeaker is a beaker! This idea was already printed at WeLoveFine, but it’s different enough to let it slide. I like that it looks like the character from a distance, but once you get close and see the shape and top, you appreciate the second meaning. Because Beaker is a beaker. Of course.
My rating: 4
Sexy PiggyIf Miss Piggy was designed by R. Crumb, you’d better believe this is exactly what you’d get.
My rating: 3
The TrumpeterOoh, Gonzo looks like mysterious in the shadows like that. It’s a side of him we don’t see too often. The shadowy side, not his left side. We see that side a lot.
My rating: 5
I Will Always Love YouOH GOD MISS PIGGY KILLED KERMIT AND IS FORCING HIS LIFELESS BODY TO LOVE HER! Actually, this is not really out of character for her.
My rating: 2
Muppets In Disguise“Hey, let’s make a t-shirt from a really obscure scene from Muppets From Space!”, said the man with horrible ideas.
My rating: 2
So, the Swedish Chef doesn’t get to represent Sweden. Seems like a missed opportunity there.
My rating: 3
MuppetsIt’s as if the Muppets were tortured to the point of disfigurement. Animal is looking particularly gruesome, Fozzie and Pepe should not be the same size, and the Swedish Chef was probably starved until he dropped a couple dozen dress sizes. This makes me way more uncomfortable than I would’ve guessed.
My rating: 1
Sweetums Balloon RentalThis truly amazing piece was made by ToughPigs spotlight recipient Caanan Grall, who obviously has a solid grasp on how to make Muppets look great. Just look at the fun and calamity the Muppets are having up there! You can’t tell me you wouldn’t want to see that in a comic book or animated short or (dare I say) t-shirt.
My rating: Withheld, since the artist is one of us.
Tour de MuppetWhy settle for a shirt with just Kermit on a bike when you can have everyone on their bikes?? I like this Great Muppet Caper-inspired design a lot, especially Animal in his basket seat, Gonzo’s unicycle, and Sam’s old fashioned bike. They just look like they’re having so much fun. Can’t go wrong with a fun t-shirt design. Or going on a bike ride with your 16 closest friends.
My rating: 5
Send in the HoundsHere’s the next entry from Smig, as he delivers a slightly spooky design. Now I’m curious as to where Kermit is. Does he have amnesia again? Is he locked up in a Russian gulag? Or are they looking for some other flipper-footed fellow?
My rating:Withheld, since the artist is one of us.
Animal InstinctYeesh, that’s an Animal you don’t want to mess with. He’s staring daggers directly at you, and he happens to have dagger-like teeth in his mouth. Just daggers all around.
My rating: 4
Pigs in SpacePigs in Space could absolutely use a refresh. I can see it coming back as a tacky Flash Gordon-style production, although I don’t buy Kermit as a lizard monster. Everything else, though: Perfect.
My rating: 5
Rainbow ConnectionIt’s pretty convenient that green comes right in the middle of ROYGBIV, or else Kermit would be way off to the side in his own rainbow. Do you think the visual color spectrum planned it that way?
My rating: 3
You Are All WeirdosYes. Yep. Uh huh. Love it. It works on a thousand different levels, the most important of which are the specific reference (Great Muppet Caper quote), the characterization (Sam in Uncle Sam garb), and the artistry (it is damn pretty). It’s the perfect storm of t-shirt designs.
My rating: 5
Kermit the FrogPoor Kermit. He’s got a bad case of the Square Head. Don’t worry, a little penicillin will clear that right up.
My rating: 2
Kermit RocksCute image of Kermit running toward the viewer, but only until you shift your perspective a little. If you look at it long enough, Kermit’s arms aren’t reaching out toward you, they’re short and stubby with huge hands. Yep, I just ruined it. Sorry.
My rating: 3
Musical NightAre they stars or are they fireflies?? No wait, I’m mistaken, there’s a water stain on my glasses.
My rating: 3
Miss PiggyPiggy looks best when she’s given that 1980s airbrushed quality. It’s like she’s a model in the catalog for your local shopping mall.
My rating: 4
The ChaseHere’s the final design from Smig, as he shows a possibility for the big chase scene in Muppets Most Wanted (because, as he points out, every movie must have one). I particularly like the idea of Sweetums riding Ty Burrell’s tiny car like a skateboard. If that doesn’t happen in the movie, I’m demanding my money back.
My rating: Withheld, since the artist is one of us.
Electric MayhemThere’s a real retro feel to this piece, maybe because of the pink and purple, maybe because of the font, but definitely because the Electric Mayhem simply reeks of “retro”. All of these things put together make for a stunning image, which would look equally great on a t-shirt as on a black light poster.
My rating: 5
Muppet St. Oh honey. Honey, no. You can’t put the Muppets on the Sesame Street stoop. But honey, it’s cute that you thought that might be okay. Poor, stupid, sweet honey.
My rating: 1
Master of MuppetsI will never be not disturbed at the idea of Muppets performing Muppets. They should all have the horrified look that Beaker has.
My rating: 2
Meep!?Is it me, or does Beaker’s face look really tiny? Or maybe that’s what this poisonous mystery potion does. It either shrinks the face or enlarges everything but the face.
My rating: 3
Behind the ScenesNow there’s an angle you don’t see very often. I especially like that the selfie on the camera doesn’t keep us from seeing their faces. It’s a pretty clever idea, and it works well as a t-shirt design.
My rating: 4
Checking the HouseSpeaking of angles we don’t see too often, what an amazing idea! We’ve seen Kermit pop his head through the Muppet Theater curtains a thousand times, but we don’t think too hard about what he sees before addressing the audience. I, for one, am super glad for this new perspective.
My rating: 5
M_CardsHey, it’s all your favorite Muppet characters! Balloon Nose Beaker! Gonzo eating a sideways eggplant! Boobsface Piggy! Just Looked Into the Ark of the Covenant Animal! And, of course, Dick Van Dyke.
My rating: 2
Strange LoveYep, I thought it said “Strang Love”. I don’t know what “Strang” means, but it probably has something to do with Kermit’s weird barrel chest. How strang!!!
My rating: 1
Hi-Ho, Kermit Here!Google Doodles are cool and all, but Google should really honor the Muppets by letting them take over Google Maps. You can have the Kermit location pointer, the Electric Mayhem bus can give driving directions, and you can literally travel by map!
My rating: 3
Chicks Rock!While I don’t doubt the rockiness of chicks or Janice, I do question the logic of having a Muppet shirt with the word “chicks” on it while there’s no appearance of Camilla. Now that’s a chick who rocks.
My rating: 4
HarmonyVery nice Kermit, with a lot of focus on details. Just look at the texture of the log he’s sitting on. Every picture of Kermit should have this much attention and love put into it. Yet another reason why I’m baffled and upset at Disney’s choice to Photoshop their movie posters together rather than hire any one of the great artists in this contest. Simply baffling.
My rating: 5
Chasing Our Dreams Together!There’s nothing like a good Muppet movie homage. Especially when you’re paying homage to all of the Muppet movies. Aside from the great character silhouettes, you’ve got Kermit’s bike and Gonzo’s plumbing truck from The Muppet Movie, the hot air balloon and Piggy’s motorcycle from Great Muppet Caper, plus the Swinetrek, two Electric Mayhem buses, and a skyline that evokes both Muppets Take Manhattan and Muppets Most Wanted. Worlds are colliding, and those worlds have a border of jogging Muppets!
My rating: 5
Someday We’ll Find ItIf Kermit had a bad-ass biker streak in him, I could totally see this as a tattoo on his arm. I mean, it’d have to be a small tattoo since his arms are so skinny, but you get the picture.
My rating: 4
Absotively Posilutely / You Are All Weirdos / Woof Woof
These images come from the talented hands of David Vordtriede, whose “Muppabet” we featured on ToughPigs back in 2012. The Dr. Teeth and Rowlf come from that series, but the Sam the Eagle is new. David also provided the art for Threadless’s Statler and Waldorf shirt, which I wear proudly and often. He’s got a great grasp of the characters with his own unique style, and every Muppet he’s drawn is a gem. Here’s hoping we get another chance at seeing his work on a t-shirt.
My rating: Withheld, since the artist is one of us.
We’re in the home stretch! Head on back here soon for the fourth and final installment of our Threadless Muppet t-shirt design contest coverage!
Click here to draw a retro version of the ToughPigs forum!
by Joe Hennes – Joe@ToughPigs.com
