transforming a panorama movie to wall murals

[sandbox]

I have a series of questions that would bring this task to a completed project, I'm hoping that I can cover all the right questions.

Room description:
18 foot square 72 running feet of wall space built inside a larger room.
Think of it like a very large elaborate cubical.

The walls are made up of 24 glass doors.36 inches wide in 4.5 inch wooden sashes surrounding the inlaid glass. Where the doors come together the sashes meet-equaling a combined non transparent sash break of 9 inches

Invision a series of rectangular picture frames from the ceiling to the floor.

The person who is now building this space inside his house enjoys visual illusion.
What he would like to accomplish in the end is a panoramic view of many places all around this cubicle.

He would like to find a variety of Panoramas to have blown up to the size of wallpaper to insert behind the glass panels on exchangeable Plexiglas sheets.

Each Plexiglas sheet would have a mural attached to it on both sides and he could have additional two-sided Plexiglas sheets and change them as he needed.

This is a very high tech cubical with computerized lighting (64 lights with there own dimmer and programming) and sound (24 speaker individually addressable).all built into the ceiling.

Question #1 does anyone have a good resource to acquire high quality panoramas? Cost is not an issue.

2# when these panoramas are acquired does Apple have an application that would divide the panorama into 24 segments?

3# if segmented is there a way to accurately create the illusion that the lost 9 inch sash spaces are nothing more than pillars in the scenery?

Thanks  

[kps]

Whoa! Sounds like a pretty funky project.

Sorry, can't give any advice...just had to comment.

[sandbox]

Hey KPS, I guess it is!
There are many panoramas like this
http://www-geoimages.berkeley.edu/worldwid...ameIndex.html#S

Aerial View of East Perth Redevelopment FULL SCREEN for example but there small and hard to blow up to 88 inches in height or so.
I was wondering if something like iMovie or whatever would be able to take a panorama in high resolution, segment it into 24 slices before it was blown up to a life size image?

Would anyone know what resolution would be needed to meet such a requirement?  

[krissel]

Oh, WOW!  I looked at some of those panoramas and some were interesting but this one was amazing!

http://www-geoimages.berkeley.edu/worldwid...edChavalas.html

But to really do it justice, go to the main page and open it in Full Screen.

I scrolled around, zoomed and took screen shots of the compositions which I will use as desktop pics. Beautiful.  

[kps]

krissel,

very cool image. Looks like it was taken with b&w Infra Red film and then colorized.


SB,

Sounds like a major undertaking. No experience with this, just doing a little brainstorming with you.

Do you have a company that can print the panels? They should be able to tell you the specs on the files needed.

Have you thought about printing on clear mylar and using some snap-in frame to hold the image in the window?

Panoramas, as you know, are multiple images 'stiched' together with software to make a single image. I think you'd need the original images to create something that will cover 300+ square feet of area.

Unless there's something specific, I'm sure Photoshop can handle the splitting and segmenting.

CBS Outdoor is one of my customers and they can make this kind of output. Especially for 80' vinyl billboards, which are seamed. They also make translucent bus shelter panels. Doubt it'll be cheap.

CBS Outdoor in Florida

Bus shelters

The Canadian division's glass bus shelter ads:
Canuck bus shelters

Here is a link to production specs in PDF
Production

They even have templates in .sit format.

If this project comes to fruition, post some pics, y'hear!

[kps]

I knew I had an image of one of those fancy bus shelters...

[attachment=30:attachment]

[Xairbusdriver]

I'd think the 'minor' problem would be getting a high enough resolution image to begin with. Even at 300 dpi, 12" high image would become pixelated when blown up 8 times ( 25 dpi? )! And I think the width would need to be 9 feet in the original. Of course, if you could get an original image that was 2 feet tall you could probably live with 50 DPI at normal viewing distances. But it would then need to be 18 feet long. Hope you have plenty of drive space to handle the original!

I'm sure you could over come the financial costs by passing those along to your friend!

[sandbox]

Thanks folks,
Since the width of each segment is approximately 27 inches wide I would imagine that a place like Office Depot or Kinko’s could handle the printing.
Lots of ink....... and high quality media (paper) will then be glued to a panel. This part is sketchy, the gluing might degrade the quality of the picture, but the project will be trial and error as we move along.

The designer of this project would like to find the panoramas that he likes and hand them off to a wallpaper manufacturer (or someone) at first. He would also like to create a generic template in his or my computer so that he might be able to create a new room on demand, using what he had learned from the out sourcing of the first project.

So today he picks a panorama, sends it to a wallpaper co. they determine what it takes to satisfy his illusion. He learns from that expensive avenue how to do it using a computer program and Office Depot or purchasing a 28 inch wide printer and doing it on his own, is what I think is his thinking? On demand illusions is his final destination.

This project only touches the outskirts of some of his more elaborate creations, you should see what he does with stone.

Bus shelters....... I like it!

Jim at what point is pixels not obvious with keen eyes at say 36 inches?

if one were to use this room one would not be facing the walls much closer than 36 inches I would guess?

[Xairbusdriver]

QUOTE

at what point is pixels not obvious with keen eyes at say 36 inches?

Good question and one for which I have no definitive answer. Lighting will have some effect, as will the contrast and maybe the adjacent colors. And the eye is often easily tricked even when there are relatively large pixels involved. You might get by with quarter inch pixels. And I suspect that even 16 per inch may be more than adequate. So my warnings about large files may be pure conjecture and needless paranoia. OTOH, even paranoid people have enemies!

Actually, the wide format printer may be one of the cheaper ways to go. There are special spray on glues for mounting pictures, perhaps Thomas will pop by and make some recommendations. I would also consider some spray on matte finish, at least around the door opening(s) where newcomers might be tempted to do a little 'touchy feeley'!

What I've lost sight of is why the room is made of windows. Is it simply to allow viewing in/out with the panoramas removed? Otherwise, there could be a few less breaks in the image.

I just realized another minor problem with a panorama. Only expertly rendered ones have little or no distortion. QT does a good job of showing the 'front' view well, but even there, the sides will usually show a lot of distortion. I used to visit a site dedicated to panoramas, mostly created with specialized software to stitch them together. I'll try to find the url and post a link, there could be some artists who have some images this guy could use.

[sandbox]

QUOTE

What I've lost sight of is why the room is made of windows. Is it simply to allow viewing in/out with the panoramas removed? Otherwise, there could be a few less breaks in the image.

Jim that only the beginning of the story, the doors are all in tracks that role into custom closets, revealing the outer room that has doors and windows to the rest of this very elaborate design. In the kitchen, for example, 12 by 12 room floor and walls are tiled the same, the ceiling is tiled to look like the sky, there are only two counters running on either side with custom doors that look all the same. There is no typical refrigerator to be seen or cabinets, no ovens or dish washer that is apparent. Everything has similar doors. He doesn’t have a refrigerator he has four, one is used as a frig. one is a freezer the other two are used for storage.

Spiral staircases, one bladed fans and corkscrew lighting suspended from the ceiling. All the 90º corners including the windows and doors were removed and rounded. Custom laid tile trimmed with fieldstone.

i could go on but you get the picture? he’s a design engineer and his wife is an artist they know what they like and he enjoys creating illusions. The houses that they have designed are very marketable, in a Museum sort of way.

[Xairbusdriver]

QUOTE

the doors are all in tracks that role into custom closets

Whatever he/they want, I guess. Seems like a very expensive way to mount the panels...and the "walls" won't be very straight, either, unless all the doors will connect to a single track around the 'room'. I suppose the door frames will add some strength to the walls but it would seem they mainly add weight. Oh well...

Anyway, here are a couple of links to some people heavy into QTVR.
<World in Motion> Scenes from around the world
<Virtual Tour> Maybe he'd like Moscow?

And here's a link to some supposedly 'easy to use' software thatI've never used.
<Panoweaver>

It couldn't be harder to use that PTMac. It's supposed to be the premiere software for the Mac, but you'll need patience and lots of RAM and disk space to use it effectively. It was rather buggy a few years ago, I'm sure that has improved by now or they'd/he'd be out of business!
<Kekus Photo>

[krissel]

QUOTE(sandbox @ Aug 29 2006, 08:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

and he enjoys creating illusions.

Now if I were in his situation I might consider the kind of illusion that is exemplified by these images, like the one kps posted.

http://findit.cbsoutdoor.ca/public/imagede...ts,%202000-200x
http://findit.cbsoutdoor.ca/public/imagede...ts,%202000-200x

Since the 'walls' are on tracks, he could have partially transparent images that would allow various positioning in regards to the background. Very 3 dimensional naturally. Too bad he doesn't have a double track system so he could have one image that shows through to the second.

Hmmmm, lots of possibilities.

Of course in a really high tech and no budget house, he could use digital images on screens imbedded in the window walls. The panorama could change at the touch of a key or button.

[sandbox]

Jim, there's probably a reason why it is as it is, I couldn't tell you. I will say this though, if the panels are not perfect, they will be torn out and redesigned. You don't go through this much trouble to make excuses at the end. The panels will line up and be able to be moved with the touch of a finger.

If in the process of creating these projects something is not available he will find someone to fabricate it and then have it patented. This guy comes equipped with his own patent attorney and many creations in his portfolio. He takes these projects seriously and designs these projects here in Florida and places like East Hampton N.Y.

This sort of creative design is not that uncommon around here. This area is like a testing ground for every new invention on the planet, very creative people unlike myself, migrate here from everywhere with the wildest ideas. I think it's great, like brain candy. I get a charge out of their enthusiasm!

Yes Kris I see what your saying, I think every project has market parameters in mind. I think this is specifically built to satisfy a certain type of studio and someone moving from Manhattan. The budget is not unlimited, but, for example, they wouldn’t be looking for bargain panoramas or attempt to cut corners in this department.

His designs have given me some ideas, I don’t like the kitchen as it is, but it would be perfect for me if it was raised up off the floor so I wouldn’t have to bend down. It would be a Senior Solution and a problem solver for Bad Backs! We are constantly asked for ideas that would allow folks to remain in their homes as opposed to moving to ALFacilities. The  solutions usually involves incremental adjustments in the occupied space with more attention to detail. I’m sure you understand where I’m coming from.

Do you know if Photoshop will segment a panorama? Or, is any of Apple’s software capable of doing such a task?

[Xairbusdriver]

We used "kitchen cabinets" for the counter cabinets in our master bath. They are usually several inches taller than "bath" bottom cabinets. I saw many nicer hotels similarly equipped and decided it was the way to go in the house, also. We may not spend as much time in the bathroom as the kitchen, but that's no reason not to be able to save the back!

[kps]

Hey Kris, those translucent sport ads are all over Toronto and I guess that's why SB's post had me thinking in that direction. I think it would be really cool to have something like that...but i guess the designer has other plans. lol

SB,

Too bad Tacit or Scott aren't around, they have the prepress experience, but I'm sure photoshop can handle the job. I also think you may need a template for the panels. Like the ones I posted a link to from the CBS.ca site. The production PDFs specify a file size of no more than 400MB...and that's for a huge billboard, so resolution may not be that critical. Since the panels are to be separated by a double wood frame, alignment may not need to be 100% either.

I'll be over at CBS Outdoor tomorrow and I'll see if I can find some answers for you.