Ileana Grimm is the creator of this popular line of funny t-shirts. Whether it be her witty twist of a phrase and bright colours, or her ability to produce custom work for clients, grimm is at the top of her class. 

Ileana started her t-shirt company after her degree in Phys. Ed. failed not only to provide her with an appropriate outlet for her humour, but also to satisfy her pathological, lifelong need to fingerpaint.

To see the workings of grimm's mind, take a look at the 6-stage evolution of one of her most popular designs, "Against Animal Testing," below, from inspired idea through initial sketches and revisions to finished product.
 
 
 

Stage 1 -The Idea Whether it was a way someone phrased a question, or simply a group of ideas in her head, Ileana's designs spawn from life itself. The first stage usually starts with a sketch on the back of a napkin in a restaurant, or on a matchbook at a movie theatre,  but no matter where she is designs are being born.

Stage 2 - Cleaning and Refining Keeping to the style she is known for, Ileana Grimm, works the design into a clean image, grasping what is essential and discarding clutter.

Stage 3 - Altering and Exploring Ileana Grimm gives the design the depth using the bold colours she is known for. If you noticed she discarded the bones on the blackboard from Stage 2 and replaced them with numbers. This is only one of many changes in design and colour it takes to come to the final product.

Stage 4 - Exploring and Expanding At this stage Ileana seems to be working backwards by adding new elements and reworking the design. Bringing a cat into the mix helps with the humour and it doesn't hurt expanding your target market. After all the creative and the business go hand in hand. Several tries at a cat and she sees the finished product emerging.

Stage 5 - Colours With the black and white outline finalized grimm chooses the colours that will make this design work. It may take only a few tries with various combinations before the end product shows itself and at times it may take dozens of colour variations.

Stage 6 - 'Against Animal Testing' As with many things in life your first impressions are usually accurate. Ileana resorts to her first set of colours which makes this design a winner. Featured in several mail order cataolgs throughout North America these 7 stages produced a hot selling product. You can find your own 'Against Animal Testing' t-shirt in the grimm shop.