Secret Base PC Casemod: Cyberpunk over Function

Yeah, there’s a computer in here somewhere. This is Japanese designer Hiroto Ikeuchi’s award-winning casemod, which is basically a toy diorama that erupted over a PC. According to Wired, Hiroto calls the diorama his “secret base.” It’s filled with soldiers, mecha and guns along with gadgets, electronics and trinkets made to look like weapons or heavy machinery.

secret base pc casemod by Hiroto Ikeuchi 620x399magnify

You can see more pictures of Hiroto’s casemod on photographer Rakutaro’s blog. You should also check out Hiroto’s website and his blog to see more of his work.

secret base casemod 2 620x413magnify

[via Wired via Ubergizmo]

Most Beautiful Items: December 13 – 20, 2013

Most Beautiful Items: December 13 - 20, 2013

It’s nearly Christmas so everything is beautiful, from the lights decking every inch of your neighborhood to the fact that you’re about to get a little vacation. But we also had plenty of things to show you this week, from our favorite Instagram accounts to a tunnel to the sky in a Manhattan train station, and so much more. Here are our favorite, eye-popping posts from this week:

Read more…


    



The Insane Morgan Freeman iPad Painting: An Investigation in Four Acts

The Insane Morgan Freeman iPad Painting: An Investigation in Four Acts

If you’ve been on the internet in the past month, chances are you’ve seen a remarkably lifelike portrait of Morgan Freeman painted entirely with the iPad app Procreate. it’s so unbelievably similar to the photo that inspired it that many have, quite literally, been unable to believe their eyes. But is there any credence to the deniers’ claims? Or is the artist being unfairly lambasted for no worse crime than being too good? Well—it’s complicated.

Read more…


    



Each Pair Tells a Story: Sebastian Errazuriz’s ’12 Shoes for 12 Lovers’

The relationship might be over. But the memories (or scars) from it will live on. If not in your heart, then in your mind.

I think that can be said in Sebastian Errazuriz’s case, as he drew inspiration from past relationships and ex-lovers for his new series called 12 Shoes for 12 Lovers.

12 Shoes for 12 Lovers 620x486magnify

As the title implies, each pair in the collection was inspired by an ex-girlfriend. Her personality, their relationship, and vivid memories are all brought to light and to life with each pair.

12 Shoes for 12 Lovers 1 620x302magnify

From the Rock (which is inspired by what seems to be Sebastian’s most painful relationship) to the Cry Baby, each pair of shoes tells a story. Sebastian is only too happy to fill in the blanks and clue you in on the woman behind the designs with the commentaries that accompany each pair.

12 Shoes for 12 Lovers 2 300x250
12 Shoes for 12 Lovers 3 300x250
12 Shoes for 12 Lovers 4 300x250
12 Shoes for 12 Lovers 5 300x250
12 Shoes for 12 Lovers 6 300x250
12 Shoes for 12 Lovers 7 300x250
12 Shoes for 12 Lovers 8 300x250
12 Shoes for 12 Lovers 9 300x250
12 Shoes for 12 Lovers 9a 300x250
12 Shoes for 12 Lovers 9b 300x250
12 Shoes for 12 Lovers 9c 300x250
12 Shoes for 12 Lovers 9d 300x250

12 Shoes for 12 Lovers is currently on display from December 6th, 2013 to January 6th, 2014 at the Melissa Pop-Up shop in Miami.

[via designboom via Laughing Squid]

The Instagram Accounts We Loved This Year

The Instagram Accounts We Loved This Year

Not every Instagram account is pictures of semi-famous tweens or farm-to-table food. There are some very artful, very niche accounts out there that we adore simply for their aesthetic merits. We’ve compiled a catalog of the ones we follow so you can too.

Read more…


    



Classic Arcade Game Designs Illustrated as a Field Guide

Classic Arcade Game Designs Illustrated as a Field Guide

If your recollections of arcade games past are starting to fail you, perhaps you just need the Amusement Field Identification Kit in your life.

Read more…


    



This iOS-Inspired OS X Concept Looks Good Enough to Touch

This iOS-Inspired OS X Concept Looks Good Enough to Touch

For at least a couple years now, OS X has started to look more and more like iOS. Lion brought Launchpad and columns of app icons. Mavericks gave us Maps and a cleaned up interface. For his imagining of the next iteration of Apple’s operating system, one designer just said, "Screw it. Let’s make them the same!"

Read more…


    



The Billion-Dollar Megaprojects That Will Transform NYC By 2030

The Billion-Dollar Megaprojects That Will Transform NYC By 2030

As Michael Bloomberg’s reign comes to a close, our mayor/billionaire underwriter is talking up his next move, which involves teaching other cities to be more like New York. But behind the scenes, he’s also scrambling to push through dozens of building projects that will define his legacy.

Read more…


    



Unpretentious and Inexpensive Gifts For Designers and Design Fans

Unpretentious and Inexpensive Gifts For Designers and Design Fans

Buying a gift for a designer doesn’t have to involve a $200 book or $2,000 chair. In fact, it’s usually better if it doesn’t. Keeping our near-empty wallets in mind, we tapped our friends and co-workers to choose 14 gifts that are witty and useful without being snobbish.

Read more…


    



The New Oscars Logo Is Illuminati Catnip

The New Oscars Logo Is Illuminati Catnip

Trying to "fix" the Oscars with branding is a fool’s errand—just you try and put lipstick on a grotesquely excessive, four-hour-long pig. But local creative agency 180LA has done an admirable job, giving the Academy a new look that’s as smart as it is simple.

Read more…