After a two year absence from Kickstarter, Joe Freedman is back with another way to make drawing (and math) easier. While his previous Cycloid Drawing Machine was more for professionals and art fans who wanted their drawings as intricate as the inside of a kaleidoscope, it wasn’t exactly cheap. Since he did all the laser cutting, sanding, and gluing himself using high-end materials, a single machine cost $695. His newest project, the Hypnograph, aims to be the exact opposite of its predecessor, at least in terms of pricing. Though a collaboration with educational game company ThinkFun, Joe was able to create a plastic drawing machine which costs roughly $30. This…

When it comes to side projects, hours become days, days become weeks, and weeks can often become months or years. But what if getting a minimum viable product created could happen on a Saturday…assuming you aren’t building a flying car? Many successful entrepreneurs have been touting the benefits of the 1-Day MVP—a one-day, all-out sprint to go from fresh idea to app or hardware prototype. Sure, some projects may take a little more energy and time than others, but having the process and infrastructure in place to successfully glide ideas along is what counts the most. Which is exactly the premise behind the 1-Day MVP 2.0 online training course; one…

Cherished by writers, designers, illustrators, and other creative professionals for its soft dark lead and unique flat eraser, the Blackwing 602 is worth trying at least once—but be forewarned: you may never go back to plain old #2 pencils again. Originally manufactured by the Eberhard Faber Pencil Company from 1934 – 1988, the Blackwing brand was acquired by California Cedar Products Company in 2008 and reintroduced to a new generation of creatives in 2012. And now, you can score your own 12-pack of the legendary pencil for just 23 bucks. Palomino Blackwing 602 Pencils 12-Pack — $22.95 Features: One pack of 12 Palomino Blackwing pencils Pencils feature a soft and…

If your kombucha fizz just sprayed out your nose, you likely just heard about the new ThinkStation P330 workstations… or took too big a swig. Either way, Lenovo thought it would be clever to release the news of their new entry-level, CAD-class workstations the same day Intel announced its new Xeon E-series, entry-level processors. Don’t think all that ‘entry-level’ talk means the power be lackin’ tho. New processors add clock speed and cores on previous processor options while the P330 workstations get those processor updates, new GPUs, and more storage with the Tower (TWR) and Small Form Factor (SFF) sporting a new redesign to match ‘Tiny’ baby brother and a…

Humans these days are so dependent on the technologies our ancestors created. From the simple wheel to the high-tech computer, it feels like living without these inventions in this day and age is just downright impossible. What if we didn’t have them in our daily lives? What if we turned back time? Designer Nikolas Bentel may not have a time machine (we’re not quite there yet), but he can do the next best thing: live life without our everyday technologies. All Purpose Nik is a six-part video series wherein Nik examines how a common man would survive with just the skin on his back. Using nothing but his wits and…

With over two decades of experience teaching how to design, draw, and render at the highest college level, concept designer Scott Robertson knows a thing or two about what it takes to make concepts ‘stick’ for his students. And as one of the most widely-recognized design sketching masters, he’s proven these concepts in his own practice through and through. In How to Draw: Drawing and Sketching Objects and Environments from Your Imagination, the Art Center educator consolidates years of design sketching knowledge—from thumbnail sketches and perspective grids to shaded renderings—into a digestible self-study program that can take anybody’s sketching ability to the next level. Frankly, if you’re even remotely serious…