About the EventHi everyone! Our September challenge is here, and this month, its all about practicing basics and self-improvement!Have you ever had ideas or motifs youve wanted to try, but never found the right moment to incorporate into your pieces? Take this chance to practice some simple but impactful foundational elements for fun! The pieces can be as small in scope as you want. Lets try incorporating some design elements and principles and review our work. How It WorksThe Selftember challenge consists of two parts: Part 1: One piece a day, work with basics by incorporating design elements and principles with things you like, and round it off with some studies.Part 2: One final piece. Choose to rework an old piece, or do something new, by including Part 1 elements you practiced. *Part 2 Notes: Day 21: Then & Now - Share an old piece you want to rework for the second part of the challenge. Talk about the original inspiration, what you did right, what you have learned since then, and what you would do differently now. If you have created similar pieces since, show us a comparison side by side, and share what you want to try next or improve.Day 30: Share - Post the final completed piece, as well as your thoughts, learnings, and discoveries from this challenge! *Bonus: Upon completion, put your pieces together into a calendar chart to see your progress over the month! How to Join #Selftember2025 1. Participate by posting new work youve made by following the Cara Selftember list 2. Mention #selftember2025 in the description when posting!*If you want to participate but dont have time to create new work, you can also join with old pieces that fit the days theme and share a thoughtful self-critique or interesting learnings on the specific topic. For example: discuss positives and weaknesses of the piece, what you have learned since, and what you want to improve on or try in the future. If you work in different mediums, this could be a great way for others to learn more about your domain! Cara Theme ListRegardless of your medium or genre of work, be it illustration, sculpting, photography, animation, typography, or graphic design, we encourage you to try it out and join in the fun. You can make the scope very small and simple. Maybe its just photos with compositions taken with your phone, maybe its designs for your OCs. Ultimately, we hope you have fun! We are excited to see everyones experience and discussions. Simple Reading & References:Examples on @zemotions post https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design_principleshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design_elementshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Composition_(visual_arts)https://delviewmedia.weebly.com/elements--principles-of-art--design.htmlhttps://guides.lib.berkeley.edu/design As usual, we hope you enjoy, and have fun! - The Cara Teamcara.app | twitter | instagram | buy cara a coffee

Everyone has an opinion on nepotism, although most of us probably wouldnt mind benefiting from it. In popular culture, the term nepo babies most often refers to well-connected Hollywood offspring pursuing entertainment careers of their own (shout-out to New York Magazine for helping cement this vernacular). But the term can be applied to the children of famous people in just about any field, from politics to sports.Enter Arch Manning, who appears to be a slightly different flavor of nepo babyone who has no doubt benefited from his impressive lineage and immense privilege but also has distance and a unique perspective on it.Ahead of his big debut as starting quarterback for the Texas Longhorns on August 30 (in other words, today), the stakes couldnt be higher for the 21-year-old.Lets break down his famous family, his journey to the University of Texas at Austin, and one sports reporters bold prediction before we discuss how to tune in to the big game.The Manning family treeArch Manning is the son of Cooper Manning and Ellen Heidingsfelder. Cooper was a talented high school wide receiver whose future football aspirations were cut short when he was diagnosed with spinal stenosis. Because of this, Arch knows how fragile an athletic career can be.Coopers brothers (Archs uncles) are renowned quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning. Peyton has two Super Bowl rings to his name, winning with the Indianapolis Colts in 2007 and with the Denver Broncos in 2016. Eli led the New York Giants to Super Bowl victory twice, earning his championship bling in 2008 and 2012.Archs grandfather, Archie Manning, played 14 seasons in the NFL. Its safe to say theres something in the Manning DNA.Why the University of Texas at Austin?According to a Sports Illustrated interview with his parents, Arch is not seeking fame. He even turned down being interviewed directly. His parents didnt force football on him, instead opting to give him a well-rounded childhood.In the end, he naturally gravitated toward the sport anyway. Arch was a top-rated high school quarterback, and there was no shortage of college football programs vying for his attention, but he narrowed his choices to just three: the University of Georgia, the University of Alabama, and UT Austin. It was the prospect of playing for head coach Steve Sarkisian, who is also the teams offensive coordinator, that tipped the scales in Texass favor. Arch did play briefly as a true freshman in 2023, and was designated a redshirt freshman for the 2024 season, serving as the reserve quarterback. Quinn Ewerss early move to the NFL to play for the Miami Dolphins paved the way for Arch to take over as QB1 in 2025.What do sports pundits predict for Arch Manning?The hype around Arch Manning is loud, and the pressure cant be easy to take. He was already the frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy before the season even started.Lets not forget the endorsement deals and the possibility of him declaring for the NFL draft.Pundits such as Manny Navarro of The Athletic believe this young athlete can live up to the expectationsand then some.Manning throws for 3,500-plus yards, runs for 700 and tallies 50 touchdowns to lead the Longhorns to a 10-2 season, Navarro predicted. Texas beats Georgia in the SEC Championship Game rematch and finishes with the No. 3 seed.These big feats could all start with todays game against the No. 3-seeded Ohio State Buckeyes, the defending national champions.How to watch or stream Texas vs. Ohio StateDespite losing to the Buckeyes in last seasons Cotton Bowl, the Longhorns come into the matchup with the No. 1 ranking, which is yet another reason todays game is so intriguing.Arch is ready for it. Im excited for this challenge, its going to be a big one, the young quarterback mused to reporters earlier in the week. Open up with the reigning champ, so what more could you ask for? Thats why you come to Texas.The action begins at noon ET.Viewers with traditional cable subscriptions can tune into the Fox broadcast network for all the snaps, touchdowns, and tackles. If you have a pay-TV provider, you can also watch via the Fox Sports apps.If you cut the cord, live-television streaming services are here to help. Those include: YouTube TVFuboSlingHulu+Live TVJust make sure to double-check the regional differences as this impacts what networks are carried.Finally, remember that Fox is available over the air for free if you have an antenna and good reception.

San-Francisco-based Volley Automation creates automated robotic parking systems. To refine their robot parking valet, which increases the amount of parking space available within apartment buildings, they turned to industrial design consultancy Mighty Studios.Volley AutomationAutomated Robot Parking System OVERVIEWA robot capable of lifting a Rivian and parking it door-dingingly close to another vehicle in a garage without damage or human involvement is one thing. It's another thing entirely to have that robot look the part, with an aesthetic that says it all: The future of parking has arrived. When Volley Automation first approached Mighty Studios, the initial ask was to take their inventionan industrious robot that was the workhorse within their smarter parking systemand 'skin it,' giving it an exterior that matched its interior technological capabilities and smarts. INSIGHTIt's a fact: High-density condominiums and apartments in cities like San Francisco need parking for their residents. When these buildings are first designed, city codes dictate how many spaces are needed, and space is limited. By creating what is essentially a 'robot car valet' Volley Automation eliminated both architectural and human challenges within traditional parking garage design. A robot parking valet provides many advantages. Once a driver arrives in the Volley Automation bay and calls up the robot via an app, the robotessentially a tray on wheels that can move in any directionlifts the vehicle and with no need to account for doors opening or turning circles, can park it incredibly close to another vehicle, reducing the space needed for each car. With the system in place, a building that once needed four floors of parking with ramps and drive aisles could now require only two, cutting construction costs and reducing the overall parking footprint, all while adhering to code.Much like a real-world valet, you are placing your trust in the robot's skill. Volley wanted the aesthetic of the robot to match the ability and confidence of the system itself. The challenge for Mighty Studios was to not just make it look good while creating that sense of trust, but to create a skin that could accommodate the complex systems and high-tech internal mechanisms and robotics within.The process began with Mighty's industrial design team working with Volley's engineers to get the full scope of what was required, including mechanical design constraints, cosmetic considerations, and client objectives. In the end, Mighty delivered a 'skin' that addressed efficiencies in production, material selection, and all while providing a design that allowed for maintenance access to internal robotic systems, hardware, and software. Beyond the initial ask, Mighty's industrial design expertise was further leveraged to explore additional concepts for Volley's smart garage project. The task? Consider how an EV charging system might work into the parking experience. Could, for example, a resident use the app to park the car and have the EV charged during? The team at Mighty explored multiple industrial design concepts for an elegant robotic charge handle, taking into consideration different vehicle requirements and connection challenges, bringing some much-appreciated industrial design brainpower to the conceptual table. At the end of the client engagement, the result was more than just a robot valet with a face. The Volley Automation project allowed Mighty to show the true scope of what client collaboration can look like. From a simple industrial engineering 'create an aesthetic' for a robot request, grew a mechanical engineering component, plus additional work with the client in concepting visions for future enhancements to the system."We worked through it together. It was a good, structured process where everybody knew the expectations and the timeframe for when we would need to talk again. Everybody was also very collaborative and accessible. If anybody needed anything, we knew where to find each other. I think that team is very competent to take input, go off and come up with ideas, and come back rather than talking every day." Monnet Soldo, VP, Engineering & Chief Technology Officer @ Volley Automation You can see more of Mighty Studios' work here.

Creative workflows have become increasingly demanding these days, havent they? Between 4K video editing, massive game libraries, and the growing popularity of AR experiences, our storage needs have exploded beyond what most devices can handle internally. The challenge isnt just about having enough space anymore, but finding a solution that balances blazing speed, rock-solid security, and genuine versatility without compromising on any front.Most portable SSDs tackle one or two of these requirements well, but rarely all three in a package that feels genuinely designed for modern creative and tech workflows. You either get fast storage that lacks security features, or secure drives that sacrifice speed, or versatile hubs that compromise on storage capacity. Its like being forced to choose between different aspects of what should be a complete solution for todays increasingly mobile digital lifestyle.Designer: TwopanClick Here to Buy Now: $189 $299 ($110 off). Hurry, 94/100 left! Raised over $92,000.The Twopan Pro SSD takes a different approach by cramming serious performance into a surprisingly compact form factor that actually feels premium in your hand. At just 27 grams and pocket-sized, this thing packs up to 2TB of storage while maintaining the kind of build quality youd expect from a high-end device. The aluminum and tempered glass construction gives it a sleek, professional look that wouldnt feel out of place next to your MacBook or high-end camera gear.What sets this SSD apart from the rest is how security gets handled through advanced fingerprint encryption that supports up to 20 different fingerprints, making it perfect for teams or individuals who want instant access without fumbling around with passwords. The biometric system works seamlessly, requiring just a quick touch to unlock your files, which feels almost magical compared to typing passwords or dealing with additional software installations that slow down your workflow and create friction when youre trying to stay creative.Another unique feature is the integrated cooling fan that keeps everything running smoothly during intensive tasks like large file transfers or extended creative sessions. The fan operates silently, so you wont even notice its there, but the performance benefits are immediately obvious when youre moving gigabytes of data without any thermal throttling slowing things down like youd experience with other portable drives.Performance-wise, the Twopan Pro delivers read and write speeds up to 1050MB/s, which puts it in the same league as much more expensive professional drives. The real-time LCD display shows transfer speeds, temperature, and device health at a glance, giving you the kind of monitoring capabilities usually reserved for enterprise-grade equipment. Whether youre editing ProRes 4K footage directly from the drive or expanding your Steam Decks storage capacity, the speed remains consistently impressive throughout demanding tasks.The versatility really shines through features like built-in MagSafe compatibility, which lets you snap the drive directly onto your iPhone for seamless video recording or file transfers. The USB-C hub functionality adds DP1.4 video output and 40W Power Delivery charging, essentially turning this storage device into a complete connectivity solution for modern devices. Its particularly impressive with AR glasses like XREAL or RayNeo, where you can stream 4K content directly from the drive to your virtual display.For creators, gamers, and mobile professionals, the Twopan Pro represents the kind of thoughtful engineering that actually improves daily workflows rather than just adding specs for marketing purposes. Its the rare storage device that feels genuinely designed for how people actually work and create today, rather than forcing users to adapt their habits around hardware limitations that shouldnt exist anymore.Click Here to Buy Now: $189 $299 ($110 off). Hurry, 94/100 left! Raised over $92,000.The post Discover the Tiny SSD That Blends Speed With Fingerprint Security first appeared on Yanko Design.

The Living Masterpiece, a project by Anastasiia Mudrak, is where timeless elegance finds its perfect match (read: in modern comfort). This home isnt just about looking beautiful; its about living beautifully. Every room has been carefully designed with zoning and ergonomics in mind, so style and function work seamlessly together.From the delicate balance of colors and textures to the thoughtful attention to detail, the interiors feel complete yet never overwhelming. Even in more compact spaces, the design preserves a sense of openness, proving that luxury doesnt need excess. Instead, it thrives in harmony.The living area is anchored by a sculptural, low-profile sectional in soft beige tones. Its clean geometry contrasts beautifully with the ornate white fireplace. This features intricate carvings and a deep marble hearth. Above it, bold artwork framed by classic wall moldings introduces a dramatic focal point. Simultaneously, deep burgundy accentsfrom the velvet armchair to the glossy coffee tableadd richness to the otherwise light palette. The chandelier overhead is a statement in itself, cascading with delicate chains that shimmer softly against the natural daylight flooding in from floor-to-ceiling windows.Just steps away, the dining area feels like a natural extension of the living space while carrying its own distinct personality. The glass-like pink marble dining table instantly captures attention. It reflects light and sets a tone of modern elegance. Surrounding it, plush cream chairs with rounded silhouettes soften the space. Above the table, a striking magenta chandelier adds a playful yet luxurious edge. A sculptural centerpiece on the table reinforces the idea that here, even the smallest details are designed as works of art.The kitchen is anchored by a striking marble island, its veined surface extending seamlessly into the backsplash. The sculptural bar stools, wrapped in intricate black-and-white patterns, transform functional seating into art pieces. Overhead, a fluid ribbon-like pendant light cuts across the ornate ceiling medallions. Touches of whimsy and elegance are found throughout: metallic wall sculptures ripple like liquid on the panelled walls and glass-beaded partitions add sparkle.The bedroom is a dramatic yet serene retreat. It is anchored by deep burgundy ceilings with ornate detailing and a statement feather chandelier. A striking portrait adds an artistic focal point, balanced by soft textiles and a low-profile bed that grounds the space.The walk-in closet is a showcase of refined luxury. Floor-to-ceiling shelving with golden accents creates an organized display for clothing and accessories, while a sleek burgundy marble island adds both storage and a bold centerpiece. A sculptural oval mirror and layered lighting complete the space.The bathroom embraces moody sophistication with dark wood, rich marble veining, and subtle lighting. A floating vanity and deep soaking tub highlight the modern functionality, while layered textures bring warmth to the darker palette.

(And he might have a point).

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Electric models from the luxury car brand have been very successful, but they may struggle once a $7,500 federal tax credit ends next month.

MacworldNeed to scan something but dont have a printer or laptop nearby? Thats where iScanner comes in. Thisapp turns your phone into a portable scanner perfect for busy professionals, students, or anyone whos tired of dealing with clunky machines. Until September 7, get lifetime access for a one-time payment of $24.99 with promo codeSCAN.Whether youre snapping a photo of a receipt, scanning a signed contract, or digitizing a handwritten note, iScanner makes the process quick and easy. You can export files as PDFs, JPGs, Word docs, and more. Plus, its packed withsmart AI features that crop, straighten, and clean up your scansautomatically so they look crisp and professional every time.Its not just for scanning, either. You can mark up your documents, add text, blur out info, insert watermarks, and even sign things right in the app. There are different scan modes too, like math solving, object counting, area measuring, and even ID card scanning.Best of all? Its ad-free, totally secure, and you only pay once for lifetime access. No subscriptions, no hidden fees just smooth scanning whenever you need it.Get theiScanner lifetime subscriptionfor just $24.99 with codeSCANthrough September 7.iScanner App: Lifetime SubscriptionSee DealStackSocialprices subject to change.