Make: Online: Arts Archives

Arts Archive: Arts

November 20, 2009

Cross multi-tool

Dutch designer Michiel Cornelissen sells these cruciform screwdrivers, which are laser-sintered stainless steel. There's a flat-blade, a Phillips head, and an IKEA-sized hex bit. [via Dude Craft]

November 19, 2009

Money hats

Moneyhats
Origami money hats, sent in by a maker - anyone know where this is from?

Photographing Spiral Jetty

On a tight budget, documenting art that lives in a lake can be quite a challenge - especially when it's composed of "6,000 tons of rock and soil" -

After considering nearly every possible way to document "Spiral Jetty" from above -- Rent a weather satellite? An airplane? A helicopter? Use a kite? -- the institute, which often works in countries where conservation projects are carried out on shoestring budgets, came up with a remarkably simple solution: a $50 disposable latex weather balloon, easily bought online. Along with a little helium, some fishing line, a slightly hacked Canon PowerShot G9 point-and-shoot digital camera, an improvised plywood and metal cradle for the camera and some plastic zip ties (to keep the cradle attached and the neck of the balloon cinched), a floating land-art documentation machine was improvised, MacGyver-like.

Full Story over at NYTimes. [Thanks, Erica!]

November 18, 2009

Crayon rings

Pt 2286
Timothy Liles Crayon rings...

3D beehive bracelet

This beehive bracelet was modeled using OpenSCAD, a tool I'm looking forward to exploring! It was made by Thingiverse user Catarina; she printed it on her MakerBot. Stylish!

November 16, 2009

Oh no, my painting has crashed!

MAKE subscriber James Theophane writes in to share his project, called My Painting Has Crashed. I like the idea- can I order one to put on my coffin, for when I pass away?

I made this at work the other day. They asked me to contribute a piece of art for our reception. I decided to hack an old replica painting from my local flea market. I built a motor using one of those kits you can buy from a good electronic store, painted acrylic on canvas and glued a spinning beach ball of death cut out of mounting board.

Nothing but heavy duty

Artist David Ersser created this balsa wood installation called "Nothing but heavy duty," a workshop of hand-replicated tools. From Seventeen Gallery's site:

David Ersser creates seemingly cold, meticulous reproductions of Hi-Fi equipment, turntables and keyboards. The thin wooden cable running down from the stereo to the floor and to a sculpted plug, is made up of short sections of straight balsa to give the impression of a curve. From a distance these works appear at first flawless, however scrutiny reveals the makers hand. This hand is the hand of an enthusiast model maker fervently gluing late at night in his garage. This mode of production and subject matter evoke the nerds hermetic and frantic DJ-ing in his bedroom. Lifeless and slightly wonky, his facsimiles are drawings and aspirations made solid, as the teenage geek fetishizes the stereo equipment of his dreams.

I think I recognize that circular saw as a Festool, can anyone confirm? [Thanks, Andrew!]

In the Maker Shed: Cabaret Mechanical Movement

The Cabaret Mechanical Movement book is packed with information, diagrams, and useful tips on making your own automata. The book uses machines and automata from the Cabaret Mechanical Theater to explain levers, shafts, cranks, cams, springs, linkages, ratchets, gears, and even coin-op control. This is a great introduction for those inspired to go and make their own work.

November 14, 2009

Brush furniture could become bristlebot

The scrub together table and lazy stool furniture pieces by designer Jason Taylor are pretty neat looking, but is anyone else thinking what I'm thinking? Thats right, they are just a motor away from becoming giant bristlebots! The bristles look like they might need to be bent over a bit first, though. [via dude craft]

November 13, 2009

Amazing homemade globe

Spotted in the MAKE Flickr pool:

Flickr member davesbit built a globe by making a mold from a beach ball, and designed a map for it using The Generic Mapping Tools.

The globe is about 20inches in diameter, made from fiberglass and filled with foam. The map parts are built with the Generic Mapping Tools and glued on...

Making-of photos on the Flickr photo page.

November 11, 2009

Fist sledgehammer

Spotted in the online portfolio of design firm Martus & Silvio, of Grand Rapids. It's a sculpture, technically, entitled "Early Tools," but I'd have a hard time not using it at least once, Office Space style, on something that really made me angry. [via Dude Craft]

Capturing that Mona Lisa smile in silicon

This giant Mona Lisa sculpture is made of motherboards. Reportedly conceived of and built by Asus engineers, it is on display at their headquarters in Taiwan. [via technabob]

Photo above by Flickr user johnkoetsier

November 10, 2009

Tape sculpture contest

If you are inspired by the use of everyday objects as art, then Scotch Brand wants to see your creativity come off the roll and into the art space. The Scotch Off the Roll Tape Sculpture Contest, sponsored by 3M, is inviting creative minds to submit photos of their unique tape sculpture -- constructed from Scotch Packaging Tape -- for the chance to win a $5,000 cash prize.

Deadline: February 10th, 2010. Entries will be narrowed down to a pool of finalists by noted tape artist Mark Jenkins and winners will be selected in an online vote with the first place winner receiving $5,000 and a 1-year supply of tape and runners-up receiving less money but still a lot of tape. Personally, I prefer duct tape, but you gotta like the translucent quality of the finished sculptures.

Catena clock tells time with a chain

If there's one thing I can't get enough of, it is funny ways to tell time, and this catena wall clock definitely fits the bill. Instead of rotating a set of hands, or lighting a digital display, this clock works by slowly turning a chain that has a set of numbers attached to it. The current time is whatever number is closest to the top. It's a neat artifact, and could be a good use for an old chainsaw or bike chain that you have laying around. I could also see this being turned sideways, with a set of gears and different chains to represent both the time and the date. [via technabob]

Sled coffee table

I'm digging this sled coffee table and rug, built by design firm Duffy London. The concept of suggesting a narrative through simple things such as a rug cut to look like snow with tracks in it seems really compelling to me. What would be an appropriate geeky version? A mars rover table with tracks in a red carpet? A siege engine with a flat top, tiny soldiers pushing it and tons of little footprints? The possibilities must be endless! [via curbly]

"Know It All No 2 Pencil Set"

Il 430Xn.97864336
"Know It All No 2 Pencil Set" on Etsy, lovely.

Synchronized iPod touch grid

When I first saw this proof of concept synchronized grid of iPods I wondered why somebody would go through all the trouble. I have to catch myself when I think like this. Sometimes it's best to just appreciate the polychromatic glow and short staccato chirping for what it is. [via Gizmodo]

Giant gramophone plays the earth

The Alunda Church Choir put their backs into this performance titled "Harvest" using the land-amplifying terrafon instrument. The piece, created by Olle Cornéer and Martin Lübcke, is apparently part of an ongoing series (requiring some very sturdy and determined participants). Read more over at Create Digital Music.

November 9, 2009

'Teeny Ted' is worlds smallest book?

Reaching for your glasses won't help you read this book. Teeny Ted from Turnip Town, written by Robert Chaplin, is written on tablets only 11x15 microns (1/1000 of a millimeter) wide. That means that you will need an electron microscope to read it. Though it was created back in 2007, this is the first I have heard of it.

To make the book, a focused ion beam machine was used to carve the pages into tablets of single-crystal silicon. It's a pretty impressive feat to print an entire book in less than 7000 square microns, however I wonder how much physical space it would take to store it in digital form on a modern flash drive. Anyone know the calculation? [via international exhibition of calligraphy]

Designer hobo barrel with laser-cut Philly street map

Although I'll admit to some cognitive dissonance at the notion of an expensive custom-made object intended to evoke homelessness, there's no denying the purely aesthetic qualities of this fireplace by John Briscella. I'd really like to see what it looks like with a fire burning inside, and, while I'm at it, maybe some video of the 5-axis laser cutting out all those little pieces... [via Dude Craft]