Hello amazing people,I recently started learning how to paint textures by hand for VFX. Its been pretty tough so far, especially since I dont come from a drawing background. Im using a XP-Pen tablet and Krita to practice, but I still struggle a lot with getting things to look right. (Ive attached what I worked on recently)My goal is to reach a point where I can confidently make any type of hand-painted texture or flipbooks and If someone could shed some light on this I would greatly appreciate it, thank you

Pulp Studio is dedicated to environmentally responsible manufacturing and recycling. They believe that by recycling and promoting an intelligent use of resources, these practices will eventually become a standard practice throughout the world. One way Pulp Studio practices sustainability is by recycling manufacturing water and wastewater. Their processing facility uses hundreds of gallons per minute, but instead of letting it go to waste, Pulp Studio cleans and reuses the water repeatedly. They also manage waste from ceramic and organic coatings, processing wastewater to remove solids and allowing them to reuse the same water for the same purpose.Pulp Studio also promotes sustainability by recycling all glass and other recyclable materials. The process of working with glass generates a large amount of waste material. Rather than allowing this glass to end up in a local dump, Pulp Studio delivers all glass waste to facilities that repurpose it for different applications. All paper, metals and polymers capable of being recycled are also separated and picked up as recyclable waste on a regular basis. Pulp Studios commitment to environmental responsibility doesnt end with their recycling efforts. They have implemented a two-phase solar energy plan, with the goal of relying 100 percent on solar energy to operate. Pulp invested in a $3 million solar panel and battery storage system that generates 607.5 kilowatts daily, meeting roughly 50 percent of the factorys total daily consumption. Once paid off, Pulp Studio plans to add carports with overhead roofing for additional solar panels to become fully solar-powered.By continuing to push the boundaries of glasss capabilities, incorporating advanced manufacturing techniques and implementing impressive recycling and solar initiatives, Pulp Studio not only sets high standards within its own field, but also strives to be a leader in the U.S. in environmental efficiency and responsibility as well.

CHYBIK+KRISTOF has revealed images of its competition-winning new headquarters for Czech National ForestryThe London, Prague, Brno and Bratislava-based practice won a two-round, anonymous competition to create a new base for Czechias forestry commission in 2017.The studios winning Forestry in the Forest concept has now been revealed providing a template for environmentally-oriented design using low-carbon materials.The 12,000m office complex in Hradec Krlov will be the largest wooden structure in Czechia and is intended to bring about legislative changes to help promote more large-scale timber construction.Ondej Chybk, founding partner of CHYBIK + KRISTOF said: Wood is the material of the future - deeply rooted in our heritage, yet one of the most versatile, high-performing, and renewable resources.Designing for the Forestry, we saw wood as the natural choice, embodying the very essence of their mission. This project aims to pave the way for large-scale wooden buildings in the Czech Republic and serves as an invitation to fully embrace the potential of this material and the expertise behind it.The winning concept features five distinct, elongated sections which will each contain a different department. These elements are interconnected by a central main hall and separated by green courtyards.The office spaces are mean organised around shared internal areas creating a learning landscape with spaces for collaboration, workshops, and individual-focused work.Jan Stolek, design director at CHYBIK + KRISTOF said: The walls are constructed in the two-by-four system; the ceilings, horizontal slabs, built-in subcentres and railings are made of CLT panels; and for the large-span structures wooden glued trusses are used.Furthermore, sustainable solutions and materials are used as much as possible for example rubber flooring. The lighting of the building is provided by LED lights that are automatically switched off in corridors and sanitary areas. The roofs of the building are designed as green to retain water, which is then collected within the property or used for watering the garden atriums.Last month, an open international architecture competition was launched for a new 24.5 million (CSK 730 million) bus station and civic complex in Valask Mezi, Czechia.

, representing aTomoko Kubos Hiragana Embroideries Double as Japanese Language Learning DevicesApril 7, 2025CraftIllustrationKate MothesHiragana is one of three components of the Japanese writing system, along with katakanaandkanji. As a phonetic syllabary, each of the 46 characters represents a sound, and for the most part, each sound in the Japanese languageknown specifically as moracorresponds to one character.For illustrator and fiber artist Tomoko Kubo, the lettering system sparked an ongoing series of embroideries that also function as playful linguistic learning tools., representing uKubo embeds imagery into the form of each character. Pictured above, for example, is the character , which is used for the syllable u. The artists composition visualizes words that begin with that character: a horse (), a rabbit (), and a beach ().Kubo began the series after participating in an exhibition in late 2021 in which a group of artists collectively created a picture book, with each person responsible for designing one page. I embroidered the hiragana charactery (), and it turned out beautifully, Kubo tells Colossal. That experience sparked the idea to start embroidering hiragana characters.Starting with syllables from her own name, the first characters the artist embroidered were to ()andmo (). Kubo was spurred by an overwhelmingly positive reception on social media, and she plans to complete the entire hiragana series between other illustration and craft projects.Find more on Kubos website. (via Spoon & Tamago)Detail of , representing seDetail of , representing ko, representing ke, representing ka, representing su, representing na, representing saNext article

Getty ImagesNewsUK SMEs losing over 3bn a year to cyber incidentsA lack of access to technology, little to no staff training, and competing priorities are losing UK SMEs up to 3.4bn to cyber incidents every yearByAlex Scroxton,Security EditorPublished: 07 Apr 2025 18:36 Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) throughout the UK are losing 3.4bn every year as a result of inadequate and unfit-for-purpose cyber security measures, with over 30% of businesses having no form of security protections in place whatsoever, and over a quarter being targeted multiple times every year according to a new report produced by Vodafone Business.Vodafones report, Securing Success: The Role of Cyber Security in SME Growth found that the average cost of a cyber attack for a small business was around 3,400, rising to 5,000 for organisations that employ over 50 people.Vodafone acknowledged the difficulties SMEs have in addressing the torrid threat environment, with budget constraints, skills gaps, and competing business priorities all taking their toll on their ability to implement comprehensive security strategies.For example, over a third of the businesses surveyed do not give their employees security training, more than a third spend less than 100 in total every year, and just under two thirds allow employees to work from home using their own equipment, massively increasing their risk profiles.Cyber threats are becoming more sophisticated, and SMEs are increasingly in the crosshairs of cybercriminals. Investing in robust cyber security is no longer optional it is a business imperative for protecting sensitive data, maintaining customer trust, and ensuring long-term resilience, said Nick Gliddon, Vodafone Business UK CEO.SMEs cannot tackle this challenge alone. Greater collaboration between businesses, industry leaders, and government authorities is essential to providing these businesses with the resources, education, and support they need to strengthen their cyber defences. By working together, we can create a safer, more secure digital environment that empowers SMEs to grow with confidence in an increasingly connected world, he added.Vodafone today urged the government to do more to make security tools affordable and, crucially, scalable for SMEs. It called on Westminster to beef up its Cyber Local initiative, which is supposed to offer tailored support to SMEs based on size and location, but is limited to certain areas of England and Northern Ireland and only has a funding pot of 1.3m.It also recommended updates to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) Cyber Essentials programme, which it claimed is not sufficiently reaching SMEs with many remaining unaware of its existence, and suggested that financial tools such as tax credits, or a dedicated capital allowance, could be deployed to incentivise security investment.Vodafone is also offering SMEs a one-month trial of its human risk management platform, CybSafe, including access to education and training sessions to help SME employees gain confidence in recognising potential threats.Matthew Evans, techUK chief operating officer, said the report clearly set out the significant impact of cyber incidents on the UKs SME community.TechUK has called for governments Industrial Strategy to have a greater focus on raising technology adoption across the UKs SMEs to increase productivity and to recognise cyber resilience as integral to growth, he said.The findings and recommendations of this report only further underscore the need to give SMEs the attention they deserve, and to support them in implementing robust plans to build and increase their cyber resilience.Dan Bridges, Cyware technical director, added: Vodafones policy recommendations particularly calls for improved access to intelligence sharing, tax incentives, and stronger public-private partnerships are well-aligned to motivate impactful changes.We see a major opportunity to democratise threat intelligence through collaboration and low-code automation, enabling SMEs to benefit from the same level of threat awareness and response capabilities as larger enterprises. Ultimately, cyber security is a growth enabler. Protecting digital assets builds customer trust, fuels innovation, and unlocks new markets. As SMEs continue to digitise, investing in intelligence-driven security solutions isnt just about defense its about ensuring long-term success.Read more about security for SMEsDigital workspace player Espria shares the themes it uncovered at a recent discussion around technology that delivers users peace of mind.Cyber security operation Eco Group looks to help SME customers fend off threats as the challenges faced by customers continue to mount.Autodata gets Scality as-a-service for on-site immutable storage via Artesca, to allow customers to rapidly recover from ransomware.In The Current Issue:Behind the scenes at Amazon UKs robotic-powered warehouseAll change: Weighing up the options for enterprises as open source licences evolveDownload Current IssueGoogle Cloud VP: Beyond monolithic AI into heterogeneous harmony CW Developer NetworkNutanix cloud VP: A complete and open Kubernetes on any infrastructure CW Developer NetworkView All Blogs

The Sound Burger is back from the '80s to bring portability and a new listening experience to vinyl records. Currently, it's $25 off on Amazon.

Marvel Cosmic Invasions features many of Marvels most iconic characters like Captain America, Spider-Man, and Wolverine in solo or co-op beat 'em up action.

Forward-looking: British startup Pulsar Fusion has unveiled its ambitious nuclear fusion rocket concept, Sunbird, designed to dramatically shorten interplanetary travel times. Developed in secret over the past decade, the project aims to cut the journey to Mars in half and reach Pluto in just four years. With ground testing scheduled for 2025 and an orbital demonstration planned for 2027, Sunbird could mark a bold leap forward in next-generation propulsion technology. Unlike conventional chemical rockets, Sunbird relies on nuclear fusion a process that replicates the energy production at the core of stars to propel spacecraft. Rather than operating independently, these fusion-powered vehicles are designed to attach to larger spacecraft, towing payloads efficiently across vast interplanetary distances.Fusion propulsion builds on Pulsar Fusion's prior collaborations with major academic institutions. In 2023, the company partnered with the Universities of Southampton and Cambridge on UK Space Agency-funded projects exploring integrated nuclear fission systems for electric propulsion."We have recently commissioned not one, but two of the largest space propulsion testing chambers in the U.K., if not all of Europe," said CEO Richard Dinan. "Pulsar is now an international space propulsion testing powerhouse, and we have ambitious plans to expand rapidly."The company's immediate focus is progressing toward in-orbit testing. Components of Sunbird are scheduled for demonstration later this year as Pulsar Fusion pushes forward with its goal of achieving nuclear fusion in space by 2027. The broader vision includes deploying a fleet of heavily shielded spacecraft stationed in orbit to support missions for international partners, potentially enabling routine travel between Earth, Mars, and beyond.Nuclear fusion offers transformative potential over traditional energy sources such as nuclear fission or fossil fuels. While fission splits heavy radioactive elements like uranium into lighter ones, fusion combines light elements typically hydrogen under extreme temperatures and pressures. The result is a process that generates four times more energy than fission and millions of times more than fossil fuels, all while producing no dangerous radioactive waste.Despite its promise, sustaining fusion reactions on Earth remains difficult due to the immense energy input required. // Related StoriesDinan argues that space presents a more favorable environment for fusion, thanks to its natural lack of atmospheric interference. "It's very unnatural to do fusion on Earth," Dinan told CNN. "Space is a far more logical, sensible place to do fusion because that's where it wants to happen anyway."The Sunbird's design capitalizes on this advantage by using linear reactors rather than the circular tokamaks commonly employed on Earth. These reactors utilize strong magnetic fields to heat plasma, creating the conditions necessary for fusion using trace amounts of fuel, such as helium-3.Unlike Earth-based reactors that rely on neutron interactions for heat, Sunbird would produce protons as "nuclear exhaust," directly propelling the spacecraft. While this method is inefficient and costly for terrestrial energy generation, it is well-suited for space travel, where reducing fuel mass and achieving high speeds are crucial.Dinan likened Sunbird's functionality to urban bike-sharing systems: reusable vehicles stationed in orbit that rendezvous with spacecraft mid-journey to replace inefficient chemical engines with fusion-powered alternatives. This concept could dramatically shorten interplanetary missions, enabling trips between Earth and Mars in under six months and journeys to Jupiter or Saturn in just two to four years.Initial demonstrations will begin with testing circuit boards in orbit later this year, followed by a small-scale linear fusion experiment in 2027 to validate the underlying physics. If successful, full-scale Sunbird vehicles could be operational within five years.Sunbird's potential extends beyond interplanetary travel. It could also support asteroid mining missions, cutting round-trip times from three years to as little as one or two.Other organizations are pursuing similar paths. Helicity Space, for example, has secured an investment from Lockheed Martin to develop its own fusion engine, while NASA and General Atomics are advancing fission-based reactors for potential crewed Mars missions, with tests scheduled for 2027.Experts outside Pulsar Fusion recognize the transformative potential of fusion propulsion, despite its technical challenges. Aaron Knoll of Imperial College London told CNN that while energy output must exceed input for Earth-based power generation, space propulsion benefits from any net energy since it directly boosts thrust efficiency. However, miniaturizing the reactor and support systems remains a key engineering challenge.Bhuvana Srinivasan from the University of Washington emphasized the dramatic advantages fusion propulsion could offer, even for lunar missions. With its high thrust and efficiency, it could enable single-trip deployments of entire lunar bases, complete with crew. She also highlighted the possibility of using fusion-powered missions for resource extraction, such as harvesting helium-3 from the Moon a critical fuel for future fusion reactors.Unlocking fusion propulsion, she added, would not only extend humanity's reach into deep space but could also bring wide-ranging benefits. "Exploration of planets, moons, and solar systems farther away is fundamental to our curious and exploratory nature as humans while also potentially leading to substantial financial and societal benefit in ways that we may not yet realize."

Google has just officially announced the roll out of a powerful Gemini AI feature that means the intelligence can now see.This started in March as Google began to show off Gemini Live, but its now become more widely available.Recommended VideosBefore you get too excited though, at this stage at least, its only available on the Google Pixel 9 and Samsung Galaxy S25.RelatedUp until now Gemini has been a little limited, albeit in an impressive way. Its been able to understand voice, images, PDFs and even YouTube videos. Now, thanks to Project Astra, Gemini can see whats on your screen too.This means you can simply give the AI access to your screen and then ask questions about whats going on for you and it will be able to understand and answer.Perhaps even more usefully, you can share your rear camera with Gemini to talk about what youre seeing in the physical world too.Sound familiar? Yup, this is very similar to the tech Apple Intelligence was being teased as getting last year. Yet Apple has been rumoured to be struggling with this release and we may have to wait until iOS 19, or longer, before we see it arrive on iPhones.While the release is limited right now, it will soon be available to all Gemini Live subscribers using Android devices.One way to open this is to launch the Gemini overlay and select the Share screen with Live.Another way is to launch Gemini Live then select the screen share icon.In either case there is a small red timer icon at the top of the screen to show youre being viewed and listened to by Gemini Live, that you can tap into for more details.The whole experience is a bit like being on a call with a real person blurring the lines between human and AI ever further.Editors Recommendations

Levies on Chinese goods have created worst three-day rout for iPhone maker in about 25 years.