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.

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…

22 Deadly sins of graphic design

Starting any graphic design project requires preparation. There are briefs to follow, theories to consider, and deadly sins to avoid. So if you’re thinking about using Comic Sans or flattening your Photoshop file, think again.

The visually impaired can now tell time with the world’s first Braille smartwatch

Did you know that there are over 285 million visually impaired people in the world? This month, some of these lives are about to get better. South Korean developer Dot has produced the world’s first Braille smartwatch. And its features are just what you’d expect from…

Grope Sans: A quirky and risqué private parts themed typeface

Apparently, Valentine’s Day wasn’t all chocolates and roses. Food design and research studio Bompas & Parr, out of Liverpool, has created a new risqué typeface called Grope Sans. Created for Valentine’s Day, this racy typeface by graphic designer Flo Fairweather, is adorned with nipples, vaginas and penises.

14 Valentine’s Day traditions from around the world

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, stores are flooded with candy hearts, chocolates and stuffed animals. And while North Americas shower their loved ones this way, other countries around the world declare their love differently.

Infographic: Salary trends for 2017

If you’re hoping for a raise this year, you’re not alone. Most job seekers list salary as their number one consideration when looking for a new job. So if companies want to capture the attention of talent, they need to offer competitive salaries that accurately reflect employees’…

Spotify’s OOH campaign reveals its users’ most embarrassing listening habits

Were you the one who used Spotify to play “Sorry” 42 times last Valentine’s day? If you had unlimited access to people’s listening habits, the results would be more intriguing than you could imagine.

IKEA renames products after frequently Googled problems their products solve

For those searching through endless pages on Google for relationship advice, be wary. IKEA may be using your search queries for inspiration in their new brand campaign, ‘Retail Therapy’.

Find out what the 2017 horoscope holds for creatives

If you’re a creative whose wondering what the year ahead holds, then lets look at your horoscope. Adobe, with the help of stock contributor Natalia Hubbert, has created a horoscope that offers a peek at your creative potential and success for the new year. Will you…

Clever campaign for erotic books gets around censorship

How can you create an advertising campaign for a series of erotic books without getting dealing with censorship? That was the challenge for Brussels-based communications agency Mortierbrigade.

Bathroom spray uses real gold particles to remove odour

If a unicorn farted golden rainbows into a bottle, would you buy it? Even if it’s guaranteed to give you “the best-smelling poop of your life” or your money back? And no, you’re not having a scatological acid trip… but it might be the closest you’ll get.

Funny holiday cards based on popular Twitter topics

After a not-so-great 2016, website Roasted Nuts decided to lighten things up with a collection of testy holiday cards. In an attempt to unite the world, they searched out their favourite Twitter topics and turned them into cards.

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. 

Colour your tree with Pantone Christmas ornaments

Now that we’re into December, everyone’s getting into the Christmas spirit – including Pantone. They offer a lot of the products you wouldn’t think of, including food from their pop-up shop café. However, Pantone is now selling a collection of glass ornaments to brighten up your Christmas tree this festive…

10 desk exercise routines for designers

Being a designer might make it easy to get your creative juices flowing, but it also keeps your body stagnant. It seems like everyone is working longer hours these days, which makes it harder to find the time to exercise. But what if you could actually work…

Vital contract terms for your protection

Dealing with a contract may not be the most exciting part of being a freelancer. But that pain is nothing compared to what can go wrong without one. And a contract not only protects you if something goes wrong; it helps things from going wrong…

10 differences between designers and clients

From the most seasoned Creative Director to a Graphic Design graduate all know that creatives and clients don’t always see eye-to-eye. Besides having contrasting roles, their perceptions on colours differences, typeface and image source also vary. While designers might value creative ideas, they’re worth nothing to a…

Useless plastic NoPhone curbs smartphone addiction

According to Occam’s razor, the simplest solutions are oft the best. And when trying to ease smartphone addiction, it couldn’t possibly get simpler than the NoPhone. This 100% water resistant phone-shaped device is essentially a rectangular plastic slab. What does it do? Absolutely nothing save act as surrogate…

How to help avoid a hangover

Ask any expert, and they’ll tell you that the best way to avoid a hangover is to lay off the booze. Or just stay drunk, your call. To fend off the nausea, headache, dizziness, and general misery that often follows an intense night of drinking, check out this infographic…

10 lesser-known facts about creative thinkers

Creativity and ingenuity are what drive humanity forward. But did you know that creative thinkers tend to have more complex and intricate minds than most people? We perceive the world differently. Our unconventional natures make us seem a little crazy, intriguing, and even make us admired by our…

Powerful ads feature animals tied up like garbage bags

An argument can be made that in order to deserve respect from other humans, you need to be human. However, with peoples deep love for animals, it raises fundamental questions about the basis of moral rights. 

Puzzle book requires solving each page before reading

The downside to finding a really good book is that it’s over before you want it to be. But that won’t be the case with this five page book. That’s because you’ll need to solve a complex mechanical puzzle on each page before you can turn to the…

Ride in style with hologram-like display for bicycle wheels

Do enjoy riding your bicycle? I’ve previously done a few posts on bike technology that you should check out; like Poland’s glow-in-the-dark bicycle path or even the world’s first spokeless smart bike. But if you want to stay safe when biking at night or in the evening and want…

From the creators of ‘Exploding Kittens’ comes ‘Bears VS Babies’

Matthew Inman may not be a household name, but you might know The Oatmeal, a webcomic that he created. Last year, he teamed up with game designer Elan Lee to create Exploding Kittens; a card game that became the most backed Kickstarter campaign ever. Well, they’re back with a brand new…

Poland unveils glow-in-the-dark bicycle path

In a world where cities are looking for eco-friendly infrastructure solutions, new bicycle lanes are constantly being added. Seeking to make the bicycle path safer and more accessible in the evening and at night, urban planners in Lidzbark Warminski, Poland just unveiled a new glow-in-the-dark bicycle…

Life in an ad agency shown through stock photos

Stock photos get a lot of hate. And most of time, the annoyance makes sense. We’ve all seen our share of cliché images, and there are lots of weird, creepy ones that leave you wondering who would want to use them. Then you see them thrown in…

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.

College student’s photo series protests rapists release

In June of this year, Brock Turner, a former student at Stanford University in California, was sentenced for rape. He received only six months for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman behind a dumpster at a campus party. As you can probably imagine, many people were understandably…

Cyclotron is the world’s first spokeless smart bicycle

Decades after the original Tron hit cinemas, it’s still influencing futuristic designs. The design of this smart bicycle is unmistakably based on Tron’s Light Cycle – namely its two illuminated, spokeless wheels. And if you’re riding the Cyclotron, you’ll probably feel like you’re cruising through a futuristic landscape.

25 potential culture shocks from around the world

Don’t flush your toilet paper and never finish your food or you’ll seem rude. When traveling to other countries for the first time, some local practices might come as potential culture shocks to foreigners. This handy infographic reveals surprising habits and social faux pas from around the world.

Low polygon animal head trophies made of colored paper

Trophy hunting animals is all about the thrill of the kill. Without trying to defend or shame trophy hunters, hanging the head of an animal in your home seems a bit tacky. Especially from a design perspective. But if you want to give your home a distinguished hunter’s…

How creatives spend an average day

There’s no argument anymore. Neuroscience confirms that highly creative people think and act differently than the average person. Their brains are literally hardwired in a unique way. So what is it like to lead a creative life?

Trams in Amsterdam offer a unique gaming experience

For those who take public transit, playing games on your phone is probably how you pass the time. Parts of the world are going crazy trying to catch Pokémon through their phone with Pokémon Go. But that doesn’t mean you need to run around town chasing digital…

The unintentional exercises designers do while working

It takes a lot of work to get a chiselled look and rock-hard abs. The way I see it though, who needs a six-pack when you have a keg. That being said, physical activity has a positive impact on brain health.

Sleep under the stars (literally) in Alps open-air hotel

There is no roof, there are no walls, and not even a bathroom (at least not one closer than a 10-minute walk).

Life’s realities summed up in humorously honest illustrations

Mexican illustrator Eduardo Salles pokes fun at the realities of modern lives with brutally honest illustrations.

Learn how to escape zip-tie restraints

With a little bit of practice, it’s actually fairly easy to escape from zip-ties. Find out how.

Dry pool lets you float your workplace worries away

This dry pool allows you to float your worries away without the need to bring a bathing suit to work.

Dove ad highlights women’s beauty on their own terms

7 in 10 women believe they get more compliments about their look than their professional achievements.

Common Photoshop mistakes and how to avoid them

As the industry standard, Photoshop is a powerful image editing tool for designers. There are lots of Photoshop resources around to help us keep on top of thing, including handy tutorials. But in the wrong hands it can affect quality and make things less productive.

Subway passengers captured like 16th century paintings

If you ride the subway to work or school, you probably encounter different types of people. Some of those people are tourists who don’t speak very good english (although some people who speak english don’t do it well either). Then there’s that whisper-fighting couple where you catch every fifth…

Amusing cancer testi-monials from a pair of testicles

Did you know that testicular cancer is the most prevalent cancer in men aged 15 to 29? Symptoms often appear as the tumour grows and causes changes in the body. The good news is that it’s also among the most treatable when caught early. But don’t just take…

Paper scenes of Alice In Wonderland encased in baubles

If you're a fan of the classic book or even the movies, then it's time to 'step through the looking glass.'

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.

Champagne Gun is the rich man’s super soaker

Miami-based company King of Sparklers has combined water guns and champagne.

Paint swatchs used to create erotic artworks

A few weeks ago at the Lawrence Alkin Gallery in London, visual artist Nick Smith showcased a new series of artworks that were inspired by erotic literature.

Amusing video shows women how to ride bitch

This tongue-in-cheek tutorial video by Director Alex Vivian is your guide to female-on-female motorcycle riding.

Why sarcastic people are more creative

Did you know that 64 percent of the people who make sarcastic comments are able to find a creative solution to their problem?