Creativity & Art, page 2
Art, drawing, design, music, writing craft, making things, DIY. 89 links, newest first. Page 2 of 2.
Links 51 to 89
Typeface Animator
Tool · typefaceanimator.com · Issue #127
Typeface Animator is a website for creating text animations without writing code, described as a way to speed up creative work.
Summary
Typeface Animator is a website for creating text animations without writing code, described as a way to speed up creative work. It is a specialized tool for quickly animating text for business or social media use.
This to That: Glue Advice Site
Tool · thistothat.com · Issue #125
This to That is a long-running glue advice site, with copyright dating to 1999.
Summary
This to That is a long-running glue advice site, with copyright dating to 1999. Visitors choose the material on each side of a join, from ceramic, fabric and glass to wood, vinyl and Styrofoam, and get guidance on which glue suits that pairing. The site also has trivia, news, a monthly glue feature and a French version.
Brush Ninja: Browser Animation and Drawing Tools
Tool · brush.ninja · Issue #124
Brush Ninja is a browser-based set of creative tools, best known for an animated GIF maker, along with a stop-motion animator, a drawing app, a photo collage maker and a comic maker.
Summary
Brush Ninja is a browser-based set of creative tools, best known for an animated GIF maker, along with a stop-motion animator, a drawing app, a photo collage maker and a comic maker. It also offers classroom resources such as teacher guides and lesson plans, plus browser games. Made by Binary Moon, the tools are free to use in a browser, while some features require a membership.
Force random words into a subject for ideas
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #123
Generate one random word, then force a connection to your subject
Summary
The force-it-in method forces a random word onto a subject to generate new creative ideas.
The speaker presents a creative thinking exercise called the force it in method. Choose a subject, generate a random word with an online random word generator, and force a connection between the two to produce new ideas. The speaker demonstrates it on advertising plain black socks, using random words such as pony and courage to generate ad ideas.
Key points- Generate one random word, then force a connection to your subject
- Black socks paired with pony, courage, cart and dictionary produced ad angles
- A random word like tire sparked a tagline about being bored of the same socks
Microsoft Designer: Quick Graphic Design App
Tool · designer.microsoft.com · Issue #123
Microsoft Designer is a graphic design app for creating social media posts, invitations, digital postcards and other graphics, starting from an idea.
Summary
Microsoft Designer is a graphic design app for creating social media posts, invitations, digital postcards and other graphics, starting from an idea. The page presents it as a way to produce polished designs quickly, and it is published by Microsoft.
A digital dress called Primrose changes looks
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #121
Traditional clothing is static, while Primrose refreshes its look in a moment
Summary
A digital dress called Primrose uses embedded sensors to change its look without a button press.
A CNET presenter introduces Project Primrose, a digital dress with embedded sensors that lets the wearer change its look without pressing a button and responds to movement. The clip shows a live demonstration, which takes a couple of tries before the dress responds.
Key points- Traditional clothing is static, while Primrose refreshes its look in a moment
- The presenter says the dress responds when the wearer turns and moves
- The live demo needed a retry before the dress responded
Google Arts & Culture
Tool · about.artsandculture.google.com · Issue #117
A non-commercial Google initiative that puts art and culture online by working with museums, institutions and artists to digitize and publish their collections.
Summary
A non-commercial Google initiative that puts art and culture online by working with museums, institutions and artists to digitize and publish their collections. Its web platform and apps let people explore artworks and artifacts from museums worldwide, including virtual tours and detailed information about the works. The site features a machine learning project that revived some of Gustav Klimt's long-lost masterpieces.
Songfacts: Stories Behind the Songs
Tool · songfacts.com · Issue #112
Songfacts is a music site covering the stories and meanings behind songs, with facts, chart positions, songwriter interviews and lyrics.
Summary
Songfacts is a music site covering the stories and meanings behind songs, with facts, chart positions, songwriter interviews and lyrics. It also offers songwriting advice, quizzes and trivia games such as Fact or Fiction, and browsing by artist, year or theme. The site is published by Songfacts, LLC.
Simulating a Jungle Ecosystem for 365 Days
Watch · youtube.com · 8 min · Issue #109
Dr.
Summary
Dr. Plants' August 2022 video documents a year-long attempt to build a self-sustaining jungle-style paludarium, a vivarium with both land and water. The description highlights vampire crabs and mourning geckos and says the setup evolves into a tightly knit ecosystem.
Niche buyers can still sustain a business
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #109
About two million TikTok viewers produced roughly 300 orders in the last drop
Summary
Creators do not need to please everyone, since a niche 0.015% buyer rate can still sustain a real business.
A clothing maker in Australia explains that his label sells sportswear made on vintage machines under a made-up football club brand. About two million people saw the brand on TikTok, and a drop of 300 orders equals a 0.015% conversion, which he calls a strong number that now pays for a studio, camera gear and fabric. He says a creative person's job is to show people new things.
Key points- About two million TikTok viewers produced roughly 300 orders in the last drop
- Makes classic sportswear with vintage machinery in Australia under a made-up football club label
- Sales now pay for studio rent, camera gear and 1,000 metres of fabric
Only some IMAX theatres show Oppenheimer uncropped
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #107
Nolan filmed in the 1.43 IMAX ratio, which most theatres crop to widescreen
Summary
Only certain IMAX and dual-laser theatres show Oppenheimer uncropped, so check the screen before buying tickets.
The speaker advises choosing a cinema format for Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer. Nolan filmed in two aspect ratios, and the IMAX 1.43 ratio is shown fully only on IMAX 70mm and dual-laser IMAX screens. Other theaters crop it to widescreen, which the speaker says earned the nickname Croppenheimer. The full frame conveys the scale of the bomb and evokes 1940s CRT screens.
Key points- Nolan filmed in the 1.43 IMAX ratio, which most theatres crop to widescreen
- Other screens crop the image, which gave the film its Croppenheimer nickname
- The speaker points to a website that verifies which theatres show it uncropped
How to Listen to Classical Music With an Open Mind
Read · psyche.co · 10 min · Issue #106
Musicologist Lawrence Kramer's Psyche guide argues that classical music rewards listening for its emotional, intellectual and aesthetic value, with no training required.
Summary
Musicologist Lawrence Kramer's Psyche guide argues that classical music rewards listening for its emotional, intellectual and aesthetic value, with no training required. He suggests picking an 'angle of hearing' such as a melody, timbre or story to focus attention. Other tips include comparing different recordings of the same piece and attending live concerts.
Pardon My Piano: Are You Tone Deaf or Musically Gifted?
Watch · youtube.com · 12 min · Issue #104
A Pardon my Piano video from June 2022 is an ear test that scores your musical ear from 0 to 15 as a 'tone awareness' score.
Summary
A Pardon my Piano video from June 2022 is an ear test that scores your musical ear from 0 to 15 as a 'tone awareness' score. The test has six parts: pitch recognition, pitch memory, harmony awareness, tonality, resolution and perfect pitch. The channel posts piano covers, classical piano and music tests.
Fold 'N Fly: Paper Airplane Designs and Instructions
Tool · foldnfly.com · Issue #103
Fold 'N Fly is a database of 58 paper airplane designs, each with folding instructions, and many with video guides and printable templates.
Summary
Fold 'N Fly is a database of 58 paper airplane designs, each with folding instructions, and many with video guides and printable templates. Designs can be filtered by type, difficulty and whether scissors are needed. The site also has lesson plans, science experiments and a design section, plus a paid membership for printable plans.
Sinix Design: Art Tutorials and Speedpaintings
Watch · youtube.com · Issue #103
Sinix Design is an art YouTube channel, running since 2006, with painting and drawing tutorials, speedpaintings and some unconventional creative videos.
Summary
Sinix Design is an art YouTube channel, running since 2006, with painting and drawing tutorials, speedpaintings and some unconventional creative videos. Topics include digital and traditional painting, concept art and design. The creator describes it as a place to build art skills and enjoy creativity.
Cereal brand used people named after celebrities
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #100
Found people with the same names as famous celebrities to endorse the brand
Summary
A small cereal brand used people sharing celebrity names as endorsers, showing big ideas need no big budget.
The speaker describes a small cereal brand that could not afford famous celebrities, so it found people sharing those celebrities' names and had them endorse the brand, which spread on social media. The speaker argues that a tight budget calls for creativity and persistence, not the assumption that a big campaign is impossible.
Key points- Found people with the same names as famous celebrities to endorse the brand
- The campaign spread across social media without a celebrity budget
- Calls tight-budget excuses lazy thinking and says imagination beats cash
Edit Photo
Tool · edit.photo · Issue #95
Edit.photo is a free browser-based photo editor created by Pintura Labs as a demo of its commercial editor, Pintura.
Summary
Edit.photo is a free browser-based photo editor created by Pintura Labs as a demo of its commercial editor, Pintura. The page says it has no ads, pop-ups, cookies, accounts or tracking, and that photos are edited locally rather than uploaded. It supports JPEG, PNG, WEBP, HEIC and GIF, and purchases of Pintura licenses fund the service.
The Art of Being Alone
Read · fs.blog · 6 min · Issue #95
Shane Parrish's July 2022 Farnam Street article argues that loneliness depends more on how we perceive our circumstances than on how many people are around us.
Summary
Shane Parrish's July 2022 Farnam Street article argues that loneliness depends more on how we perceive our circumstances than on how many people are around us. Drawing on Olivia Laing's The Lonely City, it gives examples from Edward Hopper and Andy Warhol. It suggests that making or engaging with art can turn painful loneliness into more fulfilling solitude.
How to make a resin bar top
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #92
Mix equal halves of part A and part B of plain craft-store resin
Summary
A resin bar top is made by mixing equal parts of resin, pouring over glass pieces, and drizzling to cover the edges.
The Gooch shows how to seal broken glass pieces in resin to make a one-of-a-kind piece meant to hang above a bar. He mixes equal parts of two resin components from a craft store, pours a layer over the glass, lets it reach the edges and cork, and wipes away drips. He also coats the frame edges so the finished piece is not sharp.
Key points- Mix equal halves of part A and part B of plain craft-store resin
- Pour a layer over the glass shards, which the full fill will cover
- Wipe drips and smooth the edges so the surface is not sharp
Music's Power Over Your Brain, Explained
Watch · youtube.com · 8 min · Issue #91
Big Think's January 2023 video features Michael Spitzer, a music professor at the University of Liverpool, who argues that humans are musical animals whose relationship with music goes back millions of years.
Summary
Big Think's January 2023 video features Michael Spitzer, a music professor at the University of Liverpool, who argues that humans are musical animals whose relationship with music goes back millions of years. The description says music lowers cortisol, releases dopamine and helps people process emotions that are hard to put into words. It cites the Hurrian Hymn to Nikkal, the oldest known notated music, at over 3,000 years old.
Touch Pianist
Tool · touchpianist.com · Issue #90
Touch Pianist, built by Batuhan Bozkurt, is a musical toy that lets people play classical pieces by Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, Satie and Debussy by tapping along with the rhythm.
Summary
Touch Pianist, built by Batuhan Bozkurt, is a musical toy that lets people play classical pieces by Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, Satie and Debussy by tapping along with the rhythm. It works with a keyboard or touchscreen, and tapping speed sets the playback speed. The apps are free on Android and iOS.
A Good Tunnel Is Hard to Dig
Tool · alan.draknek.org · Issue #88
A PuzzleScript game by Alan Hazelden, made for Ludum Dare 32.
Summary
A PuzzleScript game by Alan Hazelden, made for Ludum Dare 32. The player digs through levels with the arrow keys, undoes moves with Z and resets a level with R. The page links to the game's source in the PuzzleScript online editor so players can modify it. The page.
Never Too Small: Scandi-Style 42 sqm Apartment in Poznań
Watch · youtube.com · 7 min · Issue #86
A NEVER TOO SMALL video from 2023 tours a 42 sqm new-build apartment in Poznań, designed by architect and owner Alicja Szmal-Baehr.
Summary
A NEVER TOO SMALL video from 2023 tours a 42 sqm new-build apartment in Poznań, designed by architect and owner Alicja Szmal-Baehr. It uses natural materials and earthy colors, with built-in cabinetry, a wooden kitchen island, a hidden kitchen and two chaise lounges that double as a guest bed. The credits name Colin Chee as creator.
Take simple actions to extremes when stuck
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #83
Simple things taken to extreme lengths beat hacks and secrets
Summary
When stuck, take simple actions to extremes, such as 100 words, 100 emails or 100 ideas, rather than seeking hacks.
The speaker suggests that when you are stuck, start with 100: 100 words, 100 emails or 100 ideas. The speaker says the world rewards those who give, and that people need no hacks or secrets, only simple things taken to extreme lengths.
Key points- Simple things taken to extreme lengths beat hacks and secrets
- The speaker says the world gives to those who give
ColorWise: Find Colors That Suit You
Tool · colorwise.me · Issue #82
ColorWise is a web tool for finding colors that suit a person's coloring.
Summary
ColorWise is a web tool for finding colors that suit a person's coloring. It offers a free color analysis to identify a personal palette, plus virtual draping, outfit recoloring, photo color palettes and capsule wardrobe palettes.
Interior AI: AI Redesign for Rooms and Exteriors
Tool · interiorai.com · Issue #78
Interior AI is a web app by Pieter Levels that redesigns photos of interiors, exteriors and gardens with AI.
Summary
Interior AI is a web app by Pieter Levels that redesigns photos of interiors, exteriors and gardens with AI. Users upload a photo, pick a room type and style, and get photorealistic renders in about 25 seconds. It offers over 55 styles and 30 room types, plus virtual staging for empty rooms and sketch-to-image rendering. Plans are paid subscriptions: Pro, Premium and Ultra, from about $29 to $199 per month.
Swap and then for but or therefore
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #74
Trey Parker uses this method when stuck on his weekly scripts, per the speaker
Summary
Replace every and then in a story with but or therefore, a method the speaker credits to South Park's Trey Parker.
The speaker shares a storytelling rule attributed to South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone. Between each beat of a story, the connecting word should be but or therefore, not and then. The example: a product was built, but research showed a different need, therefore R&D rebuilt it into something better. The speaker calls it Mad Libs style storytelling.
Key points- Trey Parker uses this method when stuck on his weekly scripts, per the speaker
- Example: we built this, but then research showed another need, therefore we did R and D
- This turns a list of events into a chain of conflict and consequence
Logan Paul: I Took 4,120 Polaroids in 99 Days
Watch · youtube.com · Issue #63
Logan Paul describes a 99-day trip starting August 21, 2021, covering 84,029 miles with a Polaroid camera.
Summary
Logan Paul describes a 99-day trip starting August 21, 2021, covering 84,029 miles with a Polaroid camera. The trip produced 99 one-of-one prints he calls '99 Originals', sold through originals.com. The description says the period included injuries, family conflict, substance addiction and travel with wealthy people.
Emoji Kitchen
Tool · emoji.supply · Issue #62
A browser for Emoji Kitchen, a feature that combines emoji into mixed designs, with thousands of combinations available in Gboard for Android.
Summary
A browser for Emoji Kitchen, a feature that combines emoji into mixed designs, with thousands of combinations available in Gboard for Android. The page displays the combinations as images and credits the Emoji Kitchen team for the emoji and standards. Its source code is on GitHub.
Learn by copying, then combining
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #59
Replicate before you iterate, copying a style before making it your own
Summary
Learn by copying several people first, then combining those lessons into something that becomes your own.
The speaker's mantra for learning is to replicate before you iterate. You copy three to five people's work, then combine what you learned into something of your own. The speaker cites Leonardo da Vinci and says artists have long learned by imitating another artist's style before mixing it with their own.
Key points- Replicate before you iterate, copying a style before making it your own
- Copy three to five different people, then combine what you learned
- The speaker says great artists like Davinci learned this way
Hypnogram: Text-to-Image AI
Tool · hypnogram.xyz · Issue #55
A site that generates images from text descriptions using AI.
Summary
A site that generates images from text descriptions using AI. The newsletter mentions it as an example of a new AI engine that creates images from text.
Paper Website: Build a Site from a Notebook
Tool · paperwebsite.com · Issue #45
Paper Website is a tool for starting a small blog by writing by hand on paper and publishing those notes online.
Summary
Paper Website is a tool for starting a small blog by writing by hand on paper and publishing those notes online. It presents pen and paper as a less distracting way to write, with the goal of reaching a wide audience.
Write, Think, Learn: How to Write Better
Tool · covingtoninnovations.com · Issue #44
A long presentation on how to write better, shared as a PDF.
Summary
A long presentation on how to write better, shared as a PDF. The page notes that the presentation has been expanded and published as a book.
What to Do When You Run Out of Inspiration
Read · entrepreneur.com · Issue #27
Steve Tobak, a management consultant, argues that inspiration does not come on demand because the mind gets stuck in an overthinking loop.
Summary
Steve Tobak, a management consultant, argues that inspiration does not come on demand because the mind gets stuck in an overthinking loop. He suggests breaking the loop by changing your place, process, people, or perspective. Practical moves include stepping away to shower or garden, talking through problems on walks, and seeking outside viewpoints.
The Pixar Theory
Watch · youtube.com · Issue #23
Bloop Animation, narrated by Evyatar Gour, argues in this 2014 video that all Pixar movies take place in the same universe at different times.
Summary
Bloop Animation, narrated by Evyatar Gour, argues in this 2014 video that all Pixar movies take place in the same universe at different times. The video is based on Jon Negroni's essay The Pixar Theory and opens by asking what it would mean if all Pixar films were connected.
31 Posters That Teach You Something
Read · buzzfeed.com · Issue #22
A 2016 BuzzFeed listicle by Maitland Quitmeyer presents 31 wall posters that teach something, such as a coffee brewing guide, a seasonal vegetable chart, a pasta shape guide, and a periodic table of Game of Thrones families.
Summary
A 2016 BuzzFeed listicle by Maitland Quitmeyer presents 31 wall posters that teach something, such as a coffee brewing guide, a seasonal vegetable chart, a pasta shape guide, and a periodic table of Game of Thrones families. Each entry pairs the poster with a seller and price, mostly on Etsy, Society6, and Pop Chart Lab.
Lordicon: Animated Icon Library
Tool · lordicon.com · Issue #19
Lordicon is an animated icon library from a Polish company, with over 48,100 icons, including 9,700 free icons that need no login.
Summary
Lordicon is an animated icon library from a Polish company, with over 48,100 icons, including 9,700 free icons that need no login. Icons come in Wired, System, and Doodle families, with adjustable colors, speed, and animation states. It exports to Lottie, GIF, MP4, SVG, and other formats, and offers npm, React, Figma, and WordPress integrations.
The Future of Art on Blockchain: Crypto Art and NFTs
Watch · youtube.com · Issue #18
Crypto artist Gordon Berger describes NFTs and the CryptoArt movement in a TEDx talk given at the Museum of London in 2018.
Summary
Crypto artist Gordon Berger describes NFTs and the CryptoArt movement in a TEDx talk given at the Museum of London in 2018. He argues that art can help people make sense of technologies that shape their lives. The description lists the tools behind NFTs, including IPFS, Ethereum smart contracts, and ERC-721 tokens, and says Berger has worked with blockchain since 2011.