ArtSpotter is an online website that allows people to interact with galleries, museums and street art right from the website. Just click on the “Discover” button, and you will see a map open up down below with markers placed on it pointing out all the art activities, events and happenings around the world. If you happen to find one you like, just click on it to know where the event is happening and even find discount tickets.

You can even follow events to know when they start, end, and even get discount tickets with ArtSpotter. If you are the ‘travelling’ type of a person, you can contribute to ArtSpotter and add locations to the map where there are museums, art galleries, street art, graffiti, etc.

The Artspotter app is available on the iPhone as well which helps you find exhibitions on the go.

Features

• Never miss local/international exhibitions and art shows.
• Follow event to get discount tickets, and much more.
• iPhone app available – makes it possible to keep in touch everywhere.

Check out ArtSpotter @ http://artspotter.com/venues?keyword=&location=co3+9bb (via TNW)

If you are a more visual person, try watching one of the many instructional videos they have posted or see what videos are coming in the future. You can even browse through a list of Origami books in a variety of languages. In short, the website has every resource you can need to get on with Origami and also points you to some additional websites if you didn’t find the information on HappyFolding.

Features:

• Origami pictures, diagrams and instructional videos.
• Read about different types of Origami papers.
• Similar tools: Origami-club and Origami.

Visit HappyFolding @ www.happyfolding.com

CanYouDrawTheInternet is a competition launched by UK-based digital agency Saint, ArtWeLove, Deviant Art, The Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, and The NYC Department of Education. The competition asks people to describe the Internet in a single image.

Submissions are invited from students and professionals. While the professionals get only the privilege to showcase their work on the website, the best student submission will be awarded $100. The best entries will be featured on the site; these entries will be viewed by all visitors.

You can submit your entries on the CYDTI website. Your image must be in the JPEG, JPG, or PNG format and sized less than 3MB. You can also visit the site to browse the entries already submitted.

The submissions to the site will be sold through Artwelove with the proceeds going to New York’s public schools.

Features:

• A drawing competition.
• Invites entries from students and professionals.
• Best student entry will be rewarded $100.
• Best entries will be featured on the site.

Check out CanYouDrawTheInternet @ www.canyoudrawtheinternet.com (By Umar from TechCityInc)

Art Finder is a free and simple to use website that lets you share art and discover new art. After creating an account on the website you gain access to images of countless paintings from artists, galleries, museums and collections from around the world. The site features images, articles, and artist biographies, all of which will greatly interest all art fans.

Additionally you can form your own art profile by marking the paintings you like; based on your selections you will be recommended paintings you might not have earlier seen. You can also share art on Facebook and Twitter to discuss it with your friends who are art enthusiasts.

Features:

• A user-friendly web service.
• Helps discover new art.
• Helps learn more about artists and their work.
• Features images of paintings from artists, galleries, museums and collections.
• Lets you share on Facebook and Twitter.
• Similar tools: Google Art Project and VirtualMuseum.
• Also see How To Search the Collections of Famous Libraries & Museums.

Check out ArtFinder @ www.artfinder.com (via Mashable) (by MOin from ThumbPress)

Klowdz is a free to use drawing tool that lets you create drawings with a backdrop of clouds. You start by selecting a cloud image from the ones available, in case you do not want to work with the default one provided to you. Next you draw with your mouse using a series of different types of brushes that include Sketchy, Curvy, and Fur, amongst others. Your only drawing tools are these brush types with variable thickness and colors. The absence of any other tools puts your creativity to the test and produces remarkable results.

When you are finished drawing, you can click on the “Save” button to process your drawing and save it to your hard drive in the JPG image format.

You can create an account on Klowdz and publish your drawings online. The URL of the drawing can then be shared with others. The site features its best drawings in its gallery which is viewable by all.

Features:

• A user-friendly web service.
• Lets you create unique drawings with a backdrop of clouds.
• Provides different images of clouds.
• Offers different types of brushes.
• You choose different colors and brush thickness.
• Images can be published online or downloaded in JPG image format.
• Similar tools: CoSketch, EndlessMural, Drips, ScribblerToo, FlashPaint, OdoSketch and Sketchswap.

Check out Klowdz @ www.klowdz.com (By Umar from TechCityInc)

The site, like many other such Google projects, was started as a part of the 20% time that Google gives to their engineers to work on creative stuff. You can also sign in and create a personalized collection of your favorite artworks.

Watch demo video:

Features

• Explore museums from around the world.
• Browse through artworks in super high resolution.
• Create your own collections.
• Similar site: VirtualMuseum.
• Also see How To Search the Collections of Famous Libraries & Museums.

Check out Google Art Project @ www.googleartproject.com (via TechCrunch By Abhijeet from Guiding Tech)

Once created, your LEGOPortraits can be shared with the world easily by uploading them to a social network, emailing them or simply tweeting about them. The app works on iPhone, iPod Touch as well as the iPad. You can also apply the Lego affect to your existing photos and creating a ripple effect that changes the colors of the photos by simply touching the screen.

Features:

• Convert photos into Lego Portraits.
• Convert photos taken with iPhone camera or existing ones.
• Create new colors for your photo by touching the screen.
• Save Lego portraits and share them with the world.
• Works with iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.
• Siomilar tools: Brikify, Piq, Q-Block, Colorpx, Pixie, CubeScape and Pixuffle.

Get LEGOPhoto from iTunes

SpamRecycling is a free to use website that converts your spam emails into unique animations that are accompanied by audio. All you do is forward your spam emails to “spam@spamrecycling.com”. You are sent an email reply with a link that you need to click. This link takes you to Spam Recycling’s website where your spam email’s text is loaded up like in the image above. To the left of the text you will see a control box where the background and the animation can be controlled.

Immediately your animation will begin and sounds will be played that make watching the animation even more fun. The audio can also be disabled via a button in the top right.

At anytime you can use the control box on the left to save an image of the animation in desktop resolution. The image is generated and emailed to you.

Features:

• A user friendly website.
• Lets you turn spam into unique visual art from.
• Plays audio with the animation.
• The audio can be disabled.
• Lets you take a screenshot of the animation at anytime.
• Emails you the screenshot in JPEG format and desktop resolution.

Check out SpamRecycling @ www.spamrecycling.com (by MOin from ThumbPress)

National Stolen Art File is the FBI’s public online index of all US thefts and robberies of art items such as books, carpets, guns, antiques, etc. A simple search box located in the right pane of NSAF’s homepage lets you search for stolen items through their category, maker, title, period, and any other additional data ““ not all fields need to be filled out. Results are quickly displayed in the left pane.

You can click on a result’s title to find out its details.

Particularly for antique dealers NSAF is a must-bookmark website. Before they buy an art piece, they can pay a visit to NSAF and quickly check whether or not the art item was stolen from somebody.

Features:

• Stolen artwork database by FBI .
• Lets you search for US art thefts.
• Covers a wide variety of art items.
• Provides various details on each stolen item.

Check out NSAF @ www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/vc_majorthefts/arttheft/national-stolen-art-file (via ResearchBuzz) (by MOin from ThumbPress)

Once you save your piece, it will be added to the ongoing mural that contains work from hundreds of other users. You can view all of these pieces in motion by going to the gallery and clicking on any of the thumbnails. Every time you make a fresh drawing, the rendering is completely different and unique.

The art piece you make can be easily shared via Facebook, Twitter or email.

Features:

• Renders your simple drawing gestures in 3D.
• Adds your art piece to an on-going mural.
• View other user’s drawings in motion.
• Easily share your piece via social media or email.
• No registration required.
• Similar web apps: Drips, ScribblerToo, FlashPaint, OdoSketch, and Sketchswap.

Visit EndlessMural @ www.endlessmural.com