Art On The Fly: 10 Examples Of Zany Zipper Art

All praise the zipper: the ubiquitous, maintenance-free, no muss, no fuss fastener that trumps both buttons and Velcro! Zippers operate smoothly, silently and safely day in and day out, often in close proximity to our most sensitive bodily parts yet they rarely – “There’s Something About Mary” excepted – cause us anxiety or grief. These 10 toothy examples of zany zipper art illustrate the mix of appreciation, admiration and YKK-stamped tabs by which society holds these fascinating fasteners.

Zippered Walnut

(images via: Ellen Rixford Studio and WebMD)

Artist Ellen Rixford knows how to grab one’s attention, as this zippered walnut shells, er, shows so well. The walnut is actually crafted from clay, is 6 inches long and is highlighted by an industrial zipper. Rixford created this striking image for a drug company advertisement… perhaps regarding a non-surgical treatment to replace testicular surgery.

Juming Museum’s Zipper Lotus Pond

(image via: BIG art)

Fly fishing anyone? Get your rod (and reel) to Taiwan, where the lushly landscaped grounds of the Juming Museum are graced with a most unusual pond. Designed by respected Taiwanese artist and sculptor Ju Chun, the Zipper Lotus Pond was completed in 2009.

(images via: My Confined Space and Broccoli City)

Sharp eyes may notice that the zipper slider carries the logo “JU-JUN”. It’s not clear exactly what the artist’s intent was in using this logo though the similarity to his name may offer a clue.

Zipper Tongue

(images via: Stylelist and Snopes)

When zipping your lips isn’t enough… yes, this is a photoshop. Not completely though, the zipper hardware was added to an actual “lingua bifida” body modification for a Worth1000 photoshop contest. Considering the increasing number of bodymods that have crossed the Net of late, we may yet see an actual zippered tongue some day. You just won’t see it in my bathroom mirror.

Life In The Fastener Lane

(images via: Pixyard, TACO and Telovation)

This group of images highlights zippers that have been painted or otherwise integrated into streets, avenues, boulevards and other paved pathways. One might ask (in a Seinfeld-esque voice),“What’s the deal with zippers and roads?” Perhaps artists note some correlation between the role of roadways in society and the functionality of zippers on an individual’s clothing. Or, maybe they just need sufficient space.

(image via: Impact Lab)

While paint and chalk make sense for roadway artwork, more obtrusive installations such as the Big Zip above are best suited to sidewalks and soft shoulders. Pedestrians and bicyclists may disagree, however.

Sebastian Errazuriz’s Zipper Dress

(images via: Britannica and Newslite)

Guys who already have trouble “unwrapping” their dates aren’t going to be thrilled by the Zipper N3 dress. Designed and created by 31-year-old Chilean artist Sebastian Errazuriz, the intention wasn’t to facilitate hanky panky but instead provide women with a so-called “credit crunch dress” that can be adapted to form over 100 different styles. Errazuriz used 120 zippers to make the dress, which he hopes to have mass-produced by a major clothing firm.

Amalia Versaci’s Upcycled Zippers

(images via: AmaliaVersaci and Amalia Versaci – ETSY Shop)

Amalia Versaci has got a name made for fashion and indeed, the Rhode Island School of Design grad focuses her creative energies on clothing and accessories. Her special emphasis is on the zipper, however, and her designs often employ zippers and parts thereof in original yet appealing ways. Versaci has taken a special interest in vintage and upcycled zippers, taking inspiration from the shapes and designs popular when zippers were as new, exciting and futuristic as Velcro is today.

(images via: Amalia Versaci)

Hear no evil with Amalia Versaci’s zipper slide earrings! I SAID, HEAR… ok, we’ll move on. Upcycling vintage zipper slides and adding today’s colors, tones and shades adds up to an attractive combination well suited for today’s New Traditionalists.

(images via: Amalia Versaci)

Jewelry isn’t the only purpose Versaci dedicates her zipper creations. Above are magnets made from heavy-duty YKK industrial zipper slides and collages crafted from vintage zippers still attached to their backing fabric strips.

Hirotoshi Itoh’s Grinning Stones

(images via: ScienceBlogs Bio-ephemera)

Part of the fascination of fossils is that what’s been locked in rock for countless millions of years is suddenly displayed before your very eyes. Hirotoshi Itoh’s zippered stones are something like that, except weirder. From skull-like grinning boulders to congealed coin purses to a soupcon of seashells secreted in silica, Itoh offers a glimpse into the heart of rocks whose concealed treasures are revealed with a mere casual zip.

(image via: Jiyuseki)

Creepiest, of course, are Itoh’s granitic grinning stones. Funny, I don’t recall Han Solo smiling as he gazed out from Jabba’s imprisoning block of Carbonite… unlike Itoh’s mouthy marbles, I guess he just wasn’t into it.

Benoit Lemoine: The Zip Tape Experiment

(images via: Benoit Lemoine and Design-Milk)

The cool thing about zipper tape is that it can be used to reveal heretofore un-noticed shapes and structures that COULD be zipped but aren’t. Forked tree limbs, bipod street lights, anything that conforms to a Y-shape (don’t get cheeky now)… just zip it! Benoit Lemoine has made somewhat of an artistic career for himself being the Banksy of Zipperdom, an odd avocation if there ever was but hey – someone’s gotta do it.

(images via: Stupid.com)

A variation on the zipper tape Lemoine chooses to use is Popped Zipper Tape, which makes your parcel, package, briefcase or whatever look like it, well, popped a zipper.

Karen L. Davidson’s Zipper Mosaics

(images via: Zipper Mosaics by Karen L. Davidson)

Winters are long & cold up in Minot, ND, and residents have come up with some interesting ways to avoid cabin fever, snow blindness and the like. One of the coolest (sorry) ways to get through those frigid months – the ones with an R in them – is Original Zipper Art as practiced and promulgated by Karen L. Davidson. From pins to plates to Christmas Trees and more, Davidson knows how to make a zipper do tricks that’ll bust your buttons.

(images via: Zipper Mosaics by Karen L. Davidson)

Davidson takes advantage of the wildly diverse color palette bestowed upon today’s plastic, polyester and metal zippers by manufacturers, thus avoiding messy paints and volatile solvents. A bonus is that the colors are either baked on or mixed into the zippers’ substrates. Designed to be long lasting from the start, Davidson’s zippers do the same for her art!

Zipping Across The Ocean

(images via: Asiajin)

Japanese artist Yasuhiro Suzuki set out to make a big impress ion at the 2010 Setouchi International Art Festival, and one would have to agree his zany zipper motorboat helped him succeed in spades. Suzuki must have noticed that the long, radiating wakes left by boats on smooth water look a lot like zippers unzipping… well, somewhat. In any case, inspiration led to construction and the result was the world’s only Zipper Motorboat. Here’s a short video of Suzuki unzipping Neptune’s fly:

Zipper Motorboat at SIAF 2010, via Shumiyama

(image via: Funny-Potato)

Zippers: where would clothing (and zany art) be without them? Buttons and Velcro have their good points but zippers are faster than buttons and they make a cool sound; not that painful ripping sound that so irritated Morty Seinfeld and doubtless many others. The Art of the Zipper simply completes the zipper’s long interaction with modern society by meshing the functional with the creative. Not much more to say… so I’ll zip it.

(from weburbanist)

Painted Alive: Boldly Brilliant Body Paintings

Craig Tracy is dedicated to creating surreal moments in time. Without the use of digital manipulation or photographic tricks, he creates dazzling body painting compositions that have elevated this particular type of artistic expression into the realm of fine art. He recently opened a gallery in New Orleans: the first gallery in the world dedicated to fine art body painting images.

Although he’s been an artist his whole life, it took Craig Tracy a number of years to truly find his passion. His first professional art job was airbrushing t-shirts in a shopping mall. This experience gave him the foundation that would later lead him to discover that he could – and should – paint on unusual surfaces.

After college, Tracy went on to become an illustrator. Like many artists, he found the work dreary and depressing. With no artistic freedom and no way to imbue the projects with his own style, he felt trapped. After retiring from illustration and declaring his freedom from stuffy commercial work, he discovered that body painting was the only type of art that truly made sense for him. Starting out painting faces, he progressed to painting bodies and eventually began showing and selling prints of his body paintings in his own gallery.

Since then, Craig Tracy’s work has developed into a full-time passion. His body paintings show the strength and aching fragility of human bodies, juxtaposed perfectly with the fluidity and transience of the pigments in which they are covered. In some paintings, the model blends with the background, creating a stunning illusion. In others, the painted model is the focus of the piece. The above piece (bottom right), named “Butterfly” as a reference to the subtle butterfly disguised as a nose, features a woman as the leopard’s nose bridge. Her bottom forms the big cat’s top lips. The artist took 24 hours to paint the model and backdrop, pausing only for a one-hour nap.

Unlike Emma Hack, an artist who uses body paint to melt models into the background of her paintings, Tracy seems to celebrate the human form present in his work. Rather than hiding the model, he allows the curves and shadows of her body to interact with the entire piece, adding a depth, texture and powerful mystery to the paintings.

In doing this, he travels to a rather artistically dangerous zone. Just how much should the model’s form be allowed to influence the shape and direction of each piece? At what point does the body cross the line between canvas and subject? Each of Tracy’s paintings seem to play with these limits, exploring the human form as both the focus of the painting and an incidental part of it. Between those two extremes are many shades of grey, each of which is explored lovingly by the brush of the artist.

(all images used with permission of Craig Tracy)

The result of his playful and experimental approach to art and his obvious passion for what he does have made Craig Tracy one of the most respected contemporary body painting artists in the world. If you’d like to see more of the artist’s work, Craig Tracy Gallery can be found in New Orleans. It’s the only gallery in the world dedicated to fine art images of body paintings, and it also features videos of the body painting process for those interested in seeing the paintings unfold.

(from weburbanist)

Camouflaged Human Canvas: Faux Body Art by Kim Joon

[ By Steph in Gadgets & Geek Art, Urban & Street Art. ]

Jumbles of beheaded bodies, limbs entwined, torsos twisting, hands reaching out – in compositions that are both glaringly Asian-influenced and psychedelic – call to mind some orgiastic body painting experiment, until you focus on the strange perspective and profusion of hands in various sizes.

This is no ordinary example of beautifully crafted body painting, and as stunningly realistic as the images appear, they’re actually computer-generated. Contemporary Korean artist Kim Joon uses 3D animation software to assemble the perfect body for each piece, building the form and grafting on skin texture before moving on to the intricate designs.

One piece, entitled ‘Neverland’, pays respects to Michael Jackson, but deeper behind this lies an homage to what Kim admits is his idea of the perfect male body: ebony-skinned and powerful. But the real star of each digital work is the body decoration, which Kim identifies as tattoos. To Kim – who says his single biggest influence is Jimi Hendrix – tattoos are sensual markings that simultaneously represent desire and repression, beauty and scars.

“I would like people to be able to think about their own tattoos and re-examine their lives through seeing my work. Tattoo or tattooing symbolizes the multi-layered composites of desire and will, emotion and action, pain and pleasure of self and other (tattooist) which can be translated as a complex system of complicit activities,” Kim told Art Radar Asia.

“This is much like the way in which our lives are conducted in the larger social matrix. I want people to be able to feel the tension between human (in)ability to control desires and situations. That we have less control than we think in defying forces in capital driven society.”

(from weburbanist)

Righteous Wrappings: 33 Incredible Packaging Designs

[ By Delana in Architecture & Design, Guerilla Marketing & Ads, Subvertising & Counter-Ads. ]

They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but there are times when the packaging matters just as much as what’s inside. When you’re shopping for anything from a bottle of juice to a new pair of shoes, the package is what catches your eye long before you consider the merits of the actual product. That’s why designers spend so much time and energy designing the perfect container for every product imaginable. Some are perfectly sensible and some are so far out that you can’t help but wonder what they were thinking. These packaging designs are some of the most eye-catching and wonderfully inventive from recent years.

Fast Food Fun

(images via: TheDieline)

Eating at a fast food restaurant is always fun for kids, but what about grown-ups? This Burger King concept from designer Bernadette Coughlin would let adults have fun creating their own Burger King from their various food packages, and switching his appearance by changing out the pieces.

(images via: TheDieline)

Just as fun is this suite of interactive, modular takeout packages for the Food City chain. The boxes are totally waterproof and free of glue, and the customer transforms them from box to eating tray. Add-on containers hold sides and sauces, making for a customizable experience without any excess waste.

Healthy Foods Can Be Fun, Too

(images via: TheDieline)

On the other end of the spectrum is this brilliant brand of healthy snacks called VitaMeal. They’re aimed at reducing childhood obesity by putting appropriate serving sizes of healthy foods into places where kids congregate, like schools and recreation centers. Each product has a “personality,” making them easy for kids to get excited about. The vending machines themselves are modular in nature so they fit into the available space, and they’re designed to work with special “credit” cards that bear the likeness of one of the snack characters. Parents put credits onto the card and decide which snacks their little ones can and can’t buy.

(images via: Toxel & Gajitz)

Making healthy foods more appealing is often just a matter of the way they’re presented. Above, fruit juice is packaged in boxes that look and feel like real fruit skin, making them interesting to the touch as well as delicious to the taste buds. Just below that, a new concept for packaging healthy foods puts carrots, celery and blueberries into packages usually reserved for very unhealthy products. Carrots are packed like cigarettes, celery comes in a French fry container, and blueberries are in a blister pack like chocolates…all in the hopes that consumers will want more fresh, healthy foods if they come in unusual packages.

The Packaging Is the Product

(images via: Treehugger 1, 2)

As beautiful as some packaging is, sometimes it’s simply excessive. With some products coming wrapped in two or three layers of plastic, paper and cardboard, it’s enough to drive any environmentally-minded person crazy. So when a company integrates their packaging into their product design, it’s a win on every level. At the top, Hangerpak is a box to ship tee shirts that transforms into a hanger once in the customer’s hands. Below that, Lite 2 Go is a modular hanging light kit that’s packaged inside its own shade, greatly cutting down on the amount of waste generated by each individual product.

(images via: Treehugger)

One of the worst parts of bringing any new product home from the store is having to deal with all of the wasted packaging – this is especially true of carefully-packed items like televisions. They usually come with layers upon layers of styrofoam, cardboard, plastic and plenty of little paper leaflets. But this packaging design from Tom Ballhatchet is different: it’s actually functional. The box formerly used to hold a television transforms into a stand for that television; the cavity that once cradled the TV and kept it safe turns into shelves for your DVD player and other accessories.

Smells Like Creativity

(images via: The Dieline 1, 2)

Women’s perfume is often packaged in lovely curved bottles, but men’s cologne is usually stuck in plain square or rectangle containers. These two concepts take men’s fragrance to a whole new level of packaging design. At top is Scent Stories, a concept from Polish design studio Ah&Oh. The bottles are all based on classic literature, featuring quotes from Poe, Orwell, de Sade and Laclos stories, along with tops that resemble characters from memorable pieces by each author. Below that is Levelus, a tongue-in-cheek package for a manly fragrance; the level is functional and can actually be used to straighten picture frames in the bathroom while you get ready for a big date.

It’s All About the Shoes

(Images via: LovelyPackage, Gizmodo, Treehugger)

It’s often said that you can’t improve on the design of the mousetrap – and the same goes for the humble shoebox. But that doesn’t stop some designers from trying to cut down on shoe packaging waste or simply make the box more interesting. At top is Milli, a concept from student designer Jenny Kim. Milli stands for both millimeters – the unit of measurement used for bullets – and milliseconds – the unit of measurement that often decides the winner of a race. Her bullet shoebox represents the speed and power needed by runners. Bottom left is a brand new packaging design from Puma that incorporates a less-wasteful box with an exterior bag, eliminating both the laminated cardboard box (which is often hard to recycle) and the single-use exterior plastic bag. Bottom right: Newton shoes are packaged in 100% recycled cardboard (rather like cardboard egg carton material) and instead of being stuffed with paper, the shoes are stuffed with a pair of socks and a reusable shoe bag.

Drink it Up

(images via: TheDieline, LikeCool, TheDieline and DesignYearbook)

Beverages – from sodas to sports drinks to alcoholic beverages – already come in a wide variety of packages. But often, when we go into a store not sure of what we want, a unique package can be the deciding factor for our purchase. Above, beverages packaged in these incredible bottles would be sure to catch any shopper’s eye.

(images via: Reuben Miller and TheDieline)

Not all packaging innovations are for the sake of aesthetics only. These unique packages were designed with a desire to make lives easier. Above, a resealable soda can would prevent bugs and dirt from contaminating an open soda while allowing advertisers a brand new spot to reach their audience. The rectangular soda bottles would be the first major change to the shape of plastic beverage bottles, but it could save untold amounts of money. Packaging beverages this way would allow them to stack more closely and save room, thus drastically reducing transport costs.

(images via: LovelyPackage, TheDieline, VisualAdvice, PackagingoftheWorld)

Although most of us don’t want to admit it, a product’s packaging has a huge impact on what we purchase. Would you rather have a package on your shelf with a boring plain label or one that has clearly been designed to please the eyes and be useful? Above: flavored vodka comes in astonishingly cool flasks, the design of which won a bronze award at the 2009 German Art Director’s Club Competition. Lower, the 360 Paper Bottle could dramatically cut down on plastic bottle waste and still give the consumer a fun drinking experience. The “Milk” package is a two-liter carton which was designed as an experiment in unique packaging and communication. Bottom, a visual representation of what’s inside: a spoonful of sugar.

Playful Packages

(images via: TheDieline 1, 2)

It can be almost painful to throw away the coolest packaging – when you select a product based on how it’s packaged and bring it into your home because you like the way it looks, tossing the package into the trash is a little heart-wrenching. These products allow you to keep the wrapping around. Top, a set of dice help you decide what to be for Halloween while the canister they come in is an endlessly entertaining toy. Below that, a package containing rolls of film also works as a pinhole camera. It comes complete with instructions to help you construct your own photographic masterpiece.

You’ve Got the Music in You

(images via: PackagingoftheWorld 1, 2)

Music, being creative and highly subjective, lends itself well to creative and innovative packaging. Here, Peter Gabriel and the band Marrow both went with unusual packaging ideas for their music.

(images via: Azltron)

Science vs. Witchcraft did something a little different with their CDs and packaged them in old floppy diskettes, complete with retro labels and paper sleeves. As an added bonus, users can play a text-based game when they insert the diskette into a computer.

(images via: PackagingoftheWorld)

You wouldn’t use just any earbuds to listen to all of that creatively-packaged music, right? Audiovox designed these packages knowing that many people choose their earbuds as a fashion accessory rather than an electronics accessory. They put them in these personality-rich packages to help consumers decide which personality fits their lifestyle and their needs the best.

Power Up: Health Products

(images via: PackagingoftheWorld and Gajitz)

Any parent knows that getting kids to take vitamins can be a rather difficult task. These Omega-3 supplements come in kid-friendly packaging that might once and for all end the battle over taking or not taking vitamins. Below, creative first aid packaging whispers, rather than shouts, what’s inside – leaving the product to speak for itself.

Beautifully Creative Packaging

(images via: PackagingoftheWorld and Freedom of Creation)

There’s really no question that we’re simply drawn toward creative, attractive packaging. Even if the product is exactly the same as the one next to it, we simply want the one that looks more interesting. Whether it’s Mr. Clean packaged in dumbbell-shaped bottles or L’Oreal skin cream nestled in a golden sphere, many of us will buy a brand other than our usual when a different product offers a more attractive outer wrapping. Even though the packaging often just ends up in the trash, that first impression in the store makes all of the difference. Most of us decide in a split second, right when we see a product for the first time, whether we’re going to buy it. Since we can’t test out every product in the store, we rely on the packaging to tell us part of the story and draw us in.

(from weburbanist)

37 Sand Sculptures that Make Your Castle Look Sad

[ By Marc in Environment & Nature, Gadgets & Geek Art. ]

A small shovel and a pail for sand are the typical beach goer’s adventure kit, but some people take their sand castles a bit more seriously. With ladders, and teams of workers, sand sculptors travelto the most exotic beaches around the world creating towering art and hoping for fair weather. The creations they come up with are inspiring, hilarious, and totally unexpected. Here are 37 sand sculptures that will inspire you the next time you’re at the beach:

(Images via barnesandnoble, mtanga, thecontaminated, nonch, kav p)

Dragons are found in mythology and lore in cultures around the world. Their fearsome power combined with effortless grace (and of course, huge size), make them a popular subject of the imagination. Beach sculptors like to take advantage of this reverence for the mythological beast by creating incredibly intricate depictions in the sides of dunes and coming straight out of the earth.

Children try to impress their friends with the size of their castle creations, and adults are no different. With enough people working on a project, sand sculptors are able to put together sprawling scenes that eat up half of the sand on the beach. These giant creations are bound to impress any passerby, as it’s not everyday you have to look up at something made out of sand.

The beach is a place for frolicking in waves and relaxing vacations, but that only increases the creepy effect of adding sand skeletons and sun bleached bones to one’s art. People love to comb the beach with metal detectors, searching for lost treasure, so it’s interesting to imagine coming across a full dinosaur skeleton or, the unearthed remains of pirates who vanished with their booty.

Scientists like to sunbathe too! Especially gigantic ones made out of sand. From Darwin to Michelangelo, scientists and scientific subject matter are popular in sand sculpting competitions. While some might not get as excited by a realistic bust of a long dead scientist (as, say, a dragon), there are plenty of undercover geeks who no doubt thrill at the sight.

Who says the mundane has to be boring? Everyday activities like lazing around in bed or on the couch are much more exciting when they’re sculpted on a beautiful beach. Comic scenes like a painful visit to the dentist, or a sleeping construction worker, can make the most common subject matter entertaining.

The human form is probably the most common subject for any type of art, and sand sculpting is no different. Taking a close look at the face of giant portraits is amazing, as the detail put into this sand art is surprising and incredible. One would expect a closer view to spoil the effect of the piece, but seeing wrinkles on a sand face has the opposite effect; it’s the details that make these sculptures so wonderful.

Characters from popular films and fiction spring up at a lot of sand art competitions, including Disney characters from our favorite animated films, and classics such as Gulliver’s Travels and Star Wars. I, for one, would love to see a Death Star made out of sand on my next vacation.

Sand sculptors like to let their imagination run wild when they’re out on the beach, and their subjects can seem incredibly random. Imagined castles and scenes from dreams are common, as are portraits of artists like Michael Jackson. You can see a large mural of Gollum from Lord of the Rings, as well as a group of monks that seem remarkably dwarven.

It makes sense that ocean scenes would be a popular subject for any beach scene, and ocean life is often portrayed in remarkable detail. Coral reefs come to life on the sand, as do mythical creatures like mermaids. Why go under the sea when you can bring it on to land?

Architectural Eyebrow Raisers: 15 (More!) of the World’s Weirdest Buildings

[ By Elizah in Architecture & Design, Travel & Places, Urban Images. ]

Reflecting their creators’ desire to step far, far away from the sheepish architectural clones that our culture has grown to accept as “normal”, these outstanding structures are among the unique global jewels that convey a quirky sense of personality tucked within an even more wackadoodle shell. While it may be hip to be square, these slightly left of center buildings demonstrate that marching to the beat of one’s own drummer – whether you’re of the animal, vegetable, mineral or architectural persuasion – is actually a whole lot more fun.

Ferdinand Cheval’s Le Palais Idéal or “Ideal Palace” (Hauterives, France)

(Images via: Nobiwan, The Bodacious Belgrade Blog, Arts Library)

Throughout a 33 year period, rural postman Ferdinand Cheval – who lacked any architectural background whatsoever – collected all the individual stones necessary to create his elaborate carved limestone and shell studded structure via pocket, basket and wheelbarrow. Incorporating a bizarre conglomeration of architectural styles inspired by Hindu and Biblical mythology as well as Algerian, Northern European and Chinese elements, he finally completed his outstandingly quirky monument just one year before his death in 1924 at the age of 88. Grottos, flying buttresses and statues of animals collide in what is today one of the most outstanding examples of “naïve art” architecture and France’s most beloved cultural landmark.

Waldspirale (Darmstadt, Germany)

(Images via: Pakway, Memucan, Germany Tourism, CheapOstay)

Viennese architect and painter Friedensreich Hundertwasser conceived of this fantastical, U-shaped, multi-earth-toned 12 floor residential building complex which emulates the layers of sedimentary rock that you might see in a jutting outcrop deep in the mountains. Completed just 10 years ago, his “Forest Spiral” features 105 apartments, 1000 different shaped windows, a café/bar, an inner courtyard with an artificial lake plus a diagonal green roof studded with botanical elements such as trees, grass, shrubs and flowers. Built by the Bauverein Darmstadt company, it currently serves as the home base for hundreds of lucky German residents.

Eliphante (Cornville, Arizona)

(Images via: Dymaxionweb, Organic Architect, Somethin Beautiful, You Live Where, Trip Advisor, Eccentric America)

An exercise in artistically imaginative organic architecture, this dwelling – built into 3 acres of natural Arizona landscape by husband-wife team Michael Kahn and Leda Livant – would likely trigger Seussian envy in Theodor Geisel himself. Consisting of five separate hand-crafted structures linked together by their shared idiosyncratic themes, the main living quarters are housed within Eliphante and connected to a meditation zone, art gallery, bath house, sculpture garden and wading pond. Raw materials were scavenged from the desert and integrated into the homestead with decisive artistic flair along with stone and glass mosaics, wood, tile, plaster and metal sculptures, yielding a one-of-a-kind home that lives, breathes and communes with Mother Nature.

The Ice Hotel (Jukkasjarvi, Sweden)

(Images via: Multemusic, Culture Shoq, Sophistikitty, Ice Luxury Items)

Quite like short-lived, seasonal treasures such as the emergence of cherry blossoms that are here today and gone tomorrow, Jukkasjärvi’s Ice Hotel exists just 4 brief months out of every year. The nearby Torne River is relieved of tons of its ice, which is then used along with well over 30,000 tons of snow to form the ethereal exterior structure, central supports, shimmering rooms and infamously surreal ice bar. At the end of the spring, what remains is recycled and stored for next year’s incarnation — which is just one of several eco-friendly efforts (including self-generated renewable energy) that add to the hotel’s carbon negative aspirations that they intend to achieve by 2015.

Experience Music Project (Seattle, Washington)

(Images via: Washington.edu, Steve Picture Place, Travel Dudes, About.com, Mibazaar)

An architectural train wreck or simply just a brilliant collision of our world’s most memorable landmarks? In fact, this Frank Gehry-designed museum – which offers a cultural exploration of science fiction and music within – pays homage to the Gehry Tower, Guggenheim Museum Bilbao and Walt Disney Concert Hall among other works created by the designer’s firm. Of course, critics have referred to it as being somewhat hemorrhoidal in shape and among the most supremely ugly buildings in the entire world, and while it IS risky with its clashing colors, textures and overall architectural identity crisis, the Experience Music Project kind of grows on you after awhile. Perhaps it’s high time for a little extra dietary fiber ;)

The Sheep Building & Sheepdog Building (Waikato, New Zealand)

(Images via: Cool Mags, Uphaa, Ray Tomes)

Known for its rolling emerald hills dotted with what can only be described as a sea of terrestrial sheep, it’s rather fitting that in a land where wooly creatures out number humans twelve to one that Tirau boasts the world’s only known corrugated iron sheep-shaped structure along with a companion sheep dog version. Housing a wool and craft shop, the sheep building provides a perfect complement to its canine compadre (which happens to be the location of the town’s i-SITE Visitor Information Center). Both are crafted by local artist Steven Clothier, the brains behind “Corrugated Creations” and the reason why this small New Zealand locale is now covered with hundreds of smaller scale but equally quirky iron sculptures.

The Urban Cactus (Rotterdam, Netherlands)

(Images via: Vision Decor, Arts Library)

Rising up into the sky like an alien urban desert invader, this 19 floor Rotterdam high rise offers city dwellers an opportunity to get their funk on along with their green thumbs. Conjured up by the visionary design team at UCX Architects, the graduating structure with star-shaped levels enables natural light to stream through the living spaces while also offering residents access to ample outdoor patio areas, all while overlooking the Rotterdam Harbor. Sounds and looks divine!

“Inversion”…Also Known as “The Hole House” or “Tunnel House” (Houston,Texas)

(Images via: Listphobia, David Airey)

Prior to its imminent demolition, the Houston-based art trio of Kate Petley, Dan Havel and Dean Ruck decided to make the most of a doomed dwelling in a Montrose neighborhood by transforming it into a short lived but very memorable installation called “The Tunnel” or “Hole” house. With its central vortex narrowing into a tunnel that spilled out into the exterior of the structure, local spectators were able to experience their own personal Alice in Wonderland fantasies (or nightmares as the case may be) before the whole thing was leveled in 2005.

The Mushroom House aka Tree House (Cincinnati, Ohio)

(Images via: at: 5chw4r7z, Rocketeer, AnDy631, The Wondrous)

Sprouting up in Cincinnati’s Hyde Park section, professor of Architecture and Interior Design Terry Brown – along with his students – hand crafted this one bedroom residence throughout a period of 14 years until its completion in 2006, at which time it was put on the market for $525,000. Sadly, Brown met his untimely demise just two years later in a car accident, but his Mushroom House – constructed with multiple types of metals, tinted glass, ceramics, wood and shell – serves as his most outstanding legacy and one of Cincinnati’s most esteemed landmarks.

Hang Nga Guesthouse a.k.a Crazy House (Dalat, Vietnam)

(Images via: Webady, TrippyDoo, Travel Spot Cool Stuff)

Tumbling out of the imagination of architect Dang Viet Nga, Hang Nga’s Guesthouse and Gallery is…well…all sorts of crazy, from its rustic tree-like base with spiderweb windows to winding, nook-and-cranny laden interior that promises to keep you guessing at every turn. The artsy designer and daughter of Vietnam’s former president tapped into her entrepreneurial spirit by wisely charging admission to the storybook structure, knowing full well that spectators would happily gobble up its funhouse like details, including seemingly melting interior and exterior facades punctuated by somewhat goofy ‘what are THEY doing here?’ zoo animals keeping a watchful, protective eye upon the premises.

Mind House, Part of Park Güell (Barcelona, Spain)

(Images via: Unusual Architecture, Kripo)

Spanish Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi, known for his fantastically original architectural works that can be found throughout Barcelona, incorporated intriguing mythological imagery within his Park Güell, including an outstanding colorful mosaic lizard and a sea serpent-shaped bench which took its unforgettable form thanks to the impression of a woman’s curvaceous derriere in the wet clay. Slightly more memorable than his naked buttock design technique is the overall gingerbread-like layout of his enchanting city garden boasting a thicket of 88 twisted rock pillars along with meandering walkways that appear to exist symbiotically with the lush green landscape. Serving as the focal point of the sprawling botanical zone is the Pavilion or Mind House, a rock studded masterpiece with whimsical jesture-like roof crowned by a polka-dotted mushroom shaped turret.

Conch Shell House (Isla Mujeres, Mexico)

(Images via: Couture Carrie, Art Style Online, Home Away)

Located just 20 minutes away from Cancun, this Carribbean Ocean-surrounded oasis — crafted by Octavio Ocampo — certainly leaves a distinctive impression with its 180 degree ocean views and seashell inspired design. The 5500 square foot dwelling, incorporating concrete as well as structural materials plucked straight from the beach and surrounding region, has no angles…just smooth flowing lines that mirror real seashells. With an interior that is just as alluring as its façade (thanks to creative design details that make the most of real coral and assorted conch shells), Ocampo’s structure – which is available for vacation rentals – offers a true escape into an ocean bound paradise.

Grand Lisboa (Macao)

(Images via: Cool Mags, Nightlight, Wayfaring)

We’ve all seen the ritz and glitz of modern casinos, so this entry may not seem like it’s treading unchartered waters, however the Dennis Lua and Ng Chun Man-designed structure happens to be among the world’s tallest skyscrapers…so that’s somethin’. An eight-story spherical platform pulsing with ostentatiously gaudy neon lights supports an equally Liberace-like lotus leaf, providing onlookers with seductive eye candy which baits them into gambling their cares and bank accounts away. With 58 floors of 5 star debauchery, the $375 million dollar project is said to be among the most opulent, in part due to the ample bling scattered throughout…such as crystal balls, 580,000 Swarovski crystals, gold leaf accents and the permanent display of a flawless 218 carat diamond called the Star of Stanley Ho.

The School of Art, Design and Media at Nanyang Technological University (Singapore)

(Images via: Architecture List, CPG Corp, Kamwise Miao)

Blurring the line between nature and architecture, this 5 story learning institute is an outstanding example of green construction with its fluid, grassy roof which appears to nestle its inner structure with a protective hug. Amid an urban landscape traditionally studded with buildings that automatically conduct heat, CPG Consultants’ award-winning design offers innate cooling properties along with a roof top rainwater harvesting system and smart sensors that only hydrate the greenery when necessary. It almost seems as though the glass, concrete and metal structure is carved into its wooded valley, acting as a natural extension of what Mother Nature was like long before man stepped into the mix.

The Crooked House (Sopot, Poland)

(Images via: Xcitefun.net, Panoramia, 2Bored4fun)

With little elbow room to breathe due to its curious location amid a long string of boutiques and cafes in Sopot’s Rezydent shopping center, it’s not surprising that architect Szotynscy Zaleski’s 4000 square meter cartoonish structure is suffering from a serious squish factor. However, it’s all by design and reflective of the art of Per Dahlberg and Jan Marcin Szancer, both of whom created fanciful scenes that are brought to life in The Crooked House’s off-kilter lines and somewhat saggy overall demeanor. Containing three stories packed to the gills with shops, restaurants, bars and a handful of touristy sites, Zaleski’s most photographed landmark is memorable just as much for its quirky appearance as it is for its sheer artistry and rather pitiful, gravity-succumbing sadness.

(Top montage images via: iFood TV.com, Instant Shift, Vision Decor, Wayfaring, Top 10 Thailand, Jassy World, Art Style Online, Cool Mags,  Design Top News)

(from weburbanist)

10 Radical Restaurant, Bistro and Cafe Designs

(Images via: Make Sweet, Spot Cool Stuff Travel, Cool Family Vacations, Trendir, Dirwell, Momoy, Juvan Design,  Restaurant Tycoons, Home Architecture & Interior Design, Modeco Design, Autojogja, Momoy)

Feeling a little peckish? Longing for a dining experience that transcends the ordinary, taking your taste buds on an otherworldly journey into hot damnnnn territory? Fret not, foodies, for the act of eating can be easily elevated to that of a culinary adventure when good food melds with even greater digs. Tantalizing our taste buds traditionally begins with fresh ingredients, masterful preparation and an aesthetically pleasing arrangement, but once the extra ingredient of architectural genius is added to the mix, a perfectly satisfying meal becomes that of an event that lingers within our minds long after we unceremoniously lap up the last scrumptious crumb from plates. (Waste not, want not…mom would definitely approve.) You might want to make a point of visiting at least one or two of the following radically designed chow palaces for an experience you’ll undoubtedly dine for!

Germany’s Fully Automated, Quick-n-Quirky Restaurant

(Images via: Crust Station, s Baggers, Be Update, Anita Coco, 2Day Blog)

Boasting a Wallace and Gromit-like, spiral-configured and entirely automated gravity feed rail system, Michael Mack is the brainchild behind ’s Baggers highly entertaining and quite efficient automated ordering and direct-to-table delivery service. Essentially rendering waiters and waitresses obsolete, his patented, computer-networked process could enable other restaurateurs to focus on the business of serving good food and pass their saved personnel costs onto patrons. Endowing diners with greater control over the pace of their meals, the novelty aspect alone is enough to help Mack gain a devoted following and court fast food chains like McDonald’s, which he is very eager to license the idea to.

Japan’s Deeply Rooted Eatery

(Images via: Storm Seed, RVM Gratz, Cube Me, Best House Design, Cyana Trendland)

Upon initial review, this novelty restaurant perched atop a rustic looking tree is quite impressive with its 20 foot tall weathered foundation and internal elevator which transports patrons up to the main dining area. The hearty vines ensconcing the trunk add to the overall impression that this is a tree with a storied life, but in actuality, it possesses the heart and soul of plain old concrete. In spite of that buzz kill, the Naha Harbor Diner has earned a reputation as offering an outstanding view of Onoyama Park and the harbor as well as serving up really tasty, locally sourced organic ethnic cuisine running the gamut from Japanese and Indian to Italian.

A Maldivian Deep Sea Spectacle

(Images via: Elite Choice, Sydney Table, Koormann, Trip Advisor, Funking Dave)

For those who never quite got their sea legs down pat but still long for the hypnotic views that only the ocean can provide will undoubtedly be enamored with the Maldivian spectacle known as Ithaa, which in the region’s native tongue means “pearl”. Indeed, the $5 million restaurant is an ocean bound treasure, located 15 feet below the Indian Ocean to be precise, but you better be prepared to sell off any spare gold dental fillings you might have or at least a whole bunch of platelets to afford their $120 lunch or $250 dinner. Still, some might feel that it’s an experience well worth the bank account damage. Situated on Rangali Island, Ithaa restaurant is believed to be a one-of-a-kind underwater restaurant encapsulated entirely in very thick clear, aquarium style R-Cast acrylic, enabling patrons to enjoy 270 degree views of coral reefs and the naturally indigenous marine life.

Funky French Archipelago Dining Design is Especially Tres Fine

(Images via: Komokokomoko)

In a land dotted with endlessly quaint outdoor cafes, French designer Matali Crasset conceived of a vibrant indoor eating configuration that offers a modern interpretation of an archipelago with multiple satellite dining zones. Located inside a shopping mall at Cab 3000, St Laurent du Var, this Nouveau cafe design concept offers a dash of eye candy as well as a festive indoor solution to the open air dining culture that is so intrinsically a part of the French lifestyle. Even better, the designer created a fully movable unit which can be easily relocated to future locations that may be more optimal.

The Bee’s Knees For Diners Who Speak Chinese

(Images via: Ricarch, Shenzen Party)

Have you heard what all the buzz is about in Shenzhen, China? Ever since SAKO Architects constructed the 1300 square meter Honeycomb restaurant, area residents have been enjoying its large public space for special events as well as its intimate dinner nooks, all stylistically divided with a white spiral honeycomb-studded staircase. Featuring sleek transparent acrylic plastic partitions, undulating wave-like white aerated room sectionals, black granite flooring and mirror-like ceilings, the contrast of carefully appointed details with a space-age undercurrent work harmoniously to create a dynamic dining space that any diligent worker bee would happily want to cool their heels off in.

Pricey Crane-Bound Vittles a Light-Headed Thrill (or Chill)

(Images via: Spot Cool Stuff Travel)

Better not be afraid of heights if you step on board the swinging platform of Dinner in the Sky’s instant movable restaurant with a view. Hatched up by an apparently wacky and thrill-seeking Belgium company, they seem to be doing quite well given the fact that they are offering their distinctive crane-hoisted experience in major cities around the globe, including directly above the Grand Canyon, Paris’ Notre Dame, the Las Vegas Strip and naturally, glitzy Dubai. For the equivalent of an average blue collar salary ($30,000), you too can achieve new heights of dining glory with (hopefully) 22 of your closest seriously seat-buckled friends as you clink glasses at a height of 162 feet for two ever-so-brief yet undoubtedly memorable hours. Mangia!

Darkness Abounds in a Lviv, Ukraine Din-Din Shroud

(Images via: English Russia)

A Ukrainian undertaker and funeral home director must have thought to himself, “Egads! I know what’s been missing from the dining scene for far too long…a little dash of death to help us digest the bitter pill of our mortality!!” In keeping with his whopper of a brainstorm, the enterprising entrepreneur created a massive pine coffin restaurant replica called Eternity — acknowledged by the Guinness Book of World Records as being the largest in the world — and adhered to dreary thematic touches such as funeral music, depressingly crummy carnation wreaths and multiple human-sized coffins propped up against the black landscape plastic-lined walls. Whoo-eee, that’s one heavy scene. Who’s craving a Hello Kitty eatery instead?

Dining Kiwi-Style at What Seems Like a Mile (High, That Is…)

(Images via: Homedit, Cibo Archittetura, NZ Tramping, Springwise, Technovegy)

Standing 12 feet tall and spanning an equally impressive 10 feet in width, New Zealand’s plantation poplar-constructed Yellow Treehouse restaurant – nestled on the forest edge and accessible via a meandering 60 meter pathway – accommodates 18 diners in seriously lofty style. With its chrysalis-like vibe that spirals upward toward an open ended top, the organic design employs structural timber trusses which work in tandem with its central Redwood tree base to support the entire restaurant. Overall, the final look is one of an enchanting childhood fantasy come to life.

Airy, Woven Beauty With a Japanese-Themed Interior

(Images via: Dezeen, Design Boom)

With its bi-layer steel lattice exterior offering a practical yet highly dynamic way to repurpose what was previously an old house, Tori Tori Restaurant – located in Mexico City – is the exciting result of a collaboration between industrial designer Hector Esrawe and Rojkind Arquitectos. Filtered light streams through its open air pattern and into the perimeter of the very successful Japanese eatery, creating what seems to be an organic yet structured representation of the surrounding ivy-covered walls. This is one of those stop-and-stare structures that easily demonstrates that the days of cookie cutter box designs are fortunately over and done with – good riddance!

Sky-High Wood Pile (Better Keep the Splinters Out Of Your Eyes!)

(Images via: Ricarch)

Without its chaotic cacophony of criss-crossed wooden pieces streaming from four central cores and emanating up onto the ceiling, Sliver restaurant might easily be relegated to the ranks of attractive, modern dining spaces that are nevertheless easily forgettable at the end of the day. Fortunately, Russian based Dark Design Group exceeds our wildest design expectations with their simple yet incredibly compelling effect…as if a turbulent tornado of stripped trees is swirling overhead. Just be sure to shield your dinner plate from the splintery fall-out!

(from weburbanist)

18 Unbelievably Realistic Works of 3D Digital Art

What can’t artists do with 3D computer graphics these days? Fantasy can be brought to life in ways never before imagined, and realistic scenes as clear as a digital photograph are illustrated with stunning vitality. These 18 CG images from 15 talented artists will blow you away with their depth and attention to detail, from the tiniest little pores on the skin of an elf to the fibers on a fuzzy sweater.

Piotr Fox Wysocki

(image via: cgsociety.org)

The texture of the fabric. The gleam of the metal helmet. The pores, tiny hairs and imperfections of the skin. Piotr Fox Wysocki proves his mastery of 3D art with “The Last Elf”, a truly mind-blowing testament to how powerful 3D modeling programs have become. The project was certainly a labor of love, as Fox Wysocki notes that “As far as I
remember there were 1,300,000 small hair in the fabric.”

Juan Siquier

(image via: siquier.cgsociety.org)

3D artist Juan Siquier has managed to stir together a complex pot of magical ingredients to make this image so believable and moody: perspective, lighting, texture, and all of the little details that make up a personal space. See it full-sized on CGSociety.org to really appreciate the artistry of this image.

Arthur Wiechec

(image via: djdrako.deviantart.com)

Polish artist Arthur Wiechec may design everyday items like wine glasses and chess boards, but he infuses an incredible amount of life into them. Only the physical impossibility of floating wine and precariously balanced quarters of a glass betray the source of the image.

Kuanfu Sun

(image via: apollo13c.cgsociety.org)

Macro photo of a bee, or work of computer art? Kuanfu Sun makes it hard to tell in this image, which is richly detailed down to floating bits of dandelion in the background.

Rodrigue Pralier

(image via: 3dtotal.com)

Principal Artist at Bioware Montreal , Rodrigue Pralier has worked on 3D characters and backgrounds for games like Mass Effect 2 . This particular piece was done using Zbrush, 3Ds Max and Photoshop.

“I wanted to do a piece with an old Samurai. He just had a fight and won over another samurai. He is completely detached, he has done it so many times before. Now he just awaits for the one who will beat him, and end his nonsense life.”

Hong Phi

(image via: hongphi.deviantart.com)

If you saw one of Vietnamese conceptual 3D artist Hong Phi’s interiors in a magazine, you’d never guess that it wasn’t a photograph of a richly appointed home. But all of these images – including the incredible food spread above – were made using CG.

Rick Baker

(image via: monstermaker.cgsociety.org)

Renowned makeup artist Rick Baker turned to CGI to create a stunning likeness of Frankenstein’s monster. “This piece entitled “The Monster” is based on one of my favorite stills, of my all time favorite monster Boris Karloff as Frankenstein’s Monster,” he writes on CG Society.

“I used Modo ZBrush and Photoshop to create this piece. Jack Pierce had crude materials in 1931 to create this makeup but managed to create an image that the whole world knows. Besides trying to do a likeness of Karloff I hoped to show some of the emotion that he put into this character.”

Mauro Corveloni

(image via: maurocor.cgsociety.org)

Mauro Corveloni’s “Muriel” may not quite look like a real woman – there’s something sort of waxy about her – but what’s truly impressive here is both the lighting and all of those tiny, fuzzy fibers on her hat and sweater.

Finn Meinert Matthiesen

(image via: madmaximus83.deviantart.com)

It’s an idyllic scene – a romantic picnic with textured table linens, a glass wine bottle, fruit and a basket full of bread with a lilypad-covered lake in the background. German graphic designer Finn Meinert Matthiesen says he used 3D-Studio Max 2009, VRay and Photoshop to create this image.

Max Wahyudi

(image via: student.vfs.com)

It’s tempting to assume that Max Wahyudi must have just edited an image of Heath Ledger as The Joker for this image – such is its realism. But you can see the whole fascinating modeling process laid out step-by-step at Max’s website, as each element is carefully arranged and enhanced.

Max Kor

(image via: mkor.cgsociety.org)

Each tiny eyelash, fine little hair, bump, wrinkle and scar make this 3D CG image by Max Kor astonishingly realistic – not to mention the reflections on the figure’s chain mail. And this image isn’t even an example of the latest and greatest 3D technology – it was created in 2005, making it all the more impressive.

Ed Whetstone

(image via: edthehobbit.cgsociety.org)

“This project was all about texturing something deceptively simple, the Sultan of Slime, the humble snail,” artist Ed Whetstone explains. “Then, the challenge was to composite it convincingly onto a photographic plate. The trickiest bit was replicating the very particular pattern of bumps and protrusions that snails always exhibit. This particular snail isn’t based on any specificspecies, but a mishmash of ones I thought looked interesting.”

Pasquale Giacobelli

(image via: karma3d.cgsociety.org)

Pasquale Giacobelli’s images may not have quite the crispness and shocking realism as some of his fellow 3D artists, but his art has a special something that many of them are lacking – humanity. There’s something in the eyes of his subjects that seems more fully alive than most computer-generated portraits.

Cornelius Comanns

(image via: cernulois.cgsociety.org)

Reflections can be tough to get right in any artistic work, but Cornelius Comanns has certainly crafted them convincingly in this piece, featuring an ice cube and two ladybugs.

Alex Stratulat

(image via: alexstratulat.cgsociety.org)

It really takes a moment to realize you’re not looking at an actual photograph of a young woman in this 3D work of art by Alex Stratulat.

Creative Shoes: 13 of the Wildest Shoe Designs and Brands

[ By Marc in weburbanist ]

While the majority of consumers are content to purchase the newest brand of name brand shoes, in the same color and style they always get, this doesn’t hold true for everyone. In our daily lives we only come across the occasional individual who truly works at expressing their personality via their shoes. Here are 13 groups of the wildest shoes you wouldn’t even see on the most outrageous free spirit:

(Images via fashionvictim101, popgloss, twolia, hellishhumor)

Fur coats are common, but fur shoes, not so much. In the Native American tradition of using every part of an animal, some creative shoe designers have taken this philosophy to the next level… creating shoes that appear animalistic to an extreme.

(Images via splendidcity, thefashionpolice, fashionvictim101, funalso)

Designers are always pushing the boundaries between form and function, in the hope of inspiring new lines that can be sold to a wider audience. Some designers add new features, while other try to go so minimalist that they remove entire sections of a shoe to reveal what’s beneath.

(Images via babydoll, declubz, myamazingfact, gemersiksufi, anshul, ebaumsworld)

Almost all shoes are designed in the same boring fashion, but there are definitely exceptions. Whether a designer utilizes a smoother, waving form, or manipulates the shape into something that hardly resembles a shoe, they all let their creativity go wild.

(Images via messandnoise, oddee, coutureavenue)

There aren’t any rules when it comes to design, and some creative innovators try to redefine what we consider set in stone. Some of the results are too radical for most people’s taste, but the occasional design will strike a chord with a larger audience (or a wealthy customer), and become a true success.

(Images via hem, specialfootwear, designswan, 2dayblog)

When you’re dressing up in costume, it’s important not to forget your feet. You can go for the realistic, disgusting look, or put on a pair of rats that look way too real. Either way, you’ll leave a trail of groaning friends in your wake.

(Images via aioviga, misslalaland, timetranscript, highheelshoemuseum)

High heels give a graceful, elegant look, and the height of a model. Just like anything, though, extremes can be ridiculous. Incredibly tall high heels can add an artistic flair to a model walking down the runway, but there is an element of very real danger. A lot of women have twisted their ankles, and taken bad spills.

(Images via interestingfacts, toxel)

Some shoes are made out of alternative materials in order to be more environmentally friendly, or add an interesting twist to a typically mundane clothing item, but this isn’t always the case. Necessity breeds invention, and sadly, this means that some of the poorest people are forced to make shoes out of any materials they can get their hands on.

(Images via sarahselectronicblogride, meganginter, geekscape, sikendi)

Not all mainstream shoe makers are boring. Shoe makers will make special edition shoes that appeal to a niche group of consumers, and advertise the brand as something unique. Form fitting shoes are meant to give better feedback to one’s feet, while still protecting them from the elements, but they look as out of this world as a pair of a dinosaur sneakers, or as ridiculous as a tennis ball shoe.

(Images via designswan, popgloss)

While it may not be incredibly functional, shoes can be a fantastic medium for artistic endeavors. There’s something inherently interesting about a common, and typically boring, element from our everyday lives being turned into something creative and unique.

(Images via freshvintage, fashionandnonsense, stylefeeder, nypost, effamadha)

Quirky and outlandish shoes are a great way to stand out in a crowd and express an artistic spirit. You can search high and low for rare and exotic designs, or add to an already existing model and make it your own. The true DIY fanatic will find a way to make anything unique.

(Images via declubz, funnypictures, impactlab, blacklognz)

Like a novelty clown nose, or gigantic foam hands and hats created for sporting events or special occasions, there’s a seemingly endless variety of shoes meant to cause a laugh. The stereotypical clown shoe is just the beginning, as almost any item can be turned into a semblance of a shoe, though it might not be the most comfortable thing to wear.

(Images via designswan, showmeyourshoes, gizmodiva, thefashionpolice)

Most people who have worn high heels will attest that they’re not the most comfortable clothing item in the world, but some designers express this in an industrial, and blatant way, by adding heavy, painful looking spikes and metals, and turning an elegant item into something intimidating.

(Images via cemilanmata, fun-maniac, myspace, twolia, untitiledarchive, weirdositylives)

Winsome Words: 18 Examples of Typography in Web Design

[ By Steph in Architecture & Design, Gadgets & Geek Art. ]

“Web design is 95% typography.” That quote has been repeated around the internet so many times it has practically become gospel – probably because it’s true. While images are important, most of what we process while browsing the web is text. Using the same old boring fonts doesn’t make for exciting design, so some graphic artists have turned typography on the web into a stunning art form unto itself. These 18 websites use typography to inform, but also as an (often interactive) design element that’s like a magnet for our eyeballs.

Espira Web Technology

Priorities, priorities, priorities. Espira Web Technology has emphasized the most important words on the page using large, eye-catching typography that’s a seamless part of the overall design of the site. Following the cardinal rule of using serif typefaces only for headings, the text is easy to read and almost forcibly pulls you in regardless of whether you even speak Spanish.

Jesus Rodriguez Velasco

Sometimes, typography is used in web design to firmly establish the theme or essence of what the site is all about. In this case, archaic-looking typeface and hand-painted symbols hint at what’s inside: “a veritable panoply of literary, visual and aural diversions related (or not) to academic pursuits, arcane (or simply dusty) vagaries and very earnest but most likely misguided contemporary concerns.” The author, Jesus Rodriquez Velasco, is a medieval and early modern studies professor at Columbia University.

Oliver Kavanaugh Design

It’s big. It’s loud. It’s overwhelmingly the most important element on the page, and that’s the point. Graphic and web designer Oliver Kavanaugh managed to make jumbled, overlapping text that might be far too busy in the wrong hands work with subtle texture, a controlled color scheme and careful attention to composition.

Ryan Keiser Design

“I create usable accessible colorful experiences.” All three of those adjectives also apply to the typography-centered design of this website, helping Ryan Keiser establish his brand in a way that’s immediate and memorable.

Denise Chandler Design

Can you resist scrolling further down the page after getting a look at this web header? It’s clean and simple yet dynamic – even without the cute animated insects. Web and graphic designer Denise Chandler showcases her talent with an online portfolio that’s classic and modern all at once.

The New York Moon

Sure, the most eye-catching element of this page is that huge vintage radio. But though it may be subtle, the typography on The New York Moon website still shines. It’s a great example of how less can be more – the type doesn’t have to be acid-bright or two inches tall to call attention to itself and help define the page.

Kidd 81 Design

It’s not hard to tell that Paul Jamie Kidd really loves his job. Everything about the playful, colorful typography on his website screams “fun” – but not in an annoying way, thanks to the balanced white space and neutral brown background.

Circus Family Design, Direction, Animation & Production

Whoa – four different typefaces in a row? That’s usually a terrible idea (especially on the web) – but Circus Family pulls it off here with an austere layout and monochromatic color scheme. The chosen typefaces give the site a very “edgy silent film” feel – appropriate given the nature of the company’s work.

Alpha Multimedia

How can a brand name force itself into your head without screaming like a headache-inducing car dealership commercial? Alpha Multimedia gets it done with excellent use of negative space, filling in the entire header with the word and subsequently drawing your eye down the page to view their featured work samples.

Lorem Ipsum Design

There’s an argument to be made that using ‘lorem ipsum’ isn’t a great idea when designing a website, but that doesn’t extend to using the graphic design agency of the same name. Lorem Ipsum Design goes bold and, well, graphic with a home page featuring nothing but two fonts, one a stark sans serif and the other a hand-written scrawl on a moveable post-it.

Maurivan Luiz Design

The word ‘WELCOME!’ in huge typeface with an exclamation point at the top of a website can be a sign of an amateur designer. That’s definitely not the case here. Maurivan Luiz keeps the friendliness from being cliché – the greeting warmly sets the tone for the site and balances well with the white background and the italicized serif text below it.

The Astonishing Adventures of Lord Likely

What would the blog of a hedonistic Victorian gentleman with a penchant for getting sidetracked by the ladies while solving mystifying mysteries look like? A little something likeLordLikely.com, a rather racy account of all sorts of mustachioed aristocratic adventures. The chosen typefaces and parchment-like background are evocative of the era, but the clean design is a nod to the modern world.

Love Freelancing

Sometimes, the right balance of typography is like music – it flows with its own rhythm and harmony. Web designer Kai Branch created this little site to hype an ebook of web designer interviews, and it does the subject proud with a beautiful composition of type in various fonts, sizes and orientations.

Giant Creative Web Design & Development

Who needs fancy illustrations when you’re this good with nothing but type? A web design and development firm called Giant Creative literally makes typography the center of attention on their own website. The design is clean yet fun, using a font that’s just playful enough to give a lighthearted yet professional impression.

Ben Lind Design

“I create simple, clean websites that are easy to use and fun to look at.” So says designer Ben Lind on his own website, but perhaps he needn’t have. The design of his site says it all, with a large typography graphic in the center that not only reads “Hi, I’m Ben, I love making websites” but also forms an L for his last name.

Elysium Burns Design

Graphic designer Sean Baker goes for bold sans-serif type for headlines and titles and a more elegant serif font for the text blocks, but with a tightly controlled color scheme and varying font sizes, it all comes together into a cohesive design.

FL2 Blog

It doesn’t get much bolder than this. Interactive agency FL2 isn’t shy about making typography just about as big as it can be both on their blog and website, leaving you with absolutely no question whatsoever which page you’ve landed on.

(from weburbanist)

Stupendous Steps: 15 Great Escalator & Stair Ads

[ By Steph in Architecture & Design, Guerilla Marketing & Ads, Subvertising & Counter-Ads, Urbanism. ]

While spending 30 seconds on an escalator, where do you look? Most people just stare straight ahead – making escalators an ideal location for advertising. But some ads are more colorful, clever and controversial than others, using both the ideal eye-level platform and shape of the stairs to their full potential. These are the kinds of ads that make people pause and marvel for a moment before continuing on their way.

Canadian Red Cross Escalator Ad

(image via: allbusiness)

From the top of the stairs, this ad looks so realistic that it could prompt people to rush down so quickly they injure themselves – completely undermining the purpose of the campaign. Created for the Canadian Red Cross, the decal intends to promote the knowledge of first aid with a message reading “Know What to Do.”

DHL Gridlock Escalator Ad

(image via: adoholik)

Hong Kong traffic is notoriously nightmarish. But even the gridlocks of this city can’t stop DHL, or so they insinuate with this escalator ad which depicts their trucks speeding down a convenient (though imaginary) fast lane, located on the moving handrail, as the rest of the cars remain at a maddening halt.

IKEA Staircase Ad

(image via: directdaily)

IKEA is practically synonymous with “organization”, something nearly everyone could use a little help with. That makes these stair stickers that much more effective, depicting neatly stacked clothing and linens in drawers.

Hopi Hari Escalator Ad

(image via: adland)

When people momentarily forget they’re on an escalator, imagining themselves having a great time at an amusement park instead, you know that an ad is special. This one for a Brazil amusement park called Hopi Hari turns each step into a snapshot of a couple enjoying a roller coaster.

Nationwide Staircase Ad

(image via: ads of the world)

Bad things happen every day… like bizarre automobile accidents that send your car flying in the air like the General Lee, if this Nationwide Insurance staircase ad is to be believed. It certainly takes full advantage of the huge set of stairs at the end of Fashion Show Drive in Las Vegas.

Revita Beauty Center Shiatzu Escalator Ad

(image via: adland)

When possible, it’s best to avoid stepping on people – unless you’re a professional masseuse. While this ad may make some people uncomfortable, others may be reminded of just how good it would feel to let someone work out the knots in their backs.

Table Soccer Staircase Ad

(image via: ads of the world)

An outdoor guerilla ad campaign to promote the first international table soccer world cup featured realistic-looking flyers shaped like table soccer figures on stair handrails around the city of Hamburg, Germany.

Consol Energy Coal Mine Escalator Ad

(image via: ads of the world)

Consol Energy reminds people of what it takes to power our world with coal – descending into deep, dark, dirty mines – with an ad bound to make environmentalists cringe.

Coca-Cola Escalator & Staircase Ad

(image via: ads of the world)

Coca-Cola engaged in some targeted marketing in a joint campaign with McDonalds. Regular, full-calorie Coke was advertised to people who take the stairs, while the people getting less activity by taking the escalator see ads for Diet Coke instead.

Jeep Parking Space Ad

(image via: toxel)

Capitalizing on the Jeep’s reputation as a vehicle that can go places other cars can’t, these guerrilla-style ads create parking spots in the most unlikely places – like stairs. No word on whether Jeep owners that took the ads up on their offer got reimbursed for pricey parking tickets.

Gillette Venus Escalator Ad

(image via: ads of the world)

Who was the advertiser that looked at the side of an escalator and thought, ‘hmmm, that looks like a leg’? Someone had to have made that questionable connection to come up with this eye-catching ad by Gillette, which featured small decals of razors on the handrail.

Greenville Literary Association Staircase Ad

(image via: toxel)

It’s not hard to grasp how book lovers at the Greenville Literary Association came to see a stack of books in a flight of stairs. This ad, created to generate book donations, takes full advantage of the shape of the advertiser’s chosen medium.

Juice Salon Escalator Ad

(image via: adland)

How many different haircuts can one man possibly get? This creative example of escalator advertising attempts to answer that question, putting a different style on every step, each of which briefly join with the man’s face at the bottom of the escalator to demonstrate the effect.

South Carolina Time to Thaw Stairs Ad

(image via: bounce agency)

The same agency that came up with the creative Greenville Literary Association book stairs also turned a set of stairs into stacks of suitcases, inspiring passersby to “pack your bags: it’s time to thaw.” The ad encourages travel to South Carolina.

Pizza Kingdom Escalator Ad

(image via: ads of the world)

Is the sight of a pizza lying on a dirty escalator, stepped on by thousands of pairs of feet, really all that appetizing? A chain called Pizza Kingdom hoped that it would be with this strange ad, designed to demonstrate “extra cheese” stretching from step to step. Amazingly, it worked: revenue increased by 53% within a month.

(from weburbanist)

More Than Fit to Sit: 15 Clever Bench Ads

[ By Steph in Guerilla Marketing & Ads, Subvertising & Counter-Ads, Urban Images. ]

A bench is a bench – except when it’s also a platform for a surprising, thought-provoking, memorable advertisement that sometimes even functions as urban art. The best bench ads turn ubiquitous public furniture into interactive displays that entreat the public to get fit, go on vacation, try a new product and even conserve resources.

District 9 Bench: For Humans Only

(image via: aharvey2k)

Before anyone heard of a little film called District 9, signs barring non-humans from using benches and restrooms could be seen in major cities such as Los Angeles. With a phone number and a warning that “non-human secretions may corrode metal”, these advertisements blurred the line between reality and the fictional world created by the filmmakers in typical guerilla fashion.

Fed-Ex Bubble Wrap Bench

(image via: advertolog)

Fed-Ex can ship practically anything – including benches, as ‘demonstrated’ by this bubble-wrapped bench. The ad series, conceived by BBDO New York, was created to announce the opening of FedEx Kinko’s locations in fairly remote locations.

Instant Ski Vacation

(image via: adsneeze)

Can you picture yourself on an adventurous ski trip, heading up the slope on a lift that provides stunning views of the surrounding landscape? If not, Alberta Travel is happy to help with this creative bench ad that even emulates skis on your feet and snow down below.

Use Only What You Need

(image via: advertolog)

Ads promoting water conservation might be easily overlooked by a public that has begun to tune out conventional modes of promotion. But, it’s hard to pass by this bench, created by Sukle Advertising & Design advertising agency for Denver Water, without taking a second look and absorbing the message: use only what you need.

Skinny Bench for Skinny People

(image via: scaryideas)

A similarly skinny bench communicates something different altogether: if you can’t sit here, perhaps you need to lose some weight. Slim Fast helpfully points people in the right direction with a plaque that reads “Donated by Slim Fast”.

Collapsing Bench for Special K

(image via: coloribus)

Similarly, one cereal brand hopes that consumers will be enticed to try their product after finding that a public bench caves in beneath their weight. This bench in Germany was made with a flexible material to shock people into thinking about how heavy they are, and convince them that 99.9% fat-free Special K was the way to fix the problem.

A Weighty Matter

(image via: businessweek)

Of course, if undersized or collapsing seating areas don’t work, there’s always a more potent way to shame the overweight public: a bus shelter bench with a built-in scale that broadcasts their weight to the world at large. This one in Amsterdam was created by the world’s third-largest gym chain, Fitness First.

No Choice But to Get Closer

(image via: directdaily)

Just try sitting on this slanted bench with somebody else without sliding right into each other. It literally forces people to “Get Closer”, which happens to be the ad slogan for a Czech liquor called Becherovka.

A Stroller Fit for a Baby Giraffe

(image via: ads of the world)

This extra-tall stroller – or pram, if you’re not American – certainly catches the attention of anyone who happens to sit on the bench beside it. The unusual ad by Calgary Zoo uses an embroidered blanket to tell the public that “the baby giraffe is here”.

Nivea Says Goodbye to Cellulite

(image via: directdaily)

Sitting on cellulite isn’t pretty – unless it’s in the form of a dimpled blue bench. This ad by Nivea promoting its Goodbye-Cellulite lotion manages to convey the message that smooth skin is superior to cellulite without anything too disturbingly skin-like.

Homey IKEA Bench Makeover

(image via: culture-buzz)

IKEA proves that even the ugliest, most worn-out bench you can find in an urban environment can be instantly transformed into a homey, welcoming space to relax with some inexpensive Swedish fabric and accessories.

Kit-Kat Bench

(image via: Noah Dylan Goldblatt)

Seeing the brown slats of a bench partially enveloped in a Kit-Kat wrapper begs the question: why didn’t they think of this earlier? It’s a perfect fit that undoubtedly had many an onlooker suddenly craving chocolate-covered wafers.

Istanbul’s Book Benches

(image via: adrants)

Istanbul is an open book – 18 of them, in fact, all written by Turkish poets. This ad campaign not only promotes reading and publicizes the work of native writers, but turns boring public furniture into functional works of art.

Amnesty International ‘Electric Bench’

(image via: funforever)

We might let important social issues slip our minds while going about our daily lives, but Amnesty International is here to remind us that “More than 4000 condemned until death are waiting for their execution. No to Capital punishment”. Accompanying these words at a Barcelona bus shelter was a bench designed to look like a pair of electric chairs.

‘Extra Safe’ Credit Union Ad

(image via: thefinancialbrand)

If this ad and others in the same series were put out by an insurance agency, one would have to wonder whether the “extra safe” message really implies that consumers are buying way more coverage than they need. But the ads were actually created by FirstOntario Credit Union to assure the public that their short-term investments are secure as can be, even in this shaky economic climate – so it works.

(from weburbanist)

Mind-Bending Digital Photo Manipulation by Erik Johansson

In the Age of Photoshop, few images are surprising anymore – but every now and then, you come across one that makes you do a double take and spend a few moments thinking, “how’d they do that?” Swedish photographer Erik Johansson has a portfolio packed full of such images, blending reality and artificiality together so seamlessly, one wonders whether he’s an artist or a magician.

Johansson seems to live in a surreal world where roads unfurl like fabric, giant mirrored objects dangle from the sky, humans spring forth from the soil like potted plants and disturbingly elastic faces pop out of joint to swallow oranges whole.

The Swedish artist takes all of his photos himself and manipulates them digitally in Photoshop CS4, spending 10-20 hours on each photo. “I got my first digital camera when I turned 15, I did some changes to the photos and thought it was fun. But I really started in 2007 when I bought my first SLR camera. That is when I started to do some serious photo manipulations,” Johansson told Abduzeedo.

In an interview with Don’t Panic, Johansson said, “My goal is to make pictures as realistic as possible, but at the same time impossible. Many photographers try to look weird, so I try to make my shots as plausible as possible. I would say I try to use humour a lot and I rarely have a didactic message. Sometimes I want to tell something, but mostly I want people to interpret.”

“A lot of young people think they’re fascinating but the older generation don’t really believe in Photoshop. They think photos should be a pure image. Myself, I’m never satisfied with them but I think that’s a healthy instinct.”

(from weburbanist)

Concept Motorcycles: 20 Bad-Ass Bikes To Hope For In 2010

Lean, mean and sometimes even green, concept motorcycles often make us want to head out on the highway and look for adventure. These bikes may not be quite ready to tear up the road as we zoom into the wind, but we wish they would move from concept to reality very soon! As we take a look at concept motorcycles, here are 20 of the most bad-ass bikes to hope for in 2010.

Lamborbiker Inspired by Lamborghini

(image credits:tuvie)

Flavio Adriani took his inspiration from two great names in invention, engineering and design, Nikola Tesla and Ferrucio Lamborghini. Flavio has created some stunning motorcycles from his concept. We want this bad boy to become reality soon!

Nuclear Fusion Motorbike 2050

(image credits:The Design Blog)

Romain Herment has a motorcycle concept that uses nuclear energy as a power source. He calls it “Motorbike 2050 version 2.” This futuristic bike uses two inexhaustible natural elements, deuterium and tritium, allowing a sustainable ride in the days to come. The motorbike consumes 1 liter of water for a 100 km drive.

Mad Max Aitu Motorbike

(image credits:coroflot)

The Aitu seems to be rough and rowdy, ready for Mad Max to take it for a spin. Designer Renato Gschwend is hoping to attract adventurous souls who want to make heads turn if this bike ever hits the street. It features a powerful V-twin 1800cc engine and non-silent exhausts to ensure you’re heard roaring down the highway.

Electric Motorbike: ZEVS

(image credits:www1.uni-ak.ac.at)

Three designers Bernhard Ranner, Anders August Kittilsen and Rudolf Stefanich, worked to make ZEVS, “The first electric motorcycle for the “real biker.” It’s designed for “real men” and dusty roads, in the spirit of Harley Davidson, Custom Chopper culture and the good old Route 66 romance.

Carbon Fiber For Fast, Light Cruise

(image credits:The Design Blog)

Designed by Julian Silva, this concept motorcycle is covered in carbon fiber for a fast and light ride. The framework is made of aluminum and wrapped with carbon fiber panels that store the mechanical systems. This motorbike was designed to encapsulate the pilot´s arms, legs and back through the secondary red panels and to keep the driver safe in case of a fall.

Super Green Super Dangerous Super Bike

(image credits:Yanko Design)

Designer Pierre Yohanes Lubis thinks if you would like a very fast, very dangerous, very tiny motorcycle, then the Halbo might be for you. If it gets beyond concept and hits the main highway, let’s just hope you don’t hit the pavement too because it could be much worse than road rash. However, it does have a BMW stamp on it and is electric powered.

Super Skinny Swordfish & Stalker

(image credits:coroflot)

Designer Alexander Kotlyarevsky peered into the future and then created both these concept motorcycles. He molded their alloy frames into a minimalistic design. The sleek silver hotrod is called Swordfish while the metallic pink bike is called Stalker. This futuristic duo is like his and hers for a rebel ride.

Harley Davidson Circa 2020

(image credits:Yanko Design)

Will the Harley Davidson Hog of the future resembles this beast? Designer Miguel Cotto believes so. The large 883cc engine is coupled with a Tron-like body. The wheel hubs are actually giant bearings.

STRIDER – Super Hero Motorcycle Concept

(image credits:Industrial Design Served)

Designer David Gonçalves has created more than one futuristic motorcycle. This project, however, started with a request from one of his clients who needed a bike for a cartoon superhero. A female superhero at that. Inspiration struck him and the concept of Strider was born.

Sleek Sci-Fi Superbikes

(image credits:The Design Blog)

Designer Matt Williams created a superbike called KTM Motorbike. Vroom must have been the mantra playing while creativity blossomed. KTM looks ready to leap forward, looks fast even when parked. The V-twin engine is hidden within the frame. Its hub-center steering system provides a more usable steering angle than telescopic forks while the center is a more stable and predictable ride.

Icare Bike Concept

(image credits:hypebeast)

Conceptualized by Enzyme Design, the Icare motorcycle is meant to be the Aston Martin of the two-wheeled world with a six-cyclinder 1.8 Honda engine. It looks like a muscle motorcycle of the future, ready to rip up the road and outrace the cops in hot pursuit.

Jaguar M-Cycle

(image credits:m-cycles)

This roaring jaguar is the result of interior designer Lee J. Rowland teaming up with motorbike fanatic Barend Hemmes. Jaguar concept motorcycle has only been taken up to speeds of 55 mph, but you better believe heads turn as fellow bikers drool. The big cat is powered by 1200cc Harley-Davidson V-twin engine. The shape of this sleek cat is not suitable for anyone under 6 feet, meant to have feet propped far up front on the pedals as a real drag-style riding machine.

The Bull Concept

(image credits:m-cycles)

Designer Lee J. Rowland was struck again with inspiration after the Jaguar and tackled this shiny bull. He had to think hard and long to figure out how to get the bull’s horns positioned on this bike. Red, loud, and shiny, the Bull concept motorcycle will surely call to some bike lover to be made into a reality.

Ghost & Devil Motorcycle Concepts

(image credits:En Derin,En Derin)

What does a ghost and devil have in common? They’ve been turned into slick speed machines, or at least concept motorcycles. Designer Muhammad Imran designed Ghost while keeping a flying falcon in mind. He was also inspired by the bike tribute of “Ghost Rider.” Ghost calls out to the young and reckless and will hopefully offer fantastic future fun to those who really have a need for speed. Designer Robert Liddell aimed to give his motorcycle features fitting for the name Devil Bike. He created it with V-twin engine, so this shiny black bike will fit the personality of the young with a passion for speed and style.

2015 Honda CB 750

(image credits:Yanko Design)

Designer Igor Chak came up with this concept bike, 2015 Honda CB 750. The brains of the bike is the on-board computer that can be controlled through a 5” OLED multi-touch display positioned right on the fuel tank. There are 3 menus: GPS, drive modes, and diagnostics mode. CB 750 gets its power from a four-cylinder liquid hydrogen engine. Ready, set, rocket outta here!

Speed Racing Motorcycle Inspired By Aliens

(image credits:Tuvie)

Designer Daniel Bailey was inspired by two things, making them clear in his concept motorcycle. Speed and the alien characters in “Alien.” This speed racing bike is rugged yet sleek. The design is aerodynamic and based on Kawasaki ninjas stats (height, wheel base etc…), so will future road ninjas or aliens be seen riding it?

Magic Tricycle

(image credits:Car Design News)

Iranian designer Javad created the Magic Tricycle to drive on all three wheels for normal highway use, but can rotate around a longitudinal axis running from the front to the rear right wheel with the left wheel elevated into the air so the vehicle can be ridden as a motorcycle in more congested areas. To facilitate this, the seats rotate to keep the occupants sitting upright and the airborne wheel opens up blades which work like a helicopter tail propeller to aid stability.

Ferrari V4 Superbike Concept

(image credits:autoblog)

Designer Amir Glinik conceptualized this Ferrari V4 superbike. He created his design around the theoretical application of the Ferrari Enzo’s V12 engine, chopped down to four cylinders and modified to drive in a motorcycle frame. Hopefully this hot puppy will be hitting the highway soon. It’s lean and mean.

Dodge Tomahawk Concept Motorcycle

(from weburbanist)

The Secret Life of Everyday Things: Art by Terry Border

When we go to bed at night, are the contents of our refrigerators, utility shelves and medicine cabinets throwing wild parties, getting amorous, acting out plays and engaging in cannibalism?  Maybe not, but it’s fun to imagine them getting up to all kinds of mischief behind closed doors, and that’s exactly what a photo series called “Bent Objects” by Terry Border illustrates.

“Bent Objects” began with the artist making little wire sculptures to sell. Border took photos of his creations and posted them on his blog, eventually finding that people were more interested in photographs of the sculptures acting out comical scenarios. Over 70 of Border’s funniest photos are featured in his new book, “Bent Objects: The Secret Life of Everyday Things”.

Many of the situations that the animated objects find themselves in would be disturbing if the subjects were people – as in “Cereal Killer”, in which the remains of a cornflake drowned in milk are mourned over by two relatives. But there’s just no denying the humor in anthropomorphized food with wire limbs.

In an interview with Neatorama, Border explains how he gets some of his ideas. “I’ll tell you a secret – a lot of times I’m not trying to be funny at all. I’m just creating the saddest situation I can think of while using a certain object. Sometimes, while I’m photographing a scene, I’m like ‘Oh man. I’ve gone too far here. People are gonna see how sick I am, and make me get psychological help.’”

“Know what though? Those are always my most popular images. People see them as funny. There are a lot of sick people out there, just like me. Hello out there, all of you sickos!”

(from weburbanist)