balls

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Animation

40 Animators Around the Globe ‘Pass the Ball’ in a Collaborative Rube Goldberg-Esque Sequence

Forty months in the making, “Pass the Ball” is a delightful and eccentric example of the creative possibilities of collaboration. The animated compilation, which was conceptualized and organized by Nathan Boey, centers on a small red orb that shapeshifts, bounces across the frame, crashes into other objects, and ultimately, flies through a diverse assortment of three-second clips. Each scenario was created by one of 40 animators around the world, who, as the title suggests, “pass the ball” to the next person, resulting in a varied display of styles and techniques from stop-motion to digital. Watch the full sequence above, and find the list of collaborators on Vimeo. You also might enjoy this 3D animation of 100 characters and a mashup of Olympic jumps and tucks.

 

Design

Gravity-Driven Marble Run Sculptures Are Comprised of Precisely Soldered Copper Pathways

LittleBall Creations matches the inventive spirit of Wallace & Gromit’s titular character with an elaborately constructed rolling ball sculpture shaped like the rocket ship that headlined the classic animation’s first episode. Complete with mechanisms inspired by the show, the four-track piece is just one of the complexly coiled works created by the Southampton-based designer, who solders copper tubing into lengthy, winding runs. Whether motorized, aided by an Archimedes screw, or relying on the natural pull of gravity, each of the pathways is just big enough for a marble or ball bearing to slide through.

Watch the compilation above for an overview of LittleBall Creations’ most recent designs, and check out the extensive archive, which includes a dizzying Helter Skelter-inspired birdcage, plump apple,  and swirling fling machine, on YouTube. (via The Kids Should See This)

 

Photography

A Collage of Overlapping Videos Creates a Wild Rube Goldberg-esque Motion Sequence

Beginning with a man blowing his lips, an impressive compilation by Donato Sansone merges short clips of car crashes, fiery explosions, and punches thrown during a boxing match into a believable series of consequences. Ranging from nature to sports to destructive events, each seconds-long bit appears to lead right into the next in “Concatenation“—seemingly, a rocket launches straight into a pool ball that then causes a diver to jump into the water. A bullet impales a board, prompting two fiery masses in another section.

Head to Vimeo and Tumblr to check out more of Sansone’s sequence-based projects.

Art

Conceptual Sculptures by Dario Escobar Reflect the Product Displays of Popular Sporting Goods

Unlike Guatemalan conceptual artist Darío Escobar, most people who pass through the sporting goods section of a store would not pause to consider the accumulation of mass-produced industrial objects like soccer balls and the cultural value that they gain via those who consume them. Escobar’s sculptural works make use of balls that have had their patches removed and resewn inside out, bats that have been broken and configured to form skylines, and skateboards that have been cut into pieces and reformed using gold hinges.

“My work starts from a reflection about the industrial object, sculptures created with soccer balls, skateboards, baseball bats, etc.,” the artist said in a statement, adding that his work is about the “persistent thinking of identical objects in a sculptural operation; a new configuration of an element repeated obsessively, such as when showing a product in supermarkets or sports stores.”

Escobar says that he is inspired by the way that objects like soccer balls are collected and displayed in an attempt to make them more appealing to consumers. “The artwork also tells us about the accumulation not from the perspective of the soccer balls’ ready-made individuality but from the amassing of merchandise as raw material for contemporary sculpture,” he said. In an interview with Reigning Champ, Escobar said that his manipulation of the objects is a way to “change the angle of view” and gain a new perspective. At larger retailers, balls are displayed at or below eye-level in individual packaging that elevate the intrigue of the product, while Escobar’s sculptures place them high above the viewer and bunch them together so that each ball is like the last. The works turn these merchandise displays on their head, creating unique ways to observe the construction of the sporting good object and its connection to the world at large.

To see more of Escobar’s conceptual sculptures using ready-made objects, check out his website.

Art

A 10,000 Square Foot Ball Pit Situated Within a National Museum Lets Visitors Experience the Beach Indoors

Brooklyn-based experimental studio Snarkitecture is bringing the ocean indoors, transforming water and waves into nearly one million recyclable translucent plastic balls. Covering 10,000 square feet of the National Building Museum in Washington D.C., the interactive installation titled “The BEACH” will include white beach chairs and umbrellas to simulate seaside vibes, while maintaining the monochrome feel that Snarkitecture has become known for.

Snarkitecture primarily works within the space between art and architecture, blending experience and design. The collaborative firm was started by Alex Mustonen and Daniel Arsham and they explain that their focus is “on the viewer’s experience and memory, creating moments of wonder and interaction that allow people to engage directly with their surrounding environment.”

A unique experience is achieved in their latest installation, the museum inviting visitors to wade within the sea of plastic spheres, relax in one of the many chairs at the “shore’s edge,” and grab drinks at the snack bar. You can visit The BEACH through September 7 or visit it virtually with the museum’s live stream.

All included images are by Noah Kalina, more of his work can be seen here. (via designboom)

Art Design

A Huge Collection of Embroidered Temari Spheres by an 88-Year-Old Grandmother

Temari balls are a form of folk art that originated in China and were introduced to Japan in the 7th century. The carefully hand-embroidered balls often made from the thread of old kimonos were created by parents or grandparents and given to children on New Year’s day as special gift. According to Wikipedia the balls would sometimes contain secret handwritten wish for the child, or else contained some kind of noise-making object like a bell.

Flickr user NanaAkua photographed this amazing collection of geometric spheres created by her 88-year-old grandmother who began to master the art in her 60s. She has since created hundreds of them, nearly 500 of which you can see right here. (via DDN Japan)