adam-rex-illustration-process

Behind the Design: How Words and Sketches Become a Picture Book

18 May, 2013 by in DESIGN

I bet, next to those dusty engineering and design textbooks on the shelf, you have a few picture books that have led to endless inspiration since you were a child. No? A comic book? Dilbert? *cringe* Nothing? Well, perhaps you had a favorite as a child, There Are Rocks in My Socks! or Where the Wild Things Are. Over at Muddy Colors, Author/illustrator Adam Rex describes the process he goes through to turn an authors words into illustration that eventually become the 32-40 page picture book you buy for a child. Grab a cup of Keurig and delight yourself in the process of what it takes to make it happen.

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EngineerVsDesigner: E69 – Steven Heller

17 May, 2013 by in INTERVIEWS

We don’t even know where or how to start to explain how awesome our guest Steven Heller is. He is currently the co-chair of the MFA “Designer as Author” Department at New York’s School of the Visual Arts, is a former art director for the New York Times Book Review, a contributing editor for many design magazines, and has written over 150 books on the subject of design, including books on writing for design and design entrepreneurship.

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Michael-Rogers-art

Friday Smackdown: Cuticle Noise Piston

17 May, 2013 by in SMACKDOWN

Once the slivers had been excised from the finger, I looked up, then over at the man-sized centipede in the corner. Leaning against an old Calvi Parma accordion and gnawing an green carpet scrap, it leaned over slowly picking up the cigarette I had tossed on the floor. Offering me the carpet scrap, I realized the beginning of our next journey would start and end with these links.

Michael Rogers – Maybe it’s his strange obsession with Star Wars and Wes Anderson films (all the way back to Bottle Rocket) or maybe it’s the typography and the layer effects. This is his art.
Google maps – New things are coming. Things like fully interactive, tailored maps and integration with Google Earth for 3D views of cities. Preview and invite sign up here.
Encounter – A graphical look at the territorial response of North Atlantic species by Eoin Duffy. Watching the first minute, will make you watch the rest.
TV Miniatures – Here’s one thing you can do with a hallowed out television. Turn them into small rooms, sit and stare at them for hours.
Riddick – Afraid of the dark? I, for one, am glad the next chapter of Riddick is upon us. Vin Diesel is back this fall. This is the trailer.
Arrow Machinations – A sculptural installation featuring arrows? Yes, I think I’ll have a look at that.
Assemblage – A third sculptor this week, Jud Turner creates impressive mixed media wall art; a mix of the natural, mechanical and unusual.
oOohh Baby Gimme Mores – Toronto-based band gets the Ryan Enn Hughes color-clash makeover in this video cool enough to start your weekend off right.

Cool Tools of Doom n’ Stuff: Episode 21

16 May, 2013 by in COOL TOOLS

Well, it’s almost that miserable end of the week folks, and in addition to celebrating with four dozen mega-creme doughnuts we also found time to throw out this week’s Cool Tools of Doom n’ Stuff (sorry, we ate all the doughnuts)!! By the way, we love our SolidSmack readers! Have something cool you’ve come across and want to share it on SolidSmack? Don’t hide it in your neck skin! Send it on in to smoth@solidsmack.com. Kick it!

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Dell Goes Into Labor, Delivers Two Cute Precision Towers and a Rack Mounted Workstation

16 May, 2013 by in TECH

Well hello little tower workstations and welcome to the world “world’s most powerful rack workstation.” What’s that you say? You’re the new Precision workstation products from Dell? Don’t worry little chubblings, your prominent branding and genetic predisposition to accessible USB ports gives it all away. It’s true folks. Dell has announced the T1700 Small Form Factor (SFF) and Mini Tower (MT) entry-level tower workstations, touted as the smallest chassis available and, on the other end, they’ve released the R7610 rack mounted workstation with a load more power than its predecessor.
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This Convertible Desk-Bed Encourages You to Sleep at Work…Just Don’t Drool in Front of Your Boss

15 May, 2013 by in DESIGN

Perhaps none of us will top the professional-level squatting recently done by a young entrepreneur at AOL’s headquarters. The then-19 year old Eric Simons was a part of an AOL incubator focused on helping young people with their startups. Having ran out of money, the persistent Simons ended up squatting at AOL…showering in their gym, sleeping in their lounge area, and eating meeting leftovers. Perhaps it was a legal and moral gray-area, but Simons went on to secure more than enough to get his startup off the ground. For most people however, a simple place to nap might be the ideal solution after hammering away for 18 hours on a project with a 5 AM deadline and presentation. Bring on the office-sleeping YouTube prank videos.

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The Ten Commandments of Kickstarter

15 May, 2013 by in DESIGN, FAB, RESOURCES

When Kickstarter first launched, it was a hotbed for garage hobbyists, indie game developers, and the occasional ‘pro’ who wanted to test the crowdfunding market. More recently, the platform has made its way to more commercial projects that while having been successful, are arguably exploiting an indie-based platform and have led some into a pit of crowdfunding doom. Kickstarter isn’t just a crowdfunding platform…it is a goldmine for free press and exposure, something that both Makers and Hollywood studios would love to get their hands on while promoting project campaigns. However, the openness of this business model is a double-edged sword: while it may allow a creator full creative control for a new project, it is still open to potential claims of fraud, misappropriation, conversion, and embezzlement. Where should you draw the line with Kickstarter ethics and avoid getting yourself into a hotbed of crowdfunded trouble?
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fabfabbers-github-3d-models

FabFabbers is the New Site to Share and Edit Your 3D Models

15 May, 2013 by in FAB

Here are two phrased I’d like you to let sink in for a few moments. Share and sync models from GitHub. Edit models with OpenSCAD in the browser. If you just frightened your boss with a high-pitched squeal as he walked by, you’re not alone. However, you may also be wondering, “What the gravy is this ‘GitHub’ and ‘OpenSCAD’ business??” GitHub is an online file collaboration site (mostly used for code/software development). OpenSCAD is free software to create 3D models (hosted on GitHub as a matter of fact). FabFabbers is a new site that has not only brought the two together with the ability to share and download files, they’ve also created an implementation of OpenSCAD in the browser.
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SolidSmack Radio | Tales from the Indie Machine

14 May, 2013 by in RESOURCES

This week’s Spotify-powered SolidSmack Radio Playlist brings an entirely new face-smack of great music to help propel you through those laborious, tedious design tasks for the next few days. This week we’ll be taking a dive into the Indie Pool to cool off from our funky Magical Acid Funk Temple Playlist from last week. We’ll start with some Black Keys and move on through some Phoenix, Dirty Projectors, STRFKR, among others, and wrap it up with an old Dandy Warhols favorite. Strap on your Vans and cutoff jeans shorts….it’s about to get real indie real fast.

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