Awesome Robo!

Magical Machine by JShea

2012-02-12T10:08:00.000-06:00

An artist known as JShea (check out his blog!) sculpted a wonderfully vintage-looking "robot" playing a very classic game, pinball. It was created for Chicago-based OhNo!Doom's gaming-related art show, Super Button Smashers. Seeing that RoboBrain is a huge pinball fanatic, this might have given me an idea for a future birthday present. Or maybe not. Maybe I'm just mysterious like that. Anywho, if you're in the Chicago area, check out the Super Button Smashers show this weekend!

More photos of JShea's awesome sculpture after the jump!

Diplo & Don Diablo : Make You Pop

2012-02-12T09:03:00.001-06:00

What happens when Diplo & Don Diablo send off a promo tape to Zanger Rinus & Romana? Wait, who the hell are those guys? Turns out that they're stars of an absolutely 'so bad its good' trainwreck of a viral Youtube video called 'Rinus And Romana On A Scooter.' Lets just say sh** gets out of hand in the best way possible.

Cool Star Wars Posters by Christopher Lee

2012-02-12T09:03:00.000-06:00

(Via)

We haven't been shy about our disapproval of the decision to re-release the Star Wars prequels to theaters (now in 3D). That said, if the prequels do well, and the originals end up being released somewhere down the road, that would be kinda sweet. The originals are certainly classics, and while there is definitely no shortage of fan tributes out there, we thought these movie posters by Christopher Lee pretty awesome.

Check out the other 2 after the jump!

Doctor Who & Star Trek: TNG Crossover A Reality?

2012-02-11T14:48:00.003-06:00

Oh IDW you crazy people! (Via)

I called it. I saw a cool piece of art and F***ING CALLED IT. I knew it was only a matter of time.
IDW, the company known for putting random franchises together and hoping they will work have made the cross-over that no-one but me saw coming. Sometime this year, The Doctor, Amy, and Rory will be meeting the crew of Star Trek: Next Generation. It will be interesting, but other than the first piece of art, nothing has been confirmed.

The news was broken by Bleeding Cool, confirming that IDW is attending the Gallifrey One convention in a week’s time, which indicates we will get more news within the next few days. You can be sure that I'll make a huge post about it!

Sleepwalker : Dirty As Hell

2012-02-11T10:19:00.000-06:00

We featured Good Sport's music video for Pushover back in December. Video director Geoff Hoskinson has now brought us the new video he did for Sleepwalker's single, Dirty As Hell. It's the perfect track for a long car ride out on the open road. And after watching the video, I know need a shower. Or two. Check out Sleepwalker's bandcamp!

Art Of Anthony Jones

2012-02-11T01:39:00.000-06:00

Awkward! (Via)

Anthony Jones is a concept artist/instructor based out of Irvine, CA who currently teaches conceptual creature development at Red Engine Studios with a lot of freelance work on the side. He's got a fantastic sense of form, value and light in his rendering, which gives his pieces a very tangible, sculptural feel. From seeing his process though I wouldn't be surprised if some of these pieces started with 3D sculpts as the foundation (He uses programs like Sculptris for some of his pieces). Check out a small selection of his work after the break!

Tru Freedom

2012-02-11T01:30:00.000-06:00

This awesome little video was shot with a borrowed RED camera, which aside from the Phantom series is considered to be one of the best cameras for capturing high FPS footage. This usually results in beautifully fluid, tantalizing slow motion footage. I'd recommend ignoring choice of music, and focus on the fun these guys are having pulling off some really cool freerunning tricks in ridiculously cool slow motion.

ALBERTO MIELGO (SLIGHTLY NSFW)

2012-02-11T01:06:00.000-06:00

Alberto is an Spanish artist based in L.A. and his works range from art direction for advertising, T.V. animated series and of course, painting nude girls. One of the most interesting things for me is that it would had never cross my mind that the same guy could be doing art for a Disney channel cartoon and be creating this really amazing paintings at the same time.

It might seem a little unfair to put this video instead of his other, more traditional line of work, but this little documentary is amazing in so many levels that it is for sure a really good way to display him as and artist and a person.

props to fucknfilthy for putting this on the radar.

Seeking A Friend For The End Of The Earth? Steve Carell Can Help

2012-02-10T17:10:00.002-06:00

I've been waiting for a trailer from this movie for so long. The idea is simple, the ending is absolute, but the possibilities are endless. A meteoroid is falling towards earth and no Bruce Willis or Ben Ben Affleck double team will be able to save the world. Two weeks are left and a man named Dodge (Steve Carell) finds himself alone after his wife leaves in a panic. He decides to take a road trip to reunite with his high school sweetheart accompanied by his neighbour, Penny (Keira Knightley) who inadvertently puts a wrench in his plan.

Written and directed by Lorene Scafaria (the mastermind behind the genius and witty Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist) this film is set to make you happy, upset, and afraid on such a realistic sitauation that most people think about because of some silly zombie plan. What WOULD happen if an object was about to crash into the earth and kill us all? I guess we'll find out in June 22th, 2012.

TIMBER TIMBRE'S MUSIC VIDEO

2012-02-10T15:57:00.002-06:00

Considered in some musical circles as one of the break through albums of the 2011, Canadian acid folk music trio Timber Timbre fourth studio album is at least, the most visually compelling. With a couple of singles on videoclip format, Black Water is an all ears, all eyes travel to the depths of an emotional ocean.

Explodingmotorcar, the studio behind the direction and execution of this short animated video, has an extensive set of photographs documenting the behind the scenes process, with some incredible scale models, puppets, and a small underwater set. Definitely worth checking out.

As usual, more images after the jump.
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Cassette Schwarzenegger : Super HIFI

2012-02-10T02:44:00.000-06:00

Take a pop art blast to the face with the fantastically retro visuals of the awesomely named Retro Schwarzenegger, a group based out of Korea with a poppy, autotune distortion heavy sound. If you're looking for a pick me up, this is the perfect elixir to your worries. You can find more tracks by Cassette Schwarzenegger on their Soundcloud! Check out a brief making of/teaser of Super Hifi after the break!

Biopics Recast With Jar-Jar Binks

2012-02-10T01:54:00.003-06:00

BINK! (Via)

In honor of today's re-release of Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace to theaters (ugh...), we bring you the most ~~beloved~~ grating cinematic character of all-time: Jar Jar Binks. Now, you see, since Jar Jar was so fantastic in The Phantom Menace, someone out there decided to recast several biopics with him instead. To the die-hard Star Wars fan who likes to lovingly leave essays in our comments section (yeah, you know who you are), we lovingly dedicate this to you. COME AT ME.

See 4 more posters after the break!

Dump The Big Six

2012-02-10T00:41:00.000-06:00

As a cute campaign for the support of spreading green energy in Britain, Ecotricity created this cute little video to showcase the fall of once smiling, mustached carbon based energy sources. You can't go wrong with this type of marketing, so if you're based in the UK and want to show support for eco friendly power, check out their Facebook page!

Farewell Adam Adamowicz : The Visual Mind Behind Fallout 3

2012-02-10T00:01:00.001-06:00

Earlier today we learned that Adam Adamowicz, one of the main concept artists behind Fallout 3, Skyrim and other Bethesda titles, passed away today. It was silently announced, but I'd like to shine some light on Adam because he was an anomaly in the game industry, a veritable one-man conceptual machine, who unlike his contemporary counterparts, did a majority of his work in non digital mediums. Fallout 3 was pretty much visually designed from the ground up by one humble man who got little to no recognition, nor sought it.

For those who are unaware, I also work in the videogame industry as a concept artist and often sought inspiration from what other conceptual designers were doing in the industry. Back when Fallout 3 was released, it came with a making of DVD showcasing how the game was built from the ground up. When Adam's art pit showed up in the video, with his own hand drawn art covering every inch of space from the ground up in his cubicle I was nothing short of blown away, and filled with inspiration.

Hearing him talk about how he approached visual design changed my mindset about how I approached concept art, it had a real effect on me. Seriously, just sit back and imagine how much work it took one man to design a world as vast as Fallout 3 over the course of its development. For most artists in this industry that would seem like an impossible feat! Adam had something special going on, and was committed to the vision that everyone around him had at Bethesda. The fact that the game industry has lost this bright mind is a major blow in my opinion, and through our little blog I hope to shed some light on an event that most gaming blogs couldn't care less about.

Please check out after the break to get a little spotlight on his legacy.

Low-poly Mass Effect Minis Are So Darn Cute

2012-02-09T19:02:00.030-06:00

Mass Effect: Genocide CAN be cute! (Via)

With the up and coming Mass Effect 3 and the two iOS tie-in games that will be released alongside the title, I've been in a full out Mass Effect mood. I recently started a second playthrough of the series to get me refreshed on all the happenings, and keep me distracted from posting. The wait has been driving me crazy, but with the help of some awesome fanart my wits are still about me, especially when the fate of the universe rests in such cute hands.

Artist 'Nix' created an entire set of low poly Mass Effect Minis that would have been perfect in an alternate universe in which the series was actually a JRPG. Bioware, hire this person and make a Mass Effects style Tactical RPG for 3DS, stat! Check out the cast individually after the break! This man better get a damn job soon.

AwesomeRobo : Podcast #5!

2012-02-09T13:42:00.001-06:00

After a one week hiatus, the crew returns to talk about Space Stallions, Oscar nominees, Tim & Eric Billion Dollar Movie, Akira and forgotten movies, vacuum cleaner stories, Robobrain mispronouncing everything, DOTA 2, Capcom's hatred of Megaman, blog happenings and more! Daniel is still missing in action, where on earth is he?

On a side note, due to some problems with Youtube, we'll be uploading our podcast to our Blip.TV and iTunes accounts for the time being. Subscribe!

COOL DENIM ADVERTISING

2012-02-09T12:42:00.001-06:00

Eye catching ad directed by the up and coming Arno Salters for Wrangler jeans (Remember those guys?). This trippy ad featuring people falling into different worlds makes me think of what would have come out if Michael Gondry and Chris Nolan had collaborated on an ad together. Enjoy!

Niki & The Dove : The Fox

2012-02-09T12:19:00.000-06:00

This awesome music video for Niki & The Dove was created by WINTR, a motion graphics studio that translated this trippy concept into a great CGI trip. This dreamy synth pop track should hit a chord with anyone familiar with the likes of Bjork, as the sound that this Stockholm based duo is very reminiscent of her style.

Iron Sky: The Theatrical Trailer

2012-02-09T09:10:00.000-06:00

It was roughly 9 months ago that we first brought you the teaser trailer to Iron Sky. Finally, the full theatrical trailer has been released! For a rather campy concept (space Nazis!), this looks like a rather well-made (or at least, well-thought-out) movie. Sadly, it doesn't look like there is any plan to release it here in the US (though I hold out hope!). Set to be premiered at the Berlin Film Festival on February 11th, a few other select European countries will receive it in April. Lets keep those fingers crossed for an independent release here in the US.

The Entire Harry Potter Story in 1 Minute

2012-02-09T08:38:00.000-06:00

So, if you don't have the time or the energy to read the Harry Potter series (tsk tsk), nor do you want to watch the films (oh, please...), then might I suggest this video to you. It's basically the entire gist of the Harry Potter story. Kinda. Sorta. More-ore-less. For the lazy and uninspired, we dedicate this video to you.

Double Fine Asks Fans To Directly Fund Their Next Title

2012-02-09T04:50:00.004-06:00

Double Fine has consistently proven to gamers that every game they develop is filled to the brim with pure fun and entertainment. Some of you assholes might hold disappointment with their last major console release, Brutal Legends (P.S. you're not an asshole, I just love the game), but their later Xbox Live Arcade titles more than make up for it. What's in line for their next project? A modern-day Point-and-Click adventure game completely funded by you.

In an interesting and bold move, Double Fine has created a Kickstarter asking for fans to donate in order to directly fund the development of their next title. Even more interesting, is Double Fine's promise to keep the community involved with the process by providing a documentary style series (filmed by 2 Player Production) showcasing the game's entire development. When you donate, not only are you allowing Double Fine to prove that Point-and-Click adventure games aren't dead, you're also being given the chance to directly influence how the game turns out. If that doesn't make Double Fine one of the most badass game studios out there, I don't know what does.

Even more amazing is how quickly the Kickstarter has reached it's goal, in less than 24 hours, the gaming community has already surpassed Double Fine's request for $400,000. With 33 days to go, and the rate fans are helping fund this project, Double Fine could be sitting on over $14,000,000 of fan donations, f*ck yeah! Don't worry they're not going to spend the spare money on toys and drugs, all money will go into the game's development as well as the documentary.

If you're wanting to help out (which I highly suggest you do, this could lead to some incredible industry change) head over to their kickstarter page here! They have some seriously awesome rewards for pledgers.

Gorillaz Announce New Collaborators! (AKA: HOLY SH*T)

2012-02-09T04:21:00.004-06:00

I'm freaking out like a girly fangirl right now, I cannot contain myself. This morning Murdoc (Phil Cornwell) has announced that the new Gorillaz track DoYaThing will hit the internet for free on February 23rd via Converse (the same shoe company who allowed for this fun Andrew W.K./Matt & Kim/Soulja Boy track to happen). As a massive Gorillaz fan, this sounds great; yet a new track is the fuel for only half of my excitement. You see, not only did Murdoc announce a new track, he also announced the collaborators: Andre 3000 and LCD Soundsystem's James Motherf*cking Murphy. Mother of God.

What's even better is it seems that we'll be seeing more of Jamie Hewlett's art in the future, something that I felt was lacking with Plastic Beach.

Murdoc's message to fans

Guild Wars 2 : New Heroes Of Tyria

2012-02-08T12:51:00.000-06:00

This excellent fanmade trailer for Guild Wars 2 created by Youtube user Wetwillyhip recently got some attention from Horia Dociu, the son of the art director of Arenanet's upcoming, potential World Of Warcraft slayer. Taking all the trailers and features created released over the last few years, Wet crafted an excellent new narrative trailer showcasing all the races, kingdoms and the overarching story set to Noisia's excellent 'Machinegun' track. I keep forgetting how insanely epic the environments in this game are, and how badly I want to play this game. Just a few more months to go!

The Art Of Brosa

2012-02-08T12:43:00.001-06:00

Enzo's Wok (Via)

Brosa is someone that I'd categorize as an up and coming comic artist from Spain, who's been showcasing some incredible strides in their artistic progress. Despite some notable influences from the likes of folks like Sean Galloway and Matt Rhodes, Brosa's style is gaining a visual identity of its own. I'd say his works fall on the more painterly spectrum of comic book art style. His pieces are appealing, colorful and big on epic scale and impossible landscapes. Check out 5 more pieces from Brosa's recent portfolio after the break!
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Highly Strung: Combining Puppetry and Animation

2012-02-08T12:37:00.000-06:00

Australian filmmaker Dave Jones directed an amazing live show recently, where he combined animation and puppetry. A roughly 45 foot tall puppet was controlled by 10 puppeteers, with the animation projected as the background. This is a very creative, unique way to combine different performance arts into a new hybrid form. One that I'd absolutely love to see in person.