Shapeways is a growing repository of 3D models for purchase by 3D printing hobbyists, and like everywhere else on the web, they’ve attracted a fair few memes. But none are as inspired as this most recent entry: Success Kid!
Here’s how digital artist Ryan Kittleson sculpted a model (modelled a sculpture?) of this now seminal image using Sculptris.
The final output, once 3D printed in full colour sandstone, looks like this:
Buy the 3D model from Shapeways for just €12.05, and you’ll find yourself immediately more successful as a person.
Fashion label Black Milk have produced a line of Star Wars themed leggings and swimsuits. Why is this interesting? They initially released R2D2 and C3PO swimsuits without permission from George Lucas, so to have returned with a full line of legitimate merchandise means they must have impressed the Dark Lord. I have no idea how…
When plans for The Shard were unveiled my first thoughts were that its piercing aesthetic would be too harsh for the London skyline. But now it’s been ‘topped out’ and soon to open to the public, it’s time to get used to it.
I heard somewhere that Irvine Sellar, the property magnate behind the tower, intends for his creation to stand for more than 200 years. Well, of course it does, but this concept did the most to shift my perspective.
Imagine how this city will feel in two centuries: totally transformed, utterly modern and yet (hopefully) still uniquely London. The Shard is another step towards an exciting Future London.
To illustrate my point, here’s a video flyover showing the tower in context. Watch closely and you’ll see London’s slow climb towards a cyberpunk sky:
I stumbled into /r/cyberpunk the other day, where I came across the work of a chap called Lee Broom, a British interior and product designer who has won recent acclaim for his work at Westfield Stratford and The Nightjar.
His stuff is traditional with a very modern twist: think 19th century meets TRON. Yeah, pretty awesome. My favorite piece is an antique chair found in a flea market somewhere in Paris, “left unrestored and then adorned in turquoise neon, giving it new life but without forgetting its journey.”
Some of the other designs that I liked (click thumbnails to expand):
For the discerning cyberpunk, Broom’s full range of products are listed here.
Question: How do you share that great idea of yours while keeping your intellectual property secure? Answer: You use a non-disclosure agreement.
Beer: tool of the trade
But NDAs are way too formal for the modern entrepreneur, who is more likely to meet a potential partner or investor at a conference, in a coffee shop, or over a beer than arrange to meet at the lawyers.
In an informal situation, the most common business exchange is probably handing someone your business card. I’ve been thinking about this, so in the spirit of sharing ideas, here’s what I’ve come up with:
What if your business card could unlock new conversations?
On the understanding that a signed non-disclosure agreement allows for a far smoother flow of communication in the exchange of business ideas, my business card design offers the ability to turn a casual conversation into a pitch scenario, but without the formality.
Take a look at this mockup I created for MOO Cards, who sadly weren’t interested in the exclusive ownership rights!
Click the image to see in fullscreen
My design is a perforated piece of card designed to be ripped in half:
One half lists the usual business card details
One half has space for a signature against the statement: “I hereby agree to treat your idea as confidential in a bond of trust” (or whatever)
Each party keeps one half of the card in this interactive business exchange. Not legally airtight, of course, but still an innovative means of quickly forming trust with a potential partner.
So then, anyone out there want to help turn this design into a reality?