I thought as the shop owner. Where would I buy things for cheap. Alibaba was my first thought. Went there and searched for the ball... bingo!
Now I am hot on the trail of unraveling the entire mystery...
What I am now doing is to think like the person who designed it. The more I can be in their shoes the better. This has led me to find the discrepancies from the original ball and this one (the knockoff). I have focused on what is different between the two.
So far it is Y. V. and U which has led me to look for clip art that is similar between them.
I am not of the belief that it is an axe (yxa)until it is proven.
My first search was the other products from the company to see if it was used other places/products to no avail.
Now I am finding the clip art in alphabet sets and flashcards.
The more that are similar will lead to the answer(s).
Now looking for clipart that has V is for volcano. Found a few and now looking for axes etc but...
My current theory is that it is NOT an ax or yxa but paint for Yellow like the second post shows.
My photoshop skills are not great but I think it is a combination from this image http://clipground.com/image-post/90353-red-color-tube-clipar... or this image http://clipground.com/image-post/90353-red-color-tube-clipar... (I also think that it does not have to be originally yellow as that is a simple change to do in photoshop so the other colors can work) The caps in this picture are very close as are the paint threads and my guess is that they can be overlaid with near perfection if my photoshop skills allowed.
I was led to this site because of the image for U-boat is here on the same site
http://clipground.com/image-post/62547-submarine-boat-clipar...
I now see the ball I found and believe that the ax/yxa is an axe in the ball but has been changed in the OP ball to another variation. Off to find that variation via the other changes like volcano etc.
Now I am hot on the trail of unraveling the entire mystery...
What I am now doing is to think like the person who designed it. The more I can be in their shoes the better. This has led me to find the discrepancies from the original ball and this one (the knockoff). I have focused on what is different between the two. So far it is Y. V. and U which has led me to look for clip art that is similar between them. I am not of the belief that it is an axe (yxa)until it is proven. My first search was the other products from the company to see if it was used other places/products to no avail. Now I am finding the clip art in alphabet sets and flashcards. The more that are similar will lead to the answer(s).
I found only one u-boat flashcard http://www.picturesof.net/_images_300/U_Is_For_U_Boat_Alphab... but now do not think that is the actual image.
Now looking for clipart that has V is for volcano. Found a few and now looking for axes etc but...
My current theory is that it is NOT an ax or yxa but paint for Yellow like the second post shows. My photoshop skills are not great but I think it is a combination from this image http://clipground.com/image-post/90353-red-color-tube-clipar... or this image http://clipground.com/image-post/90353-red-color-tube-clipar... (I also think that it does not have to be originally yellow as that is a simple change to do in photoshop so the other colors can work) The caps in this picture are very close as are the paint threads and my guess is that they can be overlaid with near perfection if my photoshop skills allowed. I was led to this site because of the image for U-boat is here on the same site http://clipground.com/image-post/62547-submarine-boat-clipar...