TheDopeFiend

My Drive Thru VS Converse

Last month I began seeing Converse ads popping up in a bunch of magazines that featured Pharrell Williams, Santogold and Julian Casablancas. I, like many others I am sure, wondered what Converse had up their sleeve. On July 10th is was revealed that Converse had gotten the artists together to collaborate on a track in celebration of their 100th anniversary. The track titled “My Drive Thru” is available as a free download on Converse’s website. The website also features many other musicians that are all often talked about in the blogosphere including MGMT, Bradford Cox of Deerhunter and Atlas Sound, YACHT, Kid Sister, Eleanor Friedberger of the Fiery Furnaces, Frank Carter of Gallows; Does It Offend You, Yeah?, and Sophie of Care Bears on Fire. Again this is yet another example of a company adapting to the changing digital world, creating music available for free to the listeners while still supporting the artists behind the music.

Also be sure to check out the amazing video produced by Pharrell and animated by visual effects masters Psyop. An interview with the Psyop directors is posted here.

200 Nipples

Behind the clever name of the t-shirt website 200 Nipples is also what could be a rather clever idea. This clever idea works like this – 100 limited edition tee designs are made available for purchase on the site (explaining the name 200 Nipples). The cost of the 100 tees begins at $1 and goes from there to $100. For example: t-shirt #1 is $1, t-shirt #2 is $2, t-shirt #3 is $3 and so on all the way to 100. The sooner you visit the site the cheaper you will be able to purchase the design for. The problem with the concept is finding a design cool enough for someone to want to fork out $40-$100 for. The design on the site at the moment is a design I wouldn’t pay anymore than $10 for. So in order for this to work I think they are going to have to get some amazing designs by some very highly regarded designers. I like the concept though.

[via: Yewknee]

Intersection Magazine

I am by no means a “car guy”, which is why I was surprised when I found myself purchasing the magazine Intersection the other day. Intersection magazine seems like a hybrid of a fashion, automobiles, art, design and urban lifestyle. With very well done art direction they seem to tie everything together perfectly. It’s kind of the Dwell for the auto world.

Threadless Loves Lomography

One of the things I like about Threadless is that it’s not just a communal t-shirt site where you vote on your favorite designs, but a website and company that also supports the design/art/music community. For example, the recent “Threadless Loves” competition is in support of the massive worldwide Lomography community, and is sponsored by the Lomographic Society International. The challenge is to create a tee design inspired by the 10 Golden Rules of Lomography (found on the contest page). Up for grabs is $2,000 cash, $500 Threadless gift certificate, several different Lomo cameras and more. The contest ends July 5th so get to it.

Kitsune Noir Desktop Wallpaper Project

When you spend as much time in front as your computer as I do you tire easily of your desktop wallpapers. In addition to using the application I previously mentioned, Desktoptopia, I also eagerly await the weekly release of the desktops on Kitsune Noir’s Desktop Wallpaper Project. The project features super talented artists such as Mopa, Ryan Cox and Kelsey Brookes every week to produce designs and illustrations that are used for Desktop Wallpapers. All of the designs are free for download and available in almost all resolutions and even for the iPhone and PSP.

I Vote For Art

I love simple online tools that do their job well, especially when they allow you to make a little extra dough using your creative talents (ie. the amazing t-shirt site Bountee). The new Australian site I Vote For Art would fall into this category. I Vote For Art is simple, it allows you to easily buy and sell art and support small independent artists. Artwork is voted upon by users of the website, the most voted being featured on the homepage and towards the top of the artwork pages. Pieces must be submitted and accepted before posted to the site, and judging by the work so far the site’s management has a pretty good eye.

Baggu Shopping Bags

More often than not the key to good product design is simplicity, with a bit of edge applied in moderation. As is the case with Baggu. These reusable shopping bags were designed to replace the paper and plastic bags you use at the grocery store. Unlike many other bags I have seen with the same idea in mind these bags are actually stylish and their colorways are awesome. Baggu bags are made from a durable rip-stop nylon and come with a handy little stuff pouch so you can keep it in your purse or man-bag. The best part about Baggu (besides doing your part to help save the environment) is the cost. One bag is $8, 3-packs are $22 and a 6-pack is only $38!

[via: Cool Hunting]

Vitamin Water

I have never been a big drinker of Gatorade, Powerade or any of the other similar drinks. Call it this inner designer in me, but when I first saw the packaging for Vitamin Water I had to try it. With 15 different flavors and vitamin combinations Vitamin Water’s selection is pretty awesome. Each one of these flavors/vitamin combos is engineered for a specific purpose, whether that be energy, focusing, relaxing, balance, endurance and a lot more. It tastes as good as it looks too, no sugary aftertaste and very refreshing.

The Fader/New Era/Panda Bear Contest!

If you have missed out on the other contests to get your hands on Panda Bear’s collaboration with The Fader and New Era you have been given another chance! This is the first in a series of super-limited-edition caps put out by The Fader and New Era and was designed by Noah Lennox himself. So here is how to score this cap along with a free 1-year subscription to The Fader – simply email me with your name, address and your top 5 blogs or daily reads (please include “Panda Bear/New Era/The Fader Contest” in the subject line). Simple as that. The winner will be randomly selected this Friday (the 8th). Don’t forget to include your top 5 blogs or you will be disqualified.

Oh PS – There were only 80 of these caps made, so if you want one you best enter!

In Love With Bountee

Strait to the point here… Bountee is the coolest website I have come across in a long time. This says a lot because I visit hundreds of sites a day, and spend an embarrassing amount of time in front of this LCD screen. Bountee gives you the ability to design and sell t-shirts in the simplest and easiest way possible. There is no voting necessary in order to have your design printed. You make it. You sell it. You get paid! I love that everything has been done in the simplest way possible and gives the designer the power. You determine the price (anything above the base price), the color of shirt, the placement of the design, everything. After your design is created and uploaded Bountee does the rest, taking care printing, ordering and shipping. I plan on putting this website to use ASAP!

BONUS
CrownDozen and Bountee have teamed up to bring you 3 free t-shirts a week throughout all of December! Head over here for the details.

Mag.nificent

I am a complete sucker for magazines. In fact TheDopeFiend originally began as Mesh Magazine, a printed magazine I was publishing. If you also love the high you get from the smell of a freshly printed ‘zine check out Mag.nificent, a blog that features “Magazine culture, obsessively & compulsively documented”. This blog covers a huge variety of different magazines and is sure to open you up to more mags to feed your addiction.

Boosted VS Madsteez

I think it was close to 7 years ago when I first started Mesh Magazine I published an interview with Mark Darren AKA Madsteez. His crazy style really caught my attention and I knew it was only a matter of time before he blew-up. Now his name is all over and his artwork is crazier than ever. The recent project he collaborated with Boosted Mobile on is no exception. The Madsteez x Boosted Device Case Collection has pieces designed to accommodate just about any of your electronic gadgets such as cell phone, iPod or Blackberry. In addition to the electronic device cases the collection also offers a larger sized nap sack, messenger bag and hip bag, all of which are made from “vegan-approved” materials. Check out BoostedMobile.com for more info and retailer locations. Also peep this exclusive Boosted interview with Madsteez himself to see what he has to say about his art and his future plans.

Humble Voice

Social networks are important for self-promotion, inspiration, boredom, and well… networking! Although, it’s getting more and more difficult to choose which social networks to join simply due to the number of them out there. If you are an artist, or appreciate artistic work I would recommend checking out Humble Voice. This is a social network and portfolio site that showcases the portfolios of musicians, photographers, writers, videographers and other artists. It seems like a very to-the-point website that has filtered out all the extra bells and whistes, and focused on the essentials. Create and customize your own multi-paged portfolio, link-up with and browse the profiles of other artists. The website is very well built and deserves a huge pat on the back, I just signed up for my account and can’t wait to start customizing it.

Blik Surface Graphics

Blank walls are bad. Customization is key. Blik is cool. Offering a ton of designs and different options for wall decals, Blik is the place to go for if you want a decal. If you have a blank wall in your house that you are looking to do something creative with, check out their wall decals. They have original designs, as well as designs from Threadless, Giant Robot, Undoboy and more. You can also do custom designs if you are looking to get really creative. Unlike paint or wallpaper the decals are east to apply and remove. They even have decals for your car and glass surfaces like lamps and windows. Stick away.

Burn This Forever

At first glance it you may want to lump the designs/illustrations of Burn This Forever into the same category as all the other “I learned Photoshop so I could make my Myspace profile cooler” stuff. However, at a second look you will agree that the design done by Burn This Forever is legit. His clients range from Metallica to New Found Glory to Say Anything, but I would have to say his best work is done on his self promotional tees. And at 15 bucks a pop how can you go wrong?!