Have A Whale Of A Time At Finroo

Before you start on me - yes it’s another crowd sourcing t-shirt contest site - this time the web design is absolutely top notch, they offer truly limited edition tees, there’s at least one very very highly talented artist on their books and Finroo’s attention to detail is unparalleled. All of their t-shirts are made from softer than soft bamboo which is a delight to wear as well as great for the environment - machine washable, all natural and a hypo-allergenic, absorbent, and fast drying. The tees are sold at an average market price of $34.95, I was recently approached for a review by an independent label that also sold bamboo tees and couldn’t afford to offer them less than $49 and so Finroo’s figures seem impressive. What’s more they donate $1 from every t-shirt sold to charity so you can literally feel the good karma effervescing from this company.

Finroo are very much aware of the secret to their success, their artists, and they duly provide full and profiles for everyone of them. Their creations are featured in a variety of amusing categories including Endangered Species (which I suppose are sold up), Newly Evolved, Biggest Fish and Freshly Caught. There’s also a currently empty (but I doubt will be for long) Hall of Fame which is reserved for their all-time best-sellers, and a friendly blog to keep up with all the latest goings on at Finroo. It’s big, it’s bright, it doesn’t bite, Finroo has a killer set-up here and I can see them catching on, especially with the artistic vision of their numero uno right now John Fitzpatrick who has a marvellous comic art style and is incredibly prolific to boot. I promise not to make this a John Fitzpatrick review but in all honesty this guy has set the benchmark so high I don’t know when he’ll find himself creatively nipped at the toes as it were. If I was running Finroo I’d make the guy a partner - lol, that should stir things up. Anyway Finroo have given John the accolade of being the first Spotlight Artist and the interview is definitely worth checking out. Let’s dive in to Finroo and see what’s down there…

Stroller Tee

OMG this is a killer tee, it’s kind of reminiscent of some of Imaginary Foundation’s works although far more earthy in style, almost something that you’d expect to see if Banksy was running their creative department. I love this, I can’t exactly tell you why, there’s the evocable memories of wonder as a child, the wild discoveries of the young that seem somewhat bland as one grows older and more savvy to the world. Perhaps something of a eureka moment here, I’m sure an enormously satisfying piece to create as well as view, I can imagine this work as a print, a stencil graffiti piece, and yet here it is, sitting and waiting for someone to notice its majesty at Finroo. I can’t believe it hasn’t sold more, I am sure this will be Finroo’s first t-shirt shirt to sell out completely, it’s just such an engaging piece. If there’s any t-shirt that solely raises the stakes at Finroo, this has to be it. Amazing, absolutely amazing. If you want to reengage with your inner child, rediscover the wonders of life, and want to wear the experience in the form of a t-shirt, you can’t do much better than buy Stroller by… you guessed it John Fitzpatrick at Finroo for $34.95. This is a limited run of 100 and available in sizes small to XL for men and women (as are all of Finroo’s tees).

Tricycle Tee

Another amazing tee from John Fitzpatrick, this time featuring his more familiar comic art style, there must be more than a dozen of his works at Finroo. Again invoking lost childhood memories, I myself never had a trike, having progressed from a go-kart to a bicycle in the first few years of my life, I must have had a great sense of balance back then (how things change). There are some amazing details in this tee, Tricycle has all the makings of a strong piece of graffiti with a cornucopia of different effects and shades interlocking together to form something of an Aztec mosaic effect. I love the spikes and swirls of the wheel and the colouring of the background is mad, but the almost insane pictorial stream of consciousness rising from the tricycles’ basket leaves me breatheless. I love the little details too, the angels wings, the kid in the bear suit. It’s another feast for the eyes. Tricycle is again available for $34.95 for men and women. Somehow I think that John’s work has to make Finroo start thinking about offering kid’s tees. They would surely adore this design?

Town Tee

I have to stop gushing about John’s work and thought that this tee by Yaara Duvdevan has a somewhat naïve appeal, a cute and friendly tee showing a rather strange yet bright and friendly street from her imagination. What makes Town Tee all the more weighty for me is that Yaara is from Israel, the atypical media image of both her country and many in the Middle East is usually somewhat darker and more despondent than this, which gives the design far more pertinence than usual. This as all of Finroo’s tees is available for $34 in sizes small to XL for men and women. Again another potential hit for the kids if there were a junior line available?

Abstracter Tee

Yes, yes, I know. I’ve broken my promise, I do rather like the look of Hypocritter by David Szebenyi and Water by Thorsten Schmidt is interesting too, but I couldn’t scarper without treating your peepers to this marvellous abstract piece by the current great whale of Finroo, (say it with me everyone) John Fitzpatrick. I feel a little guilty not featuring more from other artists but you have to admit that this t-shirt is a total trip, just look at it, weird or what? This is like a Picasso for the graffiti generation. I want to see this up on a wall somewhere 10 feet high, but for now you’ll have to be satisfied with it in t-shirt form and show it off to all your mates who might just think you’re slightly more intellectual than you actually are :p No seriously, this tee shows a frenzy of juxtaposition unheard of in most of the industry, if Finroo were charging prices according to how much time an artist spent drawing these works, you’d be shelling out a small fortune. Finroo, if I was you I’d get John to sign his t-shirts, I have a funny feeling he maybe going places

If you fancy getting a limited tee from Finroo or competing with the big fish John and see if you can do better then swim on over to www.Finroo.com and see what you can reel in!