This past weekend I took apart a massive 2×4 workbench–it covered the entire side of a garage. It was large enough to lay two 4×8 plywood sheets end-to-end, dismantle a motorcycle upon, gut and clean five deer, or construct a normal size workbench–a workbench like this one.
A loud noise and thin sheets of metal fell. Though it had peeled off its thin cosmetic lid, the thick frame revealed how many porcupine quills it took to construct such a creature. Bare like their creation, they gnawed bark pails, dipping their paws into these links. Matt Tkocz – Matt does it all and does it well. From his sketches to concept completions, a wonderful look at bots, ships, creatures and more. Paper World – A magical paper world takes shapes on the desktop that serves as a metaphorical message from the WWF. What is a ‘Laser’ – You know it’s an acronym, but how were lasers described by…
With so many cool things coming out each week, it can be hard to wade through all the rock-awesomeness. With ‘Cool Tools’, we’ve done the hard work for you. This week we saw everything from a new LEGO set centered around the original Adam West Batman, a cutting board that takes the bore out of slicing and dicing brussels sprouts, a very welcome music and storytelling platform courtesy of Spotify and Genius, a fan-made Star Wars short film, and more… Ready? Let’s go! This week we look at: DESIGN LEGO Classic Batman Set “The classic Batman television series hit the airwaves on January 12, 1966, so LEGO has put together…
Ya know, you can only gnaw so many LEGO wheel hubs before you’re like, “These should totally be made from a chunk of aircraft-grade aluminum.” Mark Carpenter is brilliant. As a qualifying ‘Father of the Year’, he and his three sons have started producing LEGO aftermarket mods, the latest of which is a set of aluminum rims, currently available through their Kickstarter campaign.
Known for his many design sketching videos over the years ranging from basic perspective and rendering techniques to strategies for developing ideas quickly, industrial designer Spencer Nugent has long been heralded as a savior in an industry that puts sketching skills on such a high pedestal. But nearly just as important as having a row of sharp Prismacolors and a fresh stack of markers, one of the most critical components for successful design sketching is one’s workspace – or in Spencer’s case, a hybrid design sketching lab and home recording studio. If you’ve ever wondered what goes on behind the camera for all of his sketching videos, here’s Nugent laying…
Time for another round of apps that cover the spectrum of your beloved mobile device, be it iPhone, Android or Windows! 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! Darkroom “Darkroom makes it easier and faster than ever to capture the perfect look for…