Brain Farm

Poladroid

2008-11-06T11:58:00.000-08:00

This is a really fun free app that changes your regular jpgs into old school polaroids...and it does it really well. Here's a couple I did just for fun. Download and enjoy!

Shapeways

2008-10-03T11:46:00.000-07:00

Continuing my theme of personal fabrication. Shapeways is a site that lets you upload 3D designs of your own and then 'prints' them for you. Not long before you'll be able to do this at home.

BluBlu

2008-10-03T11:42:00.000-07:00

MUTO a wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.

Sit,watch and become speechless.....

The Story of Stuff

2008-05-28T09:54:00.000-07:00

Annie Leonard makes a compelling argument to end the current cycle of world production and consumption. Take the time to watch, it's well worth the 20 minutes. You may even think twice about that next shopping spree.

Choice and Vision with Santa Fe Workshops

2008-03-28T19:11:00.000-07:00

For a week in February I was fortunate to be one of 14 lucky photographers to attend a Santa Fe Workshop lead by Gregory Heisler. The workshop was titled Choice and Vision and set out to challenge our preconceptions of how to create intriguing and creative photographic images, something it did way beyond my expectations arriving at the campus.

Gregory Heisler is an excellent teacher and was extremely open about demystifying working at the highest levels of the photo business. I also got to spend the week with some amazingly talented and like minded photographers, which I'm know made the whole experience all the more memorable.

If you're a photographer or just interested in learning more about photography, I would highly recommend taking a Santa Fe Workshop. It could truly be a life changing experience.

TED Talks

2008-03-04T18:20:00.000-08:00

TED stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design. It's a conference that is held in Monterey once a year at which speakers are invited to speak on any number of subjects for a designated amount of time, no longer than 18 minutes. The timing is strictly enforced so one day can contain numerous lectures. There is an incredible list of names discussing an endless list of fascinating subjects. The cost of attending the conference is $6000 but, luckily for us, the best speakers are filmed and posted online. If my post about personal fabrication piqued your interest, you can even see Neil Gershenfeld speak on the subject...mind blowing stuff indeed!

Kim Keever

2008-02-05T18:19:00.000-08:00

I'm stealing this post from a friend over at Darkened Forest, a very cool blog. Kim Keever is an amazing landscape photographer. What makes his landscapes all the more amazing is that he creates them in giant water tanks. I've seen the use of 'cloud tanks', a similar process,to create stormy sky's in movies, Poltergeist and Independence Day for example. Keever definitely takes it to the next level.

Bug Labs

2008-01-22T05:06:00.000-08:00

This relates to my earlier post about personal fabrication. Bug Labs is selling a system of gadget components that allows you to create you own personal gadget. So if you want a camera with GPS unit and motion sensor you can build one. Simply purchase the base unit and appropriate peripherals and hack away. They also provide user friendly software so you can write you own apps to run on your gadget. Although, they say you might want to wait a couple of months if you have no programming experience, while they build an experienced developer community.

Wayne White

2008-01-14T13:06:00.000-08:00

They say a picture paints a thousand words. Wayne White literally paints them. Apparently he buys thrift store paintings and adds his own touches, namely words. A great concept and very successful execution.It's hard to find many examples of his work on the web but here are a few.

Taylor James

2008-01-02T13:11:00.000-08:00

Taylor James are a top photo rendering house, you may well recognize some of their work. The best part of their site is the Case Study section, where you get to see how it's done. They are also doing some cool stuff mixing photography with CGI, they call it 'Real World Rendering'.

Fab

2007-12-18T12:14:00.000-08:00

This is a little different from my usual posts because I am asking you to read a book. For me, this book is a must read. There is a revolution coming and it is a manufacturing one. Imagine being able to fabricate anything you can think of at home, using simple desktop devices and software, a custom built one off just for you. This book describes how this might become a reality and does it in such a way as to make it accessible to anyone. I did a bit of digging on the web around the subject of Personal Fabrication and there are already affordable Home Fabricators, like the one below, available for purchase. So 'Goodbye' Computer Revolution and 'Hello' Fab Revolution.

Blurb

2007-11-30T11:48:00.000-08:00

Maybe it's just me, but there's something special about a hard bound book. It feels important, perhaps because it's so hard to get one published. Now you can publish your own at Blurb. This site allows you to layout a book, using their well designed downloadable software. You can then have it published as a hard bound book with a dust cover. They offer a variety of size options and even have a forum for selling your book to others. I know Apple has been doing a similar thing for a while but this a very well thought out site and well worth a look. Looking at this site, I am wondering if the old school publishing industry's days are numbered.

Joey Lawrence

2007-10-23T19:00:00.000-07:00

No, not the teen heart throb. A seventeen year old wunderkid photographer. To us older photographers he's looking like the Tiger Woods of photography. He has a definitive style and sensibility beyond his years. Having said that, the look gets old after a while. It will be interesting to see if he is mature enough to explore new directions in his work. Check out his blog and videos of some of his shoots.

Fecal Face

2007-09-09T19:45:00.000-07:00

Don't be put off by the name. This website opens a window on the world of low-brow art. It's my favorite site at the moment, especially the video section which shows visits to some of the artist's studios. The above image is of Shepard Fairey at work, he's the guy responsible for the Obey Giant.

Nastuh

2007-09-09T19:17:00.000-07:00

This German visual effects artist has a fascinating website that allows you to see the before and after of his work on many of the ads he has done. While you watch the ad in the right-hand frame you can see the footage he worked from in the left-hand frame.

SuperTouch

2007-07-26T05:33:00.000-07:00

Interesting and edgy art blog....

Page Turner

2007-03-19T18:32:00.000-07:00

Interesting digital illustration and even more interesting flash effect when you turn the pages of the book.

Brain Box

2007-02-23T08:23:00.000-08:00

Fun illustrator and animator...the show reel should make you smile.

Folding Chair

2007-02-07T09:19:00.000-08:00

A very playful, and perhaps practical concept.

Loretta Lux

2007-01-25T04:53:00.000-08:00

Loretta Lux's images of children are both beautiful and haunting at the same time. There is something jarring about these serene photographs and it is that juxtaposition that makes them so intriguing. She is obviously using digital retouching as a means to create them but it is her subtlety in doing so that adds to these understated but fascinating images.

Kahn/Selesnick

2007-01-24T10:37:00.000-08:00

These two artists have been working together for 28 years and have built up a body of work that has it own unique spin on reality. It's difficult to descibe their panoramic images without using words like 'surreal' and 'fantasy' but they are certainly fascinating and in some ways disturbing.

Thomas Herbrich

2007-01-18T10:35:00.000-08:00

This photographer specializes in 'special effects' photography. The fact that he only produces 20 images a year is a testament to the thought he puts into each one. The best thing about this site is the fact that each photograph has a link to show how he did it. It's amazing that in this day and age of digital wonders, the best way to get super realistic images is still by building and photographing models.

Worth 1000

2007-01-12T05:49:00.000-08:00

Firstly, let me say this site is HORRIBLY designed, especially considering the subject matter. (It's been redesigned since this post, looks much better). However, it is a clever concept and some of the work is inspiring , in a popcorn sense. You may have seen some of this stuff passed around through email due to its entertainment value. But, if you dig deeper you'll find a section that also allows budding graphic designers to perhaps see their ideas come to life. Companies put a up a brief for logo designs and anyone who wants to can enter the fray and upload their design solution, seems like a good deal seeing as the prize winner only gets $150. Interesting concept though and some of the designs aren't bad.....while others are, as you'd expect, TERRIBLE!

Second Life

2007-01-04T07:34:00.000-08:00

If you haven't already heard of Second Life you may well be living under a rock. This new web community is rapidly becoming a truly immersive My-Space. The thing that facinates me is that they have a real world economy and people happily spend real money on virtual goods by converting the native currency, the Linden Dollar. Perhaps the best example of this is Anche Chung, who is Second Life's first millionare. She builds and sells virtual real estate.

If you think this may be some 'flash in the pan', major corporations and goverment agencies are already setting up shop on Second Life's servers. Just download the free software and see for yourself.

Druillet

2006-12-12T12:04:00.000-08:00

Philippe Druillet is an amazing comic book illustrator mostly known for illustrations he did during the 70's. His images are very intricate, dark and a feast for the eyes. Check out Lone Slone Delirius to see some of his best work.

Fluff

2006-12-11T19:34:00.000-08:00

An entertaining piece of web fluff

Mike Nugent

2006-12-08T05:21:00.001-08:00

Here's a nicely designed site from a student called Mike Nugent. It's very minimal with a maximilist feel, if that makes sense.

L'Aube du Saumurien

2006-12-06T05:14:00.000-08:00

Having taken many years of french, and remembering none of it. My best guess is that this is a site from a group of French comic book artists.

Wii, Wii, Wii

2006-12-03T19:33:00.000-08:00

I hate to admit this, and doing so reveals my true nerd self. I got the new Nintendo Wii the day it came out. Standing at 4.30am outside my local Target was well worth the wait. After getting the system home, and overcoming the temptation to sell my new purchase on Ebay. I discovered the true next generation console. Sure the graphics are no better than my old Xbox, but the pure innovation and immersive gameplay make this a must have console.

You Tube

2006-11-03T12:11:00.000-08:00

Speaks for itself

Brigade

2006-05-08T19:29:00.000-07:00

The Mortierbrigade is an agency from Belgium and crazy with it. Check out their website for Sprite 3D, a great spin on interactive web media.

Pandora's Box

2006-04-05T09:52:00.000-07:00

I may already be preaching to the converetd with this one. However, I just discovered Pandora a fantastic new way to listen to music. Simply tell it your favourite artist and it will build a radio station around your answer. You can create upto 100 'stations' and it fine tunes the station if you add artists or let it know when you don't like one of its selections. "How much does it cost?", I hear you say. There are a couple of options including a very low yearly subscription fee or you can listen for Free and endure short radio and pop-up ads. I am currently listening for free and haven't heard a or seen any ads yet.

If you really love this service you may want to invest in the Squeezebox. This nifty little gadget allows you to listen to Pandora on your home stereo system. Its currently a bit pricey but I'm sure it will come down in the future.

Pixel Girl

2006-03-27T13:21:00.000-08:00

If you're anything like me you get bored of things easily. This includes my computer icons and desktop. Thankfully I found this site which helps keep my PC's appearance fresh and clean. Pixel Girl has a library of design fresh desktops and icons. Like Maxtango they are submitted by designers and are updated on a regular basis. Not only that but it's also free. Aren't things great when they don't cost anything?!

Fat Pie

2006-03-24T19:46:00.000-08:00

This is an example of what can happen when Flash gets into the wrong hands. Fat Pie is a website devoted to the work of one David Firth. Hilariously strange stuff but you can't tear yourself away from his mad creations. Salad Fingers is his best known creation, also check out his character Devvo, but only if you can take the 'f' word every 3 seconds.

Maxtango

2006-03-24T10:13:00.000-08:00

If you're looking to send an ecard to a design savy friend look no further than Maxtango. Graphic designers and artists regularly submit to this archive of cool design looks.

Psyop

2006-03-13T19:45:00.000-08:00

Very cool smallhouse agency. These guys have done stuff for everyone from Absolut to Home Depot.

8

2006-03-07T09:33:00.000-08:00

Not too sure what's going on with this Japanese site but I love the intro page, very dream like.

You're Beautiful

2006-03-01T17:12:00.000-08:00

Not you...this site. Stunning design and simple but effective ads from this UK design firm.

Democracy TV

2006-02-27T15:14:00.000-08:00

Could this be the future of TV? Democracy is an Internet TV application and a good place to keep up with what people are doing with video on the net. Best of all, it's FREE!!!

Multi Touch

2006-02-15T05:17:00.000-08:00

File this under "cool technology first seen in the movies". It seems Apple took the touch screen tablets first seen in the movie Minority Report, and made them a reality. I am guessing that we shouldn't hold our breath for these uber-cool tablets to be on the market anytime soon. Although, maybe they are being developed for the next-gen ipod.

Reginald Pike

2006-02-11T13:24:00.000-08:00

Here's a site that's definately worth checking out. They're an international production company called Reginald Pike, great name, who are producing some really edgy advertising campaigns for the likes of Virgin Mobile and MTV. The website design alone is worth the trip.

Bubble Boy

2006-02-10T05:10:00.000-08:00

More guerrilla art, this time from Ji Lee. This project has been around for a while so you may have already seen it. The Bubble Project is a brilliant concept based on subverting advertising placed in communal public spaces. He provides the speach bubble you provide the copy. You can even start your own local subversion and download a bubble sticker from his site.

Artful Aardman

2006-02-09T04:55:00.000-08:00

Here's an excellent ad produced for Johnnie Walker Whisky by Aardman Animation, the creators of Wallice and Gromit and Creature Comforts. It seems some what of a departure from their usual stuff but beautifully executed none the less.

Beautiful Graffiti

2006-02-08T09:24:00.000-08:00

Banksy was first bought to my attention in the December '05 issue of Esquire magazine. He's a guerrilla artist working in the UK and has truly taken graffiti into the realm of fine art.
His work obviously has political overtones, never the less it is refreshing to see someone challenge preconceptions about how we should view art. His website is definately worth checking out.

PES Eye Candy

2006-02-08T05:12:00.000-08:00

Stop motion animation is alive and kicking. In this age of slick digital animation it may well be a thing of the past but the team at PES is producing some amazingly innovative stuff using this rather archaic artform. Highlights of the site are KaBoom! and Roof Sex.

Ink

2006-02-07T05:12:00.000-08:00

Tattoos have finally moved into the mainstream. In my search to find some of the more creative aspects of tattooing, I stumbled on this site called Needled. This is a great jumping off point for some seriously weird stuff. You may also want to check out BMEZINE. The body modding and scarification seem to be a sign of people's need to go to greater extremes to express their individuality. The guy below, at least I think it's a guy, obviously felt his forehead didn't serve enough practical use and added a pair of rather splendid love handles.

Lost Life

2006-02-06T16:03:00.000-08:00

I bought my wife an ipod video for Christmas. I never completely understood the attraction of ipods, that is until we downloaded the entire first season of Lost. We subsequently viewed 25 episodes over a period of 6 days. That show is like crack, needless to say we are obsessed. I bought an AV cable to hook the ipod up to our tv, this works very well, a recomended buy to anyone with a video pod. The picture has some pixelation but beats having a bunch of dvds you'll only watch once taking up space. Anyway, if you are one of the few who haven't bothered to watch the series and feel left behind log onto itunes and download that sucker!

I also just bought another snappy piece of technology into the house, a DVR. This thing rocks! It really has a set it and forget it mentality. With two young children, the ability to pause live tv is a God send. Being able to fast forward through bad advertising is also a very useful feature.