Category: WOW

If you’re looking for a stylish companion to the Rubik’s Cube, designer Yoni Alter has created a colorful puzzle modeled after a fly pair of Nikes. Called Air Jordan 45 High, this 3D game challenges you to assemble a high-top sneaker out of 19 resin pieces.

Created in a limited edition of 30, Alter has produced the game in a rainbow of hues that pay homage to some of Nike’s loudest footwear. Together, the pieces resemble the most iconic parts of the basketball shoe, like the strap that wraps across the midfoot. When disassembled, the puzzle looks daunting, but if you’re familiar with the sneaker, putting it together should be a slam dunk.

Alter is now taking pre-orders for his puzzle to ship in January of 2017.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5VdUxl13QI&w=750&h=422]

Yoni Alter: Website | Instagram | Facebook

My Modern Met granted permission to use photos by Yoni Alter.

When you’re really invested in a television show, a character’s home can feel like yours, too. Taking this love to the next level, Homes.com has visualized the places near and dear to our hearts with detailed floor plans of eight fictional locales, specifically focusing on productions with a cult following: Arrested Development; Breaking Bad; Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Gilmore Girls; It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia; Mr. Robot; Sherlock; and Stranger Things.

Each colorful poster offers a bird’s-eye view of the home—the roofs are removed and there’s an all-over look at where everything is situated. They represent the sites of the shows’ most memorable moments, like where Gilmore Girls’ Lorelai and Rory sat and watched movies with Dean (eating Red Vines, of course), or where Stranger Things’ Joyce Byers desperately tried to communicate with her son Will. As you visually travel through each room, you’re sure to relive the stories all over again.

Homes.com: Website
via [ArchDaily]

At Caffeine Tattoo, a talented team of artists creates body art out of your wildest dreams. The Polish parlor’s portfolio showcases an eclectic and distinctive collection of works, from black-and-white realist representations of photographs to stylized Pop Art portraits. Aga Yadou, one of Caffeine Tattoo’s top experts in ink, has found her niche in nature, creating awe-inspiring, watercolor-esque drawings of animals.

Though tattoos are generally associated with bold, black outlines and deep pigments, watercolor body art challenges this traditional aesthetic. Using free-form patches of blended color, subtle shifts in shading, and quick, wispy lines, tattoo artists capture the craft’s fanciful aesthetic and characteristic translucence. Yadou works exclusively in this manner, creating delicate designs that appear to have leapt straight off the canvas and onto her clients’ skin.

While the Warsaw-based artist dabbles in floral tattoos, she predominantly produces imaginative renderings of animals. Using a pastel palette, she turns typical tattoo subject matter into one-of-a-kind works of art. While some of her pieces feature only an animal, others include flowers, abstract designs, and even people. Some—like her slumbering red fox—are realistic in color, while others—like her whimsical wolf portrait—are kaleidoscopic and composed of a rainbow range of tones. Yadou also often inventively includes a “dripping paint” motif, further emphasizing her hand-painted inspiration and making each work even more unique. 

With her sketchy style and skilled craftsmanship, it is not surprising that Yadou’s creative background is in painting and illustration. While her Instagram is full of images of inked skin, she also often posts flora-and-fauna-inspired works on paper. 

Aga Yadou: Instagram | Facebook | Deviant Art
via [Hello Giggles]

All images via Aga Yadou.

Masako, an Osaka-based mother and baker extraordinaire, creates cookies inspired by Japanese cuisine. While the tiny treats may look like mini meals, they’re actually simple sugar cookies topped with intricately sculpted icing—a delicious and inventive craft she showcases on Instagram.

An avid baker, Masako has documented her collection of cookies for about a year now. While always impressive, her dessert designs have come a long way—though she’s always had a penchant for recreating familiar foods. In the past, she often paid homage to classic snacks like bacon, hot dogs, and cupcakes, as well as a delicious assortment of strikingly realistic cakes. She’s also reimagined bouquets of flowers, festive holiday trimmings, and even impressive icing drawings of beloved movie characters. Few of her creations, however, were as detailed as the Japanese food-inspired treats she beautifully bakes today.

Far from your average cookies, Masako’s latest creations transcend sprinkles, frosting, and even two-dimensionality to magically mimic an assortment of Japanese culinary classics. To cook up each entrée, Masako first bakes a biscuit to use as the bowl, plate, or tray. She then molds each food item out of icing, using a wide range of colors, textures, and even opacity to capture the diversity of each dish. From slippery soba noodles and crispy tempura to rainbow rows of sushi and cloudy miso soup, each petite plate looks good enough to eat—both as a savory dinner and a sweet treat!

Photo credit: @96ckt

Masako: Instagram
via [Rocket News]

All images via Masako unless otherwise stated. 

 

Russian photographer and doting mother Elena Shumilova is celebrated for her sentimental snapshots of her animal-loving sons. Her heartwarming work first saw success when photos exploring the bond between her children and their pets—including cuddly dogs and cats and equally-loved farm animals—went viral in 2014. Now, two years later, Shumilova continues to awe her audiences with her tender photographs of children—but no longer just her own. 

Featuring boys and girls of all ages, her recent photos offer a glimpse into life as a child in the picture-perfect Russian countryside. Like her own sons, the kids photographed by Shumilova exhibit a remarkable bond with their animal friends—a bond that the photographer knows how to expertly capture. Bathed in warm tones and idyllically lit by the sun, each image is infused with a sense of nostalgia to evoke a timeless aesthetic. From the little girl and her bulldog who sit atop a vintage car to the cat who listens intently as a young boy strums his guitar, each sweet scene depicts a precious moment frozen in time—and one that any parent would love to hold onto forever.

In addition to the endearing innocence of youth, Shumilova also enjoys exploring the ins-and-outs of adulthood. Like her juvenile subjects, the older individuals she snaps are often expressively interacting with their animal companions. Presented through a wistful lens and shot with the same sentimentality prevalent in her touching studies of childhood, the dreamy photographs prove you’re never too old for a furry friend. 

Elena Shumilova: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Flickr | 500px 

All images via Elena Shumilova.

A house full of books is a home which feels warm, cozy, and full of love—but books don’t always have to be shelf decorations. The team at Fox & Dye Design repurpose discarded antique books by hollowing them out to be used as unique jewelry boxes and lamps. Jewelry boxes are handcrafted by layering hollowed-out classics to form a top flap and a pullout drawer for all of your most precious pearls. Each box is lined with a colorfully patterned fabric, which complements the original book covers and protects your jewels from scratches. Vintage-style wooden knobs are also added to increase the feeling that you’ve stepped back in time.

Books can take us temporarily out of our own lives and put us in someone else’s shoes. For a chapter or two, we can wear someone else’s jewelry. Books can also illuminate new ideas and perspectives of the world, which Fox & Dye Design allude to with their homemade book lamps. Modern reproductions of Edison Bulbs are fused to the hardback covers of books, and can be switched on and off with a simple metal pole switch. The glow is not your standard bulb intensity—it’s dim and romantic. Though it may not the best choice if you actually want to read, Fox & Dye Design explain, ”They are geared more towards decor rather than use, so please don’t expect one of these bulbs to light up your entire living room. There’s no denying how cool these bulbs look, but if you prefer, these lamps will also work with any standard household light bulb.” Nevertheless, the designer’s products remind us of the incredible timeless and creative quality that books possess.

You can peruse all of Fox & Dye Design’s novel pieces on its Etsy page.

Don’t be in the dark. Fox and Dye Design makes book lamps, too.

Fox & Dye Design: Etsy
via [So Super Awesome]

Russian watercolor and vector artist Dina Lepchenkova uses light and tonal color to produce exquisitely delicate paintings. Her luminous works capture snapshots of her surroundings—from bare trees in the snow to cafes bathed in sunlight—and evoke the fleeting and sublime beauty of nature.

Lepchenkova uses a wide range of colors in her craft. Through her expert use of various tones and shades, she is able to create depth and perspective in each piece.  While she typically sticks to a light and airy palette of jewel-like colors, the pastel tones are often offset and accentuated by deep shadows. She also takes advantage of the white of her canvas, leaving it exposed to illuminate each scene in a way that appears effortless and natural. The result is work that is simultaneously radiant and strikingly soft. 

The artist posts her delightful oeuvre on Instagram, where followers can catch a glimpse of her “bright hand drawn world.” Unlike most artists’ Instagram portfolios, however, Lepchenkova’s curated collection transcends pictures of completed pieces; she also posts shots of her materials, preliminary color experiments, video tutorials detailing her process, and even a peek into her “family, travel, everyday life.”

In addition to sweeping landscapes and charming outdoor scenes, the artist also creates greeting cards. The delightful stationery is adorned with both festive holiday motifs and paintings perfect for everyday “hellos,” proving that Lepchenkova’s shop has a card for every beautiful occasion.

Dina Lepchenkova: Instagram | Shop | Behance
via [Culture N Lifestyle]

All images via Dina Lepchenkova.

When Dan and Caren Mahar’s daughter Katie was diagnosed with Xeroderma Pigmentosa (XP), a disorder where the skin is extremely sensitive to UV light produced by the sun, they decided the condition would not prevent Katie from living her childhood to the fullest. In 1995, the Mahars founded the XP Society to support other afflicted patients and families through research, information, and advocacy. Shortly thereafter, the idea of a “night camp” formulated during an XP family retreat in Poughkeepsie, NY. After seven years of advocacy and generous donations, Camp Sundown Retreat House opened its doors in 2013.

For children like Katie, even short exposure to the sun or other types of ultraviolet light can cause dry, flaking skin and third-degree burns that can develop into skin cancer. Participating in a traditional summer camp would have been extremely difficult, uncomfortable, and potentially life threatening. At Camp Sundown, all typical camp activities take place at night when it is safe for XP patients to be outside. For families and children dealing with XP on a daily basis, this is a dream come true.

Camp Sundown holds gatherings for a week each year in Craryville, NY and serves as both a camp for XP families and a medical conference for leading researchers on the subject. The camp is fully staffed and volunteers are trained and committed, with medical consult just a phone call away. What’s great about Camp Sundown is that there’s no admission fee for the camper and one parent or guardian. Additional family members up to a total of five per room are welcome for a modest $50 per person to cover added costs of food, lodging, activities, and field trip transportation.

You can get a glimpse of what life is like at Camp Sundown for those who suffer from XP by watching Sundown, a touching and beautiful short film by Liz Mandelup, below.

Camp Sundown: Website | Donate | Facebook 
Lisa Mandelup: Website | Sundown 
via [Laughing Squid]

All images via Camp Sundown, XP Society, and Sundown.

Many of us admire tattoos, but not everyone wants to take the plunge and get one permanently inked on their body. Luckily, there are alternatives that allow you to sport faux body art without lifelong commitment. TATUL is a “tattoo tights” shop that features hand-painted motifs over nude-colored stockings. When worn, all that’s seen is the design—creating the illusion that your bare skin suddenly has some fantastic new ink.

Silvana Ilieva, the brainchild behind TATUL, calls her painting method a “modern interpretation of ancient Asian techniques.” By taking this approach, the design’s colors are softer and warmer, plus they are stronger and more durable. This way, subjects like flowers, trees, and cats will retain their shape and detailing, outfit after outfit.

TATUL currently sells a variety of socks and tights through Etsy.

TATUL: Etsy | Facebook
via [So Super Awesome]

Brooklyn-based “media-agnostic designer” Ramzy Masri believes in a “brighter world through design.” While this colorful approach is evident in his sleek and stylish graphics and bold typographic projects, it is particularly—and quite literally—apparent in #spectrumedit, his polychromatic collection of colorized buildings and scenes of city life.

To create each vibrant piece, Masri starts with an architectural photograph that inspires him. None of the photos featured in #spectrumedit are taken by the artist. Rather, he appropriates images from his favorite Instagrammers and transforms them into experimental, colorful creations—with this approach, the featured locations are limitless. In addition to the New York sites that surround him, Masri has also spruced up scenes of Austin, Boston, San Francisco, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Bilbao, and Lisbon. Fittingly, the skilled photo editor shares his series exclusively on his Instagram page.

In #spectrumedit, both intimate interiors and grand-scale exteriors receive the technicolor treatment. Masri edits the images in meticulous detail, dying everything from individual bricks to tiny window panes in wonderful washes of color. Once colorized, the inside of Los Angeles’ famous Gehry-designed Walt Disney Concert Hall resembles an abstract painting, while museum hallways and atriums become colossal kaleidoscopes. Similarly, the familiar art deco façade of the Empire State Building is transformed into a dazzling display of pastel pigments, while San Francisco’s famous “Painted Ladies”—a row of already-colorful Victorian homes—are turned into a radiant rainbow.

With his focus on capturing and creating art that is both beautiful and uplifting, Masri uses #spectrumedit to challenge traditional perspectives and invite you to “find the rainbow in your day tomorrow.” 

Ramsy Masri: Website | Instagram | Facebook | Behance | Dribble 
via [Fubiz]

All images via Ramzy Masri.