THE VERY FIRST SHIRT

I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO DESGIN SHIRTS, SINCE I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL.  I REMEMBER DRAWING IMAGES, INKING THEM, AND LATER TAKING THEM TO THE LOCAL PRINTER TO HAVE IT SILK-SCREENED ONTO A SHIRT.  THE LOCAL PRINTER, WAS A TEAM SPORTS UNIFORM PRINTING SHOP, WHICH TODAY IS NOW A BOOST MOBILE.  I WOULD WORK AT MY PART-TIME HIGH SCHOOL GROCERY STORE JOB, TAKE A LITTLE EXTRA MONEY AND GO HAVE MY DESIGNS PRINTED.  I WOULD USUALLY GET A BLACK INK DESIGN ON A WHITE SHIRT, WHICH WAS MY CHEAPEST OPTION, AND IT WOULD RUN ABOUT $30, A POP.  I DID THIS A FEW TIMES, AND THEN WOUND UP BLOWING MY MONEY ON OTHER UNIMPORTANT THINGS, LIKE MOST TEENAGERS DO.

NOW, FAST FORWARD TO 2011, AND I DECIDE THAT THE ONE THING THAT HAD PLAGUED MY MIND SINCE HIGH SCHOOL, I'M GOING TO ACTUALLY GIVE IT A TRY.  AT THE TIME MY BROTHER INVITED ME TO BE APART OF A NEWLY FORMED A HIP HOP GROUP HE EVENTUALLY NAMED, EYE EFF.  THIS WAS BASED ON A T-SHIRT BRAND BY THE NAME, IMAGINARY FIENDS, THAT I HAD COME UP WITH IN 2009.  I THEN DECIDED, THAT MY FIRST DESIGN WOULD BE FOR OUR HIP HOP GROUP.  THE IDEA CAME PRETTY QUICK ACTUALLY, DUE TO ME SEEING AKIRA RECENTLY ON DVD.  I HAD SEEN AKIRA BEFORE, BUT, THIS TIME THINGS CLICKED AS FAR AS DESIGN WISE.  YOU CAN SEE IT IN THE LETTERING FOR EYE EFF, WHICH I HAND DREW BY THE WAY (ALL DESIGNS, ARE HAND DRAWN, SCANNED INTO THE COMPUTER AND CLEANED UP, BUT, NEVER REDRAWN IN COMPUTER FORM).  THE SYRINGE INJECTING INTO THE HEADPHONES, WAS BASED ON THE ASPECT OF DRUG ADDICTION, WHICH IS THE PREMISE FOR THE NAME IMAGINARY FIENDS OR EYE EFF, THE PHONETIC EQUIVALENT.  THE SYRINGE INJECTING INTO THE HEADPHONES IS THE MUSIC CREATED, AND THE DRUG WITHIN THE SYRINGE, IS THE CONTENT OF THE LYRICS.  THIS ALL CREATES, ADDICTION TO GROWTH, STRENGTH, AND CHANGE, WHICH IS REPRESENTED BY THE AKIRA INSPIRED LETTERS.  JUST A LITTLE INSIGHT INTO WHAT MAKES THE DESIGNS COME TO LIFE.  -  925