Leslie Barnes' bursting-bright illustrations have a mysterious way of instantly lifting your spirits

Leslie Barnes is an award-winning illustrator and animator based in Glasgow whose compositions can fill any space with a breath of fresh air. I can't remember when I discovered Leslie's work. It must have been six or seven years ago. But I do remember my reaction when I first saw her unique, vibrant and eye-catching designs.

Although Leslie has always loved drawing, she actually has no formal art training (she has a degree in English Literature). Some of her illustrations are somewhat geometric, and the various patterns and effects that she creates are simply mesmerizing. The best part? You can buy limited edition, signed and numbered pieces in her store at remarkably affordable prices.

Leslie has created exclusive product ranges for both the V&A and the Tate Museums in London. Other clients include Clinique, Glamour Magazine, Random House, Puffin Books, Anorak, and OKIDO. She is the author and illustrator of three children's books.

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The Adorable Sculptures of Yen Yen Lo

These images are from a series of wall sculptures created by Yen Yen Lo . Here you can see her intricately textured ceramic pieces, looking downright adorable. Yen Yen Lo's eye for the unique and whimsical is delightful. Apparently they are not intended for kids under 16. Fifteen-year-olds cannot be trusted with fragile stuff. Get them a Funko Pop instead.

What if directors actually looked like the characters in their films?

One of the things I like about the internet is the fact that it provides an endless showcase for the most incredible corners of human creativity. Like, for example, these quirky wooden sculptures by Seattle-based artist Mike Leavitt . For his latest series, King Cuts , Mike transforms some of the most renowned filmmakers into satirical sculptures. They're on view at the Jonathan Levine Gallery in New York until June 11, consists of 16 new hand-carved sculptures of directors like Tim Burton, Alfred Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg and Quentin Tarantino. The artist fused Burton with three of the filmmaker's works; Batman , Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands , while Hitchcock is transformed into one of his own attacking birds. Watch the making of the Tarantino sculpture below. You can also follow Mike on Instagram to see his work in progress.

Good things come in small boxes

Here's a tip: If you lose your child at The Museum of Modern Art, try the MoMa Design Store , where he's likely roaming around and looking for some cool toys. Among the things worth buying is this Science Experiment Toolbox, which contains everything kids as young as four need to conduct over 6 exciting experiments. Made of durable plastic and eco-friendly wood parts, budding engineers, inventors, and problem-solvers will be fascinated by this set. There's a bell ringer, a zoetrope, a waving hand, a climbing frog and a crane to help them learn logical concepts such energy transfer, momentum and gravity. I would have loved this as a kid.

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