>> Aled Lewis: Aled Lewis, Thermos Threadless ...Foam Monster. I would define myself as
a graphic designer and illustrator.
>> Interviewer: Tell me about some of the recognition you've achieved.
>> Aled Lewis: Well in the time that I've been on Threadless and contributing as a designer,
I've become the most printed designer here, amongst very stiff competition. I think the
Thermos plus Threadless consumer is the kind of customer that likes to say something about,
who they are through the products they have, through the clothes that they wear.
>> Interviewer: How do you go about beginning?
>> Aled Lewis: Most of my ideas, most of my designs, start as just a doodle really. There's
a couple pieces here that went on to become successful Threadless tees...another zombie
design because zombies are super popular...
And I also have the original doodle for Foam Monster in an Emotional Reunion with Severed
Limb...I was imagining you know a foam hand, "What's the story with the foam hand, is there
a foam person?"
He's humanoid but he's kind of rounded and cuddly...
Probably scared of kids...
>> Interviewer: So what program do you work in?
>> Aled Lewis: I usually paint my designs in the industry standard, Image Editor. I've
got an example here actually of Foam Monster. At this point the line work comes into it
and then you make your decision about color.
For me, I figured on balance I wanted to go for silver as a base and then what you need
to do is bring in a bit of shading so you need the dark tones to come in here and then
obviously to counter that we need the high lows to come in.
Foam Monster which is green, comes in.
>> Interviewer: So tell me about the color...
>> Aled Lewis: In the UK green isn't really a popular color for teams. Blues and reds,
however, you know they'd mean something, they'd be partisan.
For me, green I think was was really a neutral color and also kind of a foamy color.
When I did Foam Monster the idea really was to create a scene that was almost sort of
photographic and real and then juxtaspose that with the cartoony Foam Monster, the two
bits on it.
And what's really nice with the flask is that there is also almost like a reveal, it comes
in two parts and instead of seeing the flat image like you would on a tee, you have that
Foam Monster there and you're like "what the hell is he doing" and then the little hand
is there and you say "aah," and then you feel sorry for him.
Documenting and recording ideas is the most important thing and it can lead to something
later on.
I think sometimes if, the more crazy your ambitions, the better. I have ambitions to
maybe make a comic book at some point. I don't claim to be a great illustrator at all but
it would be really good fun I think and a lot of work but it's something I'd like to
do.
