This device is an open, glass-covered, box with a grid full of smooth push pins.
An impression is made by pressing something(a face form here) onto the grid from behind.
The device was then placed on blue poster board...red board placed behind. One desk lamp
illuminated the face, facing "out" to the right. Another lamp was jiggled behind and
close to the red board. The combo lighting allowed for the joint between boards to
"darken out". The pins are very smooth-textured...I couldn't get them any sharper.
This reminds me of the "dawn of man"...man's first thoughts. It was a fun experiment.
Oh yeah...a polarizer was used because the glass was very reflective.