G I Z M O D O .cz

More precisely, Mike Yoder (Yoderism2)has built a cool sci-fi scene called “Cleared for Landing.” I love how much variety there is in this scene. We’ve got a waterway, a train, and a great variety of micro-scale architecture. Oh yeah, and don’t forget the micro scale rendition of his own Calamity Jane.

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This friendly-looking zombie loves you. Naturally he loves you for your brains…but that’s what they all say.

by Captain Spaulding

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jdarlack serves up a special serving with this little “tablescrap”. Brilliant use of the pig there. This is one of those creations that get me wondering “Why didn’t I think of that?”.

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above: American Flag by Dave Cole, made up of thousands of plastic Toy Soldiers and acrylic paint.

In honor of Memorial Day, here's a collection of modern art and fun furniture, jewelry and home decor that incorporate military related icons such as soldiers, tanks, bombs, missiles and more.


above: Memorial Flag of Toy Soldiers by Dave Cole (photo courtesy of the artist)

above: Memorial Flag of Toy Soldiers by Dave Cole (detail) (photo courtesy of the artist)

above: Artist Dave Cole with his American Flag (photo courtesy of the artist)


above: the Army Men Alphabet was created by student Oliver Munday for instuctors Nolen Stals and Bruce Willen at the Maryland Institute College of Art (photography by Jay Zukerkorn)


above: Six thousand Parts by artist Valerie Leonard is made 6,000 melted toy soldiers (photo courtesy of the artist)

above: Six thousand Parts by artist Valerie Leonard (detail) (photo courtesy of the artist)

above: Globe made of melted toy soldiers by artist Valerie Leonard (photo courtesy of the artist)


above: Jason Baalman glued 1,500 toy Army men to a camouflaged board to create a portrait of a soldier when viewed from above (photos courtesy of the artist)


above: The Peace Collection designed by Biaugust is comprised of a ceramic bomb vase, a ceramic grenade bank and a ceramic helmet bowl.

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I might have passed up this turret gun from Valve’s Portal as, well, just another Portal turret if I hadn’t read L.D.M.’s description: “This image is completely unedited.” Wait, what?

That’s a real laser beam, made visible by a humidifier:

Well played.

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I recently read Jonathan Bender’s book, LEGO: A Love Story, released at the beginning of May. The book chronicles the personal story of an AFOL’s plunge from his Dark Ages into the LEGO subculture. The narrative delivered in 262 pages highlights the diversity of the hobby and the author’s own transformative experiences. All the while, the story takes place on a real life stage as Bender reconciles his image as an AFOL amidst forging a stronger relationship with his wife through building LEGO sets while trying to conceive a child and start a family.

As a LEGO fan, I am delighted to read the first book that describes the LEGO subculture. Jonathan Bender came out of his Dark Ages in 2008 when he received a LEGO set on his 30th birthday. Whether you doubt someone with two years of experience in the LEGO community can write a book about the hobby, you may be impressed by the author’s research and experiences in this short time.

The book chronologically depicts Bender’s experiences in LEGO. He has traveled to conventions, seen the collections of AFOLs and Bricklink sellers, visited LEGOLAND, and toured LEGO’s headquarters in Denmark and North America. Each experience is told subjectively and accompanied by the author’s own feelings and thoughts. The tone of Bender’s writing is very lighthearted and honest, and humor is present in each chapter. Although I have never heard of Jonathan Bender, I feel like I know him well after reading his book.

Depending on your LEGO background, the book has different things to offer. For those unfamiliar with LEGO beyond their childhood experiences playing with the toy, you may be inspired by the diversity of the hobby for adults and consider buying a LEGO set or two. For experienced LEGO fans, you’ll recognize many names mentioned in the book. At the same time, there’s still quite a few gems for you to discover and new things to learn.

The book is not without deficiencies. First, only a few ordinary photos are presented in the book. A black-and-white picture heads each chapter while twelve color photos are included in the middle of the book. Since LEGO is a visual medium, the lack of pictures may frustrate those who are unfamiliar with certain sets, elements, people, or places described. Second, while Bender captures many diverse aspects of the hobby, it is impossible to comprehensively cover every realm of the hobby. For instance, two major areas including the online communities and non-US fan communities are not mentioned in great detail. Lastly, certain individuals are given extensive coverage in the book, which highlights their opinions and personalities regardless of whether they represent those of the majority.

Overall, I recommend LEGO: A Love Story to all fans of the hobby and those who are new to it. It is the first book to give an answer on what it means to be an AFOL. At the same time, the narrative does not seek to impose a set of views. Rather, it presents the hobby without glorifying or criticizing it and lets you form your own conclusions.

There are additional reviews of the book by LEGO fans Mariann Asanuma and Bruce Heitbrink. You can download Chapter 16, “A Guest in LEGO’s House” as a sample. The book is available on Amazon.com.

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Justin Vaughn (Mainman) built a highly-original creation depicting an F-15 dogfight using forced perspective. Besides the editing of the HUD, everything else is 100% Lego. Click on the picture to read more about the setup.

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By now you've heard the sad news. Actor/writer/director Dennis Hopper has finally lost his battle with prostate cancer and passed away on Saturday, May 29th at the age of 74.

In the papers and magazines, you'll read about his troubled marriages, his drug addictions, his famous films that affected our culture like Easy Rider and Apocalypse Now. But the talented legend also leaves behind such a huge impact on the world of art and photography, he will be immortalized in many ways other than on celluloid -or digital, as the case may be.

In addition to the movies that made him a household name (Rebel Without A Cause, Giant, Easy Rider, Apocalypse Now, Blue Velvet, Hoosiers and tons more), the actor was an incredibly respected and prolific photographer, painter, activist and documentarian.



By the time you finish reading this very comprehensive post (you had better pee now) on his work behind the camera and canvas, you'll no longer think of him as Frank, the huffing villain in Blue Velvet, but instead may ask yourself "was Dennis Hopper also an actor?"


above: Dennis Hopper in front of his 2000 painting of his 1964 photo "Fractured Girl"

When it comes to being 'hip', Dennis Hopper was the epitome. Besides becoming buddies with uber cool actors such as James Dean, Peter Fonda, Jack Nicholson and Dean Stockwell in the 50s and 60s, he brought his camera to many of the film sets on which he was working and captured wonderful images of his fellow actors and musicians of the time.

Hopper's photos of Actors & Musicians
Paul Newman, 1964 and Bill Cosby (in front of Chateau Marmont), 1962:

Warhol's Factory, 1963:

Tuesday Weld, 1965:


Jane Fonda, 1965:

Dean Stockwell, 1964:

Brian Jones, 1965:

Jefferson Airplane, 1965:

The Grateful Dead, 1965:


Hopper's self-portraits
(as well as the one at the top of this post):


Man Within Light, self-portrait:


Hopper's photos of the Civil Rights March
When he was only 28, he traveled to Alabama to take part in—and document—the now famous civil-rights march from Selma to Montgomery led by Martin Luther King Jr. Here are a few of those images:







He began collecting contemporary art in the 50s and was enviably smack in the midst of the POP art scene. In the 60s he hung out with the likes of artists Andy Warhol and his Factory, Robert Rauschenberg, Roy Lichtenstein, James Rosenquist, Claus Oldenburg and Ed Ruscha, to name a few.

Below are some of his portraits of these talented artists, many amongst their own work. He also turned several of these 1960's photographs into giant oil paintings later in his career, which are shown later in this post.

Hopper's photos of Fine Artists
Gallery owner Virgina Dawn, in front of a Franz Kline painting, 1962:

Andy Warhol, two different photos by Dennis Hopper, 1963:

Jasper Johns, 1964 and Claus Oldenberg, 1965:

Roy Lichtenstein, 1964:

Bruce Conner, 1964:

Bruce Conner in bath tub, 1964 and Donald Factor, grandson of Max factor, 1964:

Larry Bell, 1964:

Ed Ruscha, 1964:

James Rosenquist in front of his painting, 1964:

art dealer Robert Fraser in Tijuana, 1965:

Robert Rauschenberg, 1966:

David Hockney (with painting of his father), 2007:


He befriended art dealers, gallery owners and continued to mix with such well-known contemporary artists such as Damien Hirst and Julian Schnabel all his life.


above: Hopper's surrounded by his art collection which includes Warhols, Basquiat, Banksy, Rauschenbergs, and the plate painting by Julian Schnabel, amongst others. (photo from Telegraph UK)

above: Dennis received the skull for his 72nd birthday from artist Damien Hirst (photo from Telegraph UK)

The respect was mutual and several artists and photographers created their own portraits of Dennis Hopper.

Hopper by other Artists & Photographers
Julian Schnabel's Plate painting of Hopper:

Andy Warhol's Polaroids of Hopper:

Andy Warhol used his Polaroids of Dennis for various silkscreens, like the 1971 one below:

Vicktor Skrebneski, 1990:

Jerome Bonet, 2009:

Guy Webster:

Terry Richardson:



Hopper's silver Gelatin Prints
Hopper also photographed the world around him and made stunning silver gelatin prints of his editorial and voyeuristic photos of places and people.

Double Standard, 1961:

Daily News, 1961:

Biker Couple, 1961:

Biker, 1961:

Bad Heart (downtown Los Angeles), 1961:

Kennedy suite 1-8, 1963:

Fractured Girl (billboard), 1964:

Paris Woman, 1994:


Beginning in 2000, Hopper turned many of his earlier photos from the 60s into large scale oil paintings on vinyl. The installation shots below from Ace gallery give you an idea of the scale.





Large scale paintings of his photographs
Biker Couple as large scale oil painting, 2000:


Bill Cosby photograph as an oil painting, 2000:

Daily News Photo turned into Los Angeles Times oil painting, 2000:

Fractured Girl billboard as large scale oil painting, 2000:

Ed Ruscha photograph as an oil painting, 2002:

James Rosenquist photo as an oil painting, 2003:

His portrait of Warhol with flower as an oil painting, 2006:


miscellaneous works, prints, paintings and installations

After The Fall, 1961-1964:

Chevy painting, 1956:

Bad Heart, goldtone, 1988:

Untitled( shredded paper with tire), goldtone, 1988:

Space Triptych (at the Ace Gallery), 1996:

King Part Bust Trap, 1991-1997 installation at (the Ace Gallery):

Chevy 3D installation (at the Ace Gallery), 2000:


Hopper's Ilfachrome Prints
With an eye for beauty in even the most mundane things, from 1995- 1997 he also created a series of large (approx 4'2" by 6'3") ilfochrome (formally cibachrome) prints of building details, textures, posted leaflets and graffiti taken in Morocco, Florence, Venice, Osaka, Prague, Berlin and New York.


above: view of Hopper's ilfachrome exhibit at the Ace Gallery

Venice, Man Ray and Berlin, Chrome:

Prague, Stick and Florence, Capital:

Florence, Skull and Morocco, Terra Peel:

New York, UFO and Osaka, Black:

Venice, Plaster and Venice Walk, 7:

Nimes Red Figures, 1996:

images in this post are from numerous sources including Vanity Fair, Ace Gallery, Artnet, Taschen, Tony Shafrizi Gallery andArtslant

There is an upcoming retrospective of his work, curated by artist Julian Schnabel who was inspired by Hopper's fusion of art and film. MOCA, DENNIS HOPPER DOUBLE STANDARD, July 11 – September 26, 2010. Don't miss it.

Galleries that have much of the work shown in this post available for purchase:
•Tony Shafrazi Gallery
•Craig Krull Gallery
•ACE Gallery Beverly Hills
• David Lawrence Gallery

Several wonderful books feature collections of his work.


Books of Dennis Hopper's Photography available for purchase:

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Luke Watkins (Derfel Cadarn) is known to build some highly detailed castle dioramas, and they all have intriguing backstories. This one is no different. I really like the diagonally oriented houses and the rich flora of the village. All this beauty is contrasted with a sinister story depicting the burning of a girl. Find out what’s going on by reading the story.

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This new ship by Leigh Holcombe (Worker201) is good evidence of that. The shape is very unusual for a space craft (or pretty much anything else). While I love to see color on a space ship, the complete absence here gives an interesting effect. We’re forced to focus on the unconventional shape of this craft, as there is no color to distract the eye.

This creation makes me think of Bruce Lowell, who told me that he often prototypes his creations in gray, to work out the shape. He then builds them again in color, to get things just right. I’d be curious to see what Leigh could produce with a colored version of this ship.

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