Tag Archives: bonsai
Fur technology makes Zootopia’s bunnies believable
Floating Bonsai trees are better than floating speakers
Air Bonsai Floating Plant: Magnepiphyte
We’ve seen small-scale magnetic levitation applied to toys and food. Hoshinchu’s Air Bonsai is another novel application of the technique, combining it with miniature plants, hand made porcelain and antique Japanese fabric to make beautiful decor.
Air Bonsai’s floating portion is called the Little Star. It measures about 2.4″ in diameter and has a capacity of about 11oz. A sponge wrapped around its magnetic core holds bits of moss and soil as well as the plant itself. For an extra fee, you can get a small pot made of igneous rock instead of the Little Star.
Like most maglev trinkets, Air Bonsai’s base has an electromagnet, but here it’s housed within a handmade and hand-brushed porcelain body that takes 3 months to make. Air Bonsai kits will also come with a cushion made from 19th to 20th century Japanese fabric, and no two cushions will be alike.
Pledge at least $200 (USD) on Kickstarter to receive an Air Bonsai kit as a reward. Higher pledge tiers come with a plant. However, as of this writing, Hoshinchu will ship only to Japan, the U.S. or Canada. Further, if you pledge for a kit that comes with a plant, know that the plants in the video and photos may differ significantly from the one you’ll receive. Because of export regulations, Hoshinchu can ship Japanese plants only within Japan; U.S. and Canadian orders will come with plants from their respective countries.
[via Hypebeast]
As If Bonsais Couldn’t Be More Beautiful
The Kasokudo Bonsai Planter is a stunning fusion of form and function that’s only made better when it becomes home to a living sculpture. Referencing speed forms and manufacturing processes in automotive design, the piece juxtaposes movement applied to what is usually a peacefully static object. It implies acceleration but effortlessly floats to house the bonsai, evoking a perfect balance of dynamic harmony. Made to order so hit up the designer for yours!
Designer: Adrian Magu contact at amagu@hotmail.com
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(As If Bonsais Couldn’t Be More Beautiful was originally posted on Yanko Design)
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Amazing Miniature Structures by Takanori Aiba
Artist Takanori Aiba has elevated the art of miniature sculptures to a new level. His intricate structures replicate dreamlike architecture, complete with tiny vehicles, umbrellas, street lamps, flags, and other details.
Takanori crafts his models from paper, plastic, acrylic resin, paint and rocks. The iconic Michelin man sculpture is my favorite, though at those proportions, he reminds me a bit of the Stay-Puft Marshmallow man. While many components of his models stand alone, Takanori leverages bonsai plants to form the basis for much of his architecture, weaving his miniscule staircases around plant structure.
Be sure to head over to Takanori’s Flickr album for more detailed images of his sculptures.
[via Design You Trust]
Lord of the Rings Bag End Bonsai: Not Even a Hobbit Can Live Here
The Japanese art of cultivating bonsai is an exercise in patience and effort. Bonsai enthusiast Chris Guise added a bit of geekery to the art form by making a miniature replica of Bilbo Baggin’s humble hobbit home, Bag End.
Chris didn’t just buy a miniature tree or cut off a branch for this replica. He actually prepared the tree for two years: “Not long after I bought this tree I carved a shari down the trunk, covered the edges with cut paste and left it alone. After two years the edges had callused over nicely.” He carved out the tree a bit using a Dremel tool before placing it in the final base.
The door of the house itself is made of miniature planks of wood, while the window is made of strips of wood and black plastic. Chris used roofing tiles to make the house’s bricks, which he cemented to a plastic mesh. Then he added bonsai soil and some moss to finish the replica. All in all it took Chris over 80 hours to finish the tiny abode.
I highly recommend that you read Chris’ article on Bonsai Empire because my summary doesn’t do him justice. I left out a lot of Chris’ workflow and there are even more pictures on the original article as well.
[via Nerd Approved via Neatorama]
LEGO Bonsai Tree: Trimming One Pixelated Leaf at a Time
The funnest part about people is that they have free well, a wild imagination, and clever ingenuity. At least, some of them anyway. For example, give them two sticks and a stone and eventually, they’ll build a fire. Give them a block of wood and a jagged rock and they’ll eventually come up with a wheel–or maybe even a wheelbarrow.
Give them a whole chest of green, brown, and black LEGO pieces and they’ll build you a LEGO Bonsai Tree. That is, if they happen to have the artistry and skills of botanical artist Makoto Azuma. It’s clear from his work that Makoto knows his bonsai and has honed his LEGO-building skills throughout the years.
I have to hand it to Makoto. The level of detail on this thing is impressive. Compare it side by side to an actual bonsai and you’ll see that almost every miniature leaf and branch is in place and right where they should be.
Too bad this LEGO-tastic bonsai isn’t for sale, since it would make for fine decor–plus you won’t have to water it at all. But if you prefer the real thing, then you could always go out and get bonsai trees that look just like the one that Makoto built.
VIA [ Spoon Tamago ]