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.
AI tool enhances low-res pixelated images into hi-res
You see it in cop shows like CSI all the time. The police are trying to enhance pixelated images to read what seems like non-existent details in photos. As far-fetched as it may seem, researchers have been artificial intelligence technologies to help fill in missing…
Taco Bell is now testing a Kit Kat stuffed quesadilla
Taco Bell is testing its latest food mashup in the US: a quesadilla stuffed with, not cheese, but a Kit Kat. Released last month, the fast food restaurant announced that it’s experimenting with Chocodillas in Wisconsin.
Facebook wants your nude pictures, but for a good reason
Facebook—who can’t seem to control its own content—hopes we’ll trust it with our nude pictures. It’s an interesting, yet brazen plan they have to try to combat revenge porn.
Burger King serves up an effective anti-bullying PSA
If you saw someone being bullied, would you say something? That was the premise of an effective anti-bullying experiment conducted by Burger King in honour of National Bullying Prevention Month.
Tattoo Socks allow you to flaunt cool designs without getting inked
For most around the world, tattoos are a form of expression. For some it’s a rite of adulthood, tribal identity, artistic or beauty purposes, and so on. However, for those who are in it for style and beauty but aren’t looking for permanence, you may…
Sculptor uses chainsaw to turn old trees into works of at
Sculptors have a way of taking their medium and transforming it into incredible shapes and designs. And the creations from this talented Romanian artist is no exception; the only difference is his tool: a chainsaw.
Street artist leaves ironic messages all over the UK
Street artist Mobstr wanted to see how long it would take before city workers removed the poorly-painted word rats from a canal-side wall. He was shocked that it stayed up for 13 months; it was only removed when the wall in Stratford, east London, was demolished.
Bring to life Photoshop and Illustrator images with Adobe Character Animator
Do you love creating characters in Photoshop or Illustrator, but wish you could make them come to life? Adobe has come up with a solution that’s now part of CC: Character Animator.
Halloween-themed blue burger is filled with ants and mealworms
Australian burger chain Huxtaburger will be offering a distinctly creepy burger on Halloween. And just so you know, the extra crunch in this burger isn’t from the crispy lettuce. Rather, it’s the healthy serving of mealworms.
Rising Furniture inspired by transformations in nature
Much like how pop-up books give stories dimension, Amsterdam-based designer Robert van Embricqs‘ Rising Furniture gives poetic form to function. If your home has so much furniture it’s difficult to move, these designs can give you some extra space.
BK trolls McDonald’s with free Whoppers to those dressed as clowns
If you have coulrophobia (a fear of clowns), then you might want to stay away from Burger King this Halloween. Last year’s panic over creepy clown sightings and the recent success of the reboot of It have created a buzz around clowns, and now BK is getting in on the action.
What to do during downtime at work
Downtime is a rare thing in most workplaces, but there’s a good chance you’ll experience a slow day every once in a while.
Giant London billboard knows your car, even how you’re feeling
Many drivers and pedestrians have become used to tuning out billboard advertisements. But what if those billboards could serve up ads to you based on your vehicle, or even how you’re feeling? One London billboard is trying just that.
Young woman’s spectacular 3D latte art is almost too cute to drink
For 17-year-old Daphne Tan, coffee isn’t just a beverage, it’s also her canvas. The Singapore-based artist is quickly whipping up a storm on Instagram for her spectacular 3D latte art.
Design studio tries to reinvents the zipper
We use it in out everyday lives and probably don’t give it much thought. The zipper is used in clothing, luggage and other bags, sporting goods, camping gear, and other items. The design hasn’t changed much in the last hundred years, but one design company is looking to change that.
Giant straw animals invade Japanese fields after rice harvest
Fall is here, which means that it’s time for the harvest and the annual fairs that celebrate it. In Japanese culture waste is often minimized, especially in food. Sometimes, during the annual rice harvest, the leftover rice straw is transformed into straw animals.
Getty bans Photoshopped images that alter models’ body shapes
Taking effect back on October 1st, Getty images updated its Creative Stills Submission Requirements. The new requirements specify they will no longer accept images of models whose bodies have been Photoshopped; either to look thinner or larger.
Delicious Cake Popsicles are almost like works of art
Cake on a stick? Why hadn’t anyone thought of this before? Melbourne-based, self-taught baker and cake decorator, Raymond Tan has created Cake Popsicles that almost look too good to eat.
Become a better writer with these 15 ways to write faster
Sometimes it seems as if there aren’t enough hours in the day to get all your work done—especially if you’re a writer. Some people are writing machines; they get an idea, pound it out in minutes, and move on to something else. For most of us,…
A unique watch made of lightweight and durable concrete
Concrete may seem an unlikely design material when talking about consumer goods, but the Masonic aims to change this perception. This debut watch from Aggregate Watches is the first to utilize a traditionally industrial material in a refined way.
Facebook faces backlash after banning ad of a woman shaving her legs
We’ve all heard stories of Facebook and Instagram banning posts and advertisements that contain nudity. Their reasoning is that it’s adult content and not suitable for some of their users. Fair enough. However, sometimes it seems as though they pick and choose which posts they take down. The latest…
Zodiac inspired tattoos to reflect your personality
When it comes to commitment, getting a tattoo is near the top. Therefore, if you get one, you’ll want to feel good about it and what it represents about you. For those who are guided by astrology, but aren’t sure which design to get, you may want to…
Swedish train passengers ditch tickets, opt to be microchipped instead
Gone are the days of fair collectors asking to see your paper ticket on the train. One Swedish train company is offering passengers the option of being microchipped by having a biometric chip implanted into their hand.
Heineken-owned craft brewer is making marijuana beer
These days, you can find marijuana infused in everything from bath bombs to pizza. In fact, once Canada finally legalizes it next year, expect to see a lot more edibles on the market here. However, already legal in California, marijuana beer has debuted.
Artist paints fake shadows to make people look twice
If you happen to be in downtown Redwood City, California, you might notice something out of the ordinary. If you pay particular attention to the shadows, you’ll notice they seem to be mutated from their original shape. Flowers sprout from the shadows of bike racks…
Best of the 2017 World Beard & Moustache Championship
Quite possibly the best thing to happen to facial hair is the World Beard and Moustache Championship. For more than 25 years, the semi-annual competition has turned growing and grooming into a high-class art form.
Snowbird ski resort cleverly uses 1-star review in its ad
From intermediate to expert skiers, Snowbird ski resort in Utah is renowned for its challenging slopes. However, one guest found the mountains to be a bit too challenging and wrote a 1-star review of his stay.
Quickshot photo app help you shoot better photos
There are times when editing you photos gives them that final boost to show their maximum potential; which takes time. That’s why Lightricks, the developers behind Facetune, Memoji and Enlight, has launched the Quickshot photo app.
Makeup artist uses optical illusions to create amazing effects
Makeup can be transformational; if done right it can turn one thing into something completely different. For example, the mind-bending effects from Vancouver makeup artist Mimi Choi has proven she is the queen of optical illusion makeup.
Funny typography puns to put a smile on your face
This series of typography puns is meant to lift the spirits of fellow designers; it’s a good way to start your week. In this DesignTAXI series created by Caisa Nilaseca, you’ll find yourself smiling at these funny typographic puns.
Top 10 winners for the A’ Design Award competition
Whether you’re a designer or just someone who loves well-designed objects, this years A’Design Award winners are amazing to see. If you’re not familiar, the A’ Design Award is the world’s largest design awards and a leading international annual juried competition for designers and other creatives.
Company makes humorous soaps for all types of people
Do you still use bar soaps or do you use a body wash? If you still use bars, then these products might be just what you’re looking for. And while the soap industry may not be known for its sense of humour, an American company…
Sculptor turns blocks of wood into intricately detailed pipes
For nearly two decades, Sidrit Vaqari has perfected the art of wood carving. He’s made amazingly intricate wood sculpture pipes that often take the form of mystical creatures and characters from movies and pop culture.
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…