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.
Creative bookends that you have to see up close to appreciate
It’s easy to get lost in a good book; they can transport you to another place, another time, and even other realms. Tokyo-based designer, Monde, has found his own way to take book-lovers to another world with a whimsical art project called Bookshelf Dioramas.
Designer shares animated Illustrator cheat sheets for creating icons
Icons and symbols are powerful tools that have been used by humans to communicate ideas for over 100,000 years. Computer-based illustration tools like Adobe Illustrator have made creating icons easier than ever.
Pantone’s new colour finder helps you find the right hues
Pantone has been a colour leader for a while now, but as designers, there are great many advantages of using Pantone as a colour guide. Designers routinely undergo multiple handovers each time they work on a project, and earlier this year, the company promised to simplify work processes for…
Add dimension to your projects with 2600+ free Photoshop textures
You probably have an archive of typefaces, actions and other resources to add a little something-something to your projects. But what about Photoshop textures? They are an awesome resource for designers who want to play around with different looks—especially because you can download thousands of…
Winners from the 2018 Siena International Photo Awards
Whittled down from 48,000 entries from 156 countries, judges had a difficult time deciding the winners of the 2018 Siena International Photo Awards.
Norway’s banknotes get pixelated nature-inspired design
Back in 2014, creative agency Snøhetta and Metric Design won a competition to redesign Norway’s banknotes. Finally, all of the country’s paper currency has been redesigned and nearly all entered into circulation.
Most frequently used typefaces of hundreds of brands
It’s true that people don’t look like their Instagram shots, or they’re not as happy as their Facebook profiles try to convince us. It’s also true that designers don’t use all those trendy font combinations you might think.
Art Institute of Chicago releases thousands of hi-res artworks for free
A city steeped in art and culture, Chicago boasts one of the oldest and largest museums in the United States: the Art Institute of Chicago. While visiting this historic institution should be on any art lovers’ list, a recent website redesign has made experiencing its collection as simple as a…
Write people up for design offences with the Typographic Ticket Book
Is someone using terrible kerning, stretching type or did you get a client brief in the dreaded Comic Sans? Don’t despair. The next time someone commits design offences, you can write them up with this Typographic Ticket Book.
Top 10 winners of the Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition
Now entering it’s 44th year of celebrating the beauty of a microscopic world, Nikon has announced the winners of its 2018 Small World Photomicrography Competition.
Eco-friendly dog house design boasts impressive features
Showing that eco-friendly building concepts are applicable to even our canine friends, California-based architecture and interior design firm Studio Schicketanz has designed a dog house unlike any other.
Discover surreal 3D graffiti by Sergio Odeith
Graffiti isn’t all tagging and political opinions sprayed on the wall. In fact, today it’s become an acceptable artistic genre that’s increasingly being embraced by the general public as well as institutions.
Are you visually astute? Take the Pantone Colour IQ Test
Do you have a sharp eye for colour? Now you can find out for sure, because Pantone has launched a Colour IQ Test that allows you to discover your level of colour vision.
A collection of icons, UI kits and mockups, all for free
Everyone loves to get something for free. And if you can’t get enough of freebies, you’re definitely not alone.
Museum of the Moon lunar replica captivates audiences worldwide
While SpaceX prepares to send a Japanese billionaire and eight artists to the Moon for free, UK artist Luke Jerram is bringing the Moon to audiences around the globe.
Photographer discovers his image plagiarized, hanging in an art gallery
A renowned American artist has been accused of plagiarizing an iconic image by a South African photographer.
Dichroic installations reflect a rainbow of colours in the light
A rainbow is a beautiful, natural phenomenon which continues to inspire people in many ways. It has also inspired scientists and artists alike to further explore the nature of colour and light and how they are connected.
SpaceX is sending 8 artists around the Moon for free
A couple days ago, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk announced that Yusaku Maezawa, will be the first private customer to ride around the Moon on the company’s Big Falcon Rocket (BFR) as early as 2023.
Lingerie campaign celebrates models of all sizes and bans airbrushing
UK-based lingerie brand Figleaves has released its latest campaign that includes a cast models of different sizes, shapes and ethnicities. What also makes this campaign special is that Figleaves is the latest brand to ban airbrushing in their ads.
These lifelike wooden animals are sculpted with a chainsaw
The art of chainsaw sculpting is astonishing to think of when creating with using such an indelicate tool. Both elaborate and exhilarating, it’s also a lengthy process that takes time to perfect. However, if you give Jürgen Lingl-Rebetez a block of wood and a chainsaw, all you have…
Scuba Diving Magazine unveils underwater photo contest winners
One of the most fascinating and largely unexplored places in the world also happens to be a place difficult for most people to visit—the depths of the ocean. But, for seasoned scuba divers, this contest is a chance to capture underwater wonders most will never…
Discover the unlikely origins of 6 famous car logos
Having a strong logo can create significant value; and that’s no less true in the automotive industry. In fact, car logos are among the most widely recognized amongst brands across the world. But have you ever wondered about what’s behind the creation and evolution of famous car…
Glow-in-the-dark tables display engraved city maps
Woo Designs, a Warsaw-based furniture company, has designed and produced custom oak tables with engraved maps of international cities. What makes them unique isn’t just the laser-cut designs, but the fact that they also glow-in-the-dark.
Discover the best aerial photos from the inaugural Drone Awards
After receiving 4,400 submissions from over 101 countries, the inaugural Drone Awards have announced the winners of their competition. The awards, which celebrates the art of drone photography, has allowed photographers to explore new perspectives and communicate an appreciation of our planet.
Art installations appears like pixelated Photoshop effects
German artists Thomas Granseuer and Tomislav Topic—together known as Quintessenz—have recently created a site-specific art installation as part of the Paxos Contemporary Art Project. Taking place on the island of Paxos in the Adriatic sea, the duo have created colourful displays that look like pixelated Photoshop effects.
Edible worlds created out of everyday ingredients
When London-based photographer Carl Warner was a child, he probably wasn’t listening when his parents told him not to play with his food. The artist uses a wide variety of ingredients, such as deli meats, fresh fish, fruit, vegetables and bread as the medium for his food art landscapes.
Artist creates amazing 3D sketches of famous landmarks
Pietro Cataudella is an Italian artist who takes urban sketching to the next level. He offers a new perspective of famous landmarks by using his talents to combine his architectural drawings with photos of their real-life surroundings.
Shutterstock comes to the rescue in witty print ad campaign
Stock photography website, Shutterstock is used by designers and agencies the world over. And to highlight their coming to the rescue of those creatives, Dominican Republic ad agency Cazar DDB has created a trio of witty print ads to promote the stock photography company and its offerings.
Blue, the most popular colour on the internet
The web is a very blue place, and not metaphorically, either. The Internet’s most heavily trafficked websites are literally coloured with nearly twice as many shades of blues as that of yellows and reds, and three times as much greens. But is the colour blue enriching…
Pastry chef Elena Gnut creates cakes that are true works of art
If you thought that a pastry chef only baked cakes, you’d be wrong. Elena Gnut is a 31-year-old Pastry Chef from Kaliningrad, Russia, who gained over 140k Instagram followers by showcasing her original intricate cake designs.
Get invaluable advice with free tarot cards made for designers
When designers design, they sometimes become so immersed in their work that they forget to step back and make sure they’re on the right path. Often, a second pair of eyes are what’s needed to help designers stay on brief and create amazing designs; that…
Spilled coffee and tea turned into works of art
While the rest of us are finishing off the last drops of our morning coffee, Giulia Bernardelli is using what remains in her cup to create stunning works of art in her kitchen.
Glass jewellery lets you wear the swirling motion of the ocean
Have you ever felt peace while walking along the ocean, or maybe more energetic and an improved mood? The fact is that most people experience a feeling of calm, relaxation and well-being, when near the swirling motion of water.
3D hand-cut paper sculptures of birds, bees, and other creatures
UK-based designer and illustrator Lisa Lloyd worked for nearly 20 years as an animator, director, even a creative director. But the one thing she was missed doing was creating her own work. So, six years ago she started creating designs out of paper in her free time.…
Artist transforms discarded aluminium cans into stunning sculptures
As the saying goes, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”; which is the case with Detroit-born artist Noah Deledda. Most people don’t give a second thought to their used aluminium cans after tossing them into the recycling bin. Noah, however, has found a wonderfully creative way to turn…
Dolce & Gabbana transforms kitchen appliances with colourful patterns
Black, white or stainless steel kitchen appliances no longer exciting you? Now there’s a new option to turn your kitchen into a fashion statement—and drop a little cash while you’re at it. Dolce & Gabbana has collaborated with Italian appliance company Smeg to create a…
Artist takes inspiration from circuit boards to create futuristic tribal tattoos
Since bursting onto the modern tattoo scene in the early 90s, tribal tattoos have become increasingly popular. Their simple strength and beauty makes them compelling, even to people who otherwise may be into tattoos. The gentle curves and strong angles of these solid black tattoos…
Braille Neue typeface combines Braille with visible letters
For the 285 million visually impaired people around the world, Braille allows them to read and write what they cannot see. But for those with sight, Braille looks like a coded language that isn’t easily deciphered. And that’s how it started for Japanese designer Kosuke Takahashi. He…
The Met releases 500+ free art books for download
Over 5000 years of art history has just been made available online for free by New York’s biggest museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As well as releasing more than 400,000 artworks for personal and commercial use, the Met has made over 500 free art books available for your…
Target’s new logo for womenswear line is confusing shoppers
Target, known for its iconic red bullseye logo, has decided to ditch its heritage clothing brands in favour of a brand-focused strategy that includes more niche offerings. According to Target, the new line will carry versatile pieces that allow shoppers to mix-and-match. The clothes will also emphasize on quality,…
Website generates random briefs for you to practice logo design
What’s so difficult about creating a good logo? They’re usually simple, sometimes complex, but mostly something you should be able to do lickety-split. So, no problem, right? When you only see the result of a designer’s efforts, logo design can look like it was a…
Shazam-like app identifies plants and animals in your photos
If you’ve ever gone hiking and come across plants and animals you were unfamiliar with, and wanted to know more, there’s now an app for that. You could try to describe what you see and type it into Google. But you might not get the…
Stainless steel wire sculptures merge nature with fantasy
People have been making intricate and beautiful creations out of wire since early Egypt. More modern artists have converted this medium to larger scaled projects like wire sculptures. One of those artists is Martin Debenham; a British contemporary sculptor, he creates stainless steel wire sculptures inspired by fantasy and…
What to expect with logo trends for 2018
You can often tell the era in which a logo was created by the fonts, colours, and styles used. Recognizing which logo trends will withstand the test of time is an essential part of choosing a style which feels fresh, relevant, and reflects the brand.
LCBO pays agency CDN$650,000 for Ontario Cannabis Store logo
This week, the corporate branding for Ontario’s soon-to-be legal marijuana stores was unveiled by the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO). The Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) will be the brand name of Ontario’s cannabis agency, including its stores and online channel.
Dubai Frame: The world’s largest picture frame
Home to the tallest skyscraper, the largest shopping mall and the longest driverless metro system in the world, Dubai is a city not shy about its architecture; their newest monument is the world’s largest picture frame, rising 150 meters above Dubai’s Zabeel Park.
Artist suspends 600,000 tied knots over Spanish plaza
Have you recently visited Madrid’s historic Plaza Mayor? If so, then you were probably greeted by a dazzling installation by artist Janet Echelman. She recently unveiled the latest sculpture to her Earth Time Series; a captivating suspended thread installation of tied knots.
Adobe XD releases 3 FREE icon collections by design legends
Last week at Awwwards, Adobe unveiled a sneak preview of vector graphics support in Creative Cloud Libraries coming soon to Adobe XD CC. What this means is that Adobe Illustrator users can conveniently drag graphics from their CC libraries and drop them right into their XD canvases. As well,…
Rainbow tunnel installation contains 120,000 paper numbers
Time is something we deal with every day, and something that everyone believes they understand. While we may think we do, it’s still a hard thing to express. So, as part of a series of exhibitions exploring the different functions of materials, Tokyo-based architect and designer Emmanuelle…
Kodak is getting into cryptocurrency for photographers
Even with the current volatility of the cryptocurrency market, Kodak is looking to make its mark. The company recently announced that it’s joining forces with Wenn Digital to launch its own cryptocurrency for photographers called KODAKCoin.