A Most Colourful Labour of Love.

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In Afghanistan, several men are at work in a smoke-blackened room. They sit between buckets of thick grey paint, working on benches made of dark grey stone. Lonely beams of white light shine through skylights in the vaulted ceiling onto stacks of clay tiles coated with a fine layer of grey dust. Monochromatic as the scene may seem, these men have one of the most colourful jobs in the world: making tiles for Herat’s Jama Masjid (Great Mosque).

This is an amazing story, and an astonishing labour of love and art, and the saving of living history. You can read and see much more at BBC.

Artist Unite for Orlando Benefit Comic.

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Some of the biggest names in the comic book industry are contributing their talents to Love Is Love, a 144-page comic book made in collaboration by IDW Publishing and DC Comics to benefit Equality Florida, and honor the victims, survivors, and families of the attack at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando.

Contributors include Brian Michael Bendis, Gail Simone, Scott Snyder, Grant Morrison, Jock, Cat Staggs, Paul Dini, James Asmus, Ming Doyle, and a ton more as well as names outside of the comic industry like Damon Lindelof, Patton Oswalt, and Patty Jenkins.

This oversize comic contains moving and heartfelt material from some of the greatest talent in comics, mourning the victims, supporting the survivors, celebrating the LGBTQ community, and examining love in today’s world. All material has been kindly donated by the writers, artists, and editors with all proceeds going to victims, survivors, and their families.

You can order and preview Love is Love here.

Wild Gears.

Who doesn’t love Spirograph? Ars Technica has an article about Wild Gears – spirograph to next level.

Spirographs were invented in the late nineteenth century by mathematician and electrical engineer Bruno Abakanowicz, but didn’t become a popular toy until the 1960s. They allow you to create a wide range of kaleidoscopic designs by putting your pen into one of many holes in a set of interlocking gears, then using your pen to push the gears around an outer ring. I hadn’t used one since elementary school, but Bleackley’s passion reminded me of how satisfying it was to watch those amazing designs appear under my pencil.

The best part is that Bleackley wasn’t kidding with his humble boast. He’s the creator of Wild Gears, a company that makes several spirograph sets that are guaranteed to please your mathy, artsy, weirdness-loving mind. He prototypes his acrylic gears using a laser cutter at the Vancouver Hack Space, and fans can order his kits through the Ponoko store.

Via Ars Technica.

And a bonus – if you feel the need to spirograph right now, you can, online with Inspirograph!

A Visual Trumpmare.

Art is commentary, that’s particularly true of political cartooning. Here’s a small sample of how some artists have been feeling about the looming Trumpmare.

Trump cartoon by Norwegian Cartoonist Christian Bloom.

[evening] Happy TrumpMas.

#Trump amorimcartoons.com.br/world.html

My Cartoon Wednesday @ The Times on the new West Wing. #Trump #Tillerson #Putin.

Class and crass…#Hiroshima #NuclearProliferation

Via Raw Story.

And, from Ricardo Caté:

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Trumpty Dumpty.

Via ICTMN.

You can see many more cartoon commentaries at Fusion:

By David Rowe, Australia.

By David Rowe, Australia.

Gifties!

We’re being happy and excitable this year. First up, this exquisite piece of swarf, used by Rick as a wrapping decoration, and it wins best wrapping deco ever.

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Isn’t that gorgeous? Then, more art supplies, and beautiful, intoxicating paper for me, from Rick. A new easel, too, in its own case! There are never enough art supplies. Can’t wait to start using these. :D

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Then, for Rick, more sharp and shiny. He’s been wanting a second machete, and this one is considerably heavier than the first one, and can be used one or two-handed. Specs after the photos:

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Specifications: Condor Discord Machete:

Overall Length: 27 inches.

Blade Length: 18 inches.

Blade Thickness: 3mm.

Blade Material: 1075.

Handle Material: Micarta®.

Sheath: Hand Crafted Wetted Leather.

Weight: 2.6 pounds.

Country of Origin: El Salvador.