Don your favorite bathrobe, cream that coffee and get comfortable with this week’s SolidSmack Weekend Reader. The Weekend Reader features a handful of the most interesting articles featured on the ‘Smack over the past week ranging from tips and tricks to inspirational designs, processes, and more. So lay back, relax and take a load off while reading the top ten stories on SolidSmack this past week. Oh and uh…don’t forget to shed some much-needed sunlight on your face, too. Researchers Found A Way To Transmit Information Over WiFi Using 3D Printed Objects As if printing your own desk toys and battle armor wasn’t enough, researchers up at the University of…
Ceramic craft is considered to be one of the most primitive and natural examples of product design. For Seattle-based artist Katie Marks of Silver Lining Ceramics, that means quite literally taking inspiration from under the Earth’s crust for her latest collection inspired by crystal formations. But just as mesmerizing as her final product—is the way she creates them: Katie first sculpts the generic primitive mug form with her hands. Once the initial shape is done, she starts grafting down the mug and adding her own ceramic crystals into the crevices. The whole thing is slathered with her own hand-mixed paint before being fired in a kiln to solidify. This isn’t…
Threads were drawn across their arms, five arrows each, held by their teeth. Ten times they let fly. Ten times the ship shielded our descent. Dust blown, then settled, they were gone, and left in their wake, the skin of these links. James Gilleard – Love the mix of stylistic vector illustration with bits of edgy, iso layered cityscapes and mountaintop scenes in a swath of glorious colors. The Star Wars – What if Star Wars was more in line with George Lucus’ writing and Ralph McQuarrie’s concepts. This fan concept trailer gets at the heart of the original Star Wars idea. Snag Ralph McQuarrie’s Star Wars concept art books here. Star…
There’s very little to dislike about Christmas: food, presents, days off work — all for the low price of having to spend the holidays with relatives (some you may not have even knew existed). While it can be fun meeting new family members, some would prefer to have less social interaction during the only time of year they can manage get away from people for more than a couple of days. Pickering’s Gin Baubles are no trip to Hawaii, but they might numb the pain of having to deal with the family dinner you have to attend. These plastic Christmas ornaments are filled with the biggest cheer you could imagine:…
It’s time for another round of apps that cover the spectrum of your beloved mobile device(s)! The Weekly App Smack is the best of new or updated design and productivity apps (and maybe a couple of fun ones, too) for the busy design or engineering professional and this week we have a list sure to make you more efficient. Do you have an app suggestion that has made your life easier or changed up your workflow? Let us know in the comments below or send it into tips@www.solidsmack.com. Hit it! Star Wars (iOS — Free) The Star Wars app is your official mobile connection to a galaxy far, far away. INKS…
Ah, LEGO blocks – the real-life equivalents of Minecraft. From tiny model PlayStations to a gigantic 7,541-piece Millennium Falcon, almost everything has been made a subject by these Denmark-based construction blocks. To add to the never-ending list of things you can create with this deceptively-called children’s toy, Astonishing Studios has created a handy how-to guide for making your own indispensable Tic Tac dispenser. Creating two sides of the candy dispenser takes four 2×6 orange LEGO plates affixed together by smooth orange pieces. At the center of this initial layer, add a 4×4 green plate covered in smooth green pieces and surrounded by eight 1×1 smooth pieces. Slap a Tic Tac…