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.
Beautiful tattoos that look like watercolour art
Instagram and Pinterest are great sources of inspiration when it comes to ideas for tattoos. This is especially true now, given how contemporary tattoo artists are getting more creative than ever with the medium.
PANTONE unveils new magazine that explores seasonal colour trends
Last month the PANTONE Color Institiute debuted its new bi-annual magazine. VIEWPOINT COLOUR is an inspirational lifestyle magazine that explores seasonal colour trends and insights across all design disciplines. Colour plays a crucial part in branding, logo design, and how products are perceived by consumers. And because of…
Smart wallet automatically separates your bills and coins
Wallets have pretty much remained the same; a pocket for your bills and a small buttoned space for your coins. But if you’ve ever struggled to keep change neatly inside their wallet, you’ll understand why this design team from Singapore came up with KIN.
Stencils give your hair a unique design
Hair can be cut, styled and coloured. But why colour all of it, when you can create floral, polka dots and other patterns in your hair. Stylist Janine Ker, from Salon Aguayo, has created her own stencil designs for hair.
Can you tell jewellery from a sex toy? Take the quiz
As jewellery becomes more elegant and sex toys get more creative, it can be hard to tell them apart. So to test your design knowledge, Cosmopolitan has created a quiz to see how well you know your sex toys and jewellery.
Move over beard baubles, it’s time to light things up
Forget about adding glitter to your beard or hanging Christmas baubles in there. A new trend has hit the beard scene and it’s about to literally light up this festive season in a big way.
Exclusive $20,000 Cheetos cheetah-inspired jewellery
Trying to figure out that perfect, thoughtful gift for a loved one at Christmas is tough. But don’t worry, because Cheetos has come to the rescue. And I’m not talking about give your partner a big bag of cheesy crisps, but a new cheetah-inspired jewellery set.
A handy guide to keeping your beard well-groomed
As someone who has had facial hair for nearly twenty years, I can tell you it takes a lot of work to grow out a great beard. Good grooming habits are essential, no matter if it’s for a cause like Movember or just because you want…
These beautiful backpack will give you wings
The dream of flight started a very long time ago. Many people have wondered what it’s like to have wings, but people are not angels or birds. So do you simply strap on a pair of fake wings and go to work? You’d seem a little odd…
Instagram’s latest lip art trend brings us crystallized lips
Instagram has a tremendous influence over the beauty industry. If something starts catching on via the social media platform, it’s sure to make waves with fashionistas everywhere. The newest beauty rage amongst these make-up addicts is now crystallized lips.
Hair crown looks like butterflies flying around your head
Butterflies happen to be a popular motif in the visual arts and design. Based in Ukraine, designer Iryna Osinchuk-Chajka of Eten-Iren Handmade Jewely has taken this motif and released a series of unique hair accessories.
Laceless running shoes designed by BMW and PUMA
Amidst the hype surrounding the recent re-release of the Nike Mag self-tying shoes, BMW and PUMA have partnered up to create a pair of laceless shoes. These running shoes incorporate technology from BMW’s GINA Light Visionary Model concept car.
Have you seen the dip dye wedding dress trend?
Here comes the bride, all dressed in white… and blue, pink and yellow. If you’re tired of the traditional white gown, then an airbrushed or dip dye wedding dress might be for you.
What web designers can learn from the fashion industry
Buying clothes online is a risky venture, since much of shopping is knowing how the apparel feels and fits your body. One of the best ways to persuade people to buy clothes online is by being very meticulous. That’s why fashion industry websites are on top of…
Hidden rainbow hair is the newest fashion trend
There have always been different hairstyles that have trended; including PANTONE Colour of the Year styles. Some of us are just too shy or have a conservative job for these bold hairstyles. If you’re one of those people, you’ll love this hidden rainbow hair trend.
Everyday Backpack surpasses Kickstarter goal by 1200%
With comfort and functionality as priorities, lots of people now use backpacks for their everyday commute. Just throw it over the shoulders and go. You probably think that there’s not a lot of room to improve here. Well, that’s where you’d be wrong. These new Kickstater backpack is designed…
Company lets kids design their own clothes
Many people assume that you are either born creative or not. Not true. Creativity is actually more of skill that you can learn, which makes it a skill parents can help their kids develop. That’s what Jaimee Newberry, mother of two did with her kids.
KFC scented sunscreen has just launched and sold out
There’s certainly no shortage of strange beauty products on the market. Products like Burger King’s Whopper cologne or KFC’s finger lickin’ good nail polish are available for purchase. Apparently consumers can’t get enough of that finger lickin’ good fried chicken. KFC has released an Extra Crispy Sunscreen that comes…
Temporary tattoos double as app and device controls
The wearable technology market has been flourishing in recent years. As that technology grows, so to does design and innovation. In the future, even your tattoos could be much more than just ink designs.
Fashion Illustrator uses his environment to complete his designs
You may remember a previous post about an illustrator who uses food items to finish his fashion sketches. This time I’m featuring Shamekh Bluwi, a Jordan-based architect and fashion illustrator. He uses clouds, buildings, and whatever else he finds to decorate his dress designs.
Beautiful lip art from makeup artist Jazmina Daniel
Loved by Instagram's beauty community, this makeup artist creates colourful designs on her lips.
Cheryl Lee’s magical forest inspired jewellery
Allowing our minds to escape into fantasy can be entertaining, distracting, frightening, or even arousing. That escape into our inner world allows us to rehearse the future and imagine new adventures without risk. Thus, it allows the mind to roam freely and aid creativity.
Clear jelly flower lipstick contains real flowers inside
Kailijumei's clear jelly flower lipstick is all the rage and contains gold specks and real dried flowers.
Cool, minimalist geometric tattoos by Roxx
With a career spanning 30+ years, it's no wonder tattoo artist Roxx is at the top of the ink world game.
Miniature fantasy worlds within wooden rings
No matter how much jewellery you own, chances are that you don’t own anything quite like this.
Artist creates eyelid artworks inspired by famous painters
This artist uses her skills to create incredibly detailed works of art on her eyes and body.
Harry Potter-themed jewellery even Muggles will enjoy
This awesome magical-themed jewellery will make you want to reread (or watch) the entire wizarding series again.
This edible nail polish is Finger Lickin’ Good
KFC has branched out into the world of beauty products with a line of nail polish you can lick off.
Awesome three-piece Pac-Man suit and tie
Fans of the classic arcade game Pac-Man will be geeking-out over this awesome three-piece suit by Oppo Suits.
Brutally honest parody of makeup ads
YouTube comedy channel Cracked shows us their brutally honest parody of makeup ads.
World’s first timepiece made from real moon rock
This watch is the world’s first timepiece to be made from a solid piece of genuine moon rock.
Creative fashion illustrations completed using food items
If you like to play with your food, these fashion designs are creatively completed with different items.
Makeup artist transforms her lips into sexy art
Canadian makeup artist Andrea Reed uses her own lips to show off her talent by turning them into sexy art.
How to chose the right sunglasses for your face shape
These useful charts by Gear Patrol will help you figure out the right sunglasses for your face shape.
The painstaking process of body painting for Sports Illustrated
This year's lineup includes UFC fighter Ronda Rousey, tennis player Caroline Wozniacki and ski racer Lindsey Vonn.
Learn the reasons why men shave: A brief history
For a brief history of shaving, Prim & Prep has put together this informative infographic.
Landmark rings let you wear cities on your finger
These rings are inspired by the iconic landmarks and skylines of cities around the world.
Popular, yet controversial, upskirt umbrellas
Japan loves its animation and has a lot of anime merchandise aimed at the market there and around the globe. Hoping to establish the theme of Crazy Japan around the world, a designer collective called Million Girls Project intends to produce everyday products with a bizarre, controversial…
Rose Quartz and Serenity, PANTONE’s 2016 hair colour trends
Rose Quartz and Serenity made its influence on fashion and even worked their way to hair colour trends.
Beautiful nature-inspired resin jewellery by Lyuda
Lyuda combines beautiful floral elements with shreds of gold leaf, capturing them forever in her crystal-clear resin jewellery.
Learn 3 ways to tie your scarf, keep warm and look good
Besides a warm winter coat — and polar bear repellent — a scarf is a gentleman’s best defence against the Canadian elements. But a scarf is much more than just frostbite protection. Tying it the right way can add boatloads of charm and personality to…
Cool looks from the 2015 World Beard & Moustache Championship
In the small village of Leogang, Austria, an epic battle took place between bearded men from all over the world. The 2015 World Beard & Moustache Championships—with even more epic facial hair than last year—showcased more than 300 contestants from 20 different countries.
Nike creates self-lacing shoes from Back to the Future
Back in 2011, the Nike Air Mag (the shoes from Back To The Future Part II) were released to an insatiable fan base. The only disappointment was that they weren’t self-lacing like in the movie.
This steampunk Tesla Watch is the coolest way to tell time
There are numerous creations that have been fashioned in honour of inventor Nikola Tesla, and this steampunk-style analog Tesla Watch from ThinkGeek is one of the coolest.
Miniature scenes of summer captured in jewellery
Labour Day passed, the kids back to school and summer is wrapping up. But that doesn’t mean you can’t take the memory of season and wear them wherever you go.
Why you should wear the same thing to work every day
Throughout the work week we’re confronted with thousands of decisions, both big and small; whether its choosing between #0099FF and #3399FF, or deciding to entirely change careers. With every decision you make, you’re using up the finite supply of mental energy allocated to you each day.…
Infographic: The five levels of business attire
Believe it or not, dressing for work is a tricky business and many people actually do it wrong. In fact, picking the proper business attire doesn’t depend solely on your rank in the company, but your age and the type or work you do as…
Carlsberg’s limited edition, beer-infused grooming products
Do you like your beer? I find it especially good on a warm summer’s day. But would you swap your favourite shampoo for beer? That’s what Carlsberg is hoping with their new line of beer-infused male grooming products created at their Copenhagen-based Carlsberg Laboratory.
Infographic: 15 gentleman’s rules in dressing
Dressing well is more than simply making sure your clothes match. That’s where men’s fashion blog Fashion Stork has come up with an infographic titled ‘15 Gentleman’s Rules In Dressing’.
Discover the most popular summer shoe styles for men
When it comes to warm-weather shoe styles, it’s all about keeping cool—in every sense of the word. But even though some styles are off the table, options abound.