Kirby Hoodie

Whoops, that isn't a sprite, is it?

I had a pullover hoodie that unfortunately got a stain on it. I was going to throw it out before realizing this was a golden opportunity to get creative!


This is the design on the front (it goes right over the handwarmer/pocket)


...and then this is on the sleeve (stain got there too :( )

Here's some work in progress shots - I had to work to cover the stain, so in this case the design was influenced by needing to cover certain parts of my 'canvas:'




This took a lot of time (and paint - I think I used every matte color I own, and still had to mix a few colors besides!), but at least I don't have to buy a new hoodie...

Final Fantasy

49 x 50 grid, 1/2 cm pixels. Blue dragon enemy sprite from Final Fantasy 1.

This shirt has an interesting history, mostly because it took me so long to complete. I actually started it not too soon after I had completed the Earthbound shirt, hoping to have it done in time for a birthday. Needless to say I didn't exactly make the deadline. I only got through about half the black outlines before becoming very frustrated with the shirt, so I set it aside. However, every time I started a new project here was this half-finished shirt, sitting there accusingly. So I finally swallowed my pride and finished it. Now my friend will finally get that birthday present...

I again made use of some metallic fabric paint that I had picked up. I don't think I'd ever use more than one metallic color per shirt - any more than that and it would get a little too gaudy.

Super Mario Bros. 3

I do have to notice I've done a few from this game already - then again, it's my favorite platformer. I think there's probably a good number of people out there who can agree that SMB3 was an amazing insight into just how deep and enjoyable a game can be by combining a simple concept and gameplay with fantastic level design. Hearing some of SMB3's music remixed in the soundtrack of Super Mario Galaxy made me very, very happy.

(I must apologize for the poor photo quality. This one really doesn't compare to seeing the shirt in person, the colors are much more vibrant, and there's only so much iPhoto can do to a shot. I normally take my photos at night when there's less ambient window light, but this one was an early morning photo. At some point I'm going to make a whitebox so I can take some more decent photos, or maybe just catch a few of these shirts in use!)

Super Mario Bros. 3

Happy New Year!

This is my first shirt where I've taken a little extra creative liberty. There are no flying Bloopers in the game, but I took the Blooper sprite and added the wing sprite seen on a lot of other flying characters. It's for a friend who shares an in-joke about flying squid.

As of this photo I haven't heat-set this shirt (I'm trying some new kinds of paints), but I like this design because it was very simple with 2 colors. I'll have to see if there are any other black and white sprites out there.

Kid Icarus

It's Pit from Kid Icarus and, most recently, Super Smash Brothers Brawl. This shirt's going to a guy who is pretty much the physical embodiment of Pit (explosive enthusiasm), so I think this design was pretty fitting.

Sprites that lack those nice contrasting borders are tricky. He's got a bow and arrows there, in case you weren't sure.

Castlevania II

Look out for the blue, eyeless, bouncing werewolves! I hate to say it but I think Simon Belmont is a little too close for comfort here - those werewolves were a lot easier to take out from a distance with a longer whip.

Hopefully it's daytime so maybe he won't be bounced to death.

Tetris

...not a new shirt, but...



Tetris magnets! I know ThinkGeek sells these but this way you can make them whatever color you want. Also if you don't mind a little spare time spent, making them yourself is less expensive than buying them.

The top set is was the 'test' I made first, the bottom set's going to some friends as a housewarming gift. It's hard to tell but the bottom set is colored metallic blue, metallic silver, and glossy black.

A great tutorial on how to make these can be found here!

I should be updating the next shirt soonish...

Zelda II

Like I said in the tutorial, the green is a metallic paint, so it's very shiny. I'll probably be wearing this one to a few cons this summer. :D

Mega Man

I had to take a break from making sprite shirts for a while to finish up my graduate degree. Making these shirts is very fun, though, so I got back to it soon after my thesis was done.



This one was made for a friend who likes robots, and this fellow was very cute. I can't remember what his name is as I didn't play too much Mega Man back in the day.

Super Mario Brothers 2

Look out Luigi! This is from Super Mario Brothers 2, aka Super Mario USA, aka Doki Doki Panic with Mario sprites. In the original Doki Doki Panic, Phanto looked much less menacing. This version scared me as a child.

This was the first time I put multiple sprites on one shirt. I made each pattern individually and then placed them on the same grid. The key was difficult as I couldn't find any images online of Luigi holding it. As a result I had to boot the game and see exactly where it was placed when picked up.

Bubble Bobble, Part 2

Made a second Bubble Bobble shirt as an Easter gift for a friend. Most of these shirts are given away to my friends as gifts, though I do treat myself from time to time!

16 x 16, 1/2 inch pixels

I was better about avoiding too many coats this time, so I think this one is an improvement over the last.

Ice Climber

Nana and Popo from Ice Climbers

Nana is 23 x 27, Popo is 22 x 23. Both are 1 cm.

They're part of a set, of course.

Metroid

26 x 25 grid, 1 cm pixels.

This one was tough because it had transparency and because the pattern itself on paper looked rather confusing. After I painted it though the overall shape emerged nicely.

I'm getting most of the NES sprites from here. I open the image file and zoom in so I can differentiate the pixels and then mark them down on graph paper as a pattern. I draw a centered grid on the shirt in chalk and after that it's just a matter of filling in the grid. I generally start with the outline first and then work each color individually.

(don't worry, the chalk lines wash out!)

Super Mario Bros. 3

Statue Mario

16 x 29 grid, 1 cm by 1 cm pixels. I found this size of pixel works best with most NES sprites.

Bubble Bobble, Part 1

Pixels are 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch, 16 x 16 grid

This one I made for myself. I learned that putting too many layers of paint down can start making the graphic too stiff, even with the pliable fabric paint.