“Art is how you frame it”, that’s what I used to say back in my time as a Performance Artist in New York City.
It’s also the motivation for where white wall galleries come from, giving your eye enough space to really focus on the artwork alone without anything competing against it puts the artwork in a position to be appreciated fully.
This is the inspiration for the DegenDude™ framework, a flat print based aesthetic that sets the DegenDude™ apart from his surroundings and also brands the character as a hybrid of 2D and 3D creativity. These frameworks exist all around us but we take them for granted.
One of the biggest trends in NFTs are the virtual trading cards. It’s funny in some ways that when creating a digital collectible we base them so distinctly on real world collectibles. But in another way it makes total sense. The framework creates the context we use to understand and evaluate an NFTs value.
Playing off these frameworks was an intentional design and branding decision for DegenDude™. There always has to be a frame for the artwork and in this case I wanted to create something that harkened back to artistic print editions while also having a unique contrast with the 3D figure of DegenDude™.
Keeping a clear framework of the DegenDude™ consistent among all series makes each artist’s unique creative vision stand out when compared to all the different DegenDude™s together. The framework also helps identify the DegenDude™ apart from other artworks when seen within a collection of other NFTs.
It also serves as a way to communicate each edition with it’s stats and characteristics. Each artist is recognised for their design with their own Avatar.
A bit about me
Hey, I’m Terrence Kelleman. I’ve done all sorts of creative projects since my Fine Art degree. I’ve done live performance art in NYC, started a company with $300 and grew it into one of the Fastest Growing companies in the US for 3 years. I’ve created renowned brands like “Mighty Wallet” which is sold around the world and also built a platform called “Artist Collective” for creative talents from around the world to design their own wallets.
I’ve been a YouTube case study and was one of the original YouTube hustlers with a video that went viral overnight turning my little magnetic bracelet idea into a mesmerizing magnetic phenomenon which helped me leave my day job behind over 20 years ago.
DEGENDUDE ROAD MAP
The goal of Degen Dude Project is to build a collaborative pool of talent that leverages each Artists own talents for the collective whole.
The project also seeks to create a new alternative option when entering the NFT space where artists have to choose to do 1/1 works or generative projects. Due to the massive work required on a generative project, collaborative based projects provide an alternative for Artists to create works together under one brand, one concept, one Degen Dude.
Trust in DegenDude
Our approach to releasing individual and small series is to build a healthy momentum of the DegenDude™ Project. A slow strategic release is a demonstration of our strategy of creating a lasting brand in the NFT space.
FREE NFT Guidebook for on-boarding New Artists to NFTs
NFTs have empowered Artists to be free of Web2 constraints and controls. However there are still considerable barriers to entry for Artists on boarding into the NFT space. One of the goals of the Degen Dude Project is to support and educate Artists with a living document that can be used for free use by all our Artists.
Tutorials – How to create your DegenDude
Video tutorials for Artists to follow to create the best possible DegenDude utilizing all the tips and tricks to create the best character for your art.
DegenDude Partnership with NFT Marketplace
Selective Degen Artists will chosen for broader releases on an established NFT Marketplace.
DEGENDUDE merchandise
DEGENDUDE Shirts
DEGENDUDE Slaps
BE DEGEN Fiat Coins
Snapback BE DEGEN Caps
DEGENDUDE Mighty Wallets
Special Limited Edition Mighty Wallets by Degen Artists*
*Artists will be chosen and curated to have their work printed and sold through ||www.MightyWallet.shop|| Distributed and sold around the world giving more exposure to those Artist’s work.
DegenDude 3D Characters IRL
Special Releases are being planned for our most successful “10x Degen Artists”. Artists who complete all 10 of their DegenDude Characters become 10x Degens with special recognition on our site. Those who rank at the top of the Degen Dude Artist’s sales will be chosen for special IRL character drops.
10x Degen Artists Secret Airdrops & IRL artworks released
Each 10x Degen Artist can choose their own special drops to be released once all of their 10 Degen Dude designs have been completed.
New Character Introduced to DegenDudes
Special new Degen Dude characters are under development and will be released once 100 Artists have achieved their 10x Degen status.