Tend2it thought a Wasp would be a fun challenge and beautifully captured the proportions of the head, thorax, abdomen, legs, and wings in a striped Yellow Jacket color scheme using NeoBalls. “The most challenging aspects were the wings (used a double-layer coupled structure to get them to deploy out straight) and the single-strand legs (that required independent magnetic field alignment to avoid sticking together along with a Mandala plate to keep the entire build anchored in place). Got it under the 432 limit!” The build, simply titled Wasp, is made up of 379 magnets and wins Tend2it $100 Zen Credits for first place. More information on his Flickr post. 

2nd Place: Beer_Knuckles

Beer_Knuckles expertly used 430 black, orange and red neoballs based off of a striped shield bug. The body is a pentagonal sheet in opposing colors, with a hexagonal leg system and a triangular head with 2 lil red eyes. The shield bug is also pictured in its natural habitat, making this an excellent photo. More of his builds can be found on his Flickr page. The Striped Shield Bug earns Beer_Knuckles $65 for Second Place.

3rd Place: Bandit

Using only nickel plated magnets, Bandit has created an adorable Scarab. “The hardest part to do were the scarab’s legs, mostly because of highly magnetic tips that were getting stuck together. I found that making them beforehand and then attaching them to the body was the best way to do that, and thanks to that the underbelly actually looks bug-like. In total 420 magnets were used.” For Zen Scarab, Bandit wins $35 in Zen Credits, usable on ZenMagnets.com or Neoballs.com.

4th Place: Oi_Noi

Also sticking with nickel magnet spheres, Oi Noi created Insectoid. After running a google search, Oi Noi found something interesting and made it. The original design was a wasp, but it didn’t turn out and after noticing a couple others had the same insect he resorted to something else. “I basically just made the body segments and attached them together along with the wings afterwards. I would have made them bigger, but due to the lack of magnets (416) I needed to keep them small. I learned to make the parts from when I first created my wasp, a tubular abdomen, both thorax and head was made of varying polygons made like the ‘C60‘ seen around the magnet sphere community.” For such a clean build, Oi-Noi is rewarded $25 in Zen credits. 

5th Place: JettWilliams

JettWilliams went above and beyond. Not only did he build this 4-Bee with 298 magnets, but he created six insects in total and did a short stop-motion with each. They are combined into a YouTube video. $15 prize awarded.

If you haven’t already, click on the images to check out the original size. And keep in mind that contests held here are independent of the Zen Gallery. Magnet sculptors can always submit photos to gallery.zenmagnets.com to win magnets as well.

Spectators, keep your eyes peeled for the next contest, because you choose the winners.

* * *

These were only five of the 16 entries! See the rest below. If you haven’t already, click on the images to check out the original size. And keep in mind that contests held here are independent of the Zen Gallery. Magnet sculptors can always submit photos to gallery.zenmagnets.com, though rewards after the end of this month are not guaranteed.

Contest Winners, we’ll email you your prizes soon.

“Together even the smallest can achieve the greatest goal.” – A Bug’s Life

Now that we’ve got everyone’s attention and contests are up and running again, our July contest should allow for a little more creative freedom. We challenge each of you to create a 3D Sculpture of an arachnid or insect using between 216 and 432 magnet spheres. There are obviously many to choose from, seeing as an article from the Smithsonian Institute says that some 900 thousand different kinds of living insects are known in the world (https://www.si.edu/spotlight/buginfo/bugnos), so show us what you got! We understand that the majority of these builds will not be exact and even if you’re the only one that can see an insect or arachnid, send us your creepy crawlers anyway.

Summary of Requirements:

• A maximum of 432 5mm magnet spheres of any brand/coating may be used.
• Must be a 3D sculpture.
• Deadline: 7/31/2018 in your time zone
• 1 Submission per person

The judges will be your peers. Please pay close attention to resolution, focus, lighting and framing. Avoid the use of a bright reflective flash. Instead opt for a self timer and a tripod (or stand). There will be 5 winners and the prize for first place will be $100 Zen Credit. Everything you submit goes into the public domain. Of course, the first and foremost requirement, is that you have fun!

To enter please fill out this Google submission form (must have a Google account to use form):

[button link=”https://goo.gl/forms/ArpR9T9lToXs5vED3″ type=”big” newwindow=”yes”] Submit[/button]

EraZorX, the master magnet sphere impressionist, is back. Combining the disciplines of frame architecture with ring curvature control to create a sculpture of one of the few animals that lives most of it’s life hanging on it’s feet.  “One of my breakthroughs in development [of the Hanging Bat] was realizing I didn’t need to fill-in the wings, and could just work with the outline.” Crisp high resolution shot prepared with intentional lighting. Exactly 432 Zen Magnets used. $65 worth of Zen Credits awarded for first place in Contest #37.

2nd Place: KylarF

A fun and nostalgic piece of patio furniture, the “Magnet Swing” is supported by the perfect prop selection. Some thought clearly went into the tone, background and environmental reflections. “The toughest part was to get an idea of what I could build.” Another amazing image at full resolution.  394 Zen Magnets used. $57 worth of Zen Credits won, usable at http://zenmagnets.com or http://neoballs.com.

3rd Place: Dan Condon-Jones

The “Delicate Bell” is a configuration that can only exist as a hanging object. A simple yet intricate hanging sculpture with lines that flow in to each other. There are no sharp angles that exist without a pair of continuing paths. A sharp and crisp photo with a medium contrast background. $49 in Zen Credits earned, also trade-able for $24.5 worth of Bitcoin.

4th Place: Waynehjr1

The “Hangman,” who’s noose is pulled by only a single chain of Zen Magnets. “This is a fairly simplistic design… uses basic sphere & tubular techniques.” Amazing focus on the magnets, apparent at full resolution. The reflections on the magnets themselves appear to imply the usage of a rather intricate lightbox. Two thumbs up for the use of bamboo gift boxes as the load bearing supports. $41 Zen awarded.

5th Place: Acanthaster

A clever capture of motion with a background that invites imagination to scale. This piece, titled “Jungle Travel,” looks like a frame from a stop motion film. “I love the perception of motion from the still… Swinging through the tree tops just formed out of that. However, given the miniature nature, swinging through the poinsettia will have to do!” $33 worth of Zen granted.

6th Place: Tend2it

The “Mini BSG Viper Fighter Ornament” is the smaller brother to the full size fighter found here. Thrusters, canons, and cockpit all miniaturized and distinguishable. “I couldn’t find a good existing hanging platform so I MacGyver’ed this with existing parts including a badminton racket and a couple of Zen Mandala boxes. Expert focus and framing.  $25 Zen gladly awarded.

7th Place: Artuo

 The “Lantern a la Zen” is an abstract ornament that leaves a fair amount to the viewer’s perception. “After many attempts… I finally found a shape I liked… I came up with this design, an ornament that vaguely resembles a lantern… faithfully lighting the way in these dark times… or you know a saturday night with nothing to do.” Sorta looks like a skull with a spider draping off the jaw. Are those legs on the side? $17 Zen Credits Won!

If you haven’t already, click on the images to check out the original size. And keep in mind that contests held here are independent of the Zen Gallery. Magnet sculptors can always submit photos to gallery.zenmagnets.com to win magnets as well.

Spectators, keep your eyes peeled for the next contest, because you choose the winners.

Contest Winners, we’ll email you your prizes soon.

[button link=”http://zenmagnets.com/lime/index.php?sid=16942″ type=”big” newwindow=”yes”] Vote Here[/button]

 17 Entries for the January 2014 contest.

Click for original size.

1st Place: $65 Zen Credit, usable on ZenMagnets.com or Neoballs.com

2nd Place: $57 Zen Credit

3rd Place: $49 Zen Credit

4th Place: $41 Zen Credit

5th Place: $33 Zen Credit

6th Place: $25 Zen Credit

7th Place: $17 Zen Credit

Zen Credits are also exchangeable for half their value in Bitcoin.

Judges, remember that this contest is a photography contest just as much as it is a magnet sculpture contest, overall aesthetic does matter. Voting deadline is the end of February.

Decide your favorite FIVE entries, and

[button link=”http://zenmagnets.com/lime/index.php?sid=16942″ type=”big” newwindow=”yes”] Vote Here[/button]

You will find truth more quickly through delight than gravity. Let out a little more string on your kite.

-Alan Cohen

The January 2014 contest is to create a hanging sculpture using a maximum of 432 Zen Magnets. This is one of the less restrictive contests, so impress with your imagination.

Only 4 magnets can be making contact with the hanging surface, and the metal hanging surface cannot be magnetized. The idea for this contest was spawned by dancondonjones of the Zen Gallery. No other load bearing objects may be used in your sculpture. Only Zen Magnets are permitted.

Use not your bright reflective flash, but instead a self timer and a tripod (or stand.)

As usual, the judges will be your peers. Pay attention to resolution, focus, lighting and framing. Sharp, high resolution pictures are preferred, but remember that your thumbnail will be hexagon shaped crop when shown among others. There will be at least FIVE winners, possibly more depending on participation. The prize for first place in this contest will be $65 Zen Credits, usable on zenmagnets.com or neoballs.com. All Zen Credits are also exchangeable for half their value in Bitcoin. Everything you submit goes into the public domain. Of course, the first and foremost requirement, is that you have fun!

Submission deadline is the end of  January.

To enter, load your full resolution photo on to imgur.com, and fill out this submission form:

 [button link=”https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1E4bU4ulxwzLtueLxjqCuItKYp8cJaIMWGPMVRTdqAkY/viewform” type=”big” color=”red” newwindow=”yes”] Submit Here[/button]

1st Place: KylarF

The judges must have had a difficult time with this contest, since there were so many wonderful entries. One dynamic that changes when a contest has many entries (like 15) as opposed to less entries (like 6) is that people are less likely to view the full size picture. The casual semi-anonymous internet judges are typically not magnet hobbyists, and will simply scan the automatically generated thumbnails for a quick impression. Simplicity and cleanliness get the advantage when contests are large, and this photo of a magnetic turtle is the epitome of such.  The highest rated photo of 6 turtles entered. $100 in Zen Credit awarded. “Schildi is made with 280 magnets (201 Zen/ 79 Neo). I started by playing around with some Magnets and suddenly I had a nice head of a turtle in my hand.” – KylarF

2nd Place: Aaron

A Starfish with impressive symmetry, and background reminiscent of a sandy setting near water. Reasonably well shot, terrific shadows and composure, high resolution image. Clean thumbnail that leads to no confusion. $75 in Zen Credits awarded. “The center pentagon is very tricky, but with much patience, the magnets can be placed one at a time to form the “heart”. The visible stripe on each of the arms is equally delicate, since the magnets naturally want to lock into place… The photo itself was [shot] with my back to a window and a warm lamp a few feet to the left of the window.” – Aaron

3rd Place: Waynehjr1

Titled: “Colorful Puffer Fish Rides the Wave”. Framed, post processed, and built with many techniques. The fish itself is 432 neoballs, and the wave is 168 neoballs.  $55 worth of Zen Credits awarded. “The main body is a double layer hollow sphere. The eyes are small hollow spheres made from 6 sets of 4 dot squares single layer. The tail & back fin use a triangular based assembly.” – Waynehjr1

4th Place: Wpavlov1953

This shark is instantly recognizable, and happens to be framed almost perfectly in thumbnail. Crisply shot at high resolution, cool simulated reflection and photoshop eye. $40 price won.

5th Place: Tend2it

One of the Zen staff’s personal favorites. A “Sea Serpent” weaving through the surface of the water. One of those sculptures that we don’t know how to replicate upon viewing. Despite the technical expertise, it’s an artistically cohesive piece that isn’t one bit noisy or confusing. The image fits right into the imagination. $25 Zen Credits awarded. “This is a redesign of my original Water Dragon Surfacing v03 where I redid the front and rear fins,and supporting body structure, and had to remove 5 magnets from the design. The body segments rising out of the water are hollow. The head and neck sections are solid.”

6th Place: Dan Condon-Jones

A beached sea monster, that feels grand of scale for such few magnets used. Slimy and wiggling, this imaginative piece is shot with fine focus, though the submitted resolution is smaller than average. $15 Zen Credits won. “I mostly made this out of 5-rings – just using some two-wide strips to do the tentacles. There are a couple of Zen Magnets metal bases, a pair or scissors and a two pence piece underneath the paper to help the tentacles hold their positions…and yeah I know it’s really a Pentapus.”

* * *

If you haven’t already, click on the images to check out the original size. And keep in mind that contests held here are independent of the Zen Gallery. Magnet sculptors can always submit photos to gallery.zenmagnets.com to win magnets as well.

Spectators, keep your eyes peeled for the next contest, because you choose the winners.

Contest Winners, we’ll email you your prizes soon.

* * *

Zen Credits now exchangeable for Bitcoin

From now on Zen Credits, which are redeemable at face value at Zenmagnets.com and Neoballs.com, will be exchangeable for 1/2 of it’s value in Bitcoin. Bitcoin is a peer-to-peer decentralized cryptocurrency, not issued by any government or central authority. Think internet gold, but where gold gets value from chemical properties, bitcoin gets value from mathematical properties. Every $1 Zen Credit is convertible to $.5 Bitcoin, though not the other way around. We do accept bitcoin for magnet purchases, and encourage it with a 10% discount.

To trade your Zen Credits for Bitcoin. Email contact (a) zenmagnets.com with your bitcoin address and coupon code, and we’ll convert your magnet coupon into magic internet money at the live spot price.

 An impressive showing of 17 Entries for the November Sea Life Contest.

Click for original size.

1st Place: $100 Zen Credit, usable on ZenMagnets.com or Neoballs.com
2nd Place: $75 Zen Credit
3rd Place: $55 Zen Credit
4th Place: $40 Zen Credit
5th Place: $25 Zen Credit
6th Place: $15 Zen Credit

Judges, remember that this contest is a photography contest just as much as it is a magnet sculpture contest, overall aesthetic does matter. Voting deadline is 12/30/13

Decide your favorite FIVE entries, and

[button link=”http://zenmagnets.com/lime/index.php?sid=79715″ type=”big” newwindow=”yes”] Vote Here[/button]

You and I are all as much continuous with the physical universe as a wave is continuous with the ocean.
Alan Watts

The November 2013 contest is to sculpt a single organism of the sea. A fish, a turtle, a dolphin, or even a sponge. Whichever one living creature you choose, it must live the majority of it’s life underwater. A strict limit of  There is a limit of 432 magnets permitted. All brands of 5mm magnet spheres are allowed, including Neoballs.

No other load bearing objects may be used in the sculpture. Use not your bright reflective flash, but instead a self-timer and a tripod (or stand.)

As usual, the judges will be your peers. Pay attention to resolution, focus, lighting and framing. Sharp, high resolution pictures are preferred, but remember that your thumbnail will be hexagon shaped crop when shown among others. There will be at least FIVE winners, possibly more depending on participation. The prize for first place in this difficult contest will be $75 Zen Credits, usable on zenmagnets.com or neoballs.com. Everything you submit goes into the public domain. Of course, the first and foremost requirement, is that you have fun!

Submission deadline is the end of  November.

To enter, load your full resolution photo on to imgur.com, and fill out this submission form:

 [button link=”https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1S9IJ3rbShXHOCpzD9rFZbgGCSWkpu8yjkf98IZyofpI/viewform” type=”big” color=”red” newwindow=”yes”] Submit Here[/button]

1st Place: Tend2it

A crisp shot of a great build. Tend2it is veteran on the gallery, and his sculpture is accurate in shape and form. The white balance is tinted towards blue. Check it out at full resolution by clicking on the image. $100 in Zen Credits earned.

2nd Place: Adammatic

When you have four really great pictures, a collage is a good way to show them all. The disadvantage being a thumbnail that is a much less effective summary, especially when laid out with other thumbnails that are fighting for the attention of spectators and voters. This handsome car even has wheel wells carved out of it. $50 prize awarded.

3rd Place: Little_Kev

Shooting style and game board look familiar? It’s Tend2it’s brilliant 7 year old son! And one of the few submissions that deviated from the popular car and tophat. $25 prize awarded.

4th Place: Trevor Cubra

This lowrider car certainly looks the fastest. Almost like rocket on wheels, flying off from the sunset. Wonderful natural setup. $15 prize awarded.

5th Place: Poolshark

The only tophat to win, but it’s more than the top hat that makes this photo. The dice, a peek of magnetic text, hotels, board elements. Excellent. All custom. $10 prize awarded.

6th Place: Mathnetism

A shot so clean that our eyeballs want to melt into it. No idea how such pristine reflections were accomplished off the individual magnets. It’s as if the objects were in a completely white room, with a tiny pinhole camera peeking through a wall.  Desktop background worthy, in our opinion. $7 prize awarded.

* * *

If you haven’t already, click on the images to check out the original size. And keep in mind that contests held here are independent of the Zen Gallery. Magnet sculptors can always submit photos to gallery.zenmagnets.com to win magnets as well.

Spectators, keep your eyes peeled for the next contest, because you choose the winners.

Contest Winners, we’ll email you your prizes soon.

[button link=”http://zenmagnets.com/lime/index.php?sid=36477″ type=”big” newwindow=”yes”] Vote Here[/button]

Decent turnout. Though half of them are tophats.

Click on images to check out full size.

1st Place: $100 Zen Credit, usable on ZenMagnets.com or Neoballs.com

2nd Place: $50 Zen Credit

3rd Place: $25 Zen Credit

4th Place: $15 Zen Credit

5th Place: $10 Zen Credit

6th Place: $7 Zen Credit

Judges, remember that this contest is a photography contest just as much as it is a magnet sculpture contest, overall aesthetic does matter. Voting deadline is 5/31

Decide your favorite 4 entries, and

[button link=”http://zenmagnets.com/lime/index.php?sid=36477″ type=”big” newwindow=”yes”] Vote Here[/button]

Fun Fact: The board game Monopoly was originally invented to teach people about the evils of capitalism. And then the Parker Brothers took over, and made millions

There’s a range of creative freedom presented in Zen Magnet contests. On the end with less restrictions, there have been contests to build anything with a certain subunit, or even a small city skyline. And on the other end of the spectrum are more specific contests, like timed races to convert object X to object Y. This contest lies somewhere inbetween. Your goal is to model a specific object, but you have 8 options to choose from.

The April 2012 contest is sculpt one of the original pieces from the Monopoly board game, with a limit of 2 Sets of Zen Magnets. Some are naturally easier than others. You are tasked with cloning one of the 8 figurines, though how good of a job you do is ultimately decided by an open vote, so choose wisely.

Again, Zen Magnets only for this contest, and a 432 sphere limit. Your sculpture must be made be made only of magnet spheres. Don’t aim simply to make the most amazing sculpture, try to take the most beautiful photo. Be aware of the Background, props, and reflections. Use not your bright reflective flash, but instead the self-timer and a tripod (or stand).

As usual, the judges will be your peers. Pay attention to resolution, focus, lighting, and framing. There will be at least Six winners, and possibly more depending on participation. The prize for first place will be $100 Zen Credits, usable on Zenmagnets.com or Neoballs.com. This is a photography contest as much as a Zen Magnets contest. Everything you submit goes into the public domain. And the most important requirement is to have fun.

Submission deadline is the end of April.

To enter, load your full resolution photo on to imgur.com, and fill out this submission form:

[button link=”https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dEJzQ2xtWVNPLXBUN0tfZU1Wa0lNNUE6MA” type=”big” color=”red” newwindow=”yes”] Submit Here![/button]

So after extended voting, the standings were much more clear. These contests just keep getting better and better. There were a lot of ties this time, so a total of 9 people will be receiving prizes.

1st Place: EraZorX

Undoubtedly a veteran with magnet spheres, EraZorX is one of the true champions in the world of magnet spheres. With a big lead among all other entries, this submission garnered about 35% more votes than second place. This spaceship has a distinct cabin, rear thrusters, and it’s primary guns make up half of it’s length. If I had to guess, I would say this spaceship was designed for fighting. The photo itself has great contrast, and is uploaded in gloriously high resolution. Click for full size.

2nd Place Tie: Isaac

If the contest were to make a 2 set fighter jet, this entry would have won hands down. This sculpture is incredibly symmetrical for having such thin wing and rudder elements. A three view montage gives us a good look from multiple angles. Awesome entry. One Zen Gift Set awarded.

2nd Place Tie: Tend2it

This elaborate ship looks like the star of a top down shooter, right in the middle of shooting down it’s space foe. Very creative lighting. The little picture in picture for perspective is a nice touch as well. Uploaded in a very satisfying resolution.

3rd Place Tie: Lilmaster1000

If EraZorX’s spaceship was a fighter, Lilmaster1000′s ship would be a scout from the same division; smaller guns and bigger wings.

3rd Place Tie: LeftCoastGal

An imaginative 2d entry from one of our up and coming. Almost looks like a scene from a magnet animation, *wink*.

3rd Place Tie: Sheecacaa3

This eerie shot of a UFO beaming up monopoly houses seems to be no simple feat. The structural integrity of that cone is rather impressive.

4th Place Tie: Capoed

Two perspectives of a very cleanly built spaceship. The camera lens may be dusty, but this ship is incredible.

4th Place Tie: Mathnetism

The shape and background of this shot gives the ship such a sense of scale. As if each of the two hallow rotors could be rotating cities with artificial gravity.

4th Place Tie: YoyoBandalore

It’s hard not to win magnets when fundamentals are so strong. One of the engines are in turbo mode.. or on fire? Either way, it looks awesome.

Again, 1st place Wins 2 Zen Sets. Both 2nd place winners will get one Zen Set each. All 3rd place winners are awarded two free Mini sets. And all 4th place winners get one Mini set of Zen Magnets. If you haven’t already, click on the images for the original size. Prepare to be impressed.

Winners, contact us for your prizes.

26 Entries for the two set spaceship contest of May. The polls are open! Find the link below to vote for the winners.

Since the turnout was so big, we’re increasing the prize pool:

1st Place: 2 Zen Sets

2nd Place: 1 Zen Set

3rd Place: 2 Mini Sets

4th Place: 1 Mini Set

Click images to see full size image.

Judges, remember that this contest is a photography contest just as much as it is a magnet sculpture contest, overall aesthetic does matter. Voting deadline is 6/15

Decide your favorite 3 entries, and

VOTE HERE

The geometry of Icosahedrons and Dodecahedrons are closely related, and both have a symmetry order of 12 . A sphere of 60 magnets can be a dodecahedron (12 sided polygon) if the pentagonal rings seen as the surfaces, or an icosahedron (20 sided) if the triangles are counted as the surfaces. In geometry, polyhedra are associated into pairs called duals, where the vertices of one correspond to the faces of the other.

There is no limit on how many magnet spheres you may use. Any brand is permitted, but if you plan on building large, you’ll have a better time using high tolerance Zen Magnets. If you don’t have thousands of magnets, you’ll have to especially focus on the lighting, framing, and photographic integrity.

The above are some examples from the Zen Gallery.

As usual, the judges will be your peers. So don’t aim simply to make the most amazing sculpture, try to take the most beautiful photo. First place gets two free zen sets, second place one free set. No brand restrictions on this contest, you may use colored magnets and common tolerance magnets such as: neoballs, nanodots, and buckyballs. Again, this is a photography contest as much as a magnet sphere contest. Everything you submit goes into the public domain. Having fun is the most important requirement. Submission deadline is the end of June.

To enter, load your full resolution photo to imgur.com, and fill out the submission form:

Submissions closed. Entries posted soon.

Use a maximum of two sets of magnets (432), and a minimum of one set (216); Zen Magnets only. Mind the lighting and framing. Post processed coloring and other digital effects are permitted, but are Definitely not necessary.

You’ll need to use less than half of the magnets used in this space cruiser. Click to see the Tend2it’s original.

As usual, the judges will be your peers. So don’t aim simply to make the most amazing sculpture, try to take the most beautiful photo. First place gets two free zen sets, second place one free set. Zen Magnets Only for this contest, no neoballs or others allowed. Again, this is a photography contest as much as a magnet sphere contest. Everything you submit goes into the public domain. Having fun is the most important requirement. Submission deadline is the end of May.

To enter, load your full resolution photo to imgur.com, and fill out the submission form:

1st Place

The Rare Zen Seahorse by YoYoBandalore

Back again to lead the way, YoYoBandalore scored first place with his signature combination of build ingenuity, high fidelity photography, and strong contrast. The shot is well composed, cropped exactly as needed, and generous with resolution.

Click for full size

2nd

Scottish Terrier by Pigwedgen13

That about as ‘awwww’ as a blob of Zen Magnets can get. If a real dog had these proportions, it would most certainly be a cute puppy.

Click for full size

3rd

Bunny by LeftCoastGal

A clear shot with a clean background. The contrast causes your eyes to gravitate towards this one. Great shot.

Click for full size

4th

Silver Rattlesnake by NEWskin

This fierce rattlesnake seems to have it’s tongue out while the posture seems to say he’s ready for a fight. Beautifully narrow plane of focus.

Click for full size

And if you haven’t already, check out the many great submissions below.

Winners, contact us for your prizes.

28 Total entries for February’s Magnet Sculpting contest. The biggest turnout yet

Since there were so many entries, we’re giving out more prizes. Instead of two winners, there shall be four.

1st place: 2 Zen Sets
2nd Place: 1 Zen Set
3rd Place: 2 Mini Sets
4th Place: 1 Mini Set

Click images to see full size image.

Judges, remember that this contest requires that the magnet sculpture started out as a blob, and was squeezed, pinched, pushed and nudged into a new form. Also remember that this contest is a photography contest just as much as it is a magnet sculpture contest, overall aesthetic does matter. So many good entries, this won’t be easy voting.

Decide your favorite 3 entries, and
CLICK HERE TO VOTE

Voting deadline: 3/15

This contest probably involves the most randomness. Since all the magnets are to remain connected, you can only pinch, nudge, pry and shift. Giving up so much control means the rest of your creative energy can be spent trying to figure out what exactly you did make. And photographing your sculpture in a manner that aids your perspective, of course. This is the first time we’ll also ask for a Title to your piece, so we can try to look for what you see.

Troll Skull

As usual, the judges will be your peers. First place gets two free zen sets, second place one free set. Zen Magnets Only for this contest, no neoballs or others allowed. Again, this is a photography contest as much as a magnet sphere contest. Everything you submit goes into the public domain. Having fun is the most important requirement. Submission deadline is the end of February.

To enter, load your photo to imgur.com, and fill out the submission form:

Submissions Closed. Entries posted soon.

First Place, again: YoYoBandalore

The polls have spoken. For the second third contest in a row, YoYoBandalore comes in first, to win two free sets of Zen. The winning combination of great photography and unique magnet poetry does it again. Color neoballs used.

The photo itself is well composed, as are most of YoYo’s photos. High resolution, great contrast, good white balance, thoughtful background. Many of the entries were really good this time, but YoYo’s was still the crowd favorite by a fair margin.

Second Place: 3 Way Tie

The second place result was statistically indeterminate. All interpretations of the poll result deemed too close to call. So 3 the three winners of contest 11 are: Razuto, Tend2it and EraZorX. Each winning one set of Zen.

Razuto – Great focus, alluring background

Tend2it – Detailed 2D multi-color action

EraZorX – Shiny clean and ultra-minimalist

Winners, contact us for your Zen Magnets.

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13 total entries submitted for October’s butterfly contest. This is the second contest we’ve opened doors to all brands, leading to some sweet color neoball flair. Impressively, every single entry is 100% symmetrical. No novices here. Click to see full size, and then scroll down to find the voting link.

Remember your favorite 3, and Click here to Vote for the winners

First place gets two zens, and second place one!

Votes are being tallied! Winner posted soon

The October contest is to build a wide winged insect, focusing more on the wings than the insect part.

Use up to a total of 432 magnet spheres, of any brand, to to create a sculpture or 2d design of a butterfly. This is the second contest that we’ve had that has no brand restrictions, so have fun with it.

The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough. ~Rabindranath Tagore

As usual, the judges will be your peers. First place gets two free zen sets, second place one free set. Another thing to remember is that this is a photography contest as much as a magneteering contest. Everything you submit goes to the public domain. Last but not least, we may ask for more pictures to confirm that no more than 432 magnets were used. And having fun is the most important requirement. Deadline is the end of October, voting will last until Nov 10th. Remember: Use not your bright reflective flash, but instead the self-timer and a stand.

To enter, load your photo to imgur.com, and fill out the form behind this button:

Voting up soon.

Voting is complete!

First Place goes to YoYoBandalore!

The first place winner of the August 2R-Hex Architecture contest is YoYoBandalore, titled “Sunrise in the City”. A dark but carefully lit skycraper made of simply placed hexagons, framed by a warm and urban backdrop. Symmetrical, clean, and load bearing. Two immaculate sets of zen.

Second place goes to Ffrangconator

The second place winner is Ffrangconator’s “Floating Space Tower.” Wonderful use of subunit variations through folding. A modest base, solid shaft, and an abstract canopy that almost looks like it’s ready to spin. Good lighting work as well. Wins one zen set.

If you haven’t already, take a peek at the other entries as well. These two were not the only impressive ones.

Winners, contact us for your prize!

As always, this is a photography contest as much as it is a magnet sphere contest! Be aware of composition, lighting, and exposure. Those who use flash rarely win! Have fun

Deadline is the end of August. First place wins two zens, second place wins one. All submissions enter the public domain. Zen Magnets only. We’ll post the vote link soon after the end of the contest, and winners will be announced by Sept 10th. To enter, upload your photo to imgur.com, and use the form behind this button:

Entries closed!

A total of 9 entries were received, and the duty of judging was handed to r/starcraft. As tend2it said, “A unique interpretation of the details … well done!” Exactly 432 Zen Magnets were used in this composition of the SCII cyber core. Great Job.

Second place – Axentiu97

Click the picture for zoom. Great attention to the setup, very clear photography, and fine similarity. Submitted by Axentiu97, a veteran magneteer who we are very happy have in our gallery.

If you won, contact us for magnets.

Honorable Mentions:

Two of the best Cybernetics Cores were created only for the challenge, and explicitly not entered into the contest. Tend2it and EraZorX, two of our the most prolific gallery members, both decided to share the zen magnet wealth with some fresh faces. Cheers to these guys for their generosity, creativity, and passion.

Other Entries:

Everybody that participated deserves two pats on the back. One for the courage to have their photo shown to tens of thousands. One more for taking the time and energy to create and photograph a unique magnet creation. All of the entries were really good. All of them are linked below (in no particular order) for your viewing pleasure.

Thanks to all who participated. The next contest will be up within the next few days. Stay tuned!

Rules:

Although Starcraft fans and non-Starcraft fans alike can appreciate the abstract architecture that is the Protoss Cybernetics core, it should be said that Starcraft II is not just any computer game. It’s Korea’s national sport. It’s a real time strategy game that requires not just cunning and calculation, but also resource management and time management. Each game involves nurturing and guarding the economy that backs your firepower, while juggling units to maximise their potential in a war against the performance of another. It is a game that: trains intution of exponential growth, develops multitasking readiness, steadies one’s inner cooking-timers , exercises fast mouse/keyboard interface fluency, solicits awareness of self circumstances, pushes to broaden your horizons and expand, and reminds of humility through defeat.

Second Place goes to HYPRKLSTRKMPLX. Clear shot, with relatively good depth of field. The lander has a nicely elevated satellite dish. All features present. Clean background is a big plus. Exactly two full sets (432) were used.

If you won, contact us for magnets.

Honorable mentions:

Other stuff:

Having pictures posted to twitter was a horrible idea. The submissions were much less persistent than we expected. most of the twitter submissions have been replaced by text that says “Older Tweet results for #zenmagnets.com are unavailable.” BOOOOOOOoooooo. In the future we’ll either shorten the twitter hashtag, or pick a different method of submission. We may also try to do some kind of public voting system for winner selection next time. Or we may not. Still playing it by ear. The next contest will be up by 12/10.

And to everybody trying to buy magnets but cannot: SORRY! There’s not much we can do. Our situation is kinda like this:

Except instead of GOOD, CHEAP and FAST, ours is GOOD, CHEAP and AVAILABLE. We’ve built our brand on having the very best magnet spheres at a great price. If you would rather have GOOD and AVAILABLE, then it’s not gonna be CHEAP.