Pencil drawing by Diego Fazio
I think it’s important to take a little time out of your day every now and then and look at art. Wether it’s street graffiti, fine art in a museum, or drawings your little sister did in school, it’s good for you. Each piece took someone time to think, feel and create something from scratch. Art can be such an overused, cliché and annoying word, but at the end of the day, there’s beauty in it. I stumbled on an article showcasing pieces (some paint, some sculture, etc) that are so deep into Realism they look like actual photos. Some of the blew me away. They are below. Enjoy.
Sculpture by Ron Mueck
Painting by Thomas Arvid
Pedro Campos Oil Paint
Gregory Thielker Oil Paint
Kelvin Okafor Graphite Pencil
Lee Price Oil Paint
Bryan Drury Oil on Wood
Gottfried Helnwein Oil and Acrylic
Omar Ortiz Oil Paint
Kim Ji-hoon Pencil
Mike Bayne Oli on Wood
When you think of Tie Dye what comes to mind? Hippies? Corny “IM IN MIAMI BITCH” shirts? I think deep down, most people connect Tie Dye with their childhood- I know I do. I remember making sloppy multicolored crap with my sisters while my parents cleaned up the mess we made. Long gone are the days where my mom made me 3 meals a day and I had no worries in the world. Now that I’m growing up I cook my own meals, I have my own apartment (with a roommate), and I am starting to decorate my house like a certified adult. Recently I’ve painted some walls, added some furniture, and even started gardening a little (on my balcony).
So, I decided to add a little nostalgic color to my boring (and quickly dirty-looking) white bath mats. I sort of dropped the ball getting them in white, so this is an easy way to keep them looking nice. Plus, I think it’s a dope and memorable little detail to add to the bathroom. It was a little difficult since I went for the swirl pattern- I had to squinge up (yes, squinge is a word in my life) the thick mats into some sort of respectable circles. I watched some really good tutorials first, to get the pattern technique down. If you want to Tie Dye, get a simple kit like the Jacquard kit we used from Michael’s and watch the videos below. And wear gloves!
Making the pattern:
Drying/Drying process:
Finished Product:
We here at 2DOPEBITCHES love it when our peers are doing great things. And when people are willing to stop at nothing to make a difference in their world, that is an admirable thing. My friend Julian, who I went to Art School with, has been working tirelessly on his company, Wynwood Skateboards, a company that aims to bring artists and skaters together.
The concept of the company is to provide high quality, USA made skateboards that feature artists’ work that people might not have seen if it wasn’t on their skateboard. They also provide tee’s, beanies, super slim “skate” wallets that hold all the essentials, 5-panel hats and one-of-a-kind tie-dye logo shirts. You can purchase a cruiser or regular “street’ board, to hang on your wall or fully equipped and ready to ride while knowing you’re purchasing a dope board with a great purpose. I want two.
One thing I’ve noticed is that there is SO MUCH dope art and talent in this city, but living here kind of makes you take it for granted. Have you ever noticed the out-of-towners and how much they LOVE Wynwood? When you live in a wack boring city, the Wynwood walls are amazing and new. That’s why I think it’s such a great idea to get that art to as many people as possible- everyone can’t just go to Art Walk every second Saturday.
Check out Julian’s page on Kick Starter HERE and PLEASE, support the movement!
They are taking donations in many forms- from just $1, or different packages like the $15 package that gives you assorted pins and stickers, the $25 options for a beanie or a shirt, up to a limited edition $150 option that get’s you a deck featuring a Wynwood artist (and signaure), along with a 5-panel hat or beanie, a slim skate wallet, a shirt AND assorted pins and stickers. You can also get ALL OF THOSE GOODIES along with the complete board- wheels, trucks, grip tape, etc, ready to ride for $175. Everything is designed and constructed here in the USA and suports Miami to the fullest!
ONCE THE COMPANY REACHES $25,000 THEY WILL BE BACKED BY KICK STARTER, A NOT FOR PROFIT COMANY BASED IN NEW YORK !
Help a great movement and get some dope skate gear while you’re at it!
Last Summer we did a really fun photo shoot with our girl Tobi who runs and operates Fox House, a rad online boutique geared toward the fashion forward flower child and anyone who loves pretty things and great vintage finds. Tobi is a smart, down to earth Miami girl with a West Coast vibe, so she’s the perfect go to girl for Summer closet updates to your wardrobe! With brands like MinkPink, Somedays Lovin, High Heels Suicide and Hawk Couture, Fox House delivers consumers unique and covetable pieces that you can’t find everywhere.
Want to see what Fox House has to offer?
CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX HOUSE SHOP
What’s more is that Tobi also runs the Fox House blog, where you can find new item updates, new artist highlights, tips on how to wear the pieces and lots and lots of inspiration for creating a dope outfit.
FOX HOUSE BLOG
Stay updated on Facebook as well, where you’ll find new products and GIVEAWAYS/CONTESTS that are definitely worth entering !
FOX HOUSE FACEBOOK
Since it’s now officially Spring (and starting to get hot in Miami again THANK THE LORD), here are a few photos from our shoot to get you in the Summer Time mood !
We here at 2DOPEBITCHES.COM always are on the look out for new and exciting fashion concepts that will make sure the wearer will stand out in any crowd. Enter: Chromat Garments- “Structural experiments for the human body” According to the official Facebook page. The young company (founded in 2010) seems to take cues from a broad range of sources such from the crinolines of the 1800′s to the iconic Jean Paul Gaultier bra of Madonna’s 1990 Blonde Ambition tour, with Comic Book Villains and Carttoons also adding to the melting pot of ideas.
I love the way the pieces range from demure and relaxed (small bow head band) to extremely outrageous (red “Jessica Rabbit” Cage dress). The creator, Becca McCharen, has a background in Architecture and Urban Design. Some of the garments take design elements from scaffoldings and buildings, while others mimic exoskeletons or even superhero masks. The ideas are intricate yet simple, and leave room for each wearer to really personalize the pieces. All of the cage pieces are made to order, so it takes about 3 weeks to be delivered, but I think it’s totally worth having that jaw-dropping conversation starter in your wardrobe. I need some of this in my life- maybe I’ll start small with the Mickey Mouse ears or the Cat Ear headband.
* Fun Fact: The 135 backup dancers for Beyoncé’s Super Bowl performance this year were all wearing Chromat harnesses- Kudos to Chromat for getting into the best show of the year and to the stylists who paid that extra amount of attention to detail !
Now, who’s daring enough to pull these looks off??
Check out all the Chromat Collections HERE !
Make sure your follow Chromat on TWITTER and FACEBOOK as well for updates on new collections and pieces !
Here are some of my personal favorite Chromat goodies:
Images Via: Chromat
A few weeks ago two of our friends up north (in Naples, Fl to be exact) Jessica and Joyce Gayo ( along with a very talented camera crew, thanks Bass and Colin! ) interviewed us for the first installment of their new series “Dollface.” We got a chance to talk about our personal style, some local brands we love, what we’re up to and our goals for the future. What I really like about the segment is that it’s not just about girls who are fashionable or have a nice look, it’s about girls who are actively pursuing their dreams and goals. If you are an avid 2DOPEBITCHES reader, you’ll know that that’s what we are all about. It’s a great thing to speak with other positive women doing what they love.
Please take a second to check out the lovely twin sisters’ newly launched website- Visage De Poupée- which actually means “Dollface” in French. They will be continuing their witty video series along with writing about fashion, local artists, and anything they are inspired by. Considering their fashion sense alone, you can expect great things from these two. Stay tuned !
CHECK OUT OUR INTERVIEW BELOW
Très bien, jolies filles !
VISAGEDEPOUPEE.COM
Anyone who knows me knows I am obsessed with nail art. I’ve been going to the same girl (Sierra Storey @YouGotNailed) for over 3 years now, sometimes bringing in inspiration photos and ideas (even CD covers) and often collaborating with her on how we can take the designs to the next level. This is no new trend- people have been getting crazy and intricate nail art for decades, but it’s just now really becoming mainstream and more accepted. This is why I really love the new documentary “Nailgasm” (See: Official NAILgasm Twitter) directed by Brass. The booming nail art business is a breeding ground for female entrepreneurship- as majority of the artists are women, which is really dope. It’s so funny to hear people admitting that they’ve spent 3-4 hours getting their designs. Now I don’t feel so crazy.
“NAILgasm, the one and only documentary about the rise of Nail Art and the women’s entrepreneurial movement it has caused.”
Trailer:
Check out the official Tumblr HERE
And the Facebook page HERE
Support the movement !
You even have the option to Rent ($1.99) or Buy ($7) the documentary !
www.nailgasmdoc.com
Brown Bag Wednesdays is the dope weekly showcase for national hip hop talent and underground acts alike taking place at The Green Room in Ft. Lauderdale. This Wednesday, Sept 12, one half of the Cool Kids, Sir Michael Rocks will be gracing the stage. Never one to disappoint, the night also features amazing art and this week it will feature fashion as well.
Not just any fashion, by the way, but the first showcase ever of THE COLLECTION ! Yes, what better way for us to unveil THE COLLECTION to our readers than in person during Sir Michael Rocks’ solo show?? The man is a pretty fashionable dude ! Sir Michael Rocks is a favorite at 2dopebitches.com- his smooth and witty flow and dope beat selections keep him in our iPods and playlists. If you aren’t familiar I suggest you peep his videos below ! With Quest and Gabe Feilds and Just Dimy hosting you know it will be a fun night !
Get your tickets online and beat the crowds- come early to shop our selection before the one-of-a-kind stuff is gone ! OR show your support by purchasing a 2DOPEBITCHES pin or mirror! We are so excited and cant wait to see you all there !
We will have not only a table with our vintage, one-of-a-kind and hand made pieces, but also INTERACTIVE DISPLAYS AND A LIVE MODEL. And not some prissy/boring model either- we are lucky enough to feature Andrea, one of the original models from SHOPTHECOLLECTION.NET, with us for the night. Come out, enjoy some dope music, meet some cool people and shop
What are you waiting for?? CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS TO THE SHOW!- it’s only $15 and well worth the price!
DOORS 10PM
18+
LADIES DRINK FREE TIL MIDNIGHT
Check out a couple videos of Sir Michael Rocks if you aren’t familiar (and even if you are!) and don’t forget to peep THE COLLECTION’s teaser video ! We have so much to bring to you guys, we really put our hearts and souls into this collection !
Come out and show the support and love we appreciate so much!
See yall there!
Think you look different with makeup on?
Check out these UH-mazing photos of New York City drag queens in and out of their makeup shot by famed photographer Leland Bobbé. This photo shoot is beautiful. The makeup these guys do is really spectacular! I mean, the shading and blending in their makeup is breath taking. What, do these guys all go though some extensive and fabulous Drag-Queen-Bootcamp to get this stuff down? And the transformations they go through! I literally put my hand up to the screen to cover the “male” side of each and everyone of the photos and damn! They, for the most part, look nothing like the “regular” half. You can see the features and such but the Drag persona definitely takes over. I love this. It’s such a flattering way to showcase Drag Queens- not just another kitchy, cheesy show of feather boas and glitter- this shows pure artistry. Think what you may about Drag, but it’s an artform. I’m all for it!
In his Half-Drag series, New York photographer Leland Bobbé captures the two sides of the city’s drag queens — the extravagantly made-up drag divas and the organic men that lie beneath.
Bobbé tells Huffington Post Gay Voices, “Through the power of hair and makeup these men are able to completely transform themselves and find their female side while simultaneously showing their male side.” Shockingly, the identities are composed in camera and are not separate images joined during editing.
Bobbé posted the first portrait of the Half-Drag series on his blog last March, writing, “I got great feedback on the image so I decided to reach out to other drag queens using Facebook as my main means of communication… I’ve now shot four people with many more on the way. We’ll see where this takes me…”
Five months later, the project has taken the award-winning photographer far: It has been featured in Italian Vogue, fashion site Refinery 29, as well as in other websites and blogs from around the world. Bobbé reflects, “This is what the term ‘gone viral’ is all about.”
View more of Leland’s work on his website HERE
Starting his career as a social psychologist, now photographer Allan I. Teger turned to photography to combine the multiple realities which exist around us into one medium. Wanting to project this idea, he thought of his BODYSCAPE project as a way to portray the universe repeating its shapes – breasts as mountains, the flesh as landscape and BODYSCAPES was born.
Placing miniature toys and scenery on a models body, he’s able to create wonderful photos which bring smiles to any viewer. Many times the photos may not even seem to be of a human body, either way the art is there. A self-taught photographer Teger takes pride in his art giving it a whole other meaning in dimension as well as scope.
The images are amazing as Teger is talented in manipulating the eye and the scene with shadowing and lighting to make these adorable photos. Can you spot the body parts?
Check out more of his work over at www.bodyscapes.com.
© 2013 2DOPEBITCHES.com