Some ball.
April 4, 2012 6:37 PM Subscribe
I love it. And I love the page - complete with scrolling header and LCD-style hit counter.
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 6:40 PM on April 4, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 6:40 PM on April 4, 2012 [3 favorites]
I guess you gotta make your own fun.
posted by The Whelk at 6:41 PM on April 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by The Whelk at 6:41 PM on April 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
Found something cool on the web? Oh, hey -- you did! Old-school, even!
I approve of this.
posted by Gator at 6:41 PM on April 4, 2012 [11 favorites]
I approve of this.
posted by Gator at 6:41 PM on April 4, 2012 [11 favorites]
Serious paintball.
posted by ShutterBun at 6:42 PM on April 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by ShutterBun at 6:42 PM on April 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
People have come from all over the world to see it, touch it, and paint the ball.
I very sincerely admire his restraint in not saying "people come from all over the world to touch my ball."
posted by elizardbits at 6:43 PM on April 4, 2012 [2 favorites]
I very sincerely admire his restraint in not saying "people come from all over the world to touch my ball."
posted by elizardbits at 6:43 PM on April 4, 2012 [2 favorites]
I don't believe him. Scrape the paint off and let me check.
posted by Jimbob at 6:43 PM on April 4, 2012
posted by Jimbob at 6:43 PM on April 4, 2012
Yeah, well, it's no biggest ball of twine in Minnesota.
posted by Horace Rumpole at 6:45 PM on April 4, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by Horace Rumpole at 6:45 PM on April 4, 2012 [4 favorites]
come on, it's not like there's anything else to do in indiana ...
posted by pyramid termite at 6:46 PM on April 4, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by pyramid termite at 6:46 PM on April 4, 2012 [2 favorites]
I was going to say I remember this from Ripley's Believe It Or Not, but I'm thinking of the wooden board with the thousands of coats of paint.
Nonetheless, I do Believe It.
posted by DU at 6:47 PM on April 4, 2012
Nonetheless, I do Believe It.
posted by DU at 6:47 PM on April 4, 2012
Woah. Have you grown since we've last met? I like your coat. It suits you.
I saw it a while ago and it reminded me of the infamous Salvation Mountain, which has some pretty thick layers and "paint as structure" going on. It also reminds me of graffiti walls. I've seen layers of colored paint half an inch to an inch thick on some of those.
I also worry about the physics of such a thing. Eventually the layers of paint will be too heavy and the whole thing might shear itself into pieces. That or reach critical mass and turn into a brown dwarf.
Mainly I just want to carve a big, artistic hollow in the side of it to reveal all the colors. Maybe a simple truncated inverted pyramid, or carve the whole thing into a complex solid shape of some sort.
posted by loquacious at 6:49 PM on April 4, 2012 [5 favorites]
I saw it a while ago and it reminded me of the infamous Salvation Mountain, which has some pretty thick layers and "paint as structure" going on. It also reminds me of graffiti walls. I've seen layers of colored paint half an inch to an inch thick on some of those.
I also worry about the physics of such a thing. Eventually the layers of paint will be too heavy and the whole thing might shear itself into pieces. That or reach critical mass and turn into a brown dwarf.
Mainly I just want to carve a big, artistic hollow in the side of it to reveal all the colors. Maybe a simple truncated inverted pyramid, or carve the whole thing into a complex solid shape of some sort.
posted by loquacious at 6:49 PM on April 4, 2012 [5 favorites]
Everybody in the car. Boat leaves in two minutes... or perhaps you don't want to see the second largest ball of twine on the face of the earth, which is only four short hours away?
posted by blaneyphoto at 6:49 PM on April 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by blaneyphoto at 6:49 PM on April 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
Yeah, well, it's no biggest ball of twine in Minnesota.
World's Largest Ball of Twine is, I believe, the frontrunner for Romney VP nom
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 6:50 PM on April 4, 2012 [18 favorites]
World's Largest Ball of Twine is, I believe, the frontrunner for Romney VP nom
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 6:50 PM on April 4, 2012 [18 favorites]
34 years. Yeesh. The choice of wall decoration is inspired, though.
posted by crunchland at 6:52 PM on April 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by crunchland at 6:52 PM on April 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
Put that thing into the World's Largest Cedar Bucket, and THEN you've got an attraction.
posted by jquinby at 6:53 PM on April 4, 2012
posted by jquinby at 6:53 PM on April 4, 2012
I like how the site has both a "Photographs" section and a "Photos" section.
posted by burnmp3s at 6:55 PM on April 4, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by burnmp3s at 6:55 PM on April 4, 2012 [3 favorites]
loquacious: My thoughts exactly. I just want to take a core sample of that thing so badly.
Also, are you familiar with the work of Jen Stark? Your desire for a "hollow revealing all the colors" describes her sculpture "Pedestal" exactly.
posted by The demon that lives in the air at 7:02 PM on April 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
Also, are you familiar with the work of Jen Stark? Your desire for a "hollow revealing all the colors" describes her sculpture "Pedestal" exactly.
posted by The demon that lives in the air at 7:02 PM on April 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
Looks like a tomato. Though tomorrow it might look like a blueberry. Or an orange.
posted by sexyrobot at 7:10 PM on April 4, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by sexyrobot at 7:10 PM on April 4, 2012 [2 favorites]
Wow. Paint is heavy.
posted by snofoam at 7:12 PM on April 4, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by snofoam at 7:12 PM on April 4, 2012 [2 favorites]
I also worry about the physics of such a thing. Eventually the layers of paint will be too heavy and the whole thing might shear itself into pieces. That or reach critical mass and turn into a brown dwarf.
If that happens, every autographed Babe Ruth ball in the universe will be in danger.
posted by Snarl Furillo at 7:13 PM on April 4, 2012
If that happens, every autographed Babe Ruth ball in the universe will be in danger.
posted by Snarl Furillo at 7:13 PM on April 4, 2012
OH MY GOD THE CLOWNS IN THE BACKGROUND.
posted by RakDaddy at 7:13 PM on April 4, 2012 [6 favorites]
posted by RakDaddy at 7:13 PM on April 4, 2012 [6 favorites]
This is not the first ball of paint I've made.
One of the best ledes ever.
posted by neroli at 7:19 PM on April 4, 2012 [3 favorites]
One of the best ledes ever.
posted by neroli at 7:19 PM on April 4, 2012 [3 favorites]
Goodness gracious, great balls of.... paint?
posted by Flashman at 7:21 PM on April 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Flashman at 7:21 PM on April 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
"Dedicate a coat of paint to a loved one." Honey. You shouldn't have!
posted by baltimoretim at 7:23 PM on April 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by baltimoretim at 7:23 PM on April 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
Sometimes, when I see the fruits of people's obsessive labors, I find myself wishing I had that kind of single-minded determination.
This is not one of those times.
posted by dixiecupdrinking at 7:25 PM on April 4, 2012 [5 favorites]
This is not one of those times.
posted by dixiecupdrinking at 7:25 PM on April 4, 2012 [5 favorites]
...Are we sure this isn't viral marketing for Parks & Rec? Because this sounds straight outta Pawnee.
posted by maryr at 7:26 PM on April 4, 2012
posted by maryr at 7:26 PM on April 4, 2012
Yeah, well, it's no biggest ball of twine in Minnesota.
The ball of twine in Cawker City, Kansas (which I have made a pilgrimage to see) is actually much bigger than the one in Minnesota. Some people take points off because it was not created by only one person, but I don't think that should count. Biggest is biggest.
Twine Wars...
posted by LeLiLo at 7:28 PM on April 4, 2012
The ball of twine in Cawker City, Kansas (which I have made a pilgrimage to see) is actually much bigger than the one in Minnesota. Some people take points off because it was not created by only one person, but I don't think that should count. Biggest is biggest.
Twine Wars...
posted by LeLiLo at 7:28 PM on April 4, 2012
I did this to my left testicle once. It was about as fun.
posted by cjorgensen at 7:31 PM on April 4, 2012
posted by cjorgensen at 7:31 PM on April 4, 2012
Imagine something, now imagine someone doing something to that thing. Now put that into this URL: [something].freehosting.com
That's how the internet works.
posted by mullacc at 7:35 PM on April 4, 2012 [2 favorites]
That's how the internet works.
posted by mullacc at 7:35 PM on April 4, 2012 [2 favorites]
This is just wrong. I don't know exactly why, but it is.
posted by longsleeves at 7:46 PM on April 4, 2012
posted by longsleeves at 7:46 PM on April 4, 2012
Whew. Glad we got that out of the way. I was stressed bad.
But imagine...a layer of paint with 23,000 baseballs on it. Now that's something we can all get behind!
posted by tumid dahlia at 7:49 PM on April 4, 2012
But imagine...a layer of paint with 23,000 baseballs on it. Now that's something we can all get behind!
posted by tumid dahlia at 7:49 PM on April 4, 2012
I think this is terrific. I think these little obsessions have intrinsic value. Basically, anything that would prompt snarky comments like "somebody has too much time on his hands"--that's the kind of thing I can get behind.
posted by HotToddy at 7:49 PM on April 4, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by HotToddy at 7:49 PM on April 4, 2012 [4 favorites]
"somebody has too much time on his hands"
Yeah, it's plain that this is the default reaction to anything people don't "get". Put a bunch of gnomes in the garden and give them names and you've got too much time on your hands. Cross-stitch a life-sized cow and crawl inside it. Make an animated gif of a man-fox with a big fat dick just ejaculating non-stop all over the shroud of Turin or something.
All we've got from birth is time, and we don't know how much of it there will be, and a lot of (or most) people think your time is only spent profitably if it's on work. As in, working to make money, so we can buy houses and shoes and televisions and Ab-Smashers. People who bake their own bread are accused of having "too much time on their hands". It's because a lot of people get the shits when they bust their ass on their futile, pointless way up some kind of arbitrary corporate ladder and they see that others have the sheer temerity and gall to spend a few hours a day building a model railroad where all the little people are nude.
People do what gives them pleasure and they do it for as long as they desire. They have presumably weighed up the pros and cons and performed a benefits analysis and decided that the positives gleaned from glory hole collection far outweigh the negatives in terms of resources, energy, and time "ill-spent" (glory holes are notoriously difficult to collect, after all). That said, THIS IS A FUCKING BASEBALL THAT HAS HAD 23,000 LAYERS OF PAINT APPLIED TO IT OVER A PERIOD OF 34 YEARS AND THE MAN IS OBVIOUSLY A DANGEROUS MANIAC.
posted by tumid dahlia at 8:00 PM on April 4, 2012 [51 favorites]
Yeah, it's plain that this is the default reaction to anything people don't "get". Put a bunch of gnomes in the garden and give them names and you've got too much time on your hands. Cross-stitch a life-sized cow and crawl inside it. Make an animated gif of a man-fox with a big fat dick just ejaculating non-stop all over the shroud of Turin or something.
All we've got from birth is time, and we don't know how much of it there will be, and a lot of (or most) people think your time is only spent profitably if it's on work. As in, working to make money, so we can buy houses and shoes and televisions and Ab-Smashers. People who bake their own bread are accused of having "too much time on their hands". It's because a lot of people get the shits when they bust their ass on their futile, pointless way up some kind of arbitrary corporate ladder and they see that others have the sheer temerity and gall to spend a few hours a day building a model railroad where all the little people are nude.
People do what gives them pleasure and they do it for as long as they desire. They have presumably weighed up the pros and cons and performed a benefits analysis and decided that the positives gleaned from glory hole collection far outweigh the negatives in terms of resources, energy, and time "ill-spent" (glory holes are notoriously difficult to collect, after all). That said, THIS IS A FUCKING BASEBALL THAT HAS HAD 23,000 LAYERS OF PAINT APPLIED TO IT OVER A PERIOD OF 34 YEARS AND THE MAN IS OBVIOUSLY A DANGEROUS MANIAC.
posted by tumid dahlia at 8:00 PM on April 4, 2012 [51 favorites]
Mainly I just want to carve a big, artistic hollow in the side of it to reveal all the colors. Maybe a simple truncated inverted pyramid, or carve the whole thing into a complex solid shape of some sort.
Check 'photos', not 'photographs'! Not sure whether that's the Official Ball of Paint or another one...
posted by heyforfour at 8:03 PM on April 4, 2012
Check 'photos', not 'photographs'! Not sure whether that's the Official Ball of Paint or another one...
posted by heyforfour at 8:03 PM on April 4, 2012
I had to double-check to make sure this wasn't located in Pawnee, Indiana.
posted by littlesq at 8:07 PM on April 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by littlesq at 8:07 PM on April 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
model railroad where all the little people are nude.
Dot tumblr dot com
posted by The Whelk at 8:13 PM on April 4, 2012 [3 favorites]
Dot tumblr dot com
posted by The Whelk at 8:13 PM on April 4, 2012 [3 favorites]
Beautiful. So, so beautiful.
posted by plastic_animals at 8:13 PM on April 4, 2012
posted by plastic_animals at 8:13 PM on April 4, 2012
What's more amazing than doing it is counting and keeping track of all of the layers!
posted by lee at 8:25 PM on April 4, 2012
posted by lee at 8:25 PM on April 4, 2012
What's more amazing than doing it is counting and keeping track of all of the layers!
Ahh, but that's where the fingernail collection comes in handy, you see.
posted by tumid dahlia at 8:30 PM on April 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
Ahh, but that's where the fingernail collection comes in handy, you see.
posted by tumid dahlia at 8:30 PM on April 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
They say he painted it, from a smaller ball.
posted by Flashman at 8:37 PM on April 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Flashman at 8:37 PM on April 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
In all seriousness though I'd love to see the giant baseball of paint given to Damien Hirst or some other artist and allowed to have a whack at making something awesome of it.
posted by Keith Talent at 8:55 PM on April 4, 2012
posted by Keith Talent at 8:55 PM on April 4, 2012
Reminded me of Carnegie Mellon's Fence
posted by not_on_display at 8:59 PM on April 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by not_on_display at 8:59 PM on April 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
Why does it weigh so much? It wouldn't take many gallons of paint to match its volume, and that wouldn't weigh 3500 pounds.
posted by rahnefan at 9:01 PM on April 4, 2012
posted by rahnefan at 9:01 PM on April 4, 2012
Why does it weigh so much? It wouldn't take many gallons of paint to match its volume, and that wouldn't weigh 3500 pounds.
Paint loses much of its volume from water when it dries. The resulting dried paint is denser than water.
posted by WaylandSmith at 9:08 PM on April 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
Paint loses much of its volume from water when it dries. The resulting dried paint is denser than water.
posted by WaylandSmith at 9:08 PM on April 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
Why does it weigh so much? It wouldn't take many gallons of paint to match its volume, and that wouldn't weigh 3500 pounds.
Paint dries.
posted by Optamystic at 9:08 PM on April 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
Paint dries.
posted by Optamystic at 9:08 PM on April 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
Why does it weigh so much? It wouldn't take many gallons of paint to match its volume, and that wouldn't weigh 3500 pounds.
A gallon of paint is much less dense than the equivalent volume of solid latex and titanium dioxide powder.
I can believe that a large sphere that size could weigh that much. Housepaint is basically just water, a little urea/ammonia and extremely fine particles of latex and titanium dioxide powder. When you apply paint to a surface it inherently conforms to the surface as a liquid then evaporates until the solids remain, making multiple layers very dense and free of air pockets.
This basically leaves behind a giant candy jawbreaker/gobstopper of solid latex with finely powdered minerals in it.
posted by loquacious at 9:12 PM on April 4, 2012
A gallon of paint is much less dense than the equivalent volume of solid latex and titanium dioxide powder.
I can believe that a large sphere that size could weigh that much. Housepaint is basically just water, a little urea/ammonia and extremely fine particles of latex and titanium dioxide powder. When you apply paint to a surface it inherently conforms to the surface as a liquid then evaporates until the solids remain, making multiple layers very dense and free of air pockets.
This basically leaves behind a giant candy jawbreaker/gobstopper of solid latex with finely powdered minerals in it.
posted by loquacious at 9:12 PM on April 4, 2012
Paint dries.
I know. I have watched it.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 9:14 PM on April 4, 2012 [4 favorites]
I know. I have watched it.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 9:14 PM on April 4, 2012 [4 favorites]
Fun, ain't it?
posted by Curious Artificer at 9:37 PM on April 4, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by Curious Artificer at 9:37 PM on April 4, 2012 [2 favorites]
Wake me when it reaches one solar mass and he uses it to explode the sun. (Wait, that was the collection of AOL floppies. Never mind.)
posted by Philofacts at 9:44 PM on April 4, 2012
posted by Philofacts at 9:44 PM on April 4, 2012
I'm with the carving / core sample crowd. Its already the biggest. You've won. Letting the project evolve into another stage would be a nice progression, which for me would be more interesting and worthwhile than just ritualizing the application ad infinitum. I can see how just making it bigger for ever would appeal to many, and especially if you're in the roadside attraction game, but I'm way more curious about something like this where he's going to continue the development with some reductive processes rather than just layering more paint on it no matter what.
posted by blackfly at 10:05 PM on April 4, 2012
posted by blackfly at 10:05 PM on April 4, 2012
Hey, it's like Eric Cameron's lobsters! And mackerel. And other stuff.
posted by looli at 10:08 PM on April 4, 2012
posted by looli at 10:08 PM on April 4, 2012
tumid dahlia: "Make an animated gif of a man-fox with a big fat dick just ejaculating non-stop all over the shroud of Turin or something."
I think I saw that one over on e621.net the other day.
posted by radwolf76 at 10:48 PM on April 4, 2012
I think I saw that one over on e621.net the other day.
posted by radwolf76 at 10:48 PM on April 4, 2012
blackfly: "Letting the project evolve into another stage would be a nice progression, which for me would be more interesting and worthwhile than just ritualizing the application ad infinitum."
No, see, this is the whole thing. Turning it into something would mean that it actually had a point. The best thing about this? It has no point whatsoever. It just is.
posted by dg at 11:35 PM on April 4, 2012
No, see, this is the whole thing. Turning it into something would mean that it actually had a point. The best thing about this? It has no point whatsoever. It just is.
posted by dg at 11:35 PM on April 4, 2012
Peak paint.
posted by blue_beetle at 11:39 PM on April 4, 2012
posted by blue_beetle at 11:39 PM on April 4, 2012
THIS IS THE BEST THING SINCE THE INVENTION OF INTERNET PORN!
I always wanted to say that. Maybe this isn't the place?
posted by twoleftfeet at 12:14 AM on April 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
I always wanted to say that. Maybe this isn't the place?
posted by twoleftfeet at 12:14 AM on April 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
I'm desperate to core sample that thing and count the rings.
posted by arcticseal at 1:05 AM on April 5, 2012
posted by arcticseal at 1:05 AM on April 5, 2012
looks like there has been a MeFi effect : "Site Temporarily Disabled
The site you are looking for, ballofpaint.freehosting.net has been temporarily disabled . "
posted by Baud at 2:03 AM on April 5, 2012
The site you are looking for, ballofpaint.freehosting.net has been temporarily disabled . "
posted by Baud at 2:03 AM on April 5, 2012
All gone. Damn. I really really wanted to see this, and to know if the result is anything like Fordite.
posted by kinnakeet at 4:46 AM on April 5, 2012
posted by kinnakeet at 4:46 AM on April 5, 2012
Dammit. Can't you people wait until after I get up, to break the web?????
posted by Thorzdad at 4:54 AM on April 5, 2012
posted by Thorzdad at 4:54 AM on April 5, 2012
Site's gone for me before I saw it. Is it the same one in this article?
posted by vacapinta at 4:54 AM on April 5, 2012
posted by vacapinta at 4:54 AM on April 5, 2012
Is it the same one in this article?
No, I think that's a different baseball with 23,000 coats of paint on it.
posted by rory at 6:00 AM on April 5, 2012 [6 favorites]
No, I think that's a different baseball with 23,000 coats of paint on it.
posted by rory at 6:00 AM on April 5, 2012 [6 favorites]
Optamystic: "Paint dries."
Fire burns.
Water falls.
Wind blows.
Earth turns.
posted by Splunge at 7:03 AM on April 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
Fire burns.
Water falls.
Wind blows.
Earth turns.
posted by Splunge at 7:03 AM on April 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
pyramid termite: "come on, it's not like there's anything else to do in indiana ..."
We're just waiting for the farmers to plant the corn so that we can listen to it grow all summer.
While we're waiting, would you like to play some Cornhole? (SFW)
posted by double block and bleed at 7:07 AM on April 5, 2012
We're just waiting for the farmers to plant the corn so that we can listen to it grow all summer.
While we're waiting, would you like to play some Cornhole? (SFW)
posted by double block and bleed at 7:07 AM on April 5, 2012
We're just waiting for the farmers to plant the corn so that we can listen to it grow all summer.
I do actually know people who as teenagers on farms, would go and look at the corn for entertainment.
posted by unSane at 7:34 AM on April 5, 2012
I do actually know people who as teenagers on farms, would go and look at the corn for entertainment.
posted by unSane at 7:34 AM on April 5, 2012
I like that the title of this post sounds like something Charlotte would write (in spider-webs) above the display.
posted by ShutterBun at 8:12 AM on April 5, 2012
posted by ShutterBun at 8:12 AM on April 5, 2012
It's not as big as I hoped it was going to be. Too bad. Keep painting, guys!
posted by TurkishGolds at 9:22 AM on April 5, 2012
posted by TurkishGolds at 9:22 AM on April 5, 2012
WE killed it? Pee-wee Herman put it on his Facebook page, people.
posted by Curious Artificer at 11:48 AM on April 5, 2012
posted by Curious Artificer at 11:48 AM on April 5, 2012
The Art Guys have a series of pieces called "1,000 Coats of Paint" where they've covered a variety of objects with, well, you know. The idea was used later in an "Absolut Art Guys" billboard. Not 23,000 coats, but the art guys provided crosssectional diagrams with a listing of each color and brand of paint. They also wheels of suitcases and carrots. Just sayin'
posted by cross_impact at 6:14 AM on April 6, 2012
posted by cross_impact at 6:14 AM on April 6, 2012
There is a documentary movie called Roadside Ambition. I am not sure how or even if it is in distribution. ballofpaint.com
try here http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/9792
ballofpaint.com here http://www.ballofpaint.com/newsletter/0101/index.htm
posted by Gungho at 7:08 AM on April 6, 2012
try here http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/9792
ballofpaint.com here http://www.ballofpaint.com/newsletter/0101/index.htm
posted by Gungho at 7:08 AM on April 6, 2012
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