Mario Bros. Comes Alive as Graffiti on a Sidewalk (and how it was done).

This video was part of Andreas Heikaus' Bachelor thesis at the University of Applied science and art in Hannover, Germany. In his project, the Super Mario Bros. game, released on the Nintendo Entertainment System, is no longer bound to the television screen and becomes interactive in a new environment. The emphasis of Andreas' thesis was on the process of matching CG elements into live-action footage.



How he did it:


Andreas Heikhaus:


The talented young compositor is looking for a job. Interested? Contact him here.

Luggage "Tag" - Tumi Collaborates With Graffiti Artist Crash For Limited Edition.

above: 4 pieces of Tumi luggage and an iPhone case by John "Crash" Matos

Tumi Tag is a limited edition series created in collaboration with renowned New York graffiti artist John "Crash" Matos. Crash's work has been featured in museums and galleries around the world and includes custom-painted guitars for Eric Clapton and John Mayer.





The Tumi Tag collection features four hardside cases—wheeled carry-ons and packing cases--and an iPhone case. Each wheeled case will showcase a different section of one of Crash's dynamic works of art. The interior of each case features one of four working drawings created by the artist and includes a unique number that authenticates the case as a distinct piece in this exclusive collection.







Only 1,000 of each Tumi Tag luggage style have been produced for this limited edition series. Tumi Tag, the collection name, refers to a graffiti artist's signature or tag. Enjoy hardside protection in a surprisingly lightweight, easy-to-maneuver design. This extra-large, four-wheel packing case is constructed from a super-light, triple-layer, high-performance alloy of ABS and polycarbonate. It sets the standard for strength, durability, mobility and aesthetics, and is ideal for extended business and leisure trips, or for two traveling together.






See the specs, pricing, details and shop for them here.

5 Artists Design Helmets For Pirates Design

Thanks to Dalzin.com via freshbump, I discovered this new wonderful line of artist designed helmets named Pirates Design. Olivier Maucorps, a motorcycle enthusiast, decided to start a new line of creative helmets with illustrator FAKIR, who designed one of the helmets as well as the company's logo. They then enlisted four other artists to design the following helmets:

FAKIR
Graphic artist, toy designer and illustrator FAKIR designed the logo as well the FAKIR Helmet:



NANAN
French sculptor and toy designer Gaël Brienne (aka NANAN1) designed the following helmet:



GRAPHEART
French graphic design, illustration and toy design studio Grapheart, designed the following helmet:




KATRE
French Graffiti and street artist Katre, designed the following helmet:



LADY SHOVE
Freelance graphic designer Lady Shove (aka Julie Chauville)



The helmets are being exhibited at Star Motors in Paris from March 25- April 30th and can actually be purchased online.



Shop for the Pirates Design helmets here.

The Hippest Gifts In Every Category For Everybody This Holiday Season.

Let me be your personal shopper this Holiday Season. Seriously.

I have spent the past several years creating specific shopping lists on the community shopcasting website This Next. The lists I have painstakingly compiled include images of the items, a description and a link to purchase, making it very easy for you to find and buy the perfect gift for just about anyone this holiday season.

My Christmas Gift To You.
You can benefit from the fact that I've already scoured the online (and offline) stores for the hippest items in tons of specific categories. The coolest products for designers, kids, pets, friends, fish-lovers, art-lovers, buddha-lovers, dog-lovers, gun-lovers, tattoo-lovers, graffiti-lovers, luxury lovers, casual acquaintances, signficant others and more. Home decor and furniture, technology and gadgets, piggy banks and jewelry... whatever you need, if it's hip, it's here.



From $10 items to $100,000 items, from trendy items to classic items, there's a total of 4,643 items to choose from, starting with the hippest holiday home decor.

Here's how it works. Click on the category below that interests you and you'll be taken to that list of items. Click on the name of the item that interests you and the screen will change to display that item. Lower down on that page it says : shop for this 'here' and you just click on that! Easy, peasy.

• MODERN CHRISTMAS DECOR (wreaths, trees, ornaments, etc) -205 items

Now, for the selections of gifts:

• PANTONE AND PANTONE-INSPIRED PRODUCTS (great for designers) -30 items

• SALUTING DESIGN: An Army Of Military Inspired Items - 35 items

• AQUARIUMS THAT ROCK: the coolest fish tanks - 40 items

• BUDDHA BOUNTY: All Things Buddha - 76 items

• MODERN DOLLHOUSES & ARCHITECTURAL MODELS - 44 items

• THE COOLEST WAYS TO WARM UP (candles, radiators, towel racks) - 131 items

• THE DISH ON DISHES (hip dinnerware and tableware) - 229 items

• EARTH-FRIENDLY AND ECO/ GREEN PRODUCTS - 87 items

• DIVINE DAMASK (home decor and products with damask patterns) - 72 items

• TAG, YOU'RE IT! (Graffiti inspired and related products) - 74 items

• WOOD WONDERLAND (wood furniture, toys and more) - 156 items

• GREAT GIFTS FOR GEEKS - 20 items

• REALLY ROMANTIC GIFTS -104 items

• FOR THE HIP BABY OR CHILD - 250 ITEMS

• LIST FOR LEGO LOVERS (Lego® everything) -50 items

• LIGHTEN UP (The best lighting and lamps) - 160 items

• MONDRIAN MADNESS (products inspired by Piet Mondrian) - 46 items

• ALVAR AALTO INSPIRED ITEMS - 14 items

• CHAIRS THAT ROCK (modern rocking chairs) - 56 items

• OBSCENELY DECADENT GIFTS (luxury products)- 60 items

• DEATH BECOMES YOU (over 160 things with Skulls) - 164 items

• FANCY FRIGGEN FLOORING AND RADICAL RUGS -163 items

• OUTDOOR ITEMS (from furniture to birdhouses) - 142 items

• HEDGEHOG HEYDAY (items inspired by Hedgehogs) - 33 items

• IF IT'S HIP & STICKS TO THE WALL (art and more home decor) - 180 items

• READY, SET...GLOW! (illuminated items and furniture) - 77 items

• CONTEMPORARY ART I WISH I COULD AFFORD - 117 items

• THE HIPPEST ANIMAL/PET STUFF (for both people and their pets) - 203 items

• TECHNOLOGY THAT ROCKS - 215 items

• TATTOO YOU. AND THIS. AND THAT. (tons of tattoo-related products) - 77 items

• HIP JEWELRY FOR MEN AND WOMEN - 216 items

• MODERN PIGGY BANKS OR MONEY BOXES - 65 items

• DIY STUFF FOR FRUSTRATED ARTISTS - 96 items

• PUT THAT DOWN, THAT'S MY GRANDMA! (modern cremation urns) - 27 items

• SHOP OR I'LL SHOOT! (gun-shaped products of all kinds) - 71 items

and lastly, many of the items that have been featured in this blog :

• IF IT'S HIP IT'S HERE - A list of items that celebrate design, functionality and art. Things to appreciate and admire. - 2056 items


Now, you have no excuse not to have found the perfect, or at the least the hippest, gift.

The Best Halloween Costume Ever! Banksy's Flower Thrower Comes To Life.

The Design Director of San Franscisco's Y Studios, Pittsburgh born George Schnakenberg III, gets my vote for the best Halloween costume I've seen in years. With ample design skills and impressive execution, George turned one of stencil street artist Banksy's most famous works, The Flower Thrower, into a full costume designed to emulate the 2D image.


above: George created the flat looking outfit by creating black and white shadows on his pants, hoodie, bandana and gloves.


The original artwork by Banksy:

Matching the prop:


Throughout the Halloween evening, George had photos of himself taken with various friends and in various environments (please note, I have cropped and adjusted the lighting and levels on some of these images for greater visibility):





George even made up his face to emulate the stencil art:

and managed to eat:


Nice work George!
You've set the bar really high and I can't wait to see what you do next Halloween.

all images courtesy of George Schnakenberg III