Now you can check out my talk at 25c3! Video File Link

(I like this still from the video, it looks like I am holding the internet in my heart… which is true!)

Update: Fixed the video link. More mirror sites are here.

Update 2: If you would like me to give a presentation like this, you can contact me at brepettis@gmail.com.

teufelsberg from Bre Pettis on Vimeo.

Today I had a bit of an urban adventure holiday with my friend Martin. We visited Teufelsberg. Teufelsberg is a hilltop place in Berlin where the USA listened to the communications of the Eastern block as best they could. They had these high tech radar towers that were in the weather protected safety of the domes.

For a time there was talk of turning them into luxury condos, but that didn’t pan out.

The entire hill is made of the rubble from WW2. It’s rather difficult and dangerous to be there. The fence is always being repaired.

Things - Invader in Vienna from Bre Pettis on Vimeo.

Invader is a french artist who creates pixelated invader-shaped art everywhere in the world. There is a heavy concentration in Vienna, as he did an installation here. When I lived in Manhattan there was an invader on my street that I didn’t notice for months when I lived there.

And even though I sound like a broken record everyday, here’s an HD file and an iPhone sized file. If you want to peruse all my videos you can do so on iTunes, Blip.tv, Youtube and Vimeo.

Here’s an interview with invader.

Things - Make a Button with Steve of Motmot from Bre Pettis on Vimeo.

Steve Reeder is a cool guy. He and Anna Breitenberger run the wonderful Motmot shop in Vienna and make awesome designs, t-shirts, posters, and buttons!

I’ve made buttons for years by borrowing button machines like this. Steve does a great job of breaking it down. It’s a very satisfying process.

And even though I sound like a broken record everyday, here’s an HD file and an iPhone sized file. If you want to peruse all my videos you can do so on iTunes, Blip.tv, Youtube and Vimeo.

Things - DIY Brunch from Bre Pettis on Vimeo.

While in Vienna, I met up with geeks every Sunday morning at WerkzeugH and while there I met Manfred, who explained his pay-what-you-want DIY Brunch experiment and a little bit of the philosophy and technology behind his restaurant space.

One of the things mentioned in this video is the Canon CHDK camera hack. It’s an awesome project that’s going on to upgrade canon camera’s firmware. You can learn more about it on the CHDK wiki.

Here’s an HD file and an iPhone sized file. If you want to peruse all my videos you can do so on iTunes, Blip.tv, Youtube and Vimeo.

Make Your Own Sympathy Doll from Bre Pettis on Vimeo.

In 2003 and 2004 I had an art studio and I would paint giant color field paintings using a knife with thick layers of oil paint. These would take days to dry and so I started making dolls to fill the time. I made the first one, a cute sad bunny, and took it to an art opening that night sticking out of my pocket. Over the course of the evening, four strangers tried to buy it off of me! I didn’t sell, but it got me started!

The sympathy doll idea is to make a doll that is so sad and pathetic that it inspires empathy and love from people. You really can’t feel too bad around these dolls because you just know that no matter what, you don’t have it that bad! I’ve made hundreds of these dolls, and here’s a small gallery of dolls that I’ve made for you to check out. - Link

Here’s a pdf and an HD file and iPhone sized file. If you want to peruse all my videos you can do so on iTunes, Blip.tv, Youtube and Vimeo.

Check out this demo software for creating stuffed animals! I’m looking forward to trying this out on a PC when I get a chance. If you try it out, leave your review in the comments. I’m curious what kind of files it outputs and I can’t wait until someone uploads a stuffed animal desing to thingiverse.

Via @deczka

Things - Zoetrope from Bre Pettis on Vimeo.

Zoetropes are magic. They take the effect of strobing that you get on the subway and put it in a little turning cylinder. It’s a special form of animation that generally focuses on movements that repeat themselves like walking or a bird flying. I found this zoetrope at the Technischen Museum here in Vienna.

Interesting side note: The zoetrope was invented in 1834 in England by William Horner. He called it the ‘Daedalum’ (’the wheel of the devil). It didn’t become popular until the 1860s, when it was patented by makers in both England and America. The American developer, William F. Lincoln, named his toy the ‘zoetrope’, which means ‘wheel of life’.

Here are video files in HD and for the iPhone.

I’m making a video every day! If you want to peruse them all you can do so on iTunes, Blip.tv, Youtube and Vimeo.