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November 3, 2017

The Daily Chord Weekly Recap – Friday, November 3

Topics to be pondered after reading The Daily Chord this week: Industry-wide sexual harassment revelations continue, ticket scalpers are bad, streaming services are making all the money, and decades later, Bob Dylan’s ‘gospel’ period still confounds. Subscribe to our email blast for an inbox reminder of the top music stories each weekday.

Monday, October 30

Tuesday, October 31

Wednesday, November 1

Thursday, November 2

Friday, November 3

The post The Daily Chord Weekly Recap – Friday, November 3 appeared first on SXSW.

Source: SxSW Music

November 3, 2017

You can’t beat HTC’s new bundle packing Vive, the GTX 1070, and ‘Fallout 4 VR’

HTC’s latest promotion for its Vive headset kit for VR includes bundling it with the GeForce GTX 1070 graphics card for PC, and Fallout 4 VR. The game doesn’t arrive until early next month, but you’ll get a pre-order code now.

The post You can't beat HTC's new bundle packing Vive, the GTX 1070, and 'Fallout 4 VR' appeared first on Digital Trends.

Source: Digital Trends VR

November 2, 2017

How to take a screenshot in VR with the Samsung Gear VR

Taking a screenshot in virtual reality sounds like science fiction, but is actually a lot simpler than you may think. Here is our step-by-step walkthrough of how to get a good screenshot taken in VR on the Samsung Gear VR.

The post How to take a screenshot in VR with the Samsung Gear VR appeared first on Digital Trends.

Source: Digital Trends VR

November 2, 2017

The ZephVR blows air in your face, which might actually make VR better

ZephVR is an accessory for virtual reality headsets that blows air on your face when you experience the wind in a game. Claiming it has a dramatic effect on in-game immersion, the developers have made it available on Kickstarter.

The post The ZephVR blows air in your face, which might actually make VR better appeared first on Digital Trends.

Source: Digital Trends VR

November 2, 2017

9 ARKit apps to try on your iPhone or iPad using iOS 11

Although we first got to see ARKit demonstrated in June, those using iOS 11 can now make use of the feature. To help get you started, we’ve rounded up some ARKit apps for you to try.

The post 9 ARKit apps to try on your iPhone or iPad using iOS 11 appeared first on Digital Trends.

Source: Digital Trends VR

November 2, 2017

Photoshop CC and Adobe Stock Tutorial: Creating a spooky Cinemagraph

Photoshop CC and Adobe Stock Tutorial: Creating a spooky Cinemagraph

It’s not usually our day to share a tutorial but why not. Thanks for our friends from Photoshop CC and Adobe Stock, we are sharing this cool tutorial about making a cinemagraph using those very same tools. Staying in the theme of Halloween since it’s still a novelty, also the tutorial is by Chris Converse from Codify Design Studio. Let’s take a look!

In Chris’s words

A cinemagraph captures the “moment in time” of a photograph, while incorporating the “cinematic effects” of motion. This combination gives us the experience of animation without the need to interpret a linear story. This means we have many more options for creating a cinemagraph experience. In this article, we’ll explore a workflow for creating a cinemagraph by compositing video, illustrations and photos with Adobe Photoshop.

Start with an Illustration from Adobe Stock

In searching Adobe Stock, I found this illustration of a spooky tree. I liked the black and white composition, and decided I’d like to keep that essence while replacing the background with moving clouds and fog. The first thing I needed to do was mask out the background. I created a new layer and began by painting over the branches of the tree with a bright color. I’ll admit, this was a bit tedious, even with a few selection tricks; but the fine detail really helped the final result.

Next, I loaded the pixels of the new layer as a selection. A short cut for this technique is to hold the Command key (Mac), or the Control key (Windows), and click the layer thumbnail icon. Then, select the original tree layer, and add a new layer mask.

Photoshop CC and Adobe Stock Tutorial: Creating a spooky Cinemagraph

The result is the branches of the tree appear in white on the layer mask, and the remaining appears in black. The result is a silhouette of the tree against a transparent background. Then, I simply added a new layer, moved it to the bottom, and filled the layer with a gradient from dark grey to black.

Adding the moon

Next, I searched Adobe Stock for a full moon. Once I found one I liked, I added the file to my composition as a linked Smart Object. In order to apply a mask, I editing the new Smart Object, added a circular layer mask

Photoshop CC and Adobe Stock Tutorial: Creating a spooky Cinemagraph

With the moon masked, add a 165 pixel white outer glow, with a spread of 6 and a blend mode of screen. This will create the effect of the moon glowing through dense clouds.

Working with video in Photoshop

Next, I downloaded two videos from Adobe Stock that we created to apply special effects for photos and video. I designed and animated these black and white videos to help you simulate cinematic effects for a cinemagraph, video, and motion graphic project. In the Photoshop file, open the Timeline panel and create a video timeline. Import a video into a layer by choosing File > Place Linked, then selecting the clouds.mp4 file.  Note: If you use the “add media track” option ( the + button) in the Timeline panel, Photoshop will group the video into a video group. To remove the group, select it, and choose Layer > Ungroup

Photoshop CC and Adobe Stock Tutorial: Creating a spooky Cinemagraph

Position the clouds behind the tree and set the blend mode to screen. This will drop out the black areas of the video, and allow the moon to show through. Apply a layer mask and fade the right and left sides to be fully transparent. This will make the clouds appear to be lit by the mood.  Next, import the fog video, convert to a Smart Object, then position it behind the tree. Duplicate the fog video Smart Object, and position the copy above the tree. This will create some depth within the fog. Add a layer mask to both fog video layers. On the further back fog layer, set the opacity to 30% and mask the right and left edges to be transparent. This will create the same effect for the fog that we set for the clouds.

Photoshop CC and Adobe Stock Tutorial: Creating a spooky Cinemagraph

Finally, mask the right and left edges even further than the back layer, giving the illusion that this fog is even closer.

Render

The fastest growing file format for a cinemagraph is video, specifically an mp4. This file format allows for many more frames than an animated GIF, and results in a much smaller, single file. While CSS- and JavaScript-based cinemagraphs can be even smaller and randomized, they do require more files, and are a subject for another article. To render a video from Photoshop, select Render Video from the File > Export menu.

Photoshop CC and Adobe Stock Tutorial: Creating a spooky Cinemagraph

More Links

Via Adobe Blogs

AoiroStudio
Nov 02, 2017

tutorial
photoshop
adobe stock
adobe
halloween

Source: Abduzeedo Tutorials

November 2, 2017

Illustration Portraits for Stylist Magazine by Mercedes deBellard

Illustration Portraits for Stylist Magazine by Mercedes deBellard

We are taking a closer look at the work of Spain-based illustrator named Mercedes deBellard and her latest illustration series for Stylist Magazine. Among the people shown in her series, you might have recognized “Mike”, the kid from Netflix’s Stranger Things. It’s a lovely collection of both drawings and paintings; I am quite fascinated by the treatment on the hair. Each portrait is greatly defined by a unique set of lines that characterized their own personalities, it’s just beautiful.

Mercedes deBellard is a freelance illustrator based in Spain. I am surprised that we have never featured her work before on ABDZ, well make sure to check out her stunning portfolio via her site and also more updated on Behance.

More Links

Illustration, Drawing & Painting

Illustration Portraits for Stylist Magazine by Mercedes deBellardIllustration Portraits for Stylist Magazine by Mercedes deBellardIllustration Portraits for Stylist Magazine by Mercedes deBellardIllustration Portraits for Stylist Magazine by Mercedes deBellardIllustration Portraits for Stylist Magazine by Mercedes deBellardIllustration Portraits for Stylist Magazine by Mercedes deBellardIllustration Portraits for Stylist Magazine by Mercedes deBellard

 

AoiroStudio
Nov 02, 2017

illustration
drawings
painting

Source: Abduzeedo Illustration

November 1, 2017

New Music! SXSW Artist Releases – November 2017

We’re deep into the fall, and November’s release schedule is looking strong. September and October are generally two of the busiest months for new releases each year, and we see a slight drop off in terms of quantity once November begins. This year sees this trend continue, but there are many highly anticipated albums from SXSW alumni artists that we will be pointing out for your listening pleasure.

November 3 Releases

This week there are 5 new releases from SXSW artists. English singer Sam Smith returns with his second album titled The Thrill of It All. Canadian indie-rockers Casper Skulls release Mercy Works. UK veterans Stereophonics have jumped the gun and released their album Scream Above the Sounds at the beginning of the week, and are already enjoying a good release week. Industrial leaning rock band AUTOBAHN have The Moral Crossing hitting record store shelves on Friday as well.

After organizing the list of new releases, we pick one new album and make a playlist incorporating new music from past SXSW Showcasing Artists for fans to discover other like-minded artists. This week’s playlist features indie dance music and is inspired by Shamir, whose new album Revelations is dropping this Friday. Act quick because these playlists will only be active for seven days before we pick a new artist to focus on.

Keep up with our playlists on the official SXSW Spotify channel, and be sure to follow the playlist.

Release of the Week Playlist

Past Showcasing Artist November 3 Releases

AUTOBAHN – The Moral Crossing
Casper Skulls – Mercy Works
Sam Smith – The Thrill of It All
Shamir – Revelations
Stereophonics – Scream Above the Sounds

Join Us For SXSW 2018

Firm up your plans to attend SXSW buy purchasing your Music Badge today for primary access to all SXSW Music events including conference sessions, official showcases, mentor sessions and more. Register by Friday, November 17 to save $300 compared to the walkup rate, and book your hotel through SXSW Housing & Travel ASAP to get the best rates on rooms closest to the event.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and SXSW News for the latest SXSW coverage, announcements, and updates.

Shamir – Photo by Jason Macdonald

The post New Music! SXSW Artist Releases – November 2017 appeared first on SXSW.

Source: SxSW Music

November 1, 2017

Q&A and Portrait Gallery: Ringo Deathstarr

All photos by Dylan O’Connor

The SXSW portrait series focuses on one SXSW alumni band, either local or traveling through Austin on tour, to find out what they have in the pipelines and shoot some cool photographs.

Local shoegaze mainstays, Ringo Deathstarr, have performed at SXSW multiple times over the last decade, and toured all over the world. We recently met up with them to take some photos and talk about their experiences performing at SXSW, new music on the horizon, and their recent performances.

Read on and browse through the gallery.

Q&A

When we visited your studio you were in the middle of recording. How does the music you are working on fit in with what you’ve already released?

The new songs are a diverse batch that we’ve all been working on over the past year and a half. To me this feels kind of like Mauve in a way but time will tell. We are recording on a Tascam 388 tape machine so that has made the recording process all the more tedious/rewarding. I think it will end up being a dreamy/heavy/real-band-sounding masterwork.

The band has done quite a bit of touring over the years, where has been your favorite country to visit and perform?

I think we all agree that Japan is our number one favorite place to visit/perform. The shows there are the best and the schedule is so comfortable!

Ringo Deathstarr has been an official SXSW Showcasing Artist 7 times, any interesting stories from these showcases?

To be honest, they all kind of blend together. We have done SXSW where we played like 12 shows in 3 days. Now we take it a little slower. It’s better that way. The weirdest SXSW memory I have personally was seeing Yoko Ono at Elysium. It was a very surreal experience.

What does the fall have in store for you all?

We just got back from a lil’ mini tour of Shanghai, Tulsa, and Ames, Iowa. The rest of the fall will see us recording and playing gigs around town unless something else pops up!

Portrait Gallery

All photos by Dylan O’Connor

The post Q&A and Portrait Gallery: Ringo Deathstarr appeared first on SXSW.

Source: SxSW Music

November 1, 2017

Pitchbook Report Reveals New Data from 10 Years of the SXSW Accelerator Pitch Event

2017 SXSW Accelerator Pitch Event – Photo by Alexa Gonzalez Wagner

Each year, the SXSW Accelerator Pitch Event® showcases the most innovative and exciting technology from the global startup ecosystem, supporting new ideas and driving early-stage growth. Since its inaugural year, 403 participating companies have raised a total of $4.63 billion in funding. SXSW 2018 marks the event’s tenth year and largest to date.

PitchBook, a financial data and software company, has complied a decade’s worth of data into a report for the SXSW Accelerator Pitch Event. According to the new data, 2017 is on course to become the fourth straight year of more than $30 billion in venture capital commitments.

What’s more, the available venture capital to deploy has reached a benchmark high, currently sitting at $92 billion. In 2017, the median angel and seed deal size surpassed $1 million for the first time, and the median pre-money valuation was pushed over the $6 million mark. For SXSW Accelerator participants, the median capital raised has reached $2.5 million.

“As a data provider for global private and public financial markets, PitchBook has kept a close eye on the ebbs and flows of the venture capital industry over the last ten years, specifically how the SXSW Accelerator, and programs like it, have played a role in driving the industry forward,” said Steve Bendt, VP of Marketing at PitchBook. “What’s clear from our data is the SXSW Accelerator program has set the bar for early-stage startups, representing the quality standard VC investors now expect from prospecting portfolio companies. Much like past years, we anticipate 2018 SXSW Accelerator participants to take up VC mindshare and go on to disrupt the way we live, work, and play.”

Download the SXSW Accelerator Pitch Event Report from Pitchbook to explore the 2018 industry categories and data on standout, past participants from the most VC capital raised to most active investors in SXSW companies and much, much more.

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Enter the 2018 SXSW Accelerator Pitch Event

SXSW Accelerator Pitch Event is seeking inventive startups to participate, offering the opportunity to demonstrate their product and the possibility to obtain funding. Connect and compete in front of a live audience, industry experts, venture capitalists, and high-profile media at SXSW 2018 from March 10-12.

“With the current trend of tremendous growth opportunities for startups in the marketplace, celebrating our 10th year couldn’t have come at a better time,” said Chris Valentine, SXSW Accelerator Pitch Event Manager. “The rapid success we’ve seen from past participants such as Tango, Spredfast, Hipmunk, Siri, and Soylent, and the rising trend in our international participation, proves that SXSW Accelerator has become the premier destination for global innovation and technology.”

To learn more, watch the spotlight video on the SXSW Accelerator Pitch Event, follow eligibility requirements, and read the FAQ.

Accelerate your startup company to the next level – enter your project before the application deadline on Friday, November 10, 2017.

Apply Now

2017 SXSW Accelerator Pitch Event – Photo by Alexa Gonzalez Wagner

The post Pitchbook Report Reveals New Data from 10 Years of the SXSW Accelerator Pitch Event appeared first on SXSW.

Source: SxSW Interactive