Get surprisingly good sound from disposable picnicware with this easy to make and inexpensive Styrofoam Plate Speaker. Thanks go to José Pino for the original article in Make Magazine.

To download Styrofoam Plate Speaker MP4 click here or subscribe in iTunes.

Check out the Styrofoam Plate Speaker article MAKE 12 \"Styrofoam Plate Speaker\" & You can see that in our digital edition.

One of my favorites artists just had an opening at NYC's 3LD (Three legged dog) - Scott Draves a.k.a. Spot is best known as the creator of the Electric Sheep, a continually evolving abstract animation with over 60,000 daily participants.

Dreams in High Fidelity is a painting that evolves. The artwork was designed and rendered with the Electric Sheep, a cyborg mind composed of 60,000 computers and people mediated by a genetic algorithm. It's one of the few acceptable uses of \"crowd sourcing\" I can think of :)

Physically it consists of a small computer driving a large high definition display. The computer creates a continuously morphing, non-repeating, abstract animation. It is not software that you can download, but a custom configured computer preloaded with a large database.

The animations are rendered by the Electric Sheep, but at triple the resolution and with more stately motion. The image quality is striking on a large display. It requires 20x the computation to make a high fidelity sheep, and it shows.

The artist selects his favorite sheep from the archives and public flock, and sends them back to be re-rendered at high fidelity: heaven for an electric sheep. This new flock has grown to 100GB, totaling 18 hours if played end-to-end, and requiring over 200 years to render on a single computer.

A version of Dreams in High Fidelity is at 3LD for the next two weeks - July 11 - July 26, if you're in the area it's worth checking out (night time-ish is best).

Scott's work is \"open source\" the tools and software can be downloaded by anyone, the \"creatures\" created are in Creative Commons. Similar to open source hardware Scott makes his living by selling a physical version of the art, an installation, this is one of the reasons it's most interesting to me and I think a glimpse of what's to come for digital artists.

Here's my interview / video with Spot (above). HD version is available on Vimeo and a Quicktime (M4V) is available here.

Create a nightime chorus of crickets that sing through the night by modifying an ordinary solar powered yard light. Original project by Michael F. Zbyszynski.

To download Electronic Crickets MP4 click here or subscribe in iTunes.

Check out the Electronic Crickets article MAKE 11 \"Electronic Crickets\" & You can see that in our digital edition.

With a few empty soda bottles and some PVC pipe, you can build a high-performance water rocket. Original project by Steve Lodefink. The basis for this project's launcher design is the Martinet Launcher

To download Soda Bottle Rocket MP4 click here or subscribe in iTunes.

Check out the Soda Bottle Rocket article MAKE 05 \"Soda Bottle Rocket\" & You can see that in our digital edition.

Download the MP4 Video or HD Version | Subscribe to CRAFT in iTunes

We are excited to announce a new book from CRAFT -- Fashioning Technology: A DIY Intro into Smart Crafting by Syuzi Pakhchyan, is available starting today. Learn how to take your craft projects to the next level with \"smart\" materials where you can create accessories, housewares, and toys that light up, make sounds, or do even more. Fashioning Technology offers jargon-free primers and lots of how-to projects that will have you making -- and even wearing -- functional works of art. Watch this special CRAFT Video Podcast and get a preview with Syuzi herself as she takes you through some of the fun projects!

Buy Fashioning Technology by Syuzi Pakhchyan in the Maker Shed today!

This book demonstrates how to blend sewing and assembly techniques with traditional electronics to assemble simple circuits using conductive thread, solder joints for snaps, and switches for buttons. With the sewing machine as a viable substitute for the soldering iron, you can craft a new generation of objects that are interactive, quirky, and fashion-conscious.

Look for Fashioning Technology Kits soon this Summer in the Maker Shed! For now, check out the rest of our CRAFT Kits.