Monday, February 24, 2025

Thinking Outside the (Cardboard) Box!


Of course, I love using cardboard and cardboard boxes to make quick prototypes, but here below are some other inspiring ways to think about that accessible and versatile material.  


Artist Federico Tobon of wolfCat Workshop has used cardboard, paper clips, scraps of wood, and tape to create wonderful and whimsical little mechanical sculptures like the one shown below.


Tobon also created a video collection of some creations entitled "29 automata in 6 minutes" which you can see on YouTube


There's something satisfying about taking/recycling pieces of cardboard and fastening them together to make interesting new creations.

To that end, check out the video embedded below (or on YouTube) of the automated cardboard horse that trots around Bulgaria. Using cardboard and what appear to be "zip ties," the artist has made not only a cool kinetic piece but also something that gives community members an excuse to gather together --- big fun!

 


Artist Greg Olijnyk lives and works in Melbourne, Australia, where he makes his fantastical cardboard creations, like the robot pictured below.

Olijnyk's website portfolio gives a sense of how versatile cardboard can be!




And if you want a cardboard building system to play around with, check out the Makedo website. There, you will find tools and connectors that are specially made to shape and hold cardboard together in various ways.




You probably have all the materials you need at home right now to assemble your own cardboard creations. Have FUN thinking outside the (cardboard) box!

(Although here's a blog post I wrote about "better" boxes!)


Don't miss out on any ExhibiTricks posts! It's easy to get updates via email or your favorite news reader. Just click the "Sign up for Free ExhibiTricks Blog Updates" link on the upper right side of the blog.

Paul Orselli writes the posts on ExhibiTricks. Paul likes to combine interesting people, ideas, and materials to make exhibits (and entire museums!) with his company POW! (Paul Orselli Workshop, Inc.) Let's work on a project together!

If you enjoy the blog, you can help keep it free to read and free from ads by supporting ExhibiTricks through our PayPal "Tip Jar"

Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Creative Inspiration: River Runner Global

River Runner Global is an online tool that lets you "Tap to drop a raindrop anywhere in the world and watch where it ends up."

From that basic idea, this cool visualization tool opens up an entire world of water -- how it moves, where it goes, and how the world's waterways are interconnected ...

Try it for yourself at the River Runner Global website.



Don't miss out on any ExhibiTricks posts! It's easy to get updates via email or your favorite news reader. Just click the "Sign up for Free ExhibiTricks Blog Updates" link on the upper right side of the blog.

Paul Orselli writes the posts on ExhibiTricks. Paul likes to combine interesting people, ideas, and materials to make exhibits (and entire museums!) with his company POW! (Paul Orselli Workshop, Inc.) Let's work on a project together!

If you enjoy the blog, you can help keep it free to read and free from ads by supporting ExhibiTricks through our PayPal "Tip Jar"

Saturday, February 1, 2025

Cool Online Tool: Mostly Public Domain Image Search


Mostly Public Domain Image Search is a simple website put together by Mark Frauenfelder that creates direct search links to major institutional collections on a single page. 

Enter a search term like "dinosaurs" or "coin" and get one-click access to results from places like the Smithsonian, Rijksmuseum, Library of Congress, and more.




Don't miss out on any ExhibiTricks posts! It's easy to get updates via email or your favorite news reader. Just click the "Sign up for Free ExhibiTricks Blog Updates" link on the upper right side of the blog.

Paul Orselli writes the posts on ExhibiTricks. Paul likes to combine interesting people, ideas, and materials to make exhibits (and entire museums!) with his company POW! (Paul Orselli Workshop, Inc.) Let's work on a project together!

If you enjoy the blog, you can help keep it free to read and free from ads by supporting ExhibiTricks through our PayPal "Tip Jar"