Posts from — December 2007

Allowing myself to become a little wrapped up in the build up to the Iron Man film (Starring Robert Downey Jr.) - here’s a fantastic looking model made up of Lego parts.

Who hasn’t grown up with even a little go at creating a miniature tower out of these blocks? With the most basic of shapes, imaginations of all ages have created amazing structures and this Iron Man is no exception.

I particularly like the way it just doesn’t look like its been structured out of Lego. The pose has a bit of flexibility that seems to allow the polygonic forms to show through to recreate that Iron Man suit look.

Via Neatorama

Technorati Tags: Iron Man, lego, models, popular culture

Here’s a nice idea for all those networking events - provided that paper cups are used. Designer Jaehyung Hong has created a paper cup design with a row of letters and symbols along the bottom with which you can use to customise and label your cup.

The only thing is that these symbols are made up of playing card elements. Just don’t choose the Ace - every smart ass may well do.

Seen on SwissMiss

Technorati Tags: ideas, Jaehyung Hong, paper cups, personalisable paper cups, producs

After a night of collecting business cards and entering the contact info into my laptop, I’m always wondering what I should do with them. After all, their primary function of providing contact details has, by then, passed.

However, Sharon, with her blog Tiny Buildings, has an excellent and creative solution in the shape of fashioning little building models out of these cards. They’re even more appealing when she considers that the cards are taken from familiar boxes (not just business cards), restaurants, or other pieces collected - true miniature memoirs of happy times and places.

See some example buildings below - more on Tiny Buildings

Via SwissMiss

Technorati Tags: business card buildings, ideas, models, Tiny Buildings

Barclay’s new combined Oyster travel card, credit card and OneTouch transaction card, sounding very convenient to Londoners like myself, hints at the future of commerce.

No wonder then that these new advertisements for Barclaycard show how London might look in the future; London as a fairground, and rooftop golf in the City.

I suppose it could happen to any city, but I must admit, seeing something I’m so familiar with, being portrayed in a new light, especially as fantastic (and unpractical) as this, is just really eye-catching.

I’d love for these landscapes to be real - being able to roller coaster around the sights of London and seeing so much green space around the city.

The visuals were created by Jean-Marie Vives and Mathieu Raynault, who have worked as matte painters for blockbuster movies including the Matrix, Lord of the Rings and King Kong.

Via CoolHunter

Technorati Tags: Barclays, London, Oyster travel card

Hot on the heels of the abandoned Star Wars AT-AT are these wheels. Model cars that reflect the urban reality of today’s crime-ridden streets.

Each Urban Collectable car is apparently completely unique and has been individually hand burnt. The range includes The Joy ridden 2-door Hatchback, The Mini Van/Insurance Scam and The Petrol Bombed Jeep.

Unlike the AT-AT, you can buy these slightly more accessible products for $49.95 at the Chinnychinchin shop. Edgy shelf-ware to stick a finger up at those shiny Corgi Classics…

Buy Urban Collectables

Via Neatorama

Technorati Tags: Chinnychinchin, Insurance Scam, products, The Joy ridden 2-door Hatchback, The Petrol Bombed Jeep, Urban Collectables

This is such a simple idea, its brilliant! From digital back to analogue, going back to physical crafts to recreate the flexibility of emoticons, in an ingenius way.

Buy the Emoticon Transforming Stamp from Think Geek

Via Craftzine

So many different ways to consume art, but I never would have thought it would be this way. Hannes Broecker has created this exhibition in Dresden, Germany, where viewers can drink away the art.

Aside from looking good, I find this is a great way to challenge viewers willingness to interactive with the exhibit, They only have the colours to guide their subjective choices, which I’m sure could be misleading, but they can choose via the dispensers, how much they want to try out.

Throughout the evening, the more popular beverages would surely become obvious.

By the end of the event, the art itself, ran dry, and empty drinking glasses were returned to where they were originally placed.

Via CoolHunter

Technorati Tags: art, Dresden, exhibition, Germany, Hannes Broecker

It seems the typical young designer is fascinated with toys and models, particularly those that hark back to their childhood. Star Wars is the ultimate franchise for this, with its phenomenal global appeal.

Do toys and models give inspiration? I sometimes wonder about this, as they seem to be first and foremost, objects of consumerism.

However, artists, designers and model makers who take things to the next level, create works of art that do truly inspire. These are typically, heavily customised model kits - pieces that you can’t buy ready made from the shops. These works of art may begin with mass made kits, but the creators put together a concept and then apply craft skills to give their ideas life.

This piece below is the winning kit entry for Starship Modeler’s fifteenth online modelling contest. Its called Abandoned Refuge and was created by Dimitri Kaliviotis.

This caught my eye partly for the nostalgia association, but also because of the aesthetic. The war-torn and abandoned look couldn’t be further from the design of toys typically sold to create the Star Wars galaxy. Its not something that kids would want to play with. (What use is a broken AT-AT when you want to transport your imperial troops across the snow-ridden hills of your living room sofa?)

In fact, the imperfections and rusty details demand a close-up look. The overall package is definitely for display and to be admired. Like all craft work, when you can appreciate the skill and time involved, that surely would inspire you.

See other fantastic entries in the Starship Modeler winners list

Via Gizmodo

Technorati Tags: Abandoned Refuge, AT-AT, Dimitri Kaliviotis, models, Starship Modeler, Star Wars

I love photography’s ability to convey and explore lifestyles that the viewer normally doesn’t see. I came across Pieter Hugo’s Hyena Men series on Cool Hunting, but incidently also saw an exhibition of these photographs at the Museum of Marrakech two weeks ago.

From Cool Hunting:

Pieter Hugo is a South African photographer who has set out to photograph groups of people that have a distinct presence across Africa. His images of traditional healers, wild honey collectors, taxi washers, and albinos are strong and beautiful, but my favorite series is The Hyena Men which opened last week at Yossi Milo Gallery in New York.

Pieter Hugo created the series The Hyena Men while traveling throughout Nigeria with a troupe of animal charmers and their collection of tenuously domesticated hyenas, monkeys and snakes. The portraits feature groupings of men and animals surrounded by the barren urban centers of Northern Nigeria, which were taken during quiet moments between the spectacles of street performances.

These photographs can provoke many issues to do with spectacle, outcasts, co-dependence, fascination, economic survival and animal rights amongst others. I sometimes wonder, from our “developed” world vantage point, whether we have a right to question and judge the lifestyles of people who simply do not have our luxuries.

However, going back to the photographs themselves, the ethnic visual aesthetic is the appeal that draws me in. Sometimes, its as if the rawness of this mini community’s lifestyle is just inches from being unleashed, like the hyenas they harbour. Other times, moments of intimacy reveal themselves and remind us that irrespective of who we are, we all share the love of company.

See more on Pieter Hugo’s website

Via CoolHunting

Technorati Tags: Hyena Men, Nigeria, photography, Pieter Hugo, South African

The great thing about advertising is the need to convey an effective marketing message in a very short space of time. The following advert is for Cemex Concrete and is by the advertising agency BBDO Germany.

Well, the image says it all really…

Via Notcot

Technorati Tags: advertising, BBDO Germany, Cemex Concrete, fast drying concrete