Their 3D nano-printer can create complex objects no bigger than a grain of sand, like a race car, a model of St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, and the Tower Bridge in London. This is amazing stuff. Working on this scale is possible thanks to two-photon lithography.

A laser is directed by a series of mirrors through a liquid resin which then hits a surface and leaves behind a “polymerized line of solid polymer.” The thickness of that line is only a few hundred nanometers.

This printer technology may be new, but it isn’t slow. Remember how slow the first new real-world printers were? In 4 minutes this one can print 100 layers of 200 lines per layer. That’s five meters of polymer printed in one second and a new world record.

It probably won’t be long until we have a super-fast 3D printer that will produce replacement body parts on demand.

[via TGDaily via Geek]

The sculpture was made by Flickr user Everfalling for his sculpture class at the Academy of Art University.  He wanted to make something inspired by Katamari Damacy but was also interested in creating his own version of Atlas holding up the world on his shoulders when the idea hit him. The sculpture is made of bronze, weighs 9 pounds and is 8″ tall. The Prince and his Katamari are actually separable, but given the game one can imagine that the Prince isn’t holding up the ball but is stuck to it.

Everfalling is willing to make copies of the sculpture for sale. Just contact him and be prepared to shell out $600(USD). Better start gathering money. It would be awesome if he could make the Katamari magnetic so you can actually stick things to it. Check out Everfalling’s Flickr page for more images.

[via Gamefreaks]

These sculptures by John V. Muntean might not look like much at first. In fact, they look like randomly shaped sculptures that are a mix of geometric shapes, curves, and holes. The trick here is to shine a light at just the right angle, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at what you might (and might not) see:

John describes his sculptures like so:

A Magic Angle Sculpture appears to be nothing more than an abstract wooden carving, skewered with a rod and mounted on a base. However, when lit from above and rotated at the magic angle (54.74º) it will cast three alternating shadows. Every 120º of rotation, the amorphous shadows evolve into independent forms. Our scientific interpretation of nature often depends upon our point of view. Perspective matters.

Here are some more videos that show off two more of John’s sculptures in action:

[via Neatorama via Colossal Art + Design]

I can already see a storyline evolving in my mind of a poor, lonesome AT-AT Imperial Walker on the run from those pesky rebels, deciding to make babies with a Volkswagen bus and start a family.

This Volkswagen AT-AT Microbus sculpture was spotted by tech journalist Jack Schofield. While the exact origin of this elephant-like monstrosity hasn’t yet been discovered, it’s definitely fun to look at. If the photo is accurate, then someone has built a huge sculpture that features a VW bus that’s been modified to walk on AT-AT legs.

Even if it turns out to be some kind of Photoshoppery, it’s still something that will make you smile.

[via Nerd Approved]

The Zen Table has two sizes – a coffee table measuring 56″ x 39″ x 19.5″ and a smaller desktop version measuring 13″ x 9.5″ x 2 1/2″. Both are made of bamboo and equipped with an SD card slot and a USB cable. The SD card slot is for the bundled SD card which will have several programs that instruct the table’s electronics to create patterns, but you can also send commands from a computer to the table via USB.

In addition, the coffee table version can also be equipped with a 3G modem that will allow it to receive new designs, as well as allow the user to control the table from an Android or iOS app that Hallam is currently developing. That means you can have the Zen Table write messages to people at the table or have it draw naughty images when your parents have a visitor. The possibilities are frightening. Here’s a demo of the Zen Table in contemplative action:

Here it creates something more modern:

Fancy eh? Kickstarter supporters thought so as well. Hallam put up a fundraiser on the crowdfunding website and was able to exceed his original target. I’m not sure when and for how much the final products will be sold, but the people who pledged at least $499 (USD) on the project are eligible for a kit containing the parts for the desktop version of the Zen Table, while $749 got them the same model but fully assembled. Two people pledged at least $4,999 to get their own coffee table Zen Table and one rich and lucky person shelled out at least $7,499 to get the 3G version of the coffee table. Meanwhile I’m still waiting for the iZen Garden app to go on sale for less than $5.99.

Head to Hallam’s YouTube channel to check out more videos of the Zen Table in action.

[Kickstarter via The Awesomer]

This incredible sculpture is the work of French artist Alain Bellino, and yes, this Darth Vader (or as they call him in France “Dark Vador”) has apparently been around for almost a decade, but it’s the first time I’ve seen it, so that makes it new for at least one of us. So, those eyes I was mentioning before? They’re made from a couple of old tarnished spoons. Yep, you heard me right. Check it out if you don’t believe me:

Building upon these evil eyes, Alain gradually assembled the entire Vader head – first from brass and bronze decorative elements, but then eventually finished it in black, completing his transformation to the Dark Side.

Makes you wonder what Star Wars might have been like with a golden Darth Vader. Seems like something which might have been in some Japanese version of the films. Or maybe in the next CGI revision by Lucas.

[Behance via Regretsy]

Before they “melted,” each of the three pieces were supposedly picture frames. Each of the three sculptures were carved, sanded and finished by hand from of various types of woods like oak and fir. The different wood types provided a beautiful contrast for the sculptures (which sort of reminds me of milk and white chocolate.)

The Duramen Series is explained like so: “Born of a simple impulse, the one to break with conventional ways of exhibiting, Bonsoir Paris and its team have imagined a series of frames so strongly mistreated that they have become unrecognizable. Their wish is to break the properties of the compound, a form of compromise as minimal and it is efficient. They found a subtle twist while remaining faithful to a primitive form of revolt, without getting lost in vain styles effects.”

All I see is melted chocolate.

[designboom via Gadgets Matrix]

As you can see these pieces are much more detailed than Christopher Locke’s fossilized gadgets and are fit for display. Most of the gadgets depicted are still and film cameras, but there’s also the iconic Atari joystick for gamers.

Dig around Bughouse’ website to excavate the Future Fossils and bring them home. Prices range from $65-$495 (USD).

[via Fancy]

It’s definitely a unique way of creating art. Augusto has created a bunch of different 3D forms, from pianos to flowers. He even made a toilet out of buttons, though you would want to try and use it.

Augusto has been referred to as “The Button Guy”.  He says that he doesn’t count the number of buttons that go into each piece, but my guess is that he uses quite a lot of them.

His sculptures make me wonder if he was inspired by the code of The Matrix, since the fishing lines kind of remind me of the code as it rains vertically down the screen.

[via Make:]

Ray created these detailed figurative Sculpey clay busts of several of the main characters from Matt Groening and David X. Cohen’s 31st Century sci-fi comedy, with the first one being of the doddering Professor Hubert J. Farnsworth.

With those goggles on his head, he sort of reminds me of the “I just do eyes” guy from Blade Runner. And woop, woop, woop, Ray also did up a nice version of Zoidberg, but he actually looks a little too dignified for my tastes. Maybe it’s that his mouth-tentacles aren’t dripping with some trash he just ate. He looks more like he belongs in a Mass Effect game or something.

His Turanga Leela is probably the creepiest looking, thanks to her single eyeball and overly symmetrical facial features. For some reason, she doesn’t freak me out so much on the show. Maybe it’s Katey Sagal’s soothing voice that keeps the whole cyclops thing in check. I’m thinking this Leela would fit in quite well in God of War IV, though, if they’re still casting.

Last, but not least is Leela’s faithful companion, Nibbler, who appears to have been inspired by a combination of a baby, chimpazees, meerkats, and a tulip. Yep, that’s what the artist himself says – at least that what I got out of this picture.

Ray says he sculpted these busts in 1/3rd scale, but I’m not sure how you can figure out how tall cartoon characters are in the first place. It’s hard to get any sense of scale from these images, but I’m betting they’re bigger than you think.

Absent from series are Fry, Bender and Hermes, and Amy Wong, but I’m betting that Ray will eventually add them to his menagerie. Personally, I’d like to see Flexo instead of Bender. I always preferred his goatee.

[via Behance]

Tom has created hundreds of these sculptures, entirely made out of scrap car and motorcycle parts. You’ll find animals, vehicles, people, creatures from fantasy and even some furniture in his collection. Many of the sculptures aren’t small, either. His T-Rex is about 28 feet in height. The build process involves collecting cars from a junkyard, then sorting through the parts. Then they are cleaned, and welded together, then polished and lacquered. Nothing is wasted.

It takes about 400 hours to complete a large sculpture. This translates to about two to three months.

Tom has recently started to collaborate with his friend Marco Mahler, and they are available for custom work. Check it out here if you want them to make you a special sculpture.

[via DesignYouTrust]

For Harrier and Jaguar, Fiona actually had to buy these two planes for an undisclosed amount before modifying them for her installation. The Sepecat Jaguar XZ118 was stripped and polished to a high sheen, so that viewers can see themselves in the reflection. It’s positioned on the floor, belly up, just like a wounded bird. The Harrier was embellished with hand-painted feather markings, and hung up like a trussed bird so viewers could walk underneath it.

Fiona is fascinated by jets and war. They were at the Tate Britain until early this year. I wonder where they are hanging around now?

[via Jay Mug]

The sculpture measures 12 inches in length and 8 inches in width. The 3D printing was done using rapid prototyping technology from a 3D image, obtained by rotating the graph. This isn’t Jerram’s first disaster sculpture. He’s also done one on the Hiroshima atomic bomb explosion. Next month, he plans on creating a glass version of this sculpture since he’ll be the artist in residence as the Washington Museum of Glass.

This piece is on display at the Terra exhibition at Jerwood Visual Arts in London from November 9th to December 11th.

[via Wired]

The only pumpkins I’ve ever managed to carve were ones with foolish grins and crooked smiles. And I used to think they were pretty decent, until I saw what Ray Villafane managed to do with his pumpkin.

Working with regular-sized pumpkins is already enough of a challenge for most people. But Ray did a more than spectacular job carving these creepy zombies and demons bursting out from their pumpkin grave from the world’s largest pumpkin. And when we say “world’s largest,” we really do mean the world’s largest and heaviest, as it weighed in at 1,818.5 pounds.

The giant pumpkin carving will be on display at the New York Botanical Garden until month’s end so drop by and take a few shots, if you happen to be in the area.

[via Inhabitat via Dvice]

Terry describes his 4-inch tall Chewbacco sculpture simply as follows: “Ingredients- Plastic snuf container, wire armature, dried chewing tobacco and glue. ‘Belt’- electrical and duct tape. “ It should be noted that Chewbacco still can cause gum disease and cause cancer. He can also pull your arms out of their sockets.

If you want Chewbacco up on your mantel, good news. The carcinogenic Chewie is up for auction now over on eBay with a current bid of just $50. Millennium Falcon spittoon not included.

[via Craftzine via Star Wars Blog]

The chair was designed by Alejandro Cerón and was featured at the Moscow Design Week 2011 as a work of art-slash-piece of furniture that showcased organic architecture. It’s described as representing the “symbiosis between technology and nature,” and all I can say is, I had no idea how messy the relationship is between those two.

From a certain angle, the chair looks like a horse on its hind legs. From another, it’s like a lobster caught up and tangled in a bunch of weeds. And yet from another angle, the Beautiful Mess chair looks like a dinosaur nursing its young. The designer himself describes the work as something that “explores and blurs the boundaries between art and design,” although both seem pretty related to me in the first place.

And the only time the Beautiful Mess chair looks like a chair is when someone’s actually sitting on it. Looks mighty uncomfortable, though I can’t deny that it would make an attractive addition to anyone’s den.

[via Yanko Design]

If you don’t know much about Ravage, he’s one of the Decepticon Soundwave’s cassette robots that he used to eject to perform nefarious duties. He’s been redesigned over the years, and this is the result. He looks quite freaky.

The photos date from 2007, so but I haven’t seen these before. They were uploaded last week to Yang’s Flickr account. Needless to say that if Ravage was real, it would crunch up a number of cars before being brought down. Ironically, he looks like he was made from some of those crunched up cars himself.

[via Make:]

That’s exactly what we’ve got here. This giant dragonfly sculpture measures a whopping 32″ (w) x 28″(l) x 7″ (h). The coolest part is that it’s made completely out of discarded printed circuit boards. Not a single surface of this giant bug – including it’s six stick-legs – isn’t made of electronic part-encrusted circuit boards.

I love how the legs are made of integrated circuits, and those multi-faceted capacitor eyeballs are awesome. This big bug was lovingly crafted by Steve Rodrig of PCB Creations, and is a one-of-a-kind sculpture, perfect for that geek who also has a fondness for insects.

It’s listed right now for $400 (USD) over on Etsy. While you might think that’s a lot to spend on a bunch of old circuit boards, I think it’s actually totally reasonable for all of the work that must have gone onto building this thing.

P.S. Ignore my headline. I think it would be really cool if this thing could fly.

This Wall-E metal sculpture was made by the guys at Kreatworks, and is made from a variety of old car and machine parts – which is only appropriate, since Wall-E himself was assigned to clean up our junk.

Metal Wall-E measures about 47 inches tall by 23 inches square, making him quite a bit larger than I envisioned the little ‘bot in Pixar’s world. And at 150+ pounds, he’s put on a bit of weight too. Still he’s pretty damned cool, and I wouldn’t mind having him stand watch in front of my house.

If you want scrap metal Wall-E for yourself, you’ll need to scrounge up $2,800 (USD) of your hard-earned cash, and head over to Kreatworks.

[via Gamma Squad]

LEGO fanatic Evan Bacon built this life-size Batman using somewhere between 15,000 and 20,000 bricks (I guess you start to lose count at those sort of numbers), and took him about 3 months to build it.

While it does look foreboding, LEGO Batman actually weighs only 60 pounds, since his insides are hollow. Something about a full-scale Batman that’s light enough to carry around with you that makes it even more special. Heck, as you can see from the photo below, even Adam West himself was impressed.

Evan’s Batman creation actually won three awards at the Austin, Texas Brick Fiesta this Summer – clearly well deserved in my opinion. Check out more pictures over on Evan’s website BaconBricks and on yfrog.

[via MOCpages]