By now you’re familiar with seeing fantastic videos filmed while people use Google Glass. From sharing sunset moments on top of skyscrapers to skydiving while streaming live video, the glasses-like device looks poised to revolutionize the way we both experience and interact with the world. But, among so many other questions about the system that we don’t know yet, how does Glass work? Although we’re treated to video based mockups of the clever looking UI seen on the tiny glass block the devices sport, there isn’t much mentioned about how you actually see the picture. Artist Martin Missfeldt recently pulled together documents on Glass’ design – including the patent itself – and has made a revealing infographic explaining how it focuses the picture on your eye. [Read more...]
We Love Friday! – Stunning Blown Glass
Long before people started making glass, it could be found in nature; when lightning struck sand or volcanic eruptions caused rock and sand to fuse together (obsidian). Humans first made glass around 2000BC, but the level of skill increased dramatically with the invention of the blowpipe in 30BC. Blowing glass has been popular since medieval times, and although the creations and techniques have gotten more interesting, the tools remain the same. According to Sea Life Creations, “The craft of glassblowing was passed from father to son, and from master to apprentice. From its beginnings, the formulas and procedures used in glassmaking were closely guarded. At times in history, the penalty for disclosing secret techniques was death!” Thankfully the tradition has been kept alive and there are amazing glass blowers all around the world. Here is a collection of some of the most interesting blown glass creations from Instagram. [Read more...]
The Ugly Truth: How Disfigurement Changes Identity
Your face is how the world sees you; for some that makes life easier and for others it builds character. Sometimes it’s hard to separate who we are from what we look like. Could you still be the person you are if you got into an accident that left your face disfigured? Photographer Rut Mackel explores this theme with a project that challenges our perception of aesthetic appearance. He explores the beauty and ugliness that exists in everyone by having normal-looking people make themselves ugly by pressing their faces against a glass mirror. [Read more...]
Visual Bits #337 > Can You Feel The Beet?
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Visual Bits #308 >Deconstruct & Rebuild: Mixed Media
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Visual Bits #282 > On A Lighter Note…

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Harmful Viruses Made of Beautiful Glass
When glass blower Luke Jerram saw visualizations of viruses and pathogens in the scientific world he noticed one big theme: color. Wondering what effect the artificial color in normal scientific drawings had on our interpretation of these invisibly small forms, he created his own exquisite versions out of his favorite material: blown glass. Covering such well known maladies as AIDS and Swine Flu, his works are both beautiful and disturbing, challenging observers to reinterpret their view of the tiny organisms. The pieces, each about 1,000,000 times the size of the actual pathogen, were designed with help from virologists from the University of Bristol using a combination of scientific photographs and models. See more of on this unique work at lukejerram.com . [Read more...]
3D Paintings on Panes of Glass

Using multiple layers of clear glass, Canada based David Spriggs and Chinese born Xia Xiaowan, transform flat artwork into 3D sculptures. Viewers are treated to different shifting perspectives of the works based on where they stand in the art space. Spriggs work revolves around powerful explosive imagery, often resembling storms, cosmic blasts or firework like explosions. Xiawan’s “spatial paintings,” which often feature distorted figures, are drawn individually using colored pencil on tinted glass. Only when these pieces are combined on their floor racks do the images create the whole hologram like effect.
See Also INCREDIBLE 3D ILLUSTRATIONS JUMP OUT OF THE SKETCHBOOK
For more on David Spriggs see his beautiful website at davidspriggs.com or for more on Xia Xiaowan see Wikipedia
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