Get that stretch out of your system with this week’s Spotify-powered SolidSmack Radio Playlist. It’s fashioned up, ready to make you pull your shoulder blades back and knock out another week of meaningful work while you bob your head to the beat. Whether you’re in the shop milling aluminum, sketching the latest product prototypes or modeling up a 3D storm, consider these tracks as a tool for your process. This week on SolidSmack Radio we’ll get the groove going with the all-new “Shadow” from the ever-awesome Chromatics before diving into some killer classic tracks from David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, The Pixies and others before wrapping up with “Defenders of…
When it comes to being at the right place at the right time, nothing beats that old saying, “the best camera is the camera you have with you.” Perhaps the same can be said for sketchbooks—the best sketchbook is the one you have with you when inspiration strikes. Which is why the pocket-sized Field Notes have always been a favorite for designers and engineers. At just over $3 a pop, these no-fuss 48-page memo books are perfect for laying down rough ideas without worrying about wasting precious paper in a leather hardcover book. Plus, they’re the perfect size for throwing in a shoebox to keep a record of all those…
Even though he’s the most plausible superhero of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Iron Man’s abilities are still the stuff of good old science fiction. How can one man fly around in a heavy suit of armor powered by an arc reactor which generates enough energy to light up a Christmas tree a million times over? As explained by YouTube channel the Hacksmith, it just isn’t feasible to create a machine that generates more energy thaen it uses. Nevertheless, the Hacksmith takes a stab at building his own miniature arc reactor. After doing some serious math, he concludes it will take 723,900 volts of electricity to power an arc reactor with…
It’s 3am. Visions of green and red shapes are swirling through your mind. Was it a bad batch of kombucha? No – it’s Autodesk Generative Design. Autodesk Generative Design provides a surprisingly addictive mix of novelty, somewhat mysterious results, and interesting shapes. If you can justify the cost – try it! Before I dive in, I need to comment on pricing. I wrote this piece before I knew what Autodesk’s new pricing structure would be as of October 7th, 2018. I assumed that all Fusion 360 subscribers would not only have access to Autodesk Generative Design (AGD), but would be given a handful of cloud credits with their subscription. Unfortunately,…
Just over a year ago, SolidSmack reported that Astropad creators Astro HQ had successfully funded their latest project — Luna Display — on Kickstarter, having raised over $645,000 to bring the project to life. The (minimal) hardware and accompanying app claimed to seamlessly turn any iPad into a second display. Well, now it’s here; we tried it, and it’s freakin’ awesome. The magic behind the platform comes from its ability to source power directly from an existing graphics card—as opposed to “hacking” it to power a simulated display like similar apps on the market. Frankly, if you’re used to working on two displays, then you know the drill. But as…
When it comes to sketching and communicating your ideas well, nothing beats a good old-fashioned pencil and a keen sense of perspective. That said, adding depth to your form sketches with light and shadow is a natural next step in taking your sketches to the next level. And when it comes time to cranking ideas out fast, our favorite go-to is a fistful of 2-3 Sketching Grays from Copic that give us great contrast. These ultra-blendable, low odor, alcohol-based inks deliver rich and smooth strokes that are ideal for quickly communicating product concepts. And unlike water-based inks, which tend to pill and oversoak paper while blending, Copics mix on the…