This is a journey to the best designs in the world of Zazzle.com. Handpicked and presented (along with my own artwork) by yours truly, the driving force behindSurreality designs. We'll discover great artists and special products -mostly with a taste for the eccentric. But let us not confine ourselves in specific genres: the possibilities are endless and so is the great art one can find at Zazzle.
How about the coolest monkey illustration for your iPhone 4 skin? The simian dude is smartly dressed, smokes his cigarette and wears his sunglasses even amidst the nocturnal ambiance of this surrealistically noir painting. The artist is Michael Cook of Cookies Fortune, where animals tend to behave in all kinds of unexpected ways!
Nixon and apron are two words I wouldn't consider putting together. But here they are, in this amazing concept from HeideGear, a shop created from two philosophy students. They playfully mix philosophic concepts with irony (with some good old absurdism thrown in) and the results are amazing!
The Nixon apron is great, but have a look at this magazine-like poster! The references in the titles are priceless. Their artwork is one of the coolest things ever made out of the crooked timber of humanity!
This is a smart (and hilarious) short film made by Juan Fernando Andrés Parrilla and Esteban Roel García Vázquez from Panama. It was a finalist on the Jameson Notodo FilmFest.
We all have faced bureaucracy and we can fully sympathize with the determined heroine. Way to go, blondie!
[And kudos to both actors. They offer the best shoot out an office has ever seen!]
This may be the best black t-shirt I've seen in quite a while! It's so deceptively simple it makes you think you could design it yourself. Well... you couldn't! It's one of the tricks the talented Jason Freeny of Moist Production pulls on people: he makes it look easy. The fact is that it takes a crazy genius to design these surreal cartoons with Jason's clean and minimal style.
Humor, strange concepts and good graphic design are the key elements of his work. Oh, and this elusive simplicity, of course... This is a real case of "you'll miss if you don't check this out" store.
Have you ever considered your torso as a face with a ski mask? This trippy t-shirt by Mildred gives a new meaning to the eyes without a face concept. Eccentric, surreal, unexpectedly funny... A talented artist offering just what the doctor ordered!
I also liked Mildred's blog and you may like it too.
Is this an attitude t-shirt? A high school joke or an attempt to create a meme? I'm not sure, but it has a certain charm, like a surreal prophecy made by an oracle with a wacky sense of humor. It certainly is a design for those bold enough to appreciate the absurd and eccentric. It could prove to be a crazy equivalent to "as you sow, so shall you reap". And I like it!
You'll find this, among countless humorous and meme-themed designs, in Pirates vs Ninjas store.
I wouldn't expect to find a t-shirt that mixes religion and chemistry but, over time, I've come to accept that people leave no stones unturned in their strife to find unique concepts. A nanojesus on a molecular cross is rather unique, don't you think?
This is a one-of-a kind mixture of science imagery and humorous approach to Christianity by the hands (and the brains!) of Kyle Finchingmate, a chemist with quite a few artistic ideas.
First it makes you smile, then it makes you think. The cute, childlike doodle that adorns this pretty tote bag can be read in two ways. The first message is quite obvious: in case of mugging you'll have to let go or else you'll end up like the stick figure. The underlying one is more thought provoking -and it's a message that every alcoholic or addict knows in his heart: watch out brother, the monkey on your back is gonna bring you to your knees and drag you hard enough to lose sight of your life.
Great idea from Underdog Graphics and their zazzle store, Graphics911. Smile, be aware and let go of hurtful things, people!
Vibrant colors look nice on black t-shirts, clouds and rainbows make oh-so-happy concepts, but this design manages to mix them up in a really weird manner! Is the cartoon cloud happy when it pukes a colorful rainbow? Has someone been drinking too much rain?
It looks like Dark Driver has come up with a surprising mixture of cute and offensive with this one. And, guess what, I like it!
Rudolf's radioactive elixir gives a boost to red noses and an unexpected meaning to the famous song! A funny postcard from Scott Saavedra's Cartune Gudz, a store that specializes in offbeat cartoons. Scott's style is inspired by the '50s, and his playful sense of humor shines through all his creations.
The silhouette of a sexy, swimsuit-wearing lady and typography in pink seem to clash with a call to action and fighting. That's what I thought and that's how this idea came to life. The lady's pose is a classic old-school model's posture, yet the silhouetted raised fist can be viewed as the symbol of protest and uprising.
The woman inclines on huge, pink letters but they spell "fight" and their grungy texture is far from pristine.
I find this contradiction humorous and interesting -even slightly political. It's the latest addition in my Vectoria work and you may find it in the Fight Lady section of my store.
Long before Peter Jackson became the blockbuster/Lord of the Rings big shot that he is today, he was the master of a small but influential niche: crazy, over the top, splatter-covered comedy horror. With a surreal sense of humor, a DIY attitude and a relentless taste for gory situations, he created cult favorites that still carry quite a punch -if you are the right person, that is!
I believe that his masterpiece is Braindead (aka Dead Alive), a film that may be described as the goriest movie Monty Python never made. But it all started with Bad Taste, a 1987 film that exploded in the horror genre with all the lunacy, fun, and amateurish zeal his creator could muster. It's low-budget charm and intentional stupidity ensure that big audiences will always find it idiotic and revolting but one man's meat (hehe!) is another man's poison.
So, without further ado, I present you here with the most amazing story of mean extraterrestrial fast-food owners harvesting the population of a small town for their meat, and of the brave (and not so bright) young men who decide to stop them:
[DISCLAIMER: It's full of silly, ultra-graphic violence. The title should tell you something...]
Do you remember snail mail? Well, you should, because there is nothing like the feeling you get when receiving a letter. It's instant proof that someone likes you enough to actually spend some time and effort writing and sending it. Plus, if the envelope is something like this crazy punk bird (complete with the dark eyeglasses, mohawk, boots and all!) you're off to a smiling day!
I found this gem in Edition Handdruck and the artwork was made by Martin Stankewitz. The glorious doodling in the text balloon is customizable so you can put your name and address. Let the bird carry your message to your loved ones!
[Martin is a draughtsman and artist printer specializing in monotype prints. His squidoo lense on monotype printing is very interesting and informative. A really great place to start learning about monotypes, full of valuable resources and advice from this experienced artist.]
What if famous blockbusters, such as Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars or Forest Gump, were filmed much earlier than they did? What would their trailers look like?
This is the question asked -and promptly answered!- by a film enthusiast with a great knowledge of Hollywood's golden era. Painstakingly researched and created, I present you with some pseudo-vintage genius from whoiseyevan's channel!
The premakes are fake, of course, but his unique idea, humor and hard work is real and very entertaining.
Now, where does one start to describe this unbelievable design? For once I'm at a loss for words, so I'll just quote the words of it's creator:
A part-man part-dog hipster. His green singlet like shirt features a double rainbow and the words "What does it mean?". Over the top of his turned up stovepipe blue jeans, he has a pink tutu like skirt. Under one arm is the mounted head of a white unicorn. He also has on a pair of yellow diving flippers and a pair of thick rimmed glasses.
Can you picture someone writing these words straight-faced? It seems that Lee Leplaw Deichmann, the artist behind the great Lee Lee and the Bee store, has tons of weird humor. It's not just the awe-inspiring surreality of this postcard. There are plenty of other unique designs to prove my point:
Imagine shopping around with this bag (aptly named Shrunken Head Dilemma). I do. Things like that change lives, folks! Lee's imagination and talent is one of a kind.
This roundish little fellow is a kind of digital-looking jack-o'-lantern, it's trying to be a bit scary and I believe it's a Halloween bot -whatever that is! Maybe it's an autonomous entity spreading the Halloween spirit through the internets. Anyway, it's mine (my first design after a four month hiatus) and it can be yours, too. Just check my Surreality store and be ready for the most stylish October of your surreal life!
The colors for the stripes come from the old Samhain tradition: black, orange, white, deep yellow (for gold) and gray (for silver). So, you see, there is the pagan past combined with modern aesthetics -blah, blah and blah... Just get it now, will ya?
Would you put your mouth near a dog expelling intestinal gas? Well, if you're a surrealism-loving person and the said dog is this funky mug created by Mark Damrel (an architect and great artist) then you might just do it. Of course, having a sense of humour and an eye for great b/w design helps a lot!
So, go ahead and tastefully freak out your family/friends/colleagues -and be safe in the knowledge that it would take the right kind of person to borrow your mug. See, that's the beauty of following Surreality Watch!
August is so hot and scalding, it's time for something cool and soothing, don't you think? How about vacationing on the snowy mountains of Pluto? Steve Thomas is willing to take us there with this ice-cold illustration (a great way to brag about your summer endeavors to your friends that stayed behind!). Based on old poster aesthetics -like most of this great artist's work- it makes for an amazing postcard.
For those of you who prefer a more classic destination, Surreality Travel Bureau proposes legendary Rivendell, and this great poster by Steve brings it right to your home! Surreal ideas, excellent execution and a fine sense of humor guarantee an unforgettable time when visiting Steve Thomas's store.
You just have to see this to believe it. Hurra Torpedo is a Norwegian band, dressed in ill-fitting jogging suits, that uses kitchen appliances in the role of percussion (well, they probably have the best deep freeze player in the world!).
When you're surreal enough, fame will come your way. Hurra Torpedo's crazy cover of Bonnie Tyler's Total eclipse of the heart spread as a meme on fire and came to show the world that weird, underground humor and applied surrealism can get you far. Provided you find people like yours truly to appreciate all this madness, of course!
This t-shirt by Amrendra (created by Saksham, an artist from India) feels like a breath of fresh air. It's imaginative and tender -in a strange sort of way! I particularly like the origami birds offered by the silhouetted vendor. This store offers many unusual designs.
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