Hasta La Gadget!

I remember creating a bunch of digital artwork on Microsoft Paint when I was still a kid. A single painting took hours to complete, and I would always print the finished drawing when I was done. I found a couple of them when I was cleaning up our attic and let me just say that the mermaid I drew looked more like an alien goldfish.

But it’s possible to create amazing art on MS Paint – if you’ve got the skill and the patience. One man who has both is Hal Lasko.

Hal is a 97-year-old artist, and the main program he uses for his artwork is MS Paint. In fact, some of the images in the image above were created using Microsoft’s very basic paint program.

The most unbelievable part? Hal is legally blind.

Some of his prints are available for sale online. Check them out and maybe buy a few to support Hal. Each print is priced at $98 (USD).

You can check out a fascinating documentary on Hal the Pixel Painter here.

[via Colossal]

The Elements iPad app is one of the best alternatives to the traditional periodic table. But a mobile augmented reality company called DAQRI is working on something more interactive and intuitive. The company calls it Elements 4D, a set of building blocks that make learning about the elements fun and easy.

Elements 4D has a total of six wooden blocks. Each block face is dedicated to a single element. When you view a block face or faces through the Elements 4D iOS app, the block comes to life, showing a virtual representation of the elment. In the image above you see carbon and gold being represented. The app also shows additional information about each element, but its best feature is demonstrating chemical reactions. Simply by putting two block faces side-by-side, you’ll see what chemical compound they become, if any. It’s a virtual chem lab. You’ll need lots of blocks to make meth.

Pledge at least $25 (USD) on Kickstarter to get Elements 4D blocks as a reward. Note that you have to pledge at least $75 to get all six blocks. Aside from being expensive, another significant downside of Elements 4D is that it currently only has six blocks. That’s just 36 faces, but we know of 118 elements. I guess DAQRI can release more blocks in the future, but then that would add up to hundreds of dollars. I’ll stick to The Elements app for now, but Elements 4D is a great example of the educational application of augmented reality.

[via The Next Web]

Grumpy Cat has been entertaining men and women, young and old, with his stone-faced expression ever since he hit the web. You’ve seen his memes and parody videos. You’ve seen the busts and sculptures that he’s inspired artists to create. You’ve probably already seen the Grumpy Cat-themed nail art and shirts all over the web.

And now you’re going to be seeing him on your mail pretty soon, too!

The postage stamp is available in three sizes and was created at  Zazzle. It’s available in a bunch of denominations, and you can choose the stamp value you want from a drop-down menu. Values start at $0.33 for mailing postcards, with the highest value at $5.60 for priority mail.

Now your mail can look just as grumpy as the postal workers delivering it.

[via Laughing Squid]

While the last memorable cat in a video game was probably Bubsy, that doesn’t mean cats don’t want to get in on the action. Here’s a fun way for your cat to play a little Super Mario Bros., IRL.

This Super Mario Cat Complex was made by Etsy artist CatastrophiCreations, and is the perfect place for cats named Mario or Luigi to hang out.

The wall-mounted box has a hidden set of portals inside the pipes, and their insides are lined with sisal, which cats just love to climb. The question mark block is made from screen so kitty can see out, though I don’t know if catnip drops out of it when punched.

So skip the scratching post, gather up some gold coins, and head over to Etsy, wher you can pick up the Super Mario Cat Complex for $200(USD).

Before the advent of modern handheld gaming, some of us had to find ways to entertain ourselves on the train ride to work. One popular pastime was to see how quickly you could stop the timer on your digital watch. While most of us no longer wear a digital watch, there’s still a way to relive the glory days of this primitive digital sport.

Yes, you can now play the Digital Watch Game from the convenience of your web browser, complete with Casio LCD chronograph. If nothing else, check it out for the Digital Watch Game theme song!

Just head on over to UsVsThem and get ready with your mouse button. Now, how do I strap this to my wrist?

[via Kottke via Doobybrain]