Category: art

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A Clever Guy Turns His CPAP Mask into an ‘Alien’ Facehugger

There’s not much that’s funny about having to wear a CPAP mask in order to be able to breathe through a good night’s sleep.

That said, any time you can use your necessary medical equipment to turn your face into an attacking alien facehugger…I mean, you’ve gotta do it. I honestly can’t believe it hasn’t been done before now.

Jared Grey, the genius in question, is an author and self-described Tinker Gnome. He’s also a science fiction fanatic, so when he was thinking about ways to make the inconvenience of sleep apnea more bearable, he came up with the idea of turning the machine into a life-size foam Alien Facehugger replica.

Grey describes the process step-by-step on his social media, and honestly, I think he could also get work on science fiction sets if he’s ever hard up for cash.

A twisted idea who's time has finally come.

Posted by Jared Gray on Friday, April 27, 2018

What’s even funnier is that he’d joked about what he would do if he ever had to have a CPAP, even before being diagnosed with sleep apnea.

Image Credit: Jared Gray

“I’ve been joking for years that if I ever ended up needing a CPAP mask, I’d incorporate it into a facehugger. Because obviously…I was recently diagnosed with sleep apnea, and now have my own CPAP torture machine. Seriously, these things are awful and create as much discomfort as they prevent. So I may as well have some fun with this thing while it’s intruding on my life.”

Image Credit: Jared Gray

I say that’s a pretty healthy outlook to go along with some pretty amazing creativity.

This is the worst ConCrud I've had in a long time. I can't breathe, I can't see. I've got this lump in my throat and a…

Posted by Jared Gray on Monday, May 28, 2018

Would you ever imagine something like this? Would you be able to pull it off? Tell us what you think in the comments!

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A Street Artist Appears To Cut His Name Into Concrete Using His Spray Paint Technique

If you’ve spent any time in big cities, you’ve probably noticed that street art and graffiti are now everywhere. A lot of it is pretty underwhelming, but, once in a while, you’ll see something that really knocks your socks off.

A graffiti artist going by the name of Vile has a spray painting technique that is so impressive, it looks like he’s actually carved his name into the walls he adorns with his art. But, rest assured, it’s an optical illusion that he has perfected. All he needs it a can of spray paint.

Vile, whose real name is Rodrigo Miguel Sepúlveda Nunes, hails from Portugal. He studied at two different schools in Lisbon between 2000 and 2006 and worked on a number of different skills, including illustration, watercolors, oil, digital drawing, and even tattooing.

By combining all of those skills, Vile is able to create these masterful pieces of art that appear to be transparent, as if you’re looking directly through the walls he paints on. These optical illusions truly are remarkable; I can honestly say that I’ve never seen street art this good before in my life.

The 35-year-old artist lives in Vila Franca de Xira, Portugal. He said, “In the beginning, I think doing graffiti was an act of rebellion as a kid, but the truth is that it has become my life and my focus.” Let’s take a look at some more of his brilliant pieces.

Be sure to follow Vile on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. This guy is good!

The post A Street Artist Appears To Cut His Name Into Concrete Using His Spray Paint Technique appeared first on UberFacts.

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Check Out the Giant Troll Living Under a Seattle Bridge

As you know, trolls always make their homes under bridges, so perhaps this story isn’t all that surprising. Except that it is pretty rare, of course, for them to leave anyone alive to tell the tale of their whereabouts, so perhaps this Seattle troll is worth talking about after all…

Luckily, it’s hard to eat people – children or otherwise – when you’re made of concrete and an abandoned VW beetle.

The 18-ft troll sits under a freeway overpass in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood. It was constructed in 1990 after the artist won a Fremont Arts Council competitions designed to improve the looks of freeway underpasses around the city.

The sculptor is Steve Badanes, who did the job with help from two University of Washington architecture students, Will Martin and Ross Whitehead, and also from his girlfriend at the time, Donna Walter. Others have added onto the original vision in the intervening years, giving the troll green fingernails, tattoos, fangs, and even a green eye via spray paint.

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👣Fremont Troll, Seattle. . . 👣 The Fremont Troll is and sculpture located in the city of Seattle. The partial goal of it was to rehabilite the area under the bridge which was becoming a place for drug dealers. It was built in 1990 for an art competition and it won. . . 👣 El troll de Fremont es una escultura que se encuentra en la ciudad se Seattle y que fue construída debajo de un puente con la idea de rehabilitar el area que se estaba convirtiendo en un punto de encuentro de drogadictos. Se construyó en 1990 para una competición de arte que ganó. • • • #seattle #pnw #usa #washington #instagoodmyphoto #instagood #instapassport #passionpassport #wanderlust #globetrotter #viaje #viajeros #travel #travelphotography #travelblogger #traveling #travelgram #traveller #travelling #travelers #travelawesome #travelbag #traveler #travellers #travellingthroughtheworld #travelholic #travelguide #freemonttroll #visitseattle #herpnwlife

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The city has attempted to cover up the additions with concrete, resulting in lumps here and there, and while they don’t like people painting the troll, you can totally climb on it if you want to visit.

His/Her birthday is on October 31st, and the city’s Troll-o-Ween includes a celebration and stage performance that’s open to the public.

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Happy #trolloween big guy 🧡🎃

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The troll sits under the bridge at the terminus of a dead end street, so if you do go visit, or want to help celebrate its birthday, it’s best to park in the neighborhood and take a stroll, since parking can get tight nearby.

And mind your fingers and toes, even if it doesn’t look real. You just never know about these things.

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Walking Bicycle Uses Design Tools From Theo Jansen’s Famous Strandbeest Sculptures

Not too long ago, The Q science channel featured one of their designers who brilliantly constructed a walking bicycle using the same mechanical design developed by Dutch artist Theo Jansen for his Strandbeests. The Strandbeests are a famous set of amazing kinetic sculptures. When the wind is right, the sculptures, made mostly of plastic pipe, appear to walk down the beach using a system of triangles linked together to an axle for legs.

They move so well they almost look alive – hence, “beests.”

Jansen started making his Strandbeests in 1990, and his idea was that they’d “live” in herds on beaches, completely mobile and powered by ocean breezes. He called them artificial intelligence, although they’re not robots. He’s even said he would like for them to evolve to the point they could make decisions and build dunes. He also refers to them animals, though he acknowledges them as machines. After each creature roams the summer away on the beach, it becomes “extinct,” and starts a new life as a museum exhibit.

Videos of the mesmerizing beasts strolling the beach are available to watch online, and you can find instructions on various science sites for how to build your own.

For the walking bicycle, the back wheel was replaced with a specially designed, cut and welded piece (so not made of PVC pipe). This was the same design used in other Standbeests including a walking machine, a walking chair and a Penny Farthing.

It’s entrancing to watch, though maybe not the easiest way to get around.

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These Funny Reusable Grocery Bags Help the Environment and Will Make You Laugh

We should all take reusable bags with us to the grocery store when we go shopping. But instead of those bland, humorless bags you’ve been toting around, consider some of these funny bags made by the clever, artsy people on Etsy for your shopping needs.

Here are 10 that I think you might want cause they’re awesome. If you feel the same, you can buy directly from the links underneath the photos of the bags.

Happy shopping!

1. Make no mistake.

Photo Credit: Etsy

2. All kinds of healthy shit…

Photo Credit: Etsy

3. Ouch!

Photo Credit: Etsy

4. Booyah.

Photo Credit: Etsy

5. N’ Shit…

Photo Credit: Etsy

6. Sounds like a plan!

Photo Credit: Etsy

7. Not in love just yet.

Photo Credit: Etsy

8. Organic, healthy food.

Photo Credit: Etsy

9. You should know the difference.

Photo Credit: Etsy

10. Don’t mess with this one…

Photo Credit: Etsy

Aren’t those great? Here are a bunch of other awesome bags you can buy from Etsy!

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‘The Far Side’ Is Now Online and New Comics Are on the Way

My dad’s favorite cartoon is The Far Side. For every Christmas since I can remember, my mom got him a new desk calendar for his desk at work, and since he retired, one for his desk at home.

And every Christmas since 1995, I’ve listened to him lament that the calendar wrapped under the tree is no longer The Far Side.

Nothing compares (though Pearls Before Swine is close, he says).

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Enjoy!

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Now my dad, and others like him, have reason to celebrate – Gary Larson and his cartoons are returning.

In the early fall, a cryptic update appeared on Larson’s website, one that hinted at something new in the works for the fans who had been crying into their lesser comics for over two decades.

Then, the announcement: the irreverent, single-panel cartoons will now be available online for the first time.

And there will be new material! It’s not just gonna be archived strips – Larson plans to revisit his world of anthropomorphic cows and science run amok, at least once in a while.

Part of the reason for Larson’s decision is that he hates seeing scanned, illegal versions of his work on the web, and part is that he feels the resolution on new computer screens won’t leave out any of his intentional nuance.

Though there will be new work on the site, Larson told the New York Times that readers shouldn’t expect any regular postings.

“I’m not ‘back,’ at least in the sense I think you’re asking. Returning to the world of deadlines isn’t exactly on my to-do list.”

All writers have a love/hate relationship with deadlines, so I can surely relate – and hope to one day be in a position to set my own, leisurely schedule as well.

That said, it seems we can expect at least some new artwork to float around in the new year. Until then, enjoy the revolving library of content on the website, like daily posts and themed collections.

Oh, happy day – for my dad, and everyone else in the world who gets a second chance to experience firsthand brilliance.

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15 Friends Who Got Tattooed Together

Getting a tattoo is a serious commitment. Getting a matching tattoo with your friend is pretty hardcore.

But, when you know, you know. And sometimes matching ink is the best way to say, “I love you, man!” Here are 15 examples of tattooed friends…let’s hope they don’t have any big arguments anytime soon.

1. Tiny little hearts.

2. Nice detail on these.

3. A single rose.

4. Matching Minor Threat tattoos!

5. I pinky swear…

6. Fill it up.

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#matchingtattoos from today #bfftattoo

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7. Happy little avocados.

8. Best friends forever.

9. Cheers to you!

10. A friendly journey.

11. These are nice.

12. Around the world.

13. Mom and son tattoo.

14. Do you recognize these?

15. Happy little clouds.

Do any of you readers out there have matching tattoos with a friend? Or maybe with a significant other?

If so, show us some photos in the comments!

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Enjoy These Cool Facts About Music of All Kinds

I’ve been a music lover since I was pretty young. My brother, who is nine years older than I am, got me into all the good stuff from a very young age: AC/DC, The Ramones, The Sex Pistols, etc.

Since then, it’s been a love affair with finding cool, new (and old) music to sink my teeth into, and seeing live bands when I get the chance.

Let’s take a look at 10 really cool music facts to get our day started the right way!

1. Sudden savant syndrome.

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1 Source 2

2. I wish there was video of this.

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1 Source 2 Source 3

3. A lot of time wasted.

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1 Source 2

4. They were trailblazers in many ways.

Photo Credit: did you know

Source 1 Source 2

5. The cut up technique.

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1 Source 2

6. The Lizard King.

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1 Source 2

7. Two musical geniuses.

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1 Source 2 Source 3

8. Helping out the fans.

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source

9. Don’t change a thing.

Photo Credit: did you know?

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10. A little history lesson.

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source

Pretty cool facts, huh?

Who are some of your favorite bands and musicians? Share them with us in the comments!

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A Lighting Artist Explains His Job, and It Is Pretty Darn Cool

Animated films are a lot of fun, but most people don’t realize that it takes boatloads of creatives to really pull it off. One of those behind-the-scenes jobs in animation that you’ve probably never heard of before: lighting artist.

Like Dan O’Brien. He’s a lighting artist who has contributed to some really cute scenes. But how exactly?

O’Brien went on Twitter to explain what his job is because most people just don’t know what lighting artists do. He shared some illustrations before and after his involvement so we can see exactly what he contributes for ourselves. Check out his thread:

As you can see, the scene on the left looks half-finished, while the scene on the right looks three-dimensional and has a clear mood.

It’s easy to forget that O’Brien was working on a spy film when looking at the art on the left. On the right, we really feel the tension as police sirens pop.

Softer, moodier lighting also helps us see objects and facial expressions more clearly.

You can really see what adding the lighting effects does – without them, the scenes don’t look real at all. The light adds drama, context, and emotion that just isn’t there beforehand.

Of course, O’Brien wants us to know that it takes a team to truly make a good scene great.

Animated films feature contributions from all kinds of talented artists. That’s why they take so long to make – an animated movie can take many thousands of man-hours of work, distributed among an enormous team of different types of animators.

Now that we’ve learned a little about the people behind our favorite scenes we can better appreciate their work!

What surprised you the most about the before and after shots? The comments section is open and ready for your musings.

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Vinyl Record Sales Surpassed CDs Last Year for the First Time in Decades

As someone who has collected vinyl since high school, I think this is awesome. Don’t get me wrong, I like CDs and cassettes too (I don’t currently have any 8-tracks), but I prefer vinyl records.

I just honestly believe they sound the best out of all formats.

In 2019, people bought $224 million worth of vinyl records. This was the first time since 1986 that vinyl outsold CDs.

That’s a long time for a medium to spend on the outs before it stages a takeover from its replacement format, don’t you think?

Vinyl has been competing with CDs, cassettes, and now with digital music for many years, but a resurgence in the popularity of records along with annual events like Record Store Day have made vinyl a hot commodity again over the past several years. Records have gone from practically obsolete, to objects of desire once again.

In the week that ended on December 26, 2019, 1.243 million vinyl albums were sold – the first time that’s happened since Nielsen began tracking music data in 1991.

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Recent arrivals to the shop! Lots of jazz!

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And it isn’t one generation that’s making up a bulk of the vinyl sales; Millennials and Generation Z folks are just as likely to buy records as Baby Boomers and Generation X’ers. Plus, people are buying records from artists across many generations. Currently, some of the biggest-selling vinyl artists are Harry Styles, Billie Eilish, The Beatles, and Queen.

Just for fun, I’d like to include some of my favorite record stores across the country. Check these folks out online or in-person if you’re in the area!

Creme Tangerine Records in Costa Mesa, California.

Premium Sound in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Love Garden Sounds in Lawrence, Kansas.

Go buy some records!

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