The Design Block
If you're looking for the latest in advertising and marketing, design related technology and lifestyle tips, and art or design highlights then you're in the right place. Find all this and more with the Design Block blog.
Adidas beer and vomit-proof shoes for Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest, originally a Bavarian event, is now celebrated the world over; being loved for its endless flow of German beer, traditional food, and all-around good times. So, if you’re looking for the perfect shoes to match your lederhosen at Oktoberfest, Adidas has the pair for you.
KFC teams with Huawei to release a limited edition smartphone
Who needs Apple and Tim Cook? Colonel Sanders is launching a limited edition smartphone with Huawei in China; a red smartphone that comes complete with a Snapdragon processor and fingerprint scanner.
Controversial KFC Whole Chicken ad will not face an investigation
We all know that the meat we eat used to be a barnyard animal. And as both an Art Director and a farmer, I know that not a lot of people like being reminded of that fact. That, however, is some of the criticism behind…
Controversial photo of scribbles and spit wins $20K award
Sydney photographer Justine Varga has won the $20,000AUD prize for the 2017 Olive Cotton Award for a large-scale work in homage to her grandmother. However, the win of this controversial photo is causing an outcry amongst photographers everywhere.
What if stock videos had subtitles telling a different story?
You know there are a lot of stock photos out there. They’re used when you either don’t have the time or budget to do your own photography. Did you know that stock videos exist as well with a similar purpose?
Google algorithm erases watermarks from stock images
As designers, when mocking up concepts for our projects, we tend to use plenty of stock images. Instead of buying images the client might not like, we use watermarked images to try before we buy. However, showing watermarks on our concepts look ugly and we…
Some of the best images from the solar eclipse
On Monday, August 21, 2017, millions of people across the northern hemisphere tried to catch a glimpse of the solar eclipse. In fact, according to Netflix, they lost 10 percent of their usual viewership during the solar eclipse.
Heinz creates Chicago Dog Sauce for the city that won’t use ketchup
People put a lot of things on their hot dogs in Chicago; the one thing they absolutely won’t put on is ketchup. Most Chicagoans opt for mustard, relish, onion and pickled condiments instead. Where this rule originated is a mystery, but one by which natives of the Windy…
Tom Bob street art creations are taking over New York
Street art is a movement, an art expression, even an art form in its own right. There are plenty of amazing street artists around the world like David Zinn, Raquel Rodrigo, or even the Pirate Printers.
Award winning ads show how humans are getting dumber
Our world is populated by different kinds of people, all with hugely varying levels of intelligence. And while most consider themselves intelligent, it can be very hard to get an accurate assessment of our own intelligence. After all, our thoughts tend to sound smart in…
Twitter account pokes fun at disturbing stock imagery
Stock imagery is used by media outlets when they don’t have a photo to illustrate a particular story; or when art directors are putting together a concept. Either way, there is a disturbing amount of options available on stock websites like iStock or Shutterstock.
How to start marketing with little to no budget
Unfortunately, starting out really isn’t as easy as becoming an overnight sensation. As much as we think and hope that our product or service will be an instant hit, that doesn’t happen. When it comes to getting your name out there, startup marketing is a…
KFC creates $20,000 Zinger Burger from a meteorite
We live in an age of viral pranks where companies will do almost anything to get your attention. Some go with the trends, like Starbucks’ Unicorn Frappuccino. Not wanting be buried under all the social media hype is KFC, which just released a new line of…
To combat harassment, women are buying anti-pervert flamethrowers
Assaulting women is never the right thing. And now, would-be sex attackers could end up burnt or even disfigured by flamethrowers being marketed at women in China.
Clever ads use optical illusions to encourage pet adoption
Pet adoption is a wonderful thing. Ask any pet owner, and they’ll probably tell you that their furry friend has made their family feel complete. Photographer Amol Jadhav along with art director Pranav Bhide took that concept and transformed a brilliant idea into striking ads that are more than…
Discover the art of aquarium decorating
Aquarium decorating, also known as aquascaping, is the design and arranging of aquatic plants, rocks, or driftwood within an aquarium; basically, gardening under water.
Font Map helps designers find relationships between Google Fonts
Typography enthusiasts can identify most fonts by name. However, it’s always useful to explore fonts using visual similarities – in case you wanted to shake things up a bit. Every typeface has its merits; hell, even Comic Sans work as an attention-grabber because it’s so despised. But with…
For your long weekend: Interesting facts about beer
Anyone of legal drinking age has no doubt downed a beer (or six). But how much do you really know about this alcoholic beverage? Probably not as much as you think.
Add sparkle to your room with optical glass sculptures
Glass sculptures have been around since ancient Egypt. And although modern day glass art has advanced over the years, many artists continue to follow the same techniques used by ancient glass artists.
LEGO builds its way to award-winning campaign at Cannes festival
After a decade of being nearly forgotten, LEGO has rebuilt itself into a global toy juggernaut. Fuelled in part by The LEGO Movie‘s popularity, the company surpassed rival Mattel to become the biggest toy manufacturer in the world. The LEGO bricks are available in 53 different…
Illustrated charts visualize what an asshole client is
We all have them: the asshole client. There’s no getting around it; you’re going to encounter them from time to time working in design. And as much as we’d all like to believe that what goes around comes around, the reality is they don’t get what’s…
100 graffiti artists asked to paint a school before it’s renovated
The majority of schools are pretty bland; neutral coloured paint and politically correct designs. But 100 graffiti artists have turned the walls of a dormitory in Paris into stunning canvases of art and creativity.
Google successfully teaches AI to edit images like a pro photographer
Can a machine be trained to edit images that most people would think were shot by a professional human photographer? That’s what Google is trying to figure out with a machine learning research project.
For those who like it darker: Black ice cream
Ice cream comes in almost any colour and flavour you can think of accept black – until now that is. After gaining a bit of a cult following last summer in the US, black ice cream has made its way north of the border.
Irish artist crafts intricate sculptures from avocado pits
Peoples appetite for the avocado has grown just about every year for the past 15 years; invading kitchens and menus across North America. And while most of us see the avocado pits as trash, Irish artist Jan Campbell sees them as an opportunity.
Smirnoff humorously trolls Trump with new transit ad
Whether you like your vodka straight, on the rocks or in your Bloody Mary, there’s a reason Smirnoff received a ton of buzz recently. In its new transit shelter ad campaign, Smirnoff takes a shot at President Donald Trump.
Creative apps that stole the show at the Apple Design Awards 2017
Each year, Apple honours the achievements of some of its most creative and talented developers at its Worldwide Developers Conference. This year’s Apple Design Awards comprise a variety of games that use the company’s hardware and rendering technologies in unique ways. It also showcased productivity apps with…
100,000 banned books are used to build a full-size Parthenon
The Parthenon was built in the mid-5th century BCE and dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena the Virgin. However, this full-size German replica is constructed out of 100,000 banned books as a symbol of resistance to political repression.
Prada retails a single paperclip for $185US
Prada is selling a $185US money clip that looks like a paperclip. Yes, it’s literally just a fancy version of a paperclip that’s probably on your desk. Barney’s New York has just retailed a sterling silver Prada clip, and it’s the latest item to join the list of things…
You can now turn your favourite songs into wall art
Imagine your favourite songs. Now envision what those songs might look like. Vibrato is an online service that brings your songs to life by turning them into a wall art. The eye-catching artworks use sound waves, resulting in beautiful prints resembling inky, delicate nebulae.
NakeFit stick-on soles let you go barefoot
A barefoot stroll on the beach is one of the life’s simple pleasures; unless the sand is scorching hot. To get people out of their flip flops, an Italian company believes they have the perfect solution: stick-on soles.
Winners of the World Illustration Awards 2017
Every year the UK’s Association of Illustrators (AOI) brings together their World Illustration Awards. Now in its 40th year, the winners for the 2017 awards have been announced. The World Illustration Awards showcase 50 shortlisted projects across eight different categories. The exhibition will be held at Somerset House…
You can buy this bikini made from real pizza for $10,000
Whether it’s to celebrate a victory or a quick way to feed the family, pizza is an incredibly popular food; especially in Canada. But why eat your pizza when you can wear it? To celebrate National Bikini Day today, restaurant chain Villa Italian Kitchen has partnered New York-Based food stylist Jessie Bearden to create…
ASICS responsive print ad determines the running shoes you need
Running is one of the easiest sports to jump into, and one of the most popular. But did you know that it’s hard on your body and can lead to serious long-term injuries? In fact, thousands of runners don’t use the proper running shoes for…
Korean barista turns coffee into incredible Cremart
Latte art is nothing new; your barista at the local coffee shop probably serves up drinks adorned with hearts or flowers. In South Korea, the latte art scene is growing at an astonishing rate. And spearheading the movement is Lee Kang Bin, a talented barista. His latte art, which he…
Multidimensional landscapes created from hundreds of photos
Japanese artist Nobuhiro Nakanishi doesn’t believe that time can be physically grasped. However, with his latest exhibition, he shows us what it might look like if we could. Nobuhiro’s Layer Drawings series explores time, space, and memory by photographing landscapes over time.
A brutally honest take on a graphic designer’s logic
The concept of the left and right brain has become a well-known part of human psychology. While we all use both sides of the brain, each of us has a dominant side; this dominant side makes up for a huge part of our personalities. For…
Artist turns scrap metal into nature art
It’s true that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. And for this self-taught artist based in Gloucestershire, UK, scrap metal is his canvas. Dan Rawlings works with recycled tools, old vehicles, and anything else he finds; turning this scrap metal into beautiful tree and plant…
McDonald’s puts its drive-thru on wheels
If you’re in a hurry, getting lunch at the drive-thru is a convenient way to get your fast food. But what if that wasn’t convenient enough for you? Well, McDonald’s isn’t going to wait for you to come to its brick-and-mortar; rather, it’s taken the initiative…
Brushstroke cakes are the latest hit on Instagram
Do you eat cake for dessert? Or is it something you only have on special occasions, like your birthday or divorce? Russian cake designer Kalabasa recently ignited the latest social media cake trend with her brushstroke cakes. Also known as feathers, they’re true masterpieces of food…
When to use Adobe Photoshop vs Lightroom
If you deal with a lot of photography, you need to know what to do with it. So whether you’re a photographer or a graphic designer, which software should you be using for your design project? Adobe Photoshop vs Lightroom: which one is better? The truth is,…
Mixxtape portable music player works like a cassette
Dallas-based company Mixxim brought the cassette tape into the 21st century with the Mixxtape.
Why did your great employee quit?
To have success in business, you need to have exceptional employees. However, hiring them is only half the battle. Have you ever had a great employee, and thought, “This is the one!” They’re smart, engaged, driven, and seemed to really love the job. You can…
Danish fashion label RAINS sues Zara for copying its raincoat design
Zara has a reputation for taking runway designs and making affordable versions for everyday consumers. However, they’ve taken a lot of heat in the last few months, starting with their Love Your Curves ad, and now this: Danish outerwear label RAINS recently announced it is filing…
Not just a typeface, Helvetica is now a coffee
Helvetica is a sans serif typeface that’s one of the most popular in the world with designers. That’s why it shouldn’t come as a surprise that its influence has spread far and wide; but to coffee? Now that’s something you probably didn’t see coming.
3D portraits that are made of thousands of screws
After two years and the help of nearly ten thousand screws, Andrew Myres, has finally completed his work. You might think he was doing some home renovations, but that’s not the case. Andrew used them to create amazing 3D portraits.
A new currency for people who don’t give zero fucks
Caring too much can be tortuous. For your own health, it’s good to not care what others say or how they feel about you. Professionally, that’s another matter. However, if you want to let people know that you give zero fucks, this Kickstarter project is…
Electric wallpaper doubles as a power source
Decorating your home with wallpaper gives you a wide array of looks: from country charm to traditional warmth. However, design, art, and technology are all intertwined in this new electric wallpaper. Co-developed by wallpaper company Flavor Paper and design firm UM Project, sounds, lights and motions are combined in a…
Real estate ad for a $100 million mansion is basically softcore porn
You’ll hear the phrase often when you enter the advertising industry: sex sells. But do people really buy a product just because it has sexually stimulating imagery attached to it? For this US$100 million OPUS mansion in Beverly Hills, half-naked women covered in gold paint star in a…
Metallic freckles are this summer’s hot new beauty trend
For many beauty enthusiasts, the sun’s arrival this summer will be accompanied by the appearance of a modicum of beautiful freckles. And while beauty trends involving freckles aren’t new, these tiny skin spots are set to take on new life as dramatic beauty marks.