Brak Show Story

I've been meaning to write this blog post for about five years. Then, I got a text from one of my very best friends recently, a blurry photo taken with his phone and a text that read "IS THIS U?????". Then I realized, maybe I should write this blog post after all. It was really funny to me that he was seeing it for the first time, but to be fair, I didn't know he authored this cookbook, so I guess we're even.

In 2006 I was approached by Adult Swim to create an embroidered cover for the Brak Show DVD, for season 2. The theme was supposed to be crafty and cozy-looking with a handmade feel, and they decided they wanted it in embroidery. So, I was called. I toiled and submitted the preliminary sketch above, certain my job was done. They'd love it and approve it immediately! Nope. Rejected. Not quite right. They wanted it to look more like "fan art" along with some other guidelines. Okay...how about this?

Closer, but...nope. This one was rejected too (though, as nicely as possible). I really struggled to understand what it was the creator was going for because this was his baby and direction was coming from him. So after hours of doing sketches and concepts, I gave up. I took a post-it note and drew Brak as sloppily and as fast as I could:

That's it! Perfect! Exactly what we want. After hours of fine-tuned sketches, a scribbled post-it note drawing was the one they liked best. I have always thought that was pretty funny. And that's how the finished result ended up being this: