Bike Related

The onset of Summer always means that I get a yen for bike related projects. This year, I'm revving up the sewing machine and trying a few new patterns I found. Perhaps you'd like to sew along.

First up, I found this cycling cap pattern by Flickr user, Panda Face. By far, the most elegant of these that I've seen. Download the pattern here.

Second, I'm going to put together a pair of these Thai Fisherman's Pants in a knicker length, as we all know what a big fan of shants I am. You can find the pattern I'm using here.

Lastly, I'm going to give this recycled messenger bag a shot. We have some vinyl signage lying around the office that should look pretty cool done up in this pattern.

Got your own bike related projects brewing? Make sure and throw them in the Flickr pool when you're done, so we can all take a peek.

Monkeying Around

I don't do a whole lot of cartooning, but I was learning some new stuff about Adobe Illustrator the other day and I needed a practice drawing on which to test my skills. During the process, this little guy popped out of my head and I've grown kind of fond of him since. I think he probably needs to be on a button or something.

Famous Palettes

There's a fascinating little article by Lucy Davies over at the Telegraph this morning, regarding famous artists and the color choices they made. A fun bit of "art-cheology" to start your Sunday with.

via Neatorama

Kickstand Coffee

3 dudes, 2 bikes, and a mobile coffee bar sounds like a genius idea to me. Although it's just in its infancy, I sincerely hope that kickstand coffee is a smashing success. I fit were up to me, I'd like to see a lot more of these clever, pedal-powered businesses cropping up. This from their press page:

"The founders Peter Castelein, Neal Olson and Aaron Davis—who have all worked with Gimee! Coffee—just finished their third weekend in business, but have already created quite the buzz. Their open air coffee theatrics have been providing delicious Chemex brewed coffee, from local roasters, to the sun soaking folks in McCarren Park and local craft fairs. However, once Kickstand gets cleared for a vendor license, there’s a good chance you’ll see their mobile, transforming bar—which was brilliantly engineered by Neal’s roommate Ben Schleif—showing up in other places around the city."

via Gizmodo

Laced - The work of Joana Vasconcelos

I'm loving the way Joana Vasconcelos marries Portuguese traditional craft with modern objects. That piano is something else, isn't it? You can check out the rest of her massive and impressive portfolio at her site.

Mini Robot Art Blocks

Fellow North Carolinian, John Golden is making these cool mini-robot blocks. Looks like they'd make the perfect bookshelf companions for my studio. You can check all his stuff out here.

via The Jailbreak

Saving Paper

Loving the Help Save Paper project which has enlisted twelve artists from twelve different disciplines to create works from, you guessed it, paper.

Rolling House

Well, I wouldn't want to live in it now, but I would have loved this thing when I was a kid.

via Core 77

Artificial Butterfly

Talk about a beautiful machine! I love this rubber band powered, balsa wood butterfly I found over at Boing Boing! This from the site:

"This beautiful, artificial butterfly is helping researchers understand the flight of swallowtails. Hiroto Tanaka of Harvard University and Isao Shimoyama of the University of Tokyo built the balsa-wood machine, which boasts thin polymer film wings with "veins" made with a silicon-etching technique. The artificial butterfly enables them to control the flight mechanisms in ways they couldn't do with live butterflies."

Even without the scientific benefits, this thing would still be a beautiful and elegant piece of engineering. Stunning work.

Skateistan

Some beautiful B&W photography of Afghanistan's emerging skateboard culture as documented by LA photographer, Noah Abrams. It's amazing to see these kids skating in the post-apocalyptic-looking landscape of a war torn country. Striking stuff.

Sylvia's Super Awesome Maker Show

Dude! I love this show! Sylvia strikes a nice balance between kid enthusiasm/fun/weirdness and useful information here. Go, Sylvia! Great job, kiddo.

via Boing Boing

Tom Haney's Epiphany

"Epiphany" 2010 from Tom Haney on Vimeo.

Loving Tom Haney's animated, carved wooden sculptures. So nice to get a sneak peek into the mechanisms that make them work as well. Big thanks to Cianna for passing this on.

Going Big - The Work of Steve Locatelli

I'm a fan of big canvasses and murals, so obviously I'm digging Steve Locatelli's stuff. Especially love the blue woman. Very Fritz Lang/Metropolis-ey.

via Wooster Collective

Lines - The Work of Heike Weber

Some mornings, I'm simply impressed by what shows up in my inbox. Some mornings, I'm completely stunned. German artist, Heike Weber has stunned me. These installation are all hand drawn with magic marker and if that's not impressive enough on it's own, you should head over and check out the whole portfolio that contains pieces of paper, silicone, cut carpet, and shaped styrofoam. Nuts!

via Crooked Brains

Puerto Rican Trash Arrangements

I'm loving these assemblage pieces by artist, Chris Silva that I found over at Behance. Nice mixture of texture and color. Check 'em all out here.

Shanty Town

Digging this installation of shanty roof tops by French/Algerian artist, Kader Attia, symbolizing the conditions in which a sizable amount of the world's population lives. Read more about the project here.

via Design Boom

Pronounced: Ah-Peh

It's no secret that I love off-beat, funky vehicles and the Piaggio APE (Bee in Italian) is no exception. Of course, they never have been and never will be imported to the U.S., so my dream of owning one will likely never come true. For now, I'll just have to content myself with this post over at World Famous Design Junkies, containing some fine examples of this classic go-getter. For more APE fun, you can also visit the Flickr group, Planet of the Apes.

Positive/Negative

Digging on the work of artist Maarten Brinkman. So many good things coming from the Upon a Fold blog lately. Definitely one of my new favorites.

Into The Fold

Into The Fold, Brooklyn Borough Hall from Derick Melander on Vimeo.

According to artist, Derick Melander, 3615 pounds of textile waste is created by New Yorkers every five minutes. Not sure where that number comes from or if it's accurate, but I bet it's close. Derick is doing his part by taking massive amounts of that clothing and, with the help of volunteers, turning it into these beautiful, sculptural pieces. Nice.

Via Notcot via A Little Bit Weird

Collaborative Cups

Loving these team-built, colored water cup projects that are springing up in parks this year. I'm hoping all those cups get reused over and over, though. Check out the slide show here.

via Wooster Collective

Poster Cabaret - Bike Set Giveaway

Poster Cabaret has teamed up with a bunch of artists to produce a series of bike posters for National Bicycle Month. Super cool! Not only that, but Grain Edit is having a give-away for a complete set ($400 value). Enter here.

Springs Have Sprung

I'm totally digging on Susan Woods' spring screens made from reclaimed mattress and couch springs. Great idea. She does lamps and other cool stuff too. More here.

via NotCot

Takeuchi Taijin's Olympus Ad

I'm loving this larger-than-life, stop motion ad for Olympus by artist, Takeuchi Taijin. Over 10,000 billboard-sized photos were put together to get this done. Amazing! All his films are worth a gander. Go here to check 'em out.

via neatorama

Hey, Ho, Let's Go!

During the month of June, I'm having a little show at Bean Traders Coffee Shop here in Durham (714 Ninth St). In preparation for the show, I'm working up a bunch of new paper cuts, including some more of my rock 'n' roll heroes like Johhny Ramone (above). Come out and get a cup of coffee and take a peek, if you find yourself in the area.

Inappropriate Golden Books

Totally digging on movie-freak/illustrator, Josh Cooley's grown-up version of these childhood staples.

via WFDJ

The Happy Journey Collective

Most coffin-based illustration you find on the internet usually has to do with the dark, gothic, bleak side of death. So, it's refreshing that theThe Happy Journey Collective has chosen to celebrate the lighter side of "crossing over" with a collaborative project involving illustrators all over the world. This from founder, Kate Slater:

"I was inspired by a Thomas Hardy poem, ”Transformations”, which describes wonderful metamorphosis in the reality of death and burial. The whole idea of ‘Happy Journey’ made me laugh and I wanted to create something joyful and celebratory rather than mournful."

You can visit the Happy Journey Collective here, and even take a crack at your own coffin design by downloading the template here.

via Escape From Illustration Island

Shapeways - Making Your 3D Drawings Come to Life

Am I late to this party? Why have I not heard of Shapeways, the company that let's users upload 3D drawings and then produces physical objects from said drawings, before? You can even sell your stuff in their shop, if you so choose. Neat!

via Core77

Okay, That's It.

One of the points of pride that I have about DudeCraft is that it's relatively rant-free. Just a nice, daily repository of positive, creative energy that you can take with you into your day. Except when it comes to bicycles. Why is that? I think it's funny that I get so mad about bicycles, but there it is. I think it's mostly about companies that try to hoodwink people into buying some incredibly expensive bike that could easily be built at home for much less, or it could be about the overdesigned hyperbikes of the future that claim to solve problems that simply don't exist. Whatever it is, I'm sure mad about it.

Today's recipient of my ire is the above bike, designed by Anne Lehman for Norman-Copenhagen. What we have here, people, is a single speed, steel framed bicycle with a cute green seat and matching chain. Also, it looks to have a drum brake in front and some snazzy drop bars. Price: 1600 euros. Grrr. You could produce almost these exact results at home for under $500. Plus, what you gain in knowledge and pride by building your own bike is absolutely priceless.

Say no to overpriced bikes. Say yes to DIY. Power to the people!

via NotCot