WELCOME TO THE:
DREAM FACTORY
Thank you all for showing your support in the Dream-Themed T-shirt Challenge! I am proud to announce that "Dream Factory" came in second place for top-selling designs!
ABOUT THE CONTEST
Raw Paw is a screen printing shop based in Texas, collaborating with artists and businesses to bring their designs to life on a variety of mediums from t-shirts, hats, tote bags, and more. Every year they host a t-shirt design challenge, with different themes and limitations for every contest. This year's theme is "dreams" with the challenge of only being able to use one color for the design (black design on a white shirt or white design on a black shirt). Artists have six weeks to promote and sell their shirts, and whoever sells the most shirts wins a cash prize and additional prizes throughout the contest. This shop operates on a pre-order basis, meaning they print their shirts by the order, to avoid material waste. You can read more about the contest and this shop here!
MEET THE CHARACTERS
From the production assistant to the star, we all have within us... Meet the cast and crew of "Dream Factory!" This design wouldn't be possible without them. You can watch them come to life in my animated interview with them below! Each character has a backstory and perspective on what it means to make it big in Hollywood...
You can watch an exclusive interview with the characters HERE!
THE DESIGN PROCESS
No... I didn't come up with this design idea in my sleep. But since you're here, let's talk about the story behind the illustration you've come to know and love!
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When Raw Paw announced the dream-themed t-shirt contest, I knew I didn't want to take the typical route of exploring the subconscious. Instead, I thought about what I truly want in life right now. What do I, as a young artist, dream about?
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That's when it hit me! I dream of "making it big" in the art world—wanting to make an impact on society, live off my art, and have everyone enjoy it. Unfortunately, that's not always the reality. This idea is closely tied to "The American Dream," the belief that if you work hard enough, you can achieve all your desires.
I chose to depict the "Hollywood Dream" because it is both recognizable and relatable. Looking deeper into the design, you'll notice a stark contrast between the top and bottom halves, with the infamous Hollywood sign serving as the divider. The bottom half portrays the harsh realities of Hollywood. Colette, the Casting Couch Dreamer, and Paulie, the Production Assistant, work tirelessly for what they want. However, achieving their dreams isn't guaranteed, reflecting the harsh truths of stardom. Sometimes, no matter how hard you work, you may not reach your goals, but the strong desire keeps you going. Next to these two characters is Duncan, standing on a big pile of money. The money remains in the bottom half of the design, symbolizing the reality that some people only become successful because of wealth, which allows Duncan to be featured in the top half of the design.
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Above the Hollywood sign are Monroe, the paparazzi, and Scarlet, the star—Hollywood's dream girl. I placed these characters at the top to emphasize that this is what many of us strive for: to reach the top of the pyramid, where one has it all—the glitz, the glam, the money, the popularity, the beauty, the fame, and to be the center of attention.
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For the top half of the design, I chose to depict an old version of Hollywood. Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, and Judy Garland were my main sources of inspiration for Scarlet. Before the casting couch scandals were widely discussed in the media, Hollywood was perceived as a place where only good things happened. I then intertwined a more modern version of Hollywood to highlight that this industry isn't as perfect as it seems. By introducing the casting couch and the overworked P.A., I emphasize the harsh realities of stardom, such as being exploited by those in power, like Duncan.
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Lastly, I titled this piece "Dream Factory," as it is a nickname for Hollywood. The term "factory" reflects the idea that working on a movie production is very much like working in a factory. It's structured in a way where the people making the least amount of money do the dirty work, but if they perform well, they might eventually rise to the top. As mentioned before, this piece ties into "The American Dream," the notion that if you work hard enough, you can achieve ultimate success and happiness.
CREATIVE MARKETING
Part of this contest is promoting yourself and your work. I chose various outlets to market myself, like social media videos, hanging up posters, making stickers, and simply talking to people about my shirt! Below are a series of videos I created and posted on Instagram and YouTube.
Design Videos
Character Videos
Commercials
Additional Promos
