Client/band: Whispered
Country: Finland
Mediums: T-shirt
Official release date: April 2017
Concept: Finland, samurai, death metal, traditional Japanese -style
Country: Finland
Mediums: T-shirt
Official release date: April 2017
Concept: Finland, samurai, death metal, traditional Japanese -style
A T-shirt design for a samurai metal band Whispered from Finland, I worked on in time for their second coming to Japan.
Many metal bands in the world are making samurai-themed T-shirts. But this one is an unique concept and what only Whispered can have.
F I N I S H E D D E S I G N
F R O N T
B A C K
A B O U T E L E M E N T S
This kind of crossing is called jumonji (十文字) in Japan.
And jumonji is also one of the moves in Japanese swordsmanship.
The main part of this design is by the band's funny idea 'the Whispered samurai of the band's logomark holding a viking head in Finland' for this design.
And the samurai is carrying a vihta, the important item for Finnish sauna, with the swords on his waist.
The longest season in Finland is winter and it's snowy.
So as Finland is closely linked to snow, the main part of the design is framed in the circle called Yukiwa (雪輪) meaning 'snow' in Japan.
Pine (Scots Pine) is the most common and important tree species in Finland.
Also pine (Japanese Red/Black Pine) is known familiarly as one of the three lucky plants (pine, bamboo, and Japanese plum tree) in Japan, and is much-used as motifs for Japanese emblems (紋/家紋).
I also made the Finnish reindeer skulls in a similar style and added them close to the pines in the design.
I also made the Finnish reindeer skulls in a similar style and added them close to the pines in the design.
This view 'the land of a thousand lakes' as Finland's nickname in the design is made with elements of water, tree, and fog in exist traditional Japanese -style.
The aurora in the sky part of the view is what I created to fit.
The aurora in the sky part of the view is what I created to fit.
The kind of design (basically the red sun disc having rays on white background) of the flag means 'rising sun (旭日/朝日)' in Japan.
But I thought the blue version in dark background can look like the midnight sun in Finland.
But I thought the blue version in dark background can look like the midnight sun in Finland.
'芬蘭' is 'Finalnd' in Japanese kanji, and '芬' is the short version. I think '芬侍' can read 'fin-samurai' (actual reading: fin-zamurai).
Putting the letters 'True Finnish Samurai Metal' on the back was also what the band requested first.
And I designed it inspired by Japanese shuin/goshuin (朱印/御朱印), the Japanese temple and shrine stamps.
The invert version of the design looks like the actual shuin colors.
This design is made with the Finnish flag colors blue and white, plus deep-purple/dark-purple.
That kind of purple is called 'fuka-murasaki (深紫)' and regarded as a noble color since ancient times in Japan.
That kind of purple is called 'fuka-murasaki (深紫)' and regarded as a noble color since ancient times in Japan.
Men's T-shirt, women's T-shirt, and zip hoodie available here:
(Note: This sample picture is not real print.
The band's merch supplier decided the actual print colors from the finished design I did.)
Thank you!
