Voelker, a German designer, says the robot is still in the prototype phase, but from the look of things it already has the Christmas tree and house routines down pat.

The prevailing "lightdrawing" technique for humans—waving a LED key chain around in the air like a madman—is not the easiest to master; at best you get a nice halo over your head, at worst you get a big ugly mess of light. But Voelker's Lightdrawer putters along, cool as a cucumber:

Robot Drawing with Light from Nils Völker on Vimeo.

Using a robot might not be the most fun way to paint a long exposure Christmas tree, but at least this way people will be able to tell it's a Christmas tree when you show them the picture. [Nils Voelker via Designboom]

Kosta-Théfaine, armed only with patience and a lighter, burns intricate patterns into ceilings for his art.

So next time you light up a cigarette, think about all of the nobler aims you could pursue with that BIC. And next time you light up a Marilyn Monroe cigarette, revisit this post and contemplate how totally righteous this dude is. [Oliver Kosta-Théfaine via MAKE]

Jonathan Viner, the artist, calls the collection harem, and the pieces are oils on 12"x12" panels.

[Sloan Fine Art , Prints available through store.vinerstudio.com]

JONATHAN VINER: "HAREM"
Exhibition: June 20 through July 18, 2009
Reception: Saturday, June 20th, 4 to 6pm

With "Harem" Jonathan Viner touches on a variety of issues including the urge to possess rare specimens and organize them into collections, the intense but fleeting power of youthful beauty, and the growing appetite for material and status in a globalized world. Never one to be too heavy handed, he prompts the viewer to consider these topics with elegant subtlety.

On its surface, "Harem" is a group of ten portraits of young Russian women, each one apparently alone, nude, and listening to vintage, high fidelity headphones. Upon further consideration, the tight, close up compositions, leash-like headphone chords, and ambivalent facial expressions give us a sense that these women are perhaps unwilling captives. But their relaxed postures, soft surroundings, and vague facial expressions convey an atmosphere of calm and comfort. This contradiction is embodied by the headphones themselves, which isolate and tether these harem girls while simultaneously providing them with enriching, faithfully reproduced sounds.

Each work stands alone - a solitary, frozen specimen. But when presented together, with their uniform size and similar palette, within the confines of a small space, they convey the feeling of a coveted collection.

A native New Yorker, Jonathan Viner earned his BFA from Rhode Island School of Design. This project will be his third solo exhibition in New York.

Running concurrently with "Harem," in the front gallery, is "+2" a group show with small works by 66 artists.

SEE A SPLASH OF 'POPBANG' COLOUR ON THE CHEVROLET MOTOR SHOW STAND!

- Unique Chevrolet Camaro painting wows crowds at British International Motor Show
- Paintings created with remote control cars
- Live demonstration on Sunday August 3

Visitors to the British International Motor Show will be able to check out unique renderings of a pair of very special cars on the Chevrolet stand.

The paintings, of the Camaro Convertible and Beat concept cars – both of which are the stars of the Chevrolet stand, are the work of 25-year old artist Ian Cook from Solihull, West Midlands. But instead of creating the images with a simple paintbrush, Ian used a somewhat unique method of artistry.

The images were created using remote control cars driven through acrylic paints, with further detail added by using old car tyres. As well as cars, Ian has also painted some famous figures from the world of motoring using the same method, including Lord Montagu of Beaulieu and F1 ace Lewis Hamilton.

"I wanted to be an artist from a young age and decided that to be successful I needed something completely unique," said Ian. "I've always been mad about anything with wheels and I figured that using cars to paint cars would capture peoples' imaginations, so I experimented at home by driving some remote control models through paint."

Ian, who calls his art Popbang Colour, used a host of replica GM cars to create the Camaro, including three models of the Camaro Concept itself, live on the show's opening day. He also created an image of the Beat minicar concept, both of which will be on display in the Chevrolet Drivers' Lounge for the duration of the show.

But those who want to see Ian create a masterpiece in person should pop along to the Motor Show, at London's Excel exhibition centre, Docklands, on the final day of the event – Sunday August 3 – from 10.00am.

There, Ian will be using his unique painting method to create an image of British racing star Rob Huff's Chevrolet Lacetti World Touring Car, a week after the series visits the UK for its annual visit to Brands Hatch.

"I can't wait to get started on the racing car," said Ian. "With the intricate liveries and body kits, competition cars require an extra level of detail, and that's where you need skill with the remote control cars."

One thing's for certain – Ian's next creation is sure to go with a bang. Or maybe even a pop...

It requires major surgery. You need to take all of the parts out of the phone's case, because just a few drops of paint in the wrong places will turn that badass tech into just another inert object. You also need to carefully cover up any of the chrome areas with adhesive tape, requiring intricate detail work with a tiny knife. Then it's time to spray on multiple layers of your favorite color. Go with the metallic! Get the full step-by-step instructions at the Instructables site. [Instructables]

The Art-o-Meter [via – Louis Ramirez">We Make Money Not Art]

MacBook [Colorware]

Not that new, but cool nonetheless, this I/O Brush lets you take textures, colors, and even movements found in the world and use it to paint. Sound confusing? Well, textures and colors are pretty straightforward. You take the brush and point it at say, a watermelon, and when you paint with the brush the watermelon texture is your brush-stroke.

Movements are what make this interesting. Point the brush for a few seconds at a person's eye blinking and when you paint, you replicate that same movie clip as you're moving the brush around. That eye example actually turns to be quite creepy looking. Watch the video to see for yourself. – Jason Chen

I/O Brush [MIT]