Lego Blocks For The Kitchen

Want to remodel you dingy kitchen? Forget IKEA, head to Toys-R-Us and pick up an assortment of Lego block sets. You'll need several. GeekSugar displays an article showing how Lego blocks have been made into colorful kitchen counter islands and other similar household structures.

www.geeksugar.com/Lego-Kitchen-Rocks-20000-Colorful-Pieces-5976628

Forget The Product. I like The Package. - theDieline

Another website for design nuts like me who often swoon at the sight of a stylish box or bottle. The Dieline website has oodles of new container designs to sample. View examples by industry and "substrate". And be sure to check out the design firms in the directory.

www.thedieline.com

Great 3-D Futuristic Illustrations

Think Syd Mead. Think Blade Runner. Think Jacob Charles Dietz. Jacob Dietz is a highly-proficient 3-D illustrator that has a fetish for futuristic, sci-fi scenes. The kind of stuff that belongs in video games, movies and book covers. If you like fantasy worlds full of flying cars, mega-skyscrapers and spandex-clad citizens, you should rush to his site right now. I think he'll sell you his models and textures. And maybe even some prints.

site.jacobcharlesdietz.com

Toyota's Violin-Playing Robot - Wow!

They're not just making cars over there in Japan. Toyota and Honda are in the business of developing robots, too. This video show s a demonstration of a robot playing a song on a violin. Incredible. Makes you ask yourself, just how smart and capable do we want these things to be?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzjkBwZtxp4

Nao - Robot Behavior Getting More Sophisticated

I think you'll be quite impressed with the Nao robots in this video. They know how to perform tasks, have complicated motor skills and can communicate with each other. Here comes the Robot Revolution.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2STTNYNF4lk

I Must Go See "Burning Man" - Lotsa Videos

The annual "Burning Man" event in the Nevada desert is evidently a spectacle to behold. Out of nowhere a small city of free spirits and highly inventive artists assembles on the barren, dusty landscape. For a week, people create and do the most amazing things. It's a big hippie tribe where everyone is friendly and uninhibited. If you go, be sure to bring plenty of water.

www.youtube.com/verify_age?&next_url=/watch%3Fv%3DBdDTymRJMrg

Burning Man documentary "Dust and Illusions" - requires age verification
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www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Fqm8l4l-bk



www.youtube.com/watch?v=IY1WnGUM0wQ



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwqXzWZJULg



www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xmv-wAxQ6Rw



www.youtube.com/watch?v=lh1-Jn51k3c



www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yM7Pd1Cpv0



www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZHkZPGotKE

FFFFound - Random Design Images Of Interest

FFFFound is a weblog that allows users to post various design images they find to be noteworthy. It's a random collection of shots regarding the usual design stuff: art, photography, posters, packaging, products, books, furniture, architecture, etc... A good place to spend some time browsing for new ideas.

ffffound.com

Graphic Design Tools Of The Past

Here's one for graphic designers of all ages. If you old-ish like me, you will instantly recognize these objects because you once used them. If you started designing after 1984, when the MacIntosh was introduced, you will probably scratch your head, wondering what these relics are all about. "The Museum of Forgotten Art Supplies" is a collection of objects that designers, like myself, used on a daily basis during the 1970's and 80's. Looking back, it seems we worked in more of a Fred Flintstone world, than a George Jetson one. Anyway, have fun and see how many of these items you can identify.

www.drawger.com/?what=shows&show_id=32

C3PO's Robotic Great-Grandmother

Pink Tentacle offers up images of the HRP-4C fashion model robot, a crude walking android-like robot. Developed by Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology. They're getting closer all the time.

pinktentacle.com/2009/03/video-hrp-4c-fashion-model-robot/

Robotic Snake Demo

Robot designers nowadays like to emulate animal forms from nature. Here is one team's attempt to produce a robotic snake with natural motion and simple intelligence. Hsssss.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJuNe50uuzk

Robotic Cubes That Copy Themselves

Some brilliant engineers at Cornell have developed intelligent machines that are able to copy and repair themselves. Made of individual "smart" modules, the separate elements self-combine into a specific shape. That collection then automatically reproduces itself using other modules available in the environment. A major step forward in the evolution of robots.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyzVtTiax80

Somewhat Frightening Walking Machine Demo

What is this? Robot monster from a Hollywood film? Advanced creature, part of an alien invasion? Bizarre nightmare from an evil genius? The form passing in front of the camera is yet another a work by kinetic artist Theo Jansen. It's steel and polyester structure is moved forward by the wind.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2KkGFuRLew

Fantastic Wind-Powered Walking Machines

A commercial for BMW featuring the jaw-dropping work of Dutch artist Theo Jansen. This highly-inspirational piece focuses on several of Jansen's multi-legged mechanisms moving along a beach. These other-worldly objects, now copied by numerous people, have a truly unique mechanical design. Take a look and see what happens when someone dares to "think outside of the box".

www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcR7U2tuNoY

More Amazing Contraptions From Theo Jansen

Here is a longer, more complete video of kinetic artist Theo Jansen's wind-powered walking machines. 9:55 minutes of awe-inspiring sights.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=gx6fiGwmfzI

The Latest In Automotive Design

Are you a car nut? A compulsive admirer of industrial design? Then Car Design News is perfect for you. Keep up with the work of the world's best automobile designers. See what car manufacturers are rolling out of the factories and what they're thinking of producing in the future. You're bound to fall in love.

www.cardesignnews.com/site/home

Dezeen - Magazine Of International Design

Dezeen magazine's website features numerous examples of great design from around the world. Categories include: Architecture, Design, Furniture, Graphics, Green, Interiors, Lighting, Media, Transport.

www.dezeen.com

Creative Fashion Design At Dezeen Magazine

Here is a page of creative fashion designs, mostly knitted, from Dezeen design magazine. The garments are part of the "Ink Blot" collection from designer Sandra Backlund. The series, based on Rorschach's famous psychological tests, won top awards at a competition in France.

www.dezeen.com/2007/07/02/ink-blot-collection-by-sandra-backlund

Ads Of The World Website

This advertising-centric website, from MediaBistro, features an assortment of ads from around the planet. Material can be sorted by media, region, country and industry. A great resource for creative marketing people.

adsoftheworld.com

Cool Art And Design Objects At Lorbis

The Lorbis website showcases a random array of art and design work, as seen through the eyes of 34 year old industrial designer, Lorenzo Bustillos Galavis. A wide variety of stimulating "stuff".

lorbus.com

Amazing Vehicle Designs By Luigi Colani

The site Dark Roasted Blend features of collection of images regarding the fantastic work of industrial designer Luigi Colani. These include sleek and aerodynamic rockets, airplanes, trains and automobiles crafted in a futuristic style.

www.darkroastedblend.com/2008/05/extravagant-designs-by-luigi-colani.html