First conceived in South Korea with the 2017 opening of Café Yeonnam-dong 239-20, these tea and coffee houses use optical illusions to trick visitors into seeing flat scenes instead of their normal 3D world. Completely white furniture, walls, and floors are outlined in black comic book-style lines and shadows. Flat curtains and flowers add to the visual deception. Even cups, utensils, and take-out bags look like flat-line drawings.

The concept was apparently inspired by the hit South Korean TV show W, where the characters wrestle between the real world and an alternate universe located inside a webtoon.

The original 2D café became a viral phenomenon thanks to guests posting photos of the mind-bending decor, eliminating advertising costs for the owner and spawning copycats all over in places like Japan, Russia, Singapore, Malaysia, and most recently, Chicago.

Escapism is the name of the game for these dramatic two-dimensional eateries and tea houses. Visitors can imagine themselves in their most beloved manga, or even on set for A-ha’s 1985 “Take on Me” music video. For the Paris-themed 2D Chicago café, which opened its doors in February 2022, the owners cite its raison d’être as a healing diversion from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The post-pandemic dining experience is very different from before,” said Kevin Yu, who co-founded the 2D Restaurant with his wife Vanessa Thanh Vu, adding that “people want a special and unique experience to help them forget the hardship of the past few years. We have one mission, and that’s to bring joy to our community.”

In Russia, the owner actually used the 2D decor scheme to save money. Looking for an eye-catching way to start a business without many resources, he found that the monochromatic design required some paint but minimized the need for more expensive ornamentation.

Each café is independently owned and provides its own unique fare. In Korea, patrons can sample iced oat lattes and tiramisu, while in Japan one might order strawberry shaved ice and a brown sugar assam black tea. The 2D Malaysian version sticks to boba tea and boxed bento lunches, while Singapore’s Café Monochrome provides a full menu of savory dishes including an asparagus and wagyu donburi rice bowl and chili crab fries. The Russian Café Bw keeps it simple with its tried and true coffee, and the Chicago eatery currently offers individually-made Vietnamese phin coffee and colorful mochi doughnuts, though they plan to add Asian-inspired crispy chicken sandwiches soon.

No matter the cuisine, the black-and-white theme of each restaurant provides a theatrical backdrop, allowing the colors of the food and drinks to really pop. The brilliant reds of cherry tomatoes, buttery yellows of breakfast muffins, and perky pinks of pastry glazes really come alive in front of the monochromatic field of view.

This immersive atmosphere of animated imagination is attracting more business owners as well, with companies in London, the Philippines, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates all signing on for 2D-style cafés in the near future.

The post Mind-Blowing 2D Cafés Let Customers Escape to Cartoon Coffee Worlds first appeared on Dornob.

Ariel’s Abode

Of course, the royal mermaid would need an underwater home, so Vaidya and her team created a bedroom for the princess with a glass dome ceiling for spectacular views of the ocean floor. The furnishings are bright and playful, including a clamshell bed with its own attached light. All of Ariel’s favorite gadgets and gizmos are proudly displayed in another part of the room, and that scalloped armchair is perfect for when she wants to read all about being part of another world.

Elsa’s Element

The snow queen would definitely keep a home in the winter mountains, and this sleek, modern room would undoubtedly give her breathtaking views of the outdoors (that wall of glass might wreak havoc on her heating bill, though!). The acrylic stairs here look like they could be made out of ice, and the frosty blue floors echo the princess’s unmistakable wardrobe choices. The furnishings are minimal, with just a powder white sofa and alabaster grand piano adding weight to the room. The decorative pearly coat rack provides a space for Elsa’s damp mittens to dry out after a hard day on the slopes.

Jasmine’s Jewel-Toned Pad

This independent-minded princess gets a luxurious retreat filled with deep, rich colors and silky fabrics. Her platform bed is framed by a multi-foiled arch while the window shapes mimic the onion-dome architecture of famous desert palaces. Lush greenery livens up the space, while Jasmine’s powerful feline friend Raja gets a place of honor with his own comfy cushion at the foot of the bed. An intricate Persian rug and Moroccan lanterns add further flair to this fantasy bedroom.

Sleeping Beauty’s Boudoir

For the princess who can never catch enough zzz’s, this bedroom in blush should help her meet her prince once upon a dream all over again. It’s pink and girly and includes everything Aurora needs to get her beauty rest. The elegant four-poster bed brings in the medieval chic while the Rococo vanity and chair give the room a regal air. And even though this royal might prefer to sleep the day away, the oversized window lets in plenty of natural light to help her rise on time. If that’s not enough, she also has a handy alarm clock on the bedside table and a songbird in a delicate cage as backups.

Snow White’s Chateau

Always entertaining her seven friends, Snow White’s space would naturally need lots of seating and elbow room. This spacious cabin maintains the rustic feel of her original woodland home while adding in some fancier touches befitting a princess. The primary color scheme is muted to keep things posh, and the massive stone and wood-trimmed fireplace will provide plenty of warmth when Snow White hears her dwarf friends start singing “Heigh Ho.” The glamorous lighting fixture, candlesticks, and ornate mirror also help create cozy ambience for her merry gatherings.

Hopefully Disney princesses would still have a royal salary in real life, because these luxurious domiciles would not be cheap. They would, however, keep these leading ladies living in style.

The post Disney Princess Pads Reimagined for the 21st Century first appeared on Dornob.

So what would happen if some of the most iconic rooms from Studio Ghibli films were reimagined as actual, real-life living spaces?

HouseholdQuotes recently took interior design imaginings to the next level with their renderings of popular Studio Ghibli settings: the perfect inspo for anyone looking to reimagine their living space with an eye for the dreamy and distinctive aesthetic Miyazaki is known for.

Arrietty’s Bedroom (The Secret World of Arrietty)

This eclectic mix of vintage furniture and lush plant life makes for the perfect recreation of Arrietty’s bedroom. Magical, homey, and oh so comfy, this room would be an ideal haven for anyone looking to redesign a cozy space like a bedroom or study.

Get inspired: This colorful vintage quilt from Etsy would be the perfect centerpiece for your Arrietty-inspired room.

Zeniba’s Kitchen (Spirited Away)

A Miyazaki classic, Spirited Away is a fantastical tale of a young girl who enters the world of kami (Shinto Japanese spirits). Zeniba is a central character in the film. Represented as a sweet little granny, her kitchen is the perfect representation of a warm, inviting, and eclectic cookspace. HouseholdQuotes depicts this room perfectly by focusing on its charming mix of rustic touches and warm intimacy.

Get inspired: This hanging mini pendant light from Home Depot adds character to any kitchen, and its colors perfectly echo the unique character of Zeniba’s kitchen.

Howl’s Bathroom (Howl’s Moving Castle)

Howl’s Moving Castle is a wonderland of surreal architecture and distinctively imaginative design inspiration. In the film, Howl’s bathroom is a vision of vintage fixtures and explosive color, and the design by HouseholdQuotes echoes that steampunk-like aesthetic perfectly.

Get inspired: This antique copper faucet would add a hint of Howl’s steampunk-y look to any bathroom.

Anna’s Bedroom (When Marnie Was There)

Anna visits the home of her relatives but finds more than she bargained for when she meets a mysterious neighbor. The light, breezy guest room where she stays is accented with vibrant hues of green and is evocative of the iconic lo-fi study girl. By combining an open canopy bed with warm wood and tones of muted green, this HouseHoldQuotes interpretation captures the dreamy nostalgia of Miyazaki’s vision perfectly.

Get inspired: This cilantro-colored throw pillow from Crate & Barrel adds a forest-y pop of color to any room in the house.

The Cat Bureau (The Cat Returns)

When Haru faces the prospect of an arranged marriage with a cat she, must visit The Cat Bureau for help. The furniture in this scene is cat-sized and cozy, with a lovely bureau and symmetrical design that creates an office that’s both ordered and inviting.

Get inspired: This Victorian bookcase is the perfect example of classic architecture that’s elevated through little details like claw feet. Made of mahogany, this wooden shelf would look perfectly at home in any sitting room.

Get inspired with these Studio Ghibli-influenced rooms that perfectly reflect the fantastical and imaginative world of Hayao Miyazaki. From distinctive details to surreal touches, all five designs will make you want to add a bit of magic to your everyday surroundings.

The post Get Inspired With These Studio Ghibli-Influenced Room Designs first appeared on Dornob.

As part of the current “MOTION” exhibit at the Chubu Centrair International Airport, Shigeta was commissioned to showcase the movement of Japan’s honored samurai warriors. He chose to reimagine the famous folding screen painting of the Battle of Sekigahara, transforming its tiny static soldiers into running, jumping piles of kinetic pixels.

The original screen from the 1620s portrays the battle fought on October 21st, 1600 in the present-day Gifu prefecture, one of the most important in Japanese feudal history. The samurai warriors of Tokugawa Ieyasu squared off against those loyal to the ruling Toyotomi clan. With roughly 140,000 troops between them, Ieyasu’s forces won, paving the way for the Tokugawa shogunate which stayed in power for another 250 years. The Chubu Airport is situated in the homeland of many of those famous samurai, making this piece a natural fit for their exhibit.

For his modern reinvention of the 17th-century multi-panel screen, which he titled “Sekigahara-Sansui-zu-Byobu,” Yusuke decided against focusing on commander Tokugawa Ieyasu, instead opting to “eliminate the individual and depict an ensemble story without a lead character.” Using 3D computer graphics, he pixelated the soldiers but gave them some individual variation in dress and weapons, creating over 500 combinations.

Yusuke also utilized 3D modeling and crowd simulation to perfect the movement of the rushing hordes. Although the artist has previously created digital artwork to generate “a vast perspective of the world,” this is his largest such endeavor, and he told the exhibit curators he was “looking forward to seeing what kind of experience the image elicits.”

Before undertaking this moving artwork, Yusuke visited the actual Sekigahara battlefield to get some real-life inspiration.

“During the visit I went to the historic Sekigahara battlefield, and as I looked at the landscape from both camps, I gained a sense of the distance to the enemy encampment and the tense mood of the warriors at that time,” he said in an interview with the curators. “I visited on November 6th and was captivated by the beauty of the natural environment, including the golden-colored Japanese pampas grass and the mountains’ autumn foliage.”

He used those views of the natural surroundings to add details like leaves and the existing mountain range, in hopes of recasting the screen from “a depiction of battle to a landscape illustration.” The finished product gives observers an animated glance back in history, with miniature samurais charging on both horseback and foot, battling for their lives and country with their tiny swords. The clouds and rivers also got a digital treatment, floating and flowing as they might have during the epic fight.

For those passing through Chubu Centrair International, the Sekigahara exhibit is located in the Terminal 1 lobby with an indefinite run date. A YouTube video of the moving scene is also available for all to enjoy.

As an artist, Japanese native Yusuke Shigeta has worked in media art in a wide range of animation, including old-school forms like phenakistoscopes and zoetropes. He got a degree from the Tokyo Graduate School of Film and New Media and is also a part-time lecturer at both Nihon University and Japan’s Women’s Art University.

The post Artist Brings Ancient Japanese Battle Scene to Life With Digital Animation first appeared on Dornob.

This Vrbo home in Huntington Beach was transformed in collaboration with Paramount. While it’s not immersed under the sea, it’s at least symbolic in the fact that it was once a Southern California water tower and it does “tower” over the ocean.

Even those who can’t plan a visit in person can at least enjoy a virtual tour of the three floors via Vrbo’s property listing online. The tour begins with an attention-grabbing exterior, adorned to resemble a pineapple.

“Families can book cabins, condos, castles, treehouses, and train cars on Vrbo, but this is the first time we’ve had a gigantic pineapple on our platform,” Lish Kennedy, Vice President of Global Brand Marketing at Vrbo said in a recent statement. “We’re glad people can tour the Pineapple Over the Sea virtually and enjoy the new movie at home together.”

The first floor of the home is expansive, colorful, and stuffed with identifiable SpongeBob goodies like the float couches. The atmosphere reflects life under the sea with seaweed and jellyfish hanging about. Walking into the kitchen is a lot like entering the Krusty Krab, as any fan can easily see. Red tractor-seat stools at the breakfast bar and a train track around the ceiling of the adjacent dining room add even more character to the already eclectic space.

A curving wooden staircase leads to a second floor and the comparatively subdued bedroom, which itself boasts traditionally coastal vertical shiplap walls, tongue-in-groove wooden ceilings, and wood plank flooring. Weathered shelves, a built-in desk, and a barn door round out the look.

The third floor returns to the undersea theme with a massive curved couch and copious windows for expansive views. There’s also a built-in bar that just screams “happy hour” in the gathering space.

In all, the house features four bedrooms and three bathrooms, with room to sleep eight people in true Bikini Bottom fashion. Throughout the space, interior touches highlight the focus on SpongeBob characters with wall art from both the movies and T.V. show. There’s even fishing nets and foliage dispersed around. Flower petals hang from the ceiling and decorate the windows. A closer look shows buoys mounted here and there, a few submarine-style hatches, and a curving countertop with built-in aquarium decor.

The space is also architecturally interesting, with the curved walls of the water tower constantly inviting guests to see what’s around the next corner. What’s more, the peak of the third floor ceiling in the tower offers a visually dynamic topper to the whole space. Of course, great design is as much function as it is fashion, which is why this vacation rental’s been equipped with flat screen TVs and other modern conveniences. But it still carries a cozy vibe, with an assortment of games and sitting spaces that invite guests to unplug, unwind, and enjoy the view.

Are you ready, kids?

The post Take a Virtual Tour of Vrbo’s SpongeBob SquarePants-Themed Pineapple House first appeared on Dornob.

“During this time of uncertainty, art and humor play an important role in keeping our spirits high and bright. Boston Seaport is an excellent canvas for this playful installation, and I am excited to create this fun experience for locals and visitors to enjoy daily,” says Burgerman about his new pieces, commissioned by WS Development.

Entitled “Looking Out For Each Other,” the lighthearted installation stars 2D and 3D googly-eyed characters placed strategically around the One Seaport courtyard. Visitors can spot some of Burgerman’s well-known doodles like the friendly pizza slice, a hot dog, “Birdie,” and the blue squiggly blob man. Other energetic personalities ready to inspire smiles include a sunny fried egg, a selfie-worthy rainbow, and an airborne heart all in vibrant, playful colors. There are even a couple of planters that now sport eyeballs and goofy smiles underneath a fringe of leafy hair. The artwork ranges in height from three to five feet and can be explored from every angle.

“The idea was to make the characters I see, doodle, and stick on photos on our environment real,” says Burgerman in an Instagram post. “I hope it brings some joy for all that get to (safely) visit it.”

Burgerman, originally from England, graduated with a degree in fine art from Nottingham Trent University in 2001. His quirky and youthful doodle designs have appeared in the form of murals, paintings, sculptures, clothing, and in his many books, including It’s Great to Create and Rhyme Crime. He’s even produced a 14-piece mini action figure toy collection called “The Heroes of Burgertown.” His work has also been added to collections at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum and Science Museum.

The Boston Seaport has a rich history of inviting talented artists to contribute to their public spaces. Frank Stella was commissioned to make a giant mural reproduction of the “Damascas Gate (Stretch Variation I), 1970,” and Spanish artist Okuda San Miguel was asked to create several exclusive sculptures called “Air Sea Land,” all of which are now an iconic part of the landscape. Some of the creations have even been functional. For instance, “Starry Night,” a rainbow, programmable light spectacle by Lisa Greenfield and Daniel J. van Ackere, was originally intended to make the local road safer, but has since endured for its festive and imaginative qualities.

“Seaport’s public spaces are populated with a collection of beloved artworks. These pieces spark joy and inspiration for area residents, employees, and visitors. As the country turns to open-air spaces for leisure and for work, this outdoor art will serve more community members than ever before. Jon Burgerman’s installation is incredibly accessible and appealing to audiences of all ages. We couldn’t imagine a better exhibit for this time, or a better time for this exhibit,” says Debra Brodsky, Seaport Director of Marketing at WS Development.

“Looking Out For Each Other” will be on display until October 31st, 2020.

The post Boston Goes Googly-Eyed Over Quirky New Doodle Art first appeared on Dornob.

Now, kids (and kids at heart) all over Japan can travel to a recreation of this heartwarming scene in the rural town of Takaharu, Miyazaki Prefecture, where a “life-sized” Totoro stands waiting at a (fake) bus stop. A couple marking the milestone of turning 70 years old wanted to celebrate by creating the attraction for their grandchildren, as well as other children who might derive joy from seeing the cuddly replica.

The grandfather, who worked as a plasterer for 50 years, started by creating a wooden barrel as the base and layering cement on it. His wife and other elders from the neighborhood helped smooth out the surface and add details like the pointy ears, whiskers, and big round belly. They then set their replica on a bed of gravel and bricks on their own private property, placing a bus stop sign directly beside it. They have since installed a “fortune telling” vending machine in the area and begun renting out red umbrellas as photo props.

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Naturally, it wasn’t very long before the installation started to draw visitors. The couple’s grandkids loved it, and so did just about everyone who learned of its existence. It quickly became such a big tourist attraction, the local town authorities had to release guidelines about respectfully visiting it, going so far as to recommend convenient guest houses located nearby. They even added three parking spaces so multiple people can visit at once to try out their best poses and post their photos on social media.

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The couple’s hard work helped bring the magic of the film to life, and the result is undeniably adorable. It’s no wonder Totoro fans from all over the world are starting to make their way there.

Totoro himself is inspired by legendary creatures called Koropokkuru from the Ainu tales of Japanese folklore. Unlike Totoro though, they’re not furry creatures, but rather tiny humans. Their name means “people below the leaves of the Fuki” in the Ainu language, and as the story goes, they were the original inhabitants of the northern Japanese islands. Short, agile, and skilled at fishing, they are often depicted holding leaves over their heads.

If you want to visit the Tonari no Totoro Bus Stop yourself, it’s marked on Google Maps at 7538-6 Kamamuta, Takaharu, Nishimorokata District, Miyazaki 889-4414, Japan. You’re welcome to give him a hug and take your photos between 8 am and 6 pm each and every day.

Are you a big Studio Ghibli fan? You’ll love the artwork of Japanese artist Monokubo, who creates fantastical digital paintings featuring friendly oversized animals like wolves, cats, foxes, and birds, all of whom similarly watch over, protect, and play with their human companions.

The post Japanese Couple Builds Totoro-Inspired Bus Stop for Their Grandkids first appeared on Dornob.

Can the holiday season be the same without a new Star Wars movie? Fans of the series may mourn the lack of a live-action flick this year, but they’ll still have something new to celebrate. A special titled The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special will premiere on Disney+ November 17th, referencing the Star Wars Holiday Special that aired on the same date all the way back in 1978.

The original 90-minute holiday special, which followed Luke, Leia, Han, and Chewie after the events of Star Wars: A New Hope, wasn’t exactly a huge hit for CBS, and it’s never been made available again. But it did introduce the concept of “Life Day,” an important holiday for the Wookiee planet of Kashyyyk, which happens to fall on November 17th.

The new animated 45-minute special will reunite Rey, Finn, Poe, Rose, R2D2, BB-8 and, of course, Chewy for a “joyous feast.” It’s the first LEGO special to debut on the Disney streaming service, and with it comes a host of new holiday-themed merchandise like the 2020 LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar and sticker book.

An official synopsis for the special explains: “Set after the events of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Rey leaves her friends to prepare for Life Day as she embarks on a new adventure with BB-8 to gain a deeper knowledge of the Force. At a mysterious Jedi temple, Rey finds herself hurled into a cross-timeline adventure through beloved moments in Star Wars cinematic history, coming into contact with Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and other iconic heroes and villains from all nine Skywalker saga films. But will she make it back in time for the Life Day feast and learn the true meaning of holiday spirit? You’ll have to watch to find out!”

It’s unclear whether the entire cast from the most recent live-action films is returning for the special, including Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, and Kelly Marie Tran. The animated film is directed by Ken Cunningham and written by David Shayne, who’s also co-executive producer.

Here’s some more info about Life Day, via Star Wars Fandom:

“Life Day was a Wookiee holiday celebrated by the inhabitants of Kashyyyk. It was a celebration of the planet’s diverse ecosystem and the many forms of life it encompassed. It was also a time to remember family members who had died, and the young ones who continued to bring new life to a family. Life Day was a sacred holiday, and many Wookiees considered it their duty to return to Kashyyyk in order to celebrate it. Life Day was held once every three local years for many generations, but it became celebrated more frequently as its popularity slowly grew to the wider galaxy. By the time of the Galactic Civil War, Life Day’s importance to the Wookiees had become more pronounced.”

The new holiday special is just the latest crossover between the toy company and the sci-fi franchise, who have also released collaborative films, television specials like The Padawan Menace, six video games, and many, many themed LEGO sets.

The post LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special Coming to Disney+ This Fall first appeared on Dornob.

Guests expecting a Disney-like theme park attraction might be somewhat disappointed, as there aren’t exactly rides here — though you do receive special admission discounts to Dutch Wonderland, which has 35 family-friendly rides of its own. There are also plenty of chances to interact with characters from popular cartoons like the Powerpuff Girls, Adventure Time, and Teen Titans.

The hotel’s official website reads: “Welcome to the world’s very first Cartoon Network Hotel! From the moment you enter the lobby, you’ll realize this is unlike any place your family has stayed before. With our character-themed guest rooms and Dream Suites, it’s like having a sleepover…in a cartoon! Dine-in at the Cartoon Kitchen and dig-in to delicious dishes straight from your favorite shows (Bacon pancakes, anyone?!) Adventure awaits around every corner as you immerse yourself in the cartoon world with our daily activities and experiences. It’s everything you love about Cartoon Network in one fun family resort!”

“Cool off at our Adventure Time-themed, resort-style outdoor pool, The Powerpuff Girls “Splash Pad,” or take a dip at our new indoor facility. Watch cartoons under the stars! Gather the family, find a cozy spot on the lawn, and watch cartoons projected on to our giant Finn movie screen. You may even catch exclusive, never-before-seen episodes of shows! Kids can earn Summer Camp Island merit badges, turn into a Powerpuff Girl, and bring their very own cartoons to life with our Toon Room’s interactive games and experiences!”

It seems like summer will be the ideal time to visit, especially considering the Adventure Time-themed pool area with all its lawn games, outdoor fire pits, and big-screen outdoor theater. But the indoor play area looks fun, too, boasting a Ben 10 Omnicade, Toon Room kids’ play area, and “kids kitchen” where young guests can learn how to cook snacks.

Bonus: the indoor pool is heated year round, and there’s even a hot tub for adults in need of a relaxing break from parenting. You can also host parties for up to eight people in themed “Dream Cubes” complete with cake and party favors, or reserve a private “character breakfast.”

Of course, there’s no shame in being an adult cartoon enthusiast, and the interior design of the guest rooms reflects exactly as much. They’re a lot more “grown up” than you might imagine, with mostly minimalist decor, a few brightly colored accents, and cartoon-themed accessories like throw pillows and wall art.

The Dream Suites are fairly luxe, with room for up to eight guests each. In the ADA-accessible Powerpuff Girls Dream Suite, for example, you’ll find two sets of bunk beds in private themed spaces just off the main living room area, a 75-inch TV with custom Cartoon Network channels, a kitchenette, a dining area, and a bathtub.

Standard rooms at the new Cartoon Network hotel start at $289 a night, while the Dream Suites start at $489.

The post New Cartoon Network Hotel Opening Summer 2020 first appeared on Dornob.

Once you buy a piece of art to hang on your wall, you’re pretty much stuck with it until you decide to remove or replace it. But this is the future, so why should we have to settle for something as old-fashioned as permanent art? The Electric Object is a computer that hangs on your wall to display dynamic, changeable, and even (literally) moving art.

Think of the Electric Object as a highly evolved digital photo frame. Whereas the digital photo frame can store and display your photos, and even perform a slideshow, the EO1 is designed to bring internet art to your walls. It’s a super-slim computer that looks just like a framed piece of art. It features a single power cord, no buttons, and uses about as much energy as a typical light bulb.

The interface is through a mobile or desktop app; with a reaction time of 5 milliseconds, you can change your wall art to suit your mood at that moment or even switch it up based on who is in your home just then. The computer can mount on your wall or sit on a base.

The company producing the EO1 is working with artists to design art specifically for the dynamic electronic frame. They are also in talks with galleries and museums to gain access to electronic versions of real-world art. Of course, the privilege of hanging masterpieces on your wall won’t come free – there is a dedicated store that lets you purchase the pieces you want to add to your collection.

Electronic Objects launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund their endeavor and it was wildly successful, raising more than 30 times its original goal. Although the campaign is now completed, you can still pre-order your own EO1 for $299 – a significant discount from the $499 retail price tag.

The post Moving Digital Art For Your Walls first appeared on Dornob.

In this digital age we live in, it’s almost impossible to fight the urge to constantly capture everyday life and the world around us. This is particularly true when it comes to social media platforms like Instagram, which has single-handedly driven hotels, restaurants, and cafés everywhere to strive for more aesthetically-pleasing designs, all in hopes that customers will be wowed enough to photograph them, upload them to their stories and profiles, and geotag them so that all of their followers know exactly where to find them.

This craze has sparked the imagination of many designers who are into all things weird and wonderful — things that are celebrated in all their glory on social media. One of the latest creations to come from that world is a wacky café in South Korea whose interior has been designed to look like a cartoon.

Café Yeonnam-dong opened in Seoul last year and has been making waves across the internet ever since. The quirky establishment boasts an entirely monochromatic interior, with black and white markings all over the walls, floors, ceiling, and even on the furniture so as to give everything the flattened, two-dimensional look of a drawing. The overall effect is both disconcerting and playful, allowing visitors to pretend that they have stepped into the pages of a children’s book while they sip their coffee and eat pastries. More specifically, they might feel like they stepped into the animated Korean TV series W.

Visitors are drawn in by the distorted reality of it all: real people eating real food, drinking real drinks, and sitting on real furniture while surrounded by things that have been made to look fake and cartoonish. This effect is achieved by tracing black lines along the contours of the interiors, which themselves are painted white. Flat curtains have been drawn onto the windows, details of the leather furniture have been drawn onto the flat backgrounds against which customers sit, and an exaggerated herringbone pattern and woodgrain finish have been sketched over the surface of the floor.

All of this drawing takes the perspective and depth out of the space, as the shadows typically cast in corners, or along the grooves in a coffee cup, are absent, lending a strange sense of flatness to the space and the elements within it. Picture frames are drawn onto the walls, and windows are drawn into the cupboards. It’s a very light-hearted environment, and one that has been shared again and again on platforms like Instagram.

There are a couple splashes of color in some of the pretty table flowers and the garnishes on the sides of the cakes, but apart from that, it’s the customers that really fill this black and white wonderland with vibrancy. 

The post Black and White Café in South Korea Looks Like a Real-Live Cartoon first appeared on Dornob.

Those who follow NYPL can scroll through animated visuals and read texts like Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland exactly as if they were using an e-reader. New York-based advertising agency Mother was enlisted to create the branding for the campaign, with individual source artists and designers providing the vibrant imagery that accompanies each book.

According to a statement from both NYPL and Mother, the objective of the project is to make some of the world’s best-known literature more accessible to the modern masses, many of whom are often consumed by the other digital content found on these social media platforms.

If you log on to the NYPL Instagram page right now, you’ll find Alice in Wonderland in two parts, with visuals conceived of by designer Magoz. At first, we see blonde Alice wearing a blue dress and walking towards a psychedelic eye that twists and turns into a moving clock. That imagery then melts away into the book’s first chapter, “Down the Rabbit Hole.”

On the bottom right of each page, there’s a space for the reader to put their thumb. Upon doing so, the Instagram story is paused, allowing everyone to read comfortably and at their own pace. “Instagram unknowingly created the perfect bookshelf for this new kind of online novel,” says Corinna Falusi, Mother’s Chief Creative Officer. “From the way you turn the pages to where you rest your thumb while reading, the experience is already unmistakably like reading a paperback novel.”

The typeface being used on these novels is “Georgia,” mainly because it was one of the first serif fonts to ever be designed for the ease of reading digital text for leisure. The backgrounds behind the text glow a warm white, as opposed to the usual blue-white of most smartphone screens. This makes it easier on the eyes no matter what time of day you’re reading!

Instagram stories can typically only be viewed for 24 hours after being uploaded. But thanks to the recent addition of the “Highlights” feature, NYPL is able to leave the novels up on their reel for as long as they so wish. Two more “Insta Novels” are to be released by NYPL over the course of the next few months. Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis will feature graphics by César Pelizer, while Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s The Yellow Wallpaper will be illustrated by designer Buck. These designers were found via their already significant contributions to social media network. This new project is a great way to market both their work and the aims of the NYPL.

NYPL also hopes that their Insta Novel readers will download their e-book app SimplyE in order to continue reading more stories and educating themselves in the art of literature!

The post New York Public Library Launches “Insta Novels” to Make Literature More Accessible first appeared on Dornob.

Studio History

Studio Ghibli was founded in 1985 by the Oscar-winning director and animator Hayao Miyazaki along with Toshio Suzuki, Isao Takahata, and Yasuyoshi Tokuma. Since the studio opened over 3 decades ago, Miyazaki’s been busy making anime shorts, films, and several TV commercials. Seven of the studio’s feature films are proudly listed among the 15 Japanese-made anime films with the highest grossing box office sales. Spirited Away, a Ghibli blockbuster that grossed over $290 million worldwide, is second on that list. That movie also snagged the Oscar for Best Animated Film in 2003 — the first Japanese film to ever win an Oscar in that category.

Phase I

The local Aichi Prefecture government will partner with Studio Ghibli to develop the initial park plan. Other private investors are on deck for the gradual addition of other rides and attractions based on famous Ghibli movies and animated characters.

Utilizing the nearly 500-acre property in Nagoya, Japan where the 2005 World Expo was held, the first phase of the world-famous studio’s project will showcase My Neighbor Totoro, Miyazaki’s 1988 classic. The film touched hearts around the world with its story of a dad and his two daughters patiently waiting for mom to recover from an illness at a local hospital. Totoro is the cuddly forest creature they come to befriend. A model of the family home from the movie is already in place at the construction site.

Coming Attractions

Future phases of the theme park will include rides based on stories and characters from My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, and other Ghibli classics. The main gate will even include a few replica buildings from Howl’s Moving Castle. Many of the epochal brick buildings that so beautifully depict European architecture in Studio Ghibli’s films will make up other parts of the park. Drama and mystery will also fill these spaces in the form of spiders, boars, and other creatures carved from stone. Visitors who seek solace over anime stimulation can hike on surrounding trails and enjoy the magic of nature.

In the Meantime…

Those fans who are counting down the days to the theme park’s opening can find a bit of joy in Studio Ghibli Fest 2018, an upcoming film festival set to place place all across America. My Neighbor Totoro, Howl’s Moving Castle, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, and Castle In The Sky will all be featured in the festival, which will also showcase a selection of Ghibli’s short animated films. The award-winning Spirited Away will also be returning to movie theaters sometime around Halloween 2018.

Film lovers around the world shed a collective tear when Miyazaki retired in 2012 (although it was reportedly his sixth announced “retirement”). As usual, Miyazaki has once again resurfaced to make another movie. Hope springs eternal for yet another animated masterpiece.

The post Interact with Your Favorite Studio Ghibli Characters at Upcoming Theme Park first appeared on Dornob.

The versatile Stickybones model is designed to help both professional and aspiring animators hone their skills. Professional animators conceived of Stickybones, which they describe as “super-flexible and extremely intuitive.” Their goal, they explain, is “to help everyone easily create instant-art in a fun and tactile way. Or use it to create a stop-motion animation or even to aid your own art as an artist’s figure-drawing manikin.”

When they say Stickybones is “super-flexible,” they aren’t exaggerating. The model’s patent-pending joint system lets you fine-tune its movements and pose it in a number of different stances. The joints are all pre-tensioned, interlocking, snap-to-fit ball-and-socket parts that you can pop apart and put back together.

The level of detail put into Stickybones is astounding: the model’s hands have even been articulated, right down to the tiny fingers. Talk about precision engineering! That’s right, it is engineering. As a matter of fact, the Stickybones team uses engineering-grade polymers to make sure that each joint is durable and can withstand constant movement without suffering too much wear and tear.

Plenty of the model’s features have gotten rave reviews from the animators who’ve taken the time to experiment with Stickybones. Want to make a character do handstands? No worries, because the Stickybones has magnets in its hands. If you want to take things to a new level entirely, check out the magnets in the model’s feet, which let you suspend it from beams or bars to achieve gravity-defying poses. Since Stickybones, like the rest of us, spends a lot of time on its feet, its toes have been double-reinforced. Try posing it on a single toe!

The Stickybones‘ head, neck, and shoulders are all double-jointed, allowing you to finesse movements with subtle, realistic poses. These smooth “micro-movements” are exactly what makes the Stickybones an animator’s dream. The materials used “are slick enough to give you smooth motion, yet sticky enough to hold your poses,” the inventors say. Want your model to bend or twist sideways? You can do that, too, thanks to its articulated mid-section.

The designers are currently working with their mold-makers and engineers to put the final touches on the models and release them to the general public. In the meantime, they are also coming up with a range of accessories, including a “Fly-Rig” that allows you to launch the Stickybones up into the air and a magnetic performance stage on which you can set up whole scenes of Stickybones characters.

While Stickybones is the perfect tool for stop-motion animators, it’s also a great way to analyze body mechanics, study different lighting effects and techniques, and make thumbnail storyboard panels. It will also be a useful learning tool for teachers everywhere. As with the model itself, the options are endless.

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Working over several nights, the Ohlenkamps and their team of volunteers brought an entire bookstore to life. They used Type Books in Toronto as the stage for their exploration of the secret lives of books. The resulting video is a reminder of the magic that real books will always hold.

The post A Night at the Bookstore Illustrates the Magic of Books first appeared on Dornob.

This unique filming method lends itself to testing the limits of our imagination through the animation – each shot is static, but strung together they tell incredible stories. These stop-motion experiments are simply ‘made of win’, as they say.

The first shows the construction of a Tetris-type shelving unit, each piece passed down from the skies above and shaped into place by the movie’s creator before it can land – brilliantly effective.

This next one leaves people entirely out of the picture, giving life to anthropomorphic lamps, snake-like table lights and flap-mouthed laptop computers – cute yet compelling. Will you be able to look at your microwave oven the same way again?

The post Moving Furniture: Real Stop-Motion Tetris Shelves [Videos] first appeared on Dornob.