Cool Hunting

Tatebanko Paper Diorama Kit
Appealing to my weakness for dioramas and DIY paper projects, these kits also are a mini lesson on Tatebanko, the forgotten Edo-era Japanese art of creating perspectives from paper. They come in either a snowy scene representing a painting by the master Hiroshige or in a version of Hokusai's wave. Designed and printed in Japan by It's a Beautiful Day (the group leading the...

Strange Faces Origami
Originally called "oreore-nai," meaning "I can't fold properly," this easy origami kit comes with 15 square sheets of paper printed with photo images of cropped faces. When folded the sheets transform into bizarre kaleidoscopic versions of a face, as if a few people got together and went crazy with Apple's Photobooth effects. Designed by the Tokyo-based origami group Studio Cochae, Strange Faces Origami is...

Leo Dog Toy
by Passa Chattra Face it, any dog owner will tell you they have the smartest dog in the world. Well here"s a toy that's fitting for those canine prodigies. Made by Canine Genius the "Leo" (in honor of Leonordo da Vinci) is like legos for dogs. The individual Leos can be fetched, tugged, and stuffed with treats like other dog toys. What makes the Leo...

Readymech Series 002
Collecting toys, like those made by Japanese company Medicom, can be pricey, so during a lean January you can instead have fun for free with the Readymech series. Put together by the industrious Portland-based design studio Fwis, who are also responsible for Squarewolf tees, the second series of paper Mechs have just gone up on the website. A printer, decent paper, double-sided tape and...

Gorillaz Giveaway
Like the concept itself, Gorillaz: Rise of the Ogre is a part fictional, part real account of the band's rise to fame. Faux interviews and Jamie Hewlett's illustrations, as well as a few real photos, make up the hardcover book, bringing out both imagined and true-to-life details. Highlights include track-by-track "making of" stories, British humor and, overall, behind-the-scenes insight into one of the most...

Wonder Women: Minnie Riperton and Syreeta
Arguably one of the most respected singers and songwriters of all time, Stevie Wonder's collaborators were unique and talented artists in their own right, but never garnered the widespread acclaim they deserve. Two notable examples are Minnie Riperton (1947-1979) and Syreeta (1946-2004). For both singers, the music Stevie composed and produced with them was the best of their careers. Both had pure, girlish sounding,...