Working on a couple video-game-themed t-shirt designs

[wienerdog]

I have a couple ideas for video game t-shirts that I have yet to see and wonder if they're good enough to follow through with. I'm always hesitant to start a project because part-way through, I'm not in love with the concept anymore, or it's not strong enough to follow-through.

One is themed "A less than Super day" which shows a mid-level shot of a kitchen sink of a girl with an obsession with the color pink. Under the sink is a famous guy, with his back towards the viewer, fixing something under the sink in blue pants and a little mushroom sticking out of his back pocket.

A window above the sink shows some "shelled character" carrying away
the owner of the house off to a menacing castle. Based on the point of view, I can think I can get away with designing it and not getting sued...

The other concept is a bit weaker. We have the Evolution of Gaming, with Pong on the left and something current on the right, like Grand Theft Auto, and having major icons at each interval. Of course, licensing fees would probably prevent this from ever being done legit.

[morea]

Based on the point of view, I can think I can get away with designing it and not getting sued...

you might be able to "get away with it", but does that make it "right"?

I mean, think about how you would feel if somebody else made up shirts based on something you created, and sold them for profit... I know that *I* wouldn't be happy about it....

just a thought.

[wienerdog]

How do those on-line companies like Threadless get away with using owned properties like an illustration of E.T. in a phone booth? Are they paying Amblin for the rights after they decide to produce the shirt?

[MD]

parody laws - look into them, You might be alright.

[Patrick Shannon]

Yeah, it's how lots of T-shirts get away with that kind of thing, like the Hot Topic shirt "Chronic the Hemphog."

[danedawg99]

no offense, but imo, neither of those concepts would make very strong t-shirts. I always think of t-shirt designing to be a bit like logo design, where you have to make an impression immediately.