Pinewood Design

Something to think about….

Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approximately. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

4 minutes later:

The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.

6 minutes:

A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

10 minutes:

A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.

45 minutes:

The musician played continuously.  Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace.  The man collected a total of $32.

1 hour:

He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people’s priorities.

The questions raised:

*In a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?

*Do we stop to appreciate it?

*Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made.

How many other things are we missing?

Source: http://bitsofwisdom.org/2009/10/21/interesting/perception/

written by Pinewood Design \\ tags: Joshua Bell, Metro Station, musicians, Perception, violinist

Here’s a neat kitchen gadget — a toaster that “prints out” toast. It allows you to feed multiple slices at once from the feeder at top, and spits out finished products from the bottom. It’s a concept by Othmar Muehlebach, and it won second place at a design contest in Switzerland last month.

Artist’s main page via Designboom

written by channelman \\ tags: Design, printer, Toaster

This might be the most fun you’ll have in photoshop all year.
Presenting a tutorial to transform any image into 3D using depth maps.

Difficulty rating: 3/5 dimensions

What you will need:

● 3d glasses (red/blue lens)
● Photoshop (6.0, CS, CS2, CS3, CS4)
Step 1: Image selection

Any picture can be made 3d. But if you really want a cool 3d image you have to search for one with interesting features. I’m choosing a pic of Harper (found in the press photos for threadless) for my test as he is obviously in the zone, and also because he is creating motion with the ping pong balls. There is some good depth between him and the table including the net bottom frame. The wall also gives us some restrictions which is good.

Things to look for in your image:
● Good depth between camera and objects
● Sense of motion
● Various objects & people
● RGB image (if in cymk convert to rgb)
● Try not to get images with red, blue or white in them (as you can see in some of my tests below the red and blue mixes with the channel displacement. Greens and dark earthy colours are great.

Step 2: Setting up your Image

Open your image in photoshop and save it as a .psd document. If you’re familiar with photoshop then you know all about layers and will breeze through this part with your shortcuts.
For others here is a quick guide:

● Create a new layer from menu bar (Layer → New → New Layer)
● Name it whatever you want, or call it ‘3d’ to remember what you’re using it for.
● This layer will be used to paint over the original image.

Step 3: The Depth Map

Now the fun begins…
We’ll be using a depth map which is a grey scale representation of the distances from the camera to the objects within your image. (thanks to Rafael for the definition)
The closest object represented will be white, the farthest, black and all other objects in between will be given different shades of gray.
Study your image to locate any objects you would like to pop out in the final picture.

Step 4: Greyscaling your image (“A Whiter Shade Of Pale…”)

It’s time to brush the objects from white to greys to black.
For the people learning photoshop you can just use a hard or soft brush and work on the layer we created earlier for all your various greys. Make sure you work from white to black and greys which you can do by clicking the colour button and selecting colours on the far left of the colour picker.

For the advanced photoshop users you might want to trace the objects out with a path to get a sharper image. Fill in the paths with your various shades of grey later.

Things to watch out for:
● Make sure the entire image is covered with greys, whites and blacks
● Don’t go outside the lines of your object

Step 5: Saving your depth map

So now you have an image covered in greys. It looks pretty boring right?
This step may get a little tricky so I’ll do it in point form.

➊ Click the channels tab next to layers
➋ Select either a red, green or blue channel
➌ Right click on the chosen channel
➍ Click duplicate channel
➎ It will ask what you would like to call this channel
➏ Call it whatever you want, maybe ‘MAP’ for saving purposes
➐ Under destination, click the drop down and select NEW, also give it the name ‘MAP’
➑ Photoshop will open it as a new file (you can blur the image a little bit if you want to soften the edges)
➒ Save this file as a .psd in the same folder as the image you are currently working on
➓ Close the newly created depth map

Step 6: Applying your depth map to the original image

After going back to your original image you will want to turn off the greyscale layer that you painted over the top of your original picture.
Make sure all the channels are visible again.
As this is a menu step I’ll do point form once more.
● Click the layer of your picture
● Click channels tab and highlight the red channel by clicking it.
● Make sure all the channels are still visible but the red channel is just highlighted.
● Click the menu bar at the top for Filter → Distort → Displace

This part will require some back and forth, apple z, ctrl-z moments as you calibrate the level of 3d you need before it starts to break up. It’s kind of like a sweet spot you need to find.
Have your 3d glasses ready to test the effect of the 3d map.
As you clicked the red channel you’ll want to horizontally shift the depth map to the left. Using integer scales.
So to do this set the horizontal scale to -5
Set the vertical scale to 0 (as you don’t want it to shift up)
Make sure the displacement map option is: Stretch To Fit
Undefined Areas: Repeat Edge Pixels

Click OK. It will ask for you to choose the displacement map which should be where your original image is located on your computer. Open the one you labelled MAP (or whatever you called it)

Yo Wow! the image should be 3d!

But now we need to shift the blue channel in the opposite direction to make it more 3d.

So repeat the steps for the blue channel that you used on the red channel. However this time instead of setting horizontal scale to -5, set it to 5, as it needs to go to the right. Select the same map again and the image should be 3d!

Now you can undo a few times and try stronger shifting on the displacement values, try doing from 1-10 and see how extreme the displacement effects the image.

Step 7: Find a New Image & Repeat!

Keep practicing on different images, and adjusting different horizontal values to get the 3d effect to pop better.
For more advanced 3d effects you can also use gradients to simulate perspective and vanishing points which are effective on walls and roads.

Some more pics:

Read more please visit  Source: Threadless

written by Pinewood Design \\ tags: 3D, CS4, photoshop, Threadless

ID’er David Schultze, of Pasadena-based SchultzeWORKS design studio, goes back to the future for his Philco PC concept, inspired by a 1950s Philco Predicta television set and the steampunk movement; the former can be seen in the sweet shape of the screen, the latter is referenced in the typewriter-like keyboard and substantially metal mouse.

“I felt so strongly that, with few exceptions, most computers are engineered eyesores,” explains Schultze. “[This] design was a total labor of love.”

written by channelman \\ tags: Philco PC, Philco Predicta, SchultzeWORKS design studio

Harrods is always seen as a real luxurious store and this is exactly how I would describe it, however, it is possible to visit here with some budget restrictions and still pick up some lovely items, especially when they have a sale on. The store will also sometimes host exclusive designer pieces or collections such as the recent Paul Smith Greene Street bag which is exclusively available for purchase in Harrods stores.

Mini On Location: Harrods Heli-Pad Holdall £299.00

Mini On Location: Harrods Heli-Pad Flight Bag £239.00

Mini On Location: Harrods Heli-Pad Wash Bag £119.00

Mini On Location: Harrods Heli-Pad Wallet £169.00

Paul Smith — Contents Print Washbag £89.95

PAUL SMITH — Greene Street Flight Bag

Park Street Flight Bag £199.00

PAUL SMITH Antique Ski Holdall  £249.00

Antique Ski Messenger Bag  £199.00

You can buy it here: http://www.harrods.com/HarrodsStore/find/c/men,menaccessories,bagsandtravel/psi/13

written by Pinewood Design \\ tags: Exclusive Bags, Harrods, Paul Smith

A taster of Empire’s exclusive, star-studded shoots paying tribute to some of the most iconic moments in movies of the last 20 years.

Keira Knightley & James McAvoy
Atonement (2007)

Photographed by Adrian Green at Big Sky Media, London, UK, on March 12, 2009.

Mel Gibson
Braveheart (1995)

Photographed by Sarah Dunn at 5th And Sunset Studios, Los Angeles, USA, on March 27, 2009.

Matt Damon
The Bourne Series (from 2002)

Photographed by Keith Bernstein at the WP Rugby High Performance Centre, Cape Town, South Africa, on March 25, 2009.

Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson & Rupert Grint The Harry Potter series (from 2001)

Photographed by Matt Holyoak at Leavesden Studios,
Herfortshire, UK, on March 20, 2009

Michael Sheen
The Queen (2006)

Photographed by Sarah Dunn at Grovenor House, London, UK, March 29, 2009.

Simon Pegg & Nick Frost
Shaun Of The Dead (2004)

Photographed by Sarah Dunn at Foto Theme,
London, UK, February 17, 2009.

Christian Bale
American Psycho (2000)

Photographed by Sarah Dunn at 5th And Sunset Studios, Los Angeles, USA, on March 16, 2009

Tom Cruise
Minority Report (2002)

Photographed by Robert Gallagher at 5th And Sunset Studios, Los Angeles, USA, on March 28, 2009.

written by Pinewood Design \\ tags: 20th anniversary, Christian Bale, Empire magazine, Harry Potter, Matt Damon, Minority Report, Psycho, The Bourne, Tom Cruise

 
KING of pop MICHAEL JACKSON died last night after a massive heart attack.

He collapsed and stopped breathing after an injection of a powerful painkiller named Demerol.

Jacko, 50, was said to be addicted to the drug – similar to morphine – and it is feared he took an overdose.

Paramedics who raced to his Los Angeles home after an emergency call found he had no pulse. And frantic attempts to revive him failed.

The Thriller star, who had been fighting skin cancer, was due to start a series of comeback concerts in London next month.

Instead, millions of shocked fans around the globe are today mourning a legend.

Emergency … paramedics’ monitor shows Jacko – a ‘50 year old male’ – was ‘not breathing at all’ when the 911 call was received

written by Pinewood Design \\ tags: dead, heart attack, Jacko, Michael Jackson

BB house for little monsters

HERE’S the first glimpse of the new Big Brother house – and it looks like bosses were inspired by the space cadets preparing to move in.

Big’s in space … all mod cons, including crates

Curved beams with fluorescent lights and futuristic wallpaper mirror designs from a 60s sci-fi movie.

But space is what’s missing this year – the producers have given the BB10 wannabes the smallest pad yet.

Astro turf … shrunken lawn and smoking shack

Gone are the comfy sofas, leaving housemates just a handful of wooden crates to perch on. 

Uncomfortable 

And the smoking area – last year a sit-in giant ashtray – has been replaced with what looks like a bus shelter.

The rest of the garden has also been pruned, leaving the contestants fighting it out for the �100,000 prize little room to sunbathe or exercise.

A show insider said: “This house is going to make housemates really uncomfortable as Big Brother plays more mind games than ever.

“Not only is there less space but there’s hardly any furniture and everything is painted stark white. It’s really minimalist and modern. There’s a kind of space-age feel.”

Big Brother 10 kicks off at 9pm this Thursday on Channel 4.

New BB logo’s a real dab hand

BIG Brother has revealed its logo for this summer’s series – featuring what looks like a thumbprint.
The iconic eye gets a makeover each year and has previously featured shattered glass and stars.

It is always seen by housemates as a clue to tasks the Channel 4 show’s bosses have in store.

Ha! brilliant! Bit of an eye sore though…
I have to say 70% of contestants are crazy, but this’ll send them bonkers!!!

written by Pinewood Design \\ tags: 2009, BB10, Big Brother, C4, Channel 4, glimpse, house, logo

May 19, 2009—Meet “Ida,” the small “missing link” found in Germany that’s created a big media splash and will likely continue to make waves among those who study human origins.

In a new book, documentary, and promotional Web site, paleontologist Jorn Hurum, who led the team that analyzed the 47-million-year-old fossil seen above, suggests Ida is a critical missing-link species in primate evolution (interactive guide to human evolution from National Geographic magazine).

(Among the team members was University of Michigan paleontologist Philip Gingerich, a member of the Committee for Research and Exploration of the National Geographic Society, which owns National Geographic News.)

The fossil, he says, bridges the evolutionary split between higher primates such as monkeys, apes, and humans and their more distant relatives such as lemurs.

“This is the first link to all humans,” Hurum, of the Natural History Museum in Oslo, Norway, said in a statement. Ida represents “the closest thing we can get to a direct ancestor.”

Ida, properly known as Darwinius masillae, has a unique anatomy. The lemur-like skeleton features primate-like characteristics, including grasping hands, opposable thumbs, clawless digits with nails, and relatively short limbs.

“This specimen looks like a really early fossil monkey that belongs to the group that includes us,” said Brian Richmond, a biological anthropologist at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., who was not involved in the study, published this week in the journal PLoS ONE.

But there’s a big gap in the fossil record from this time period, Richmond noted. Researchers are unsure when and where the primate group that includes monkeys, apes, and humans split from the other group of primates that includes lemurs.

“[Ida] is one of the important branching points on the evolutionary tree,” Richmond said, “but it’s not the only branching point.”

At least one aspect of Ida is unquestionably unique: her incredible preservation, unheard of in specimens from the Eocene era, when early primates underwent a period of rapid evolution. (Explore a prehistoric time line.)

“From this time period there are very few fossils, and they tend to be an isolated tooth here or maybe a tailbone there,” Richmond explained. “So you can’t say a whole lot of what that [type of fossil] represents in terms of evolutionary history or biology.”

In Ida’s case, scientists were able to examine fossil evidence of fur and soft tissue and even picked through the remains of her last meal: fruits, seeds, and leaves.

What’s more, the newly described “missing link” was found in Germany’s Messel Pit. Ida’s European origins are intriguing, Richmond said, because they could suggest—contrary to common assumptions—that the continent was an important area for primate evolution.

Read more abt this at

written by Pinewood Design \\ tags: Fossil, Humans, Lemurs, MISSING LINK

Norway has emerged as the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest, held in the Russian capital, Moscow.

Singer and violinist Alexander Rybak, 23, smashed the record for the most points awarded during the competition.

Iceland came second in the vote, followed by Azerbaijan which took the third place.

The UK’s Jade Ewen, singing an Andrew Lloyd Webber song, ended in fifth position – a marked improvement on last year’s finish at the foot of the table.

For the first time, voting in the final was split between televoting and panels of musical experts, which was supposed to reduce the incidence of predictable and neighbourly votes.

A total of 42 countries voted on the 25 songs, with Norway scoring a record 387 points.

Alexander Rybak, who was born in the former Soviet Union, is a well-known musician in Norway.

A classically-trained violinist and pianist, he wrote his country’s winning entry, Fairytale.

The previous biggest points haul was scored by Finland’s Lordi with Hard Rock Hallelujah in Greece in 2006.

No country suffered the indignity of receiving “nul points” this year but Finland finished in last place.

Denmark’s entry – Brinck singing Believe Again – was written by Boyzone’s Ronan Keating and was performed in the Irish singer’s style.

Germany’s act featured US cabaret artist Dita von Teese, who used to be married to rock star Marilyn Manson.

Her costume was slightly more demure than her outfit at the dress rehearsal after she was reportedly told to cover up by the European Broadcasting Union, which runs Eurovision, because it was unsuitable for a family audience.

Graham Norton was making his debut as commentator for the BBC, replacing Sir Terry Wogan, who bowed out last year.

‘Greatest talents’

Speaking in the Russian capital, Norton revealed that he had spoken to his predecessor, who commentated on every Eurovision final from 1980.

“Terry rang me to wish me good luck,” said the TV presenter. “He advised me to resist having a drink until the fifth song,” he added.

Jade Ewen was chosen to represent the UK through a TV talent contest, with the winning song written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyricist Diane Warren.

Her fifth place was a highlight for the UK, which has had a dismal record in recent years, with 2008’s entry, Andy Abraham, finishing last with 14 points.

It was the second time in five years the UK had finished at the bottom, with Jemini’s 2003 effort famously scoring “nul points”.

Germany’s Alex Swings Oscar Sings! act was joined by burlesque dancer Dita Von Teese, who was ordered to cover up for the family audience.

The UK’s entry Jade Ewen was accompanied by Andrew Lloyd Webber, who wrote the song. She ended a dismal spell for the UK by finishing fifth.

written by Pinewood Design \\ tags: Alexander Rybak, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Azerbaijan, Eurovision, Fairytale, Jade Ewen, Moscow, Norway, pianist, RUSSIAN, Singer, UK, violinist, Winner