Here’s an artist I found on Tumblr who creates completely digital illustrations that he sells on Redbubble. Some of my favorites: Recently he’s printed a book containing his images with a narrative attached: In 1954, the Swedish government ordered the construction of the world’s largest particle accelerator. The facility was complete in 1969, located deep below the pastoral countryside of Mälaröarna. The local population called this marvel of technology The Loop. These are its strange tales. Simon Stålenhag’s paintings of Swedish 1980s suburbia, populated by fantastic machines and strange beasts, have spread like wildfire on the Internet. The 2015 Kickstarter for the English version of the book raised over $320,000. Stålenhag’s portrayal of a childhood against a backdrop of old Volvo cars and coveralls, combined with strange and … Read More
[Sa. May 4, 2013] Pumping Station One Hackerspace Birthday Party
Chicago’s coolest hackerspace, Pumping Station:One is having a 4-year birthday party / open house thingie on Saturday. In case you’re not familiar, hackerspaces are, well–pretty self explanatory. You sign up for a membership, like a gym, and then you get to play with all the neat toys–oscilloscopes, 3D printers, drill presses, sewing machines, and a scanning electron microscope (duh!). It’s $40-$70 per month for a membership, for all that access to awesome future-creation. Also, they really do have a Tardis on the roof, just like that photo up there shows–not shopped. 7PM – Demos and reception 10PM – Live music @ Pumping Station: One, 3519 N. Elston, Chicago IL (near Addison and Kedzie) They also have a THUNDER SLINKY (I don’t know what that is, but it sounds … Read More
How to be a LOLkid
LOLkid. Also: Lawlkid. LOLkids are like Scene Kids except add 100 IQ points and subtract emo. (LOLkids=($humanIQ+100)-$emoFactor;). LOLkids heart the intertronz and nerdery and are all about zar lawlz. 1. Is ok to LOL at yrself. In other words, don’t take yourself too seriously. This involves having a formidable degree of self confidence and not taking things personally. However, don’t overdo it and proclaim how awesome you are at every opportunity (like tweeting about your awesomeness) since others will get tired of you quickly. I mean, look at this guy on 4chan. He rules. He actually put a shoe on his head. And everyone LOLd. This is the way to roll. [Frak I can’t find the jpg.] Nvrmd. 2. Noe flaemz. “No flames.” Reference #1: LOLkids don’t take … Read More
Daft Punk: Daft Plagiarists?
On the heels of the announcement that Daft Punk’s Alive 2007 is scheduled to drop in November of this year comes a few interesting revelations regarding their production methods and raises some questions about the “ethics” of production. Kanye West’s new single “Stronger” features a sample from “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger,” slowed down and rearranged as suitable backing material, a fact that’s easily recognized by anyone who’s familar with DP’s work. But in a strange, meta-twist, it turns out that KW is sampling a sample, and even self-referentially referring to the sample-sampling in his own lyrics:
Max/ MSP lets you Keepon Dancing
A friend of mine sent me a link to the WIRED-sponsored video of this adorable, Peeps®-like dancing robot that’s miles above and beyond that swaying guitar-playing flower you got as a birthday gift in the late 1990s. Needless to say, I was both instantly charmed and impressed with Keepon’s moves and spot-on sense of rhythm, and wondered a bit about the mechanics of its internal workings.Thankfully Create Digital Music has spared me the hours of Googling and served up photos of his interior as well as demystified his creator’s choice of software-hardware interaction: Max/ MSP. Cycling74’s paramount platform has not only been used to program the mind-warpingly complex beats of IDM, it allows for physical interaction, making not only Keepon possible, but projects as diverse as the Musical … Read More
Mandelbot: Your new paper robot friend
Here’s a paper toy robot that I designed for Fractalspin.com, Mandelbot. Just download the PDF (email address required), print it out on cardstock or heavy paper, cut him out with an X-acto knife and then glue or tape him together. He’s also featured on the back of a 5.5 x 8.5″ postcard featuring items from Fractalspin, although the gloss coating means you’d have to use super glue or a similar adhesive to get him to stick together (printer’s error *shrug*), and it will look nicer if you lightly score the fold lines before putting it together.
Like robots? Here's a blog you'll love.
The creators of OhGizmo! (the niche, gadget / technology / weird things blog) have spun off a blog devoted entirely to robots. Not only is robotic technology ever-innovating, more and more people have come to develop a humanoid soft spot for our cybernetic friends (just do an Etsy search for Robot and look what pops up), so the OhGizmo! people definitely have their finger on the pulse. It’s appropriately titled “BotJunkie,” and features the tagline: BotJunkie obsessively chronicles Man’s inevitable descent into cybernetic slavery. One robot at a time. While it focuses mainly on small, consumer-oriented robots like the evil Hello Kitty Robot, I-Sobot (shown), and Spyke, there are some pop culture robot references, like “The top 50 movie robots”. No word yet on if they’ll cover military … Read More