Link Round-Up: December 28, 2016

"Monster Christmas Carols" by Mauricio Herrera

The Best And Worst User Interfaces Of 2016

Disney Parks shared a behind the scenes look at Pandora: The World of AVATAR, a new land based on James Cameron‘s Avatar film coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida during the summer of 2017.

In celebration of the upcoming January 1, 2017 premiere of the fourth series of the highly-acclaimed BBC One show Sherlock, video editor David Garuchava of The Garo Studios has created “Landing” an amazing supercut that weaves together all of the previous seasons in an exciting and cohesive manner.

Kat Rosenfield and Scott Harris of Looper have gathered their information and released the untold story of the legendary Sith Lord Darth Vader from Star Wars. They provide information on the five men it took to play Vader, how the voice was a secret, how Vader had an apprentice, and more.

On an out of this world episode of the AWE me Artist Series, the creative Marissa Deal demonstrates how to make a Star Wars themed R2-D2 steampunk teapot.

Original design documents and sketches for the first Legend of Zelda game

Pigcasso is no ordinary pig. After being rescued by the wonderful humans at Farm Sanctuary SA, the creative little porcine lady decided the best way to express herself was through painting and is rarely seen without her trademark paintbrush in mouth, though it does happen occasionally. Pigcasso’s finished art work is available for purchase and benefits the rescued animals at the Cape Town, South Africa farm. 

Purposeful and highly creative people actually live longer than everyone else, says a growing body of research.

Why I Can’t Wait To Work In VR

Short Film: No More Stuff

"No More Stuff" by Blue Zoo Animation

Santa brings the pain to his gang of naked elves in “No More Stuff,” Blue Zoo's new animated action film trailer packed with movie parodies. It's is a follow-up to their short musical animation from last year, titled "More Stuff."

Continuing the theme of parodies onwards from animated musicals, we made an epic action movie trailer full of movie parodies… can you spot all 20 references? Movie coming soon… if Santa brings us a few $million for Christmas!

Quick Pic: Die Hard Ornaments

Die Hard Ornaments

Source: Imgur via Reddit

"Come out to the coast, get together, we'll have a few laughs..."

Crafts: Star Wars Cross-Stitch

"Star Wars Cross-Stitch" by Greviousmisadventure

Source: Imgur via Reddit

This cross-stitching piece is an attempt to duplicate the pattern of TeeFury's Ugly Christmas Sweater t-shirt.  Greviousmisadventure was even kind enough to post her patterns for the project.

Illustration: The Hogfather

"The Hogfather" by Terry Pratchett

Illustrated by AdiFitri

Not the Santa we wanted, but the santa we deserved.

Illustration: The Gift

"The Gift" by MattDixon

Matt Dixon's adorable robots are some of my favorite galleries to browse on DeviantArt.

Illustration: BB-8 Christmas

"BB-8 Christmas" by StarSoulArt

DeviantArt featured this piece as their Daily Deviation on Christmas Day

Humor: Christmas in Cloud City

"Bespin" by Chris Hallbeck of Maximumble

"I had to go to 5 different systems to get that Barry Bantha play set for you. You barely played with it for a week!"

Quick Pic: Cthupids Ornaments

Cthupids Ornaments by Amy L. Rawson and Brian East

Quick Pic: Mad Lovecraft Ornaments

Shoggoth Snowman

Handmade Lovecraftian Ornaments by Amy L. Rawson and Brian East

Prints available for purchase from Etsy. US$19

"Between the branches of every Christmas Tree there is a spot that cannot be filled with pretty glass, Santa Claus, or tinsel. In that space, that terrible place, only “shapeless congeries of protoplasmic bubbles, faintly self-luminous, and with myriads of temporary eyes forming and un-forming as pustules of greenish light” will do. Shoggoths love Christmas. This one found a hat and a carrot, likely dropped by someone running for his life, and has taken the shape of a snowman as best it can (no one told him that snow is supposed to be white)."

Quick Pic: Twelfth Doctor Who Ornament

Twelfth Doctor Who & Clara Oswald Wood Peg Doll Ornament by Giselle A. A.

Prints available for purchase from Etsy. US$32.99

Video Round-Up: December 25, 2015

"A Supercut of Santa Claus Appearing in Movies" by Burger Fiction

Andy Schneider and Jonathan Britnell of Burger Fiction created a supercut of Santa Claus appearing in movies.

Boston Dynamics’s Reindeer Robots Pull Santa’s Sleigh - Boston Dynamics, Google's secretive engineering and robotics company, wishes everyone Happy Holidays the best way they know how - with cool robots.

Christmas Toy Crazes of the Last 70 Years - a short video by Shopify that takes a brief look at some of the biggest Christmas toy crazes of the last 70 years. The video gives examples like the Slinky, Mr. Potato Head, and the Pet Rock and explains the history of their success.

Quick Pic: TARDIS Ceramic Ornament

TARDIS Ceramic Ornament by Kelly Dillon

Prints available for purchase from Etsy. US$25.29

Quick Pic: Solar System Ornaments

Hand-Painted Solar System 9-Planet Holiday Ornaments by Velaciela

Prints available for purchase from Etsy.

Quick Pic: Saddest Little Christmas Tree

"Me during Finals" by Perchu

The expression says that this is not a Merry Christmas.

Quick Pic: Zombie Gingerbread Ornament

Zombie Gingerbread Man Plush Christmas Ornament by Tranifer Lovely

Prints available for purchase from Etsy. US$11

"You can run and run as fast as you can, he'll still catch you, he's the gingerbread man.

This adorable holiday Zombie ornament is hand stitched from soft fleece with acrylic fabric paint details. Stuffed with polyester fiberfill, then topped off with a white polyester ribbon to hang him from (covered in blood splatter, because zombies!)

Approximately 5" tall and 4" wide. Ribbon is 3.5" long."

Download: Doctor Who Snowflakes

Doctor Who Snowflakes by Lu of OddlyCrafting

In response to a request on DoctorWhoCrafts, Lu of OddlyCrafting demonstrates how to use her interchangeable Doctor Who Snowflake templates.  Just pick any two to create your own pattern. 

And, if you like these, check out the many other Paper Snowflake Designs on her Tumblr.  There is a huge variety to choose from, most of them Doctor Who-themed.

Download: Legend Of Zelda Snowflakes

The Legend Of Zelda Snowflakes by 3xken Design

Templates available for download from Google Drive

Sometimes when you're just starting out in the world, it's hard to find the money for the small things, like holiday decorations.  Luckily, what we lack in financial stability in youth, we make up for in spare time.  If you're looking for a way to spruce up your gamer's den, here's just the thing.

Quick Pic: XBox 360 Ornaments

XBox 360 Ornaments by Kelly S

Prints available for purchase from Etsy. US$20

Quick Pic: Stormtrooper Ornament

Stormtrooper Ornament by Jennifer Burrell

Prints available for purchase from Etsy.

Black chalkboard plastic disc ornament hand painted.