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.
7 fun ways to make your desk job more like a RPG
When you’re playing the game of life, you probably imagine it to be some impossibly complicated RPG. It’s filled with awful consequences and no right answer. Life really is just about moving forward and completing quests.
Infographic: What do people read while on the toilet?
Do you bring your cellphone with you to the toilet? Whether you admit it or not, most of us actually do some form of reading while in the can. In fact 63% of people read a book, magazine, or newspaper while using the bathroom; another…
A gas mask is needed to prepare the world’s spiciest drumstick sauce
Atomic Kick Ass Sauce is hot; and not give me a glass of milk hot. The world’s spiciest drumstick sauce is so hot that Bindi Restaurant chef and creator, Muhammad Karim, has to put on a gas mask to prevent himself from passing out while preparing…
Designer brews and sends out his own Resum-Ale
Having a good résumé is important for catching the eye of potential employers; having a clever and creative résumé lets you stand out from the crowd. Web and Graphic Designer Brennan Gleason went the extra mile with his home brewed Resum-Ale.
10 things women expect men to know how to do
Are you a manly man? Some of the things women expect men to not be are testosterone-fuelled hulks; nor do you need to be a metrosexual or a skinny jean, plaid wearing, pretentious, bicycle riding hipsters. You can even be the type of man who puts on a well-tailored…
The Holy Cow burger contains 17 different types of beef
Since it looks like no one eats normal burgers anymore, Red’s True Barbecue in England is offering a burger that features 17 types of beef! Aptly named The Holy Cow, this mammoth sandwich dwarfs your typical burger and contains a smidgen of tangy condiments.
Brilliant food packaging inspired by its contents
Swedish design studio Tomorrow Machine has come up with a series of clever, beautifully designed, eco-friendly food packaging.
Dress becomes transparent the more you share info online
Did you know that photo you took with your phone can reveal the exact location of where it was taken? And every time you fill in a profile, blog, share a video, send a tweet, or post a comment, you create a digital footprint that’s both…
Would you try fish and chips flavoured ice cream?
Ice cream is a popular treat that is enjoyed around the world. Fish and chips, however, is a traditional British dish which is popular with tourists. And now ice cream and fish and chips fans can get their fix together.
Pocket Art Director gives you on-the-spot design advice
When deadlines are on the horizon, chances are your art director is nowhere to be found. If talking to your other colleagues would result in a prolonged ramblings, then you need the Pocket Art Director.
Learn how to make mac ‘n cheese meatball sandwiches
A staple of college students everywhere; it’s pretty much universally agreed that mac ‘n cheese is outstanding. Whether it’s made from scratch, loaded with bacon, or straight from the box, it warms us on the hardest of days.
7 ways to look like the perfect gentleman
Do you have a date planned or just looking to get one. As a guy, impressing women isn’t as hard as you may think. Even if you’re not a doctor or an entrepreneur, that doesn’t mean you can’t come off like the perfect gentleman during a date—because…
How to build a crossbow out of simple office supplies
It’s time to take your spitball firepower to the next level with this guide for constructing a crossbow out of office supplies. Dave Hax is a YouTuber who frequently features cool projects and life hacks on his Youtube channel.
Sweet & delicious churro ice cream sandwiches
Finally someone has thought of it: Drawing inspiration from the shops Churros Calientes in Los Angeles and La Churreria in New York City, comes churro ice cream sandwiches. Sylvia Yoo made disc-shaped churros, and put a scoop of ice cream between two of these to create a sweet and…
Beautiful fluorescent bodyscapes
Utah-based photographer and artist John Poppleton‘s personal goal was to create something original and to be different. However, fantasy portraits were never part of his plan. Now that’s what he’s known for. John has created a series of fluorescent artworks, painted directly on the human body.
Amazingly detailed sculptures carved out of watermelon
Clay? Paper? Metal? No? Then how about fruit? Vancouver sculptor and extreme pumpkin carver, Clive Cooper has come up with some amazing sculptures carved from watermelon.
Hilarious images poke fun at hipster motivational posters
If you’re regularly on social media, you certainly get a good dose of the usual hipster motivational posters posted on Facebook, Tumblr or Instagram. The pattern used to create these trivial posters is always the same: a heavy processed or filtered photo, with a motivational sentence placed somewhere…
World’s most expensive Starbucks drink is 128 ounces
A man by the name of Andrew Chifari has broken Beau Chevassus’s record for ordering the world’s most expensive Starbucks drink. The drink in question is called the Sexagintuple Vanilla Bean Mocha Frappuccino.
What happens on the Internet in real-time
What’s the most popular internet activity? Both social networking (37 minutes per day) and email (33 minutes) are at the top. But how much really happens in that time? By the time you finish reading this sentence, there will have been over 200,000 new Facebook posts, 22,000+…
Shake Shack in NYC unveils 5 delicious hamburgers for its 10th anniversary
To celebrate Shake Shack’s 10th anniversary at its original location in New York City’s Madison Square Park, Shake Shack has teamed up with some of New York’s most iconic chefs, including Daniel Boulud, David Chang and occasional Shake Shack collaborator Dominique Ansel.
You can now eat mist that tastes of bacon, cotton candy & chocolate
Have ever wished you could eat all the bacon, cotton candy, and chocolate you wanted without worrying about your calories? Lick Me I’m Delicious, which was founded by Charlie Harry Francis, has created a machine in which you can eat flavoured mist.
Passed out drunk people on the streets are turned into billboards
For most people, a quiet drink after work is a quick treat before they head home for their dinner. However, for these Japanese, the end-of-the-day quickly pint turns into one too many. The result is people becoming passed out drunk and end up sleeping on the streets of Tokyo.
5 ways to make a better ice cream sandwich
In anticipation of summer’s arrival, here’s some insider tips on how to make the best possible ice cream sandwiches. Now, you’ll have the knowledge you need to be the architect of your own dessert and blow your friends and family away.
Break the bad news with humorous and beautiful calligraphy
How do you break bad news to someone? Do you sugarcoat it or tell the truth? If you’ve ever had to break bad news to someone, but weren’t quite sure how to do it, there’s now a solutions. Seb Lester is a graphic designer from the UK. He has a love or…
25 things you don’t know you’re doing that make you look like a douche
Douche is a word that is used to describe someone who has shown themselves to be very brainless in one way or another; thus comparing them to the cleansing product for vaginas. As society continues its downward spiral, I thought that it would be good to point…
Infographic: 3 common time wasters at work
The majority of workers spend an average of eight hours every single working day sitting at their desks. So it’s not surprising that sometimes we don’t have the motivation to work. Some of the most common time wasters are pretty normal, like frequently checking email. Others, like…
Start drooling over the world’s most expensive donut
Drop the galaxy donut and ditch that rainbow bagel. Instead of Instagramming your pastries to prove how trendy you are, why not flaunt this status symbol? Celebrating National Doughnut Week, Krispy Kreme UK unveiled the world’s most expensive donut.
Humorous middle class problems
As the middle class has grown, so have middle class problems. The online world is jammed full of parents and Millennials blogging about crises that are anything but. A life of privilege obviously brings hardships for many, like when “Starbucks all out of pumpkin spice, now I have to settle…
The 10 best pickup lines that don’t sound like pickup lines
Using a pickup line to get a woman’s attention is something I wouldn’t recommend doing. I’m also pretty sure that any woman would probably tell you it’s an awful idea too. Pickup lines basically imply that you lack intelligence–that you don’t have that charm a women wants…
Eight great topping combinations for your hamburger
The array of possible hamburger topping combinations is only limited the mind, or tastebuds. However, a great burger can include a wide variety of toppings that you might or might not have already considered.
Discover the simple ideas you can use to stimulate creativity
For people who generate ideas for a living, it is not uncommon to experience creativity ruts. To help you keep the creative juices flowing, Spanish ad agency SHOUT! Marketing has created an infographic, which lists a number of simple things that you can do everyday to stimulate the creative…
The Survival Kit: getting you through office “emergencies”
A lot of unexpected things can happen in the course of a day at the office—and making it through an office emergency can be difficult. So don’t wait until disaster strikes. It’s a smart idea to have office survival kits prepared for you and your…
Do you know the origins of the 10 greatest insults?
Insults have been around since humans could communicate with one-another. Many have come and gone, but others have evolved over time. Read up on the obscure history of 10 PG-rated slang terms below and share with your friends.
Infographic: Translating client-speak like a pro
If you’re in the marketing industry, like myself, trying to understand client feedback can be a tricky and confusing affair. Clients say one thing, but they actually mean another. It’s basically listening to a non-designer trying to explain type theory to you.
Truth Facts about our daily routines and habits
Each day you wake up and rush to get ready for work. You shower at lightning speed, wolf down your breakfast and grab your coffee before running out the door. After work, you eat dinner, sprawl out on the couch and binge Netflix. Then it’s…
These chocolate bars are beautiful, edible pieces of modern art
Mexico-based Unelefante was founded by fine jewellery designer Tatiana Sanchez. It was a response to the mass-produced products flooding Mexico and putting pressure on hand-made traditions. Teaming up with Chef Jorge Llanderal and his family, they created a collection of beautifully designed chocolate bars that look like brightly coloured…
Ridiculous demands made by advertising clients
Clients often come up with ridiculous demands, but none more than to those in advertising and marketing.
Are you striving for happiness, but not sure how to get there? Learn the science behind it being happy
Chances are pretty good that your main goal in life is to end up happy. Is it accomplished through good finances, material goods, love, or something else entirely? And what is happiness exactly? Is it purely an emotion, or does being happy transcend just an in-the-moment chemical reaction?…
More unbelievable places on Earth
Not too long ago, I posted some of the most unbelievable places on Earth to visit before you die. Now I’m back with more places on Earth that you need to see. Check them out below.
What’s your designer star sign?
According to Creative Director Liza Enebeis, there are 12 types of designers out there. To do this, she consults her inner Zodiac to bring you your designer star sign. Find yours and discover what it has to offer.
Infographic: Crazy shit that people search for on Google
Have you ever started typing a legitimate search into Google, only to have a disturbing, funny, or crazy shit pop up as auto-complete suggestion? Why does this happen?
Photos that poke fun at silly United States laws
In the United States, there are both federal and state laws; each of the 50 states are allowed to formulate and implement their own laws. Some of these laws are rarely implemented and are even considered weird, controversial and obnoxious. While some are outlandish and…
The history of famous cookies from around the world
Cookies were first made after sugar became available as a baking ingredient about 1400 years ago. And did you know that over half of the cookies baked at home today are chocolate chip? But what about other famous cookies?
Infographic: The world’s deadliest animals
Sharks, lions and snakes may strike fear into your heart, but they do not even come close to being the deadliest animal on earth. Of the top ten deadliest creatures to humans, most are smaller than a Toonie! And sometimes distinguishing between a cute animal and deadly…
If our childhood cartoons were scientifically accurate
When you think back to your favourite cartoons of the 80s and 90s, you’re probably brought back to happier times filled with colour, innocence, and laughter. Well that’s about to change.
Suntory Whiskey 3D-milled ice cubes that are works of art
Suntory Whiskey is offering the world’s first 3D-milled ice cubes.
22 common phrases we all secretly hate
What makes a phrase cringe-worthy? The Huffington Post editors were asked which common phrases bother them the most. The common thread among the responses was uselessness. Often, the phrases that we find off-putting are those that serve as conversational fillers, implying that the speaker is vapid or…
Infographic: How to dress dapper in the modern age
Off-the-rack can’t compare with the bespoke tradition of having high quality, personalized goods made to your exact specifications. So, the website CustomMade has teamed up with Ghergich & Co. to create a useful guide that teaches us how to dress dapper in the modern age.
What the world looks like, before and after a breakup
Saying goodbye to the person you were once close with after a breakup can be a hard thing to do. Chances are that we’ve all been there or know someone whose been in that situation. When it happens to you, it’s devastating. And while people can relate,…
Can you imagine if women hit on men, like men hit on women?
I’m sure that most women know when a guy is hitting on them—it’s like a sixth sense. Whether it’s in the gym or the supermarket, and no matter what they look like, every women gets hit on from time to time. Which must be tiring.