Awesome Art & Design

The Zero1 minimizes the force of head impacts. Its soft outer layer and 1.5″ tall struts deform upon being hit, cushioning blows from any angle. It will be tested by college and NFL players this spring. Skip to 3:03. More here, here and here.

Acura tries to shake off its reputation for bland designs with an undoubtedly aggressive template. The Precision Concept has a low and wide stance, a high dash-to-axle ratio, a new grille design and literally edgy front and rear.

YouTuber Wallace TheMadKing created this headscratcher of an illusion that looks like a propane tank floating in mid-air at the end of a chain. Stick around long enough, and he’ll show you the extensive work he went through to pull off the trick.

The Sky Walk is a 180ft-tall winding footpath. Located nearly 3700ft. above sea level at the Dolní Morava resort in the Czech Republic, it offers a breathtaking view of the Morava river valley. If you don’t want to walk back down, you can take its 330ft.-long slide.

Samsung made a series of small borderless displays that can form a larger display. One of the technology’s practical applications is the Transformable TV, which can physically switch between two aspect ratios. Skip to 1:27.

Wonderfully illustrated paper models of classic warplanes that not only look cool, they actually glide. The bi-planes are great, but we’re suckers for the bent-winged Chance Vought F4U-4 Corsair. To be honest, after all the work it takes to build one, we’d be afraid to toss ours.

Buick kicked off the 2016 North American International Auto Show with a stunning coupe. The Avista Concept represents the company’s vision for a modern grand tourer. It has a 3L 400hp twin-turbocharged V6 and 8-speed transmission, and rides on huge 20″ wheels.

Deus Ex Machina’s new Japan branch turned a 1961 Honda Super Cub – the Beetle of motorcycles – into a race-ready machine. Aside from increasing the engine’s output by 20%, the shop also custom made parts such as the monocoque body and adjustable race shocks.

Filmmaker Jeff Desom teamed up with model maker Oli Pesch to recreate miniature sets of famous movie scenes, and then populated them with “holographic” images of actors projected onto an angled semi-transparent screen. This is how 3D movies should look. More here.

Physicists will quickly point out that magnets aren’t truly permanent, and energy is never truly “free,” but that doesn’t make inventor Reidar Finsrud’s wonderful and extraordinarily efficient kinetic sculpture that appears to move on its own forever any less impressive.

Chinese drone maker Ehang is working on an octocopter that can carry a person. In theory, you won’t need a license to ride the 184 because it pilots itself. It has a maximum altitude of about 1200ft., goes up to 60mph and lasts 23 min. per charge. Skip to 3:50.

Designed by Harow, creators of the Black Skull Armchair, this very special edition is for supervillains with deep pockets. Its luxurious black velvet seat is surrounded by a handmade steel and fiberglass structure, coated in 24-karat gold, bringing its price to a cool half-mil.

High tech design studio Nervous System has outdone themselves, with the creation of truly stunning neckties which double as wearable works of art. The interlocking pieces are printed from nylon, and are hinged to move fluidly. Each is printed to order, so be patient.

Graphic artist and illustrator Erin Jang created these whimsical portraits of Disney characters using nothing but food and her creativity. Pluto is made from hot dog and hamburger buns, salami, provolone, black olives, and black rye bread. Ingredient list at Oh My Disney.

Designer Stelios Mousarris created this awe-inspiring coffee table of a city that bends over itself after seeing the movie Inception. It was built using wood, steel and 3D printing. Our biggest concern: The price? Nah. Keeping it free of dust bunnies.

A glimpse at your grandchildren’s Microbus. The BUDD-e recognizes gestures and voice commands, integrates with home automation systems, and has large touchscreens for information and entertainment. It has a range of 373mi and goes up to 93mph.

The FFZERO1 Concept is a glimpse into the future of race cars. Powered by four electric motors generating over 1000 hp, a lightweight, highly aerodynamic carbon fiber shell, and a high-tech interior with augmented reality displays, and a NASA-inspired pilot’s seat.

The prolific artist Carla Hananiah loves to paint landscapes of New Zealand and Australia, often at dawn and dusk. Speaking about Carla’s latest collection, Arthouse Gallery says they “form existential ruminations on human fragility and finiteness.” We just find them calming.

Chicago artist Alex Solis (aka AlexMDC) is crowdfunding the production of this hilarious picture book which provides insight into the true identities of numerous cartoon and pop culture characters. Snoopy as Brian and Homer as Peter Griffin are priceless.

Amazing footage from Sueños de Agua, an epic projection mapping performance put on last year in Seville, Spain. Of particular note is how the dragons breathe real fire, thanks to synchronization with the pyrotechnics. Skip to 8:00 if you can’t watch the whole show.

A massive woodcut print that is as much an homage to nature’s beauty as it is a testament to hard work and dedication. Each 46″x 30″ print is made by hand using five 44″x 28″ wooden blocks – one for each color. It took Tugboat Printshop 3 years to carve the blocks.

Like the Build-on Brick Mug, ThinkGeek’s new pen has holes and studs that are compatible with LEGO, K’NEX and other building block toys. It also comes with 36 blocks that you can assemble into a pen stand.

Kagen Schaefer makes complex wooden puzzles. One of them is a desk that has over 20 puzzles and hidden compartments, which when solved give you pieces of sheet music. Put that together, play the notes on the built-in pipe organ and you’ll open a final secret drawer.