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.
How to increase conversions on eCommerce sites
These factors help customers decide whether or not they’ll make a purchase from your website.
Create your own furniture using SPYNDI locking sticks
You can now build your own furniture in any shape you wish with locking wooden sticks.
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.
A blind artist creates a series of hypnotizing GIFs
This legally blind artist has raised the bar in the art of animated images with his ongoing series.
FlexibleLove chair expands like an accordion up to 30 feet
Why have multiple seats when all you need is one single shape-shifting chair/couch/bench.
Talking cat collar turns kitty’s meows into speech
Temptations Lab has made a cat collar prototype that turns a cat's meows into human speech.
TODAY: A beautiful, minimalistic 24-hour clock
This timepiece is designed to relieve stress and change the way people see their day.
Quick freezing ice tray inspired by snowflakes
The FreezTHAT! ice tray works to freeze small triangles of whatever you want in just 10 minutes.
Hipster Sound creates ambient noise to stay productive
Sometimes all it takes to be productive is the right kind of background noise.
This pizza box can be transformed into a weed pipe
Designer collaborates with pizza delivery service to create a box that rolls into a functioning weed pipe.
FormBox turns your designs into real products at home
This prototyping device allows you to create a personal tabletop factory by producing moulds for your designs.
Minimalist lighting fixtures look like Star Wars characters
Decorate your home with minimalistic Scandinavian-styled lighting fixtures inspired by Star Wars characters and objects.
Champagne Gun is the rich man’s super soaker
Miami-based company King of Sparklers has combined water guns and champagne.
This smart contact lens has its own built-in camera
Samsung's contact lens houses a minute display, built-in camera, antenna and multiple sensors.
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.
An offensive website blocker to stop your procrastinating
Need a shocking, expletive reminder to stop your idle web browsing during work? This Chrome extension will help.
Google’s professional photo editing software is now free
What was once a $500US package of pro photo editing software is now completely free. Google has recently announced that its Nik Collection desktop suite, a professional photo editing package, is now free for download. Acquired by Google back in 2012, the software was priced…
Cube device matches any colour you find around you
Despite the many apps and gadgets out there, Cube detects, measures and quantifies colour.
How to write an About Me page that will get you hired
Here are a few tips to writing an About Me page to help you get hired.
Swiss movement watches inspired by camera designs
Photographers might enjoy these watches that combine elements of classic and modern cameras.
Glass data discs capable of storing 360 TB for eons
Researchers at the University of Southampton have announced they’ve figured out how to store huge amounts of data on small glass discs.
Coca-Cola 12-pack packaging transforms into VR viewer
Coca-Cola turn some of their cardboard packaging into VR viewers for your smartphone.
Next-gen disposable utensils: The Edible Spoon Maker
This device—which looks like a waffle maker—cooks edible spoons with several different types of dough inside its spoon-shaped moulds.
Stylish Somerset bicycle transforms into handcart
The Somerset is a stylish and compact option for urban dwellers.
Keep a slice handy with the pizza pouch
Created by novelty website Stupidiotic, this clear triangular plastic pouch is designed to hold a single slice of pizza.
Hide the wine. This wine rack uses optical illusion to store your booze
esigned by Harlequin Illusions, the Pinetti seamlessly vanishes the wine bottles that pass through it.
This stylish custom bicycle is guaranteed to turn heads
The Ono Bikes' Archont design comes in both electric and normal bicycles and feature a customized stainless steel frame which complements the LED lights on the rear.
Funny CSS puns that web designers can relate to
Inspired by a thread on Reddit comes a list of funny CSS puns.
You’ll be on the phone more with this iPhone flask
Now we can all discreetly have our favourite alcohol and look like we're on our smartphones.
Start printing your own t-shirt designs with this DIY print shop
The DIY Print Shop T-Shirt Kit has the essential set of tools to get you started.
Gorgeous Luna Lamp looks like a full moon
The Luna Lamp is inspired by Earth's moon, and is guaranteed to make any space brighter and more poetic.
Innovative markers change tones as you colour
Artists and illustrators alike understand the need for multiple colour tones in order to create shading and gradation. However, that usually requires several different markers to accomplish the task.
2015’s fading graphic and web design trends to note
In 2015, new design trends were introduced that were quickly incorporated by many websites and graphic designers. See what's on the in and out:
This beautiful sand clock is inspired by Zen gardens
The past, present, and future is exist as one. Yet, as a species, humans are obsessed with our perceived passage of time; its become our master. This sand clock, inspired by Zen gardens, is a calming and creative representation of both time and space.
App turns the Internet into a Kardashians free zone
Are you interested in keeping up with the Kardashians? If not, you’re probably just sick and tired of them clogging up all facets of the Internet. Don’t worry, a new app called #KardBlock aims to rid all mentions of the Kardashians from your internet browsing.
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.
Pepsi comes ‘Back to the Future’ with Pepsi Perfect
Great Scott! We’ve landed in the future—or to be more accurate—the date that Michael J Fox went to in the movie Back to the Future Part II.
Lexus creates a working cardboard version of its IS sedan
To demonstrate the its dedication to craftsmanship, Lexus has created an impressive drivable replica of its IS model sedan using 1,700 pieces of precision-cut cardboard.
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.
You can now bottle the scent of the dearly departed into perfume
Smell is one of the most powerful senses in the human body. In fact, it’s closely linked with memory and can spark vivid recollection of nostalgic moments from our past; scent can remind us of places, even people in our lives. Therefore, when we lose someone, belongings…
The rise of silent storytelling from Facebook’s autoplay videos
When you’re on the computer, either at work or later at night, visiting websites that blast loud autoplay videos when you forget your volume setting can prove to be quite annoying.
Typography tips for better web design and sales
We’re a visual society. And with our fast-paced lives and the amount of information we’re constantly barraged with, it takes a striking visual to get our attention. But you also need smart copy presented with good typography to back it up.
35+ FREE Photoshop Actions to use on your images
If you’re a designer, photographer or other creative, then you probably use Photoshop a lot. If that’s the case, then you probably know that the software has a built-in programming language that records tasks as actions that you can replay to complete repetitive tasks. Not only…
Creating better blog graphics, even if you’re not a designer
Humans rely on visual cues for nearly everything. In fact, 90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual, and our brains can process images 60,000 times faster than text. That means for a bloggers and content marketers, blog graphics are an important part of…
Watch: Hard-hitting PSA on smartphone use while driving
As we head into the Labour Day weekend, there will be a lot of people on the roads; either getting ready for school, or heading to the cottage one last time before the end of summer. Chances are that some of those people will also…
How to make your portfolio website stand out from the crowd
If you want to be discovered for your creative abilities, the quickest and easiest way is online. A portfolio website—with assistance from social media—is the best way to show the world what you can do. In fact, it can even help attract the attention of…
10 key elements to create a high quality website
With Google’s ever-changing algorithm, constant waves of new technology and shifting design trends, it can be difficult to figure out what your website needs and what it doesn’t. And because your website is the online face of your business and brand, it needs to reflect…
Get over 200 Windows icons for free
When Microsoft released Windows 10, it also released the icon font Segoe UI Symbol. This icon font is recommended for use by developers when designing apps on Windows 10 devices. But one design company argues that Segoe UI Symbol adds visual noise because the icons…
Is your website design following this year’s colour trends?
Trends come and go in all aspects of the design industry, as do the colour trends that go along with them. So far, this year has been all about vibrant colours. Hues like red, orange, pink and bright green, blue and purple have become a focal point and…
How to become a UI designer or UX designer
If you’re looking to start a career as a designer, you”ll quickly be overwhelmed by the number of titles thrown around. There are user experience (UX) designers, user interface (UI) designers, motion designers, product designers, graphic designers and so on.