Sale @ Concrete Hermit

admin    T-Shirt News     Concrete Hermit, art, art shirts, t-shirt sale

Here’s a New Year quickie, all tees are on sale at Concrete Hermit right now at 40% off! If you’ve read my review of their shirts and want to grab a bargain now is the time to do it. If you’re into the art there, they also have a sale on all art books too.

Here’s my fave t-shirt there at the moment – Dancer by Mark Taplin – now only £15.

Check the sale out today!

Always Read The FinePrint!

admin    T-Shirt Reviews     Chicago t-shirts, Chicago tees, Obama, The Fineprint, art, art shirts, art t-shirts, basketball, charity, fine print, limited edition t-shirts

…And Wear It Too. Don’t worry, I’m not about to start dishing out legal advice, The Fineprint are a Chicago-based design company featuring limited- edition apparel and original artwork. Offering a fine line between fashion and art, The FP offer a wider range of highly unique, generously proportioned designs for artistic lovers of limited edition tees. They offer a creative bridge for Chicago artists to reach a wider fan base of customers looking for something a little different for the wardrobe. Selling both apparel and art online they aim to showcase local talent in the Chicago area, providing an arts hub for customers worldwide, Fineprint aim to open the eyes of the art market to the hidden talents of the windy city. The Fineprint prints all of their tees and art in Chicago, using water-based, non-toxic inks that are safe for the consumer, the environment, and their employees.

The FP offer a strong commitment to their local community, and have hooked up with DonorsChoose.org in order to support public school teachers requiring funding for independent projects. The Fineprint have already provided funding for a project that will give young men and women from the Hyde Park Academy High School access to “the Art of Airbrushing”. They aim to fund many more projects for the future with your support.

Artistically The FP’s aspirations are just as lofty with a strong collection of cultural and political tees and prints that reflect Chicago, America and global ideologies in equal measure. Ranging from urban culture to city scapes, the famous and infamous, our relationship with nature and both historical and contemporary art and literature, The Fineprint offer a unique yet eclectic broad brush of ideologies rarely seen as subject matter for the humble tee. Their handmade product range are of a high quality, all hand printed and highly desirable for those seeking alternatives to the mainstream fashion scene. read more

High Art Tees At OtherCriteria.com

admin    T-Shirt Reviews     British Art, Damien Hirst, For The Love Of God, Michael Joo, Other Criteria, Skull, UK art, White Cube, art, art t-shirts, art tees, othercriteria.com

Founded in London in 2005 Other Criteria was conceived primarily as a publishing company by Damien Hirst, Hugh Allan and Frank Dunphy, with creative directorship from Jason Beard. They work directly with Damien Hirst and a number of established and emerging artists to make limited editions and multiples, clothing, jewellery, photographs, posters, prints and books. I was recently approached by OC to review their unique collection of art tees, and I have to say it’s my pleasure to, being an artist myself I can fully appreciate the direction this company has taken, crossing the boundaries between art, design, fashion, and in particular their decision to market themselves to a new breed of discerning consumer, bypassing the need for the gallery or dealer, and offering something of true artistic value to suit every budget.

OtherCriteria.com, their online presence for the vision of an eleven strong team of designers, production managers and assistants, is supported by the off-line exposure of their merchandise at their two London stores, 36 New Bond Street, and 14 Hinde Street, London. I personally feel that this review represents a validation of my own beliefs that the humble t-shirt has until very recently been a neglected medium in the world of the arts and that perhaps now at long last both artist and collector can truly engage in a whole new field of creative consumerism unseen in retail history. From the likes of Damien Hirst to Banksy, a more general public have at long last been able to engage on a deeper level with every echelon of the artistic community, conceptually and emotionally helping to support their practice, forming their own base of opinion and venturing forth where no consumer has ventured before.

My own experiences of the British arts education system have left me somewhat jaded, with tutors and galleries alike assuming that only the elite can appraise, criticise or even purchase art. This seemed an outdated premise even then, some 20 years ago, but at long last with the progressive attitude of companies such as Other Criteria, the urban art movement, the rise of the global Internet community, and a general awareness by all of the context both sociopolitical and historical that we find ourselves in today, we can expect this to be but the beginning of a far more self-aware consumer revolution. The art market is also shifting in a new direction, unaffected by the establishment’s world weary view of what should constitute creativity. Art for the people = power to the people. Mass consumption has led to many problems in our age, yet now at long last the individual seeks more than an aggregation of the familiar, they crave the unique, the fundamentally altered, a higher perspective of both their own existence and the world we live in.

The contemplative, inspirational and highly acute products of OC are one example of a progressive wave of entrepreneurs and creative collectives aiming to offer an alternative vision, one that suffices more than mere need or want, supplanting the desire for the object with a heightened sense of realism, a proposal for a new and deeper relationship between consumer and producer. In this context, at this time of political, social and economic turbulence, quality of life, quality of experience, and quality of the product are at the forefront of public expectation. Now is the time to consider Other Criteria, and of course in particular their own fine range of art tees. read more

Prestigious Tees – An Esteemed Reputation

admin    T-Shirt Reviews     This Is Prestigious, art, art shirts, ethical clothing, illustrated tees, sweatshop free, this is prestigious t-shirts, thisisprestigious.org

The name says it all ThisIsPrestigious.org focus on the heights of perfection whether it be their fine art tees, their dedication to the environment and fair trade, their production process, or their gracious attitude to customer service, be under no illusion that this label means business in a new and forward thinking manner that matches up to expectations of their name. In the t-shirt industry, as with all commercial sectors, and to some degree in life, reputation is everything. If someone makes a promise they cannot keep there are those who are willing to forgive, but for the majority their reputation is tarnished by a lack of providence, no matter the reason or excuse. This Is Prestigious are well aware of the fact that to be a success in this cut-throat market one must make a lasting first impression, and continue to do so whatever trials and tribulations may cross their path.

TIP offer a refreshingly open and welcoming way of doing business, providing a straightforward store in a straightforward manner, holding their heads high in everything they do, in order to satisfy both their own personal needs as creative people and in offering an incomparable service that they themselves would expect to receive no matter what the sector. William Matte, Jr. along with a hand-picked group of select artists aim to raise the expectations of almost every aspect of the t-shirt market, carefully designing and producing products they know both they and their customers will be proud of, dealing with those who buy their tees as people rather than numbers, and making sure that their impact on the ecology is kept to an absolute minimum whilst in their own small way bringing attention to the plight of those less fortunate and the exploitative working conditions in many countries today.

Their t-shirts equate to an expressive collection of vibrant colour and sumptuous illustration that one would normally expect from the fine arts market, stretching the boundaries of what is considered the norm in urban fashion design and forever heading onwards to a broader horizon of historical and abstract influences in their exploration of perfect design. Their choice of colours, tones and hues reflect a love and longing for the glorious diorama of the American landscape, from the sun-kissed beaches to the busy metropoli to the Shamanic desert skyscapes beyond. Never obvious in their interpretations TIP have managed to walk a fine line between pure art and pure design. invoking more emotional than intellectual response in their loyal following and beyond.

This Is Prestigious – an apt description for a label with the highest of artistic and business sensibilities. read more

Bang On Target at SharpShirter.com

admin    T-Shirt Reviews     Threadless, art, art fashions, art shirts, graphic t-shirts, illustrations, sharp shirter, sharpshirter.com

Dan Lachman, the guy behind the awesome t-shirt company SharpShirter.com is a bona fide genius, he’s not an artistic genius, although he certainly has an eye for great artistic talent, he’s a genius at organisation, persistence and at applying his unique and rather surreal world view on the urban fashion market. As Dan has admitted himself he can only manage to scrawl the occasional stick figure design, but unlike lesser mortal souls out there he didn’t let that rather massive obstacle stumble him towards his vision of conquering the arty end of the t-shirt market. He might not quite be there just yet, but this is definitely a man to keep an eye on, his label Sharp Shirter is guaranteed to raise a few eyebrows, the beauty of the label’s designs, their strangely evocative logic and marvellously illustrative quality have to be seen to be believed. Dan has poached some of the finest artists and t-shirt designers from Threadless.com and provided them with a warm and safe (virtual) home where they can subsist on coffee, beer, cookies, praise and cash plus the knowledge that they will receive the respect they deserve without a hoard of lesser talents having a dig at them every five minutes.

Dan the man shoots high, and from what I’ve seen he’s bang on target. Sharp Shirter isn’t ever going to be a bland mainstream label, you can tell that straight away, but as far as cult followings go this humble t-shirt label is rapidly going from strength to strength selling in 60 stores worldwide with over 100 products including t-shirts, hoodies, pullovers, dresses, and even laptop and phone skins! I can’t really describe this art collective’s designs en masse, each created by one of a small army of highly talented artists under the banner of Sharpshirter, the styles are eclectic, and vary wildly from the beautiful to the hilarious to the stunning and shocking. However, to make my life easier I too can use the power of image to explain exactly what the hell I’m harping on about here.

Working alongside Dan are the venerable ‘El Perro‘ his fab website designer and his roomate and best bud Andrew Kneynsberg, as soon as Dan graduates from Wesleyan University the three of them plan to take the label to a whole new level, if you want to watch the rise of an art fashion collective that’s guaranteed to expand in leaps and bounds, then Sharp Shirter is definitely a fine example of the American Dream at work. Well I’m not American but I’m guessing it looks something like this. The fact is weird is good, art as fine as this can’t be beaten, and t-shirts are the coolest way to show the world just how savvy your eye for fashion retailing really is – with all that under your collective belts you can’t go far wrong in my eyes!

Look up, up there, it’s the Sharp Shirter, he’s aiming at you, but as long as you have great taste in highly evocative and artistic urban wear it shouldn’t be too painful read more

Blood Is The New Black

admin    T-Shirt Reviews     Blood, Google.com, Stumbleupon, T-Shirts, Velvet Underground, art, art shirts, blood is the new black, funny tees, strange tees, weird

I only stumbled this one last night, yes at 3:30am, but luckily I still felt exactly the same about Blood is The New Black after a long sleep and an even longer grey British morning of slogging away at my (f)art. So what’s BITNB all about? God knows, but I love it. It’s like I’ve accidentally bumped into The Velvet Underground of the t-shirt world and I couldn’t be more pleased (with myself :p).

There’s flash. there’s plush, there’s cool, there’s funny, there’s crazy, and then there’s these guys, their style? Well if you can call it that, a ragtag muddle of crazy artists and designers, their style is so way off the scale I’m all out of adjectives (for once). All I can say is they make me feel sick in a good way, not sick with envy, not sick of the sight of anything in particular, but a strange and rather wonderful home sickness for a life I’ve never had.

If only the friends of my youth had been as together (and untogether) as this demoniacal motley crew I’d have probably started a revolution of some sorts by now, oh to be as reckless and carefree as these loonies. read more

The Art of Rhetoric – Persuasion by Design

admin    T-Shirt Reviews     art, art and fashion, art shirts, art t-shirts, avant-garde, designer tees, haute couture, illustration, nostalgia, rhetoric, rhetorictshirts.com

RhetoricTshirts.com officially launched on October 4th. An American clothing company focused on if not driven to the core by high-concept design. Their mantra states the use of the medium of T-shirts bears out two distinct design directives:-

Prints inspired by innovative examples of pop art, fringe sub-culture and youth.
Shirts that are custom manufactured from the finest textiles and materials including pima cotton.

In combination these two directives herald a direct challenge to the quality and integrity of competitors’, and t-shirt design and production in the general market. read more

Alive and Kicking (and Jet Lagged)…

admin    T-Shirt News     Spunky.co.uk, T-Shirt Reviews, art, blah, conduit.com, humor, rant, retro, spreadshirt, t-shirt toolbar, teefeeds.com

Hey all you lovely t-shirt people, I am in shock, I’ve just got back from a week in Marrakech (yes we had a lovely time thanks) and the first thing I did after a quick cuppa (you know how us Brits like our tea) is switch on the old Macbook and look at my inbox which is heaving. It’s wonderful to be so missed, so appreciated, I’d never realised till now exactly how many people have cottoned on to my obscure little blog, it’s not the grandest of designs, or the greatest of concepts, but I enjoy it, and from what I’ve read it seems many of you out there feel the same. So, firstly thanks, thanks, and more thanks. Don’t worry, I haven’t had another funny turn if you’ve been left hanging out there in the world of t-shirts. Chris and I needed a little break away from the miserable weather here in the UK and Marrakech was the closest, sunniest hotspot we could afford, besides it gave us both a chance to practice our haggling skills, and our School French or what remains of it, hardly Franglais these days, but still funny how much you remember when you’re thrown in the deep end.

read more

731 out of 50,000 t-shirts

admin    T-Shirt News     50000, China, aid, art, charitable, charity t-shirts, fiftythousandtshirts, good causes, save lives, t-shirt charity

My heart sank when I discovered this site today. It really is a case of reality crashing in though the door and spoiling the dream. FiftyThousandTshirts.com have the noblest ideals, their cause is more than justified, it’s a smart idea and should work to help the victims of last May’s 7.9 magnitude earthquake that devastated the Eastern Sichuan region of China.

Perhaps it’s the design, or maybe a lack of exposure on the net, or even all the disasters around the world since competing for their cause (Haiti for instance). Whatever it is things don’t seem to be going well for Steve Paterson, the creator of the website. Of course I’ll do all I can to help over here, which is the main reason for bringing all your attention to the site. FTT have been featured at numerous t-shirt related sites, blogs and forums, but from what I can tell they’ve only sold 731 t-shirts so far. read more

Temporary Insanitee?

admin    T-Shirt News     Paul Baines, art, copyright, crazy, fine art, funeral, mad, resign, stuff threadless, t-shirt reviewer, t-shirt vote, tcritic, uneetee

Okay – it’s true – I had a funny turn back there – but don’t worry I’m better now. I’d just come back from a funeral for a friend of the family, little sleep and the daunting prospect of designing and writing for the day did rather turn my brain to mush. Hey you know artist’s are temperamental, at least I didn’t cut off an ear. So ignore what you’ve read, I’m not going anywhere, I just know who to avoid when I’m feeling low now.

Sometimes you have a day that forces change, mine involved me vowing to create less t-shirts and make more art, I’ll be opening up a new site soon simply called PaulBaines.co.uk – not exactly catchy but you can blame my parents for that oversight. read more