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 stories on SolidSmack this past week.

Oh and uh…don’t forget to shed some much-needed sunlight on your face, too.

How to Make a Slider for Amazing Smartphone Photography

While he is best known for setting intricate matchstick pieces aflame, there is undoubtedly more substance to YouTube creator BLACKHAND than your average pyromaniac. Case in point: his wooden smartphone photography slider using little more than wood and a few metal fixtures.

How to Make a Slider for Amazing Smartphone Photography

Adobe Increases Their Substance Considerably – Acquires Allegorithmic

Allegorithmic, creators of Substance Designer (material authoring software) and Substance Painter (3D painting software), has been acquired by Adobe. Adobe and Allegorthimic both announced the news today.

Adobe Increases Their Substance Considerably – Acquires Allegorithmic

‘The Sign Painter’s Sketchbook’ Decodes the Lost Art of Sign Painting

They may only look like letters on a sign to you, but sign painters play a critical role in advertising a company’s trade. Take a look at the Disney logo and how it immediately makes you think of Mickey Mouse and his cast of pals. Or the Coca-Cola logo.

sign painting

Design Process: How to Create a Self-Solving Rubik’s Cube

Contrary to popular belief, solving a Rubik’s Cube DOES NOT automatically make you a smart person; it just means you have the problem-solving skills and the fortune to not be color-blind to piece together a multi-colored cube. Still, it does help pass the time and draw the attention of passers-by as you flick between the many colored segments and land with the same colors on every side.

Design Process: How to Create a Self-Solving Rubik’s Cube

Design Process: Make a Hanging Cookie Slab Epoxy Pendant Light

There’s something about epoxy and wood that creates some of the most fascinating wood pieces we’ve seen—be it a side table, a bowl, or in this case—a hand-carved pendant light. For his latest wood project, YouTube creator Modustrial Maker combined epoxy resin and LED strips into a cookie slab to create his hanging pendant light.

Design Process: Make a Hanging Cookie Slab Epoxy Pendant Light

How to Prepare a Design Guide for Accurate Manufacturing Bids

For years we’ve been watching industrial designer Eric Strebel’s insightful design process videos; videos that show how he goes about making products from start to finish. Starting with concept sketches, he follows a traditional design process of moving on to CAD models and then various forms of prototyping—yet, we’ve never really heard the man speak on what’s needed when it actually comes time to getting bids for getting the thing made.

How to Prepare a Design Guide for Accurate Manufacturing Bids
Author