I started offering t-shirts with my artwork on them recently. Originally, the plan was just to offer shirts featuring my simpler cartoons, but I decided that there was no reason not to open it up to include my paintings as well. Since some of my more expressive paintings though can’t exactly be transferred to a shirt, the plan was that if someone wanted to buy a shirt like that, I would “adapt” the piece for the shirt (just as I had with “Merry Christmas 2K12”).

My friend, Ren, had said she wanted a shirt and when I posted my newest painting the other night: “That’s what I want!”

I wasn’t 100% certain she was even talking about the shirt, but I was immediately excited. I love that painting and the story behind it but – as soon as I saw her comment – I realized that its caption could also be the basis for a really cool cartoon.

At that point though, I was suddenly not so excited. The problem was that I had wanted it to be as big as possible (for the sake of the t-shirt) but now – looking at it – it felt like two separate imaged stacked on top of one another. But – after scanning it into the computer and playing with the layout – I’m really happy with the finished product. Thanks, Ren!

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For sale

• the original 12×16″ drawing (white background)
• signed 10×13″ prints of the finished cartoon (black background)
• custom cartoon T-shirts
• package of four 5×7″ Welcome to Delray Beach postcards
• signed 11×14″ print of my The Island in Pinocchio Where Bad Kids Go to Be Bad painting

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Aside: I feel a little funny about there being so many “products” related to this piece but it’s not like I’m not making the stuff that I want to make. My life costs between six and eight thousand dollars per year.  I’m pretty excited that I haven’t had to get a regular job in order to pay for it yet.

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Update (same day): “Welcome to Delray Beach” is now “Greetings from Delray Beach.” Makes more sense to change it for this piece.