Friday, May 13, 2016
Saturday, May 7, 2016
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
Assignment 5: Mesmer
Concept
My intent for this assignment was to create a collection of
presets that would allow for performance adjustments. Each of the presets start
out with little to no light allowing for a transition from one preset to the
next. The presets go from organic to rigid geometric shapes. The presets are as
follows; Fire and Ice, Sunflower, Oculus, Kaleidoscope, and Geo-Beats.
Method
I wanted to use midi as the primary tool for this project
since I hadn’t really played with it before. I started out by collecting
content that was either free or royalty-free. As I worked I came up with my five presets. Each of the presets would flow into the next. As pictured below I used the Novation Launch Control XL. This was an amazing tool to work with and I can think of so much more I would want to do with it in the future. I primarily set the RGB values for each part of my presets (Center, Outer, and Background). I also applied a slider and knob for the lines opacity and speed of the animations. Since I couldn't figure out how to put the lines on audio controlled I applied it to midi so I could adjust int manually.
Side Notes
After completing this assignment I decided to look into
different midi controllers that would best work for projections. I found that
the Novation Launchcontrol XL was the best fit for the range of controls and
price point of $150. The sliders by far are my favorite feature and it was
difficult to find another controller that that had eight or that wasn’t in a
higher price bracket.
Troubleshooting Audio input for Modul8
If you decide to use audio with modul8 there are two knobs at the bottom right of modul8. turn both of the in and out knobs to the left. In the Mac system settings make sure your input(be it mic or audio input) is set up correctly. If it isn't working in Modul8 just save and restart the program. Also make sure to export your midi setup for Modul8. Madmapper will save your settings but Modul8 won't. The easiest thing to do is export and import your midi each time you open the program.
Final Projection - ArchFlow
In developing the video content for this piece, I found the Photo-Jpeg codec to be an optimal format for high quality videos being manipulated in real time by Modul8. Because it is uncompressed, Modul8 does not have utilize the cpu to uncompress every frame and can simply store the video in memory. While Photo-Jpeg encoded videos do tend to have a larger size, they allow for real-time manipulation of HD videos without any lag.
Music was created by AvantGardeMusic, https://soundcloud.com/avantgardemusic-1.
Nathaniel Propp
Philip Baker
Final
Project
Concept
For the final project we wanted to explore an overarching
theme. In previous projects we explored dementia and, after brainstorming, we
arrived at the conclusion that the loss of identity is the aspect of dementia
that was we wanted to emphasize on. We realized that the idea of identity was
extremely promising as an area of exploration. While the dementia piece was the
second work in our presentation, we ultimately built our idea around it. When looking
at dementia from this focus of identity, we realized that it is effectively the
painfully slow decay of identity fading away. From this end, we decided to take
it back to a relatable message of routine. Both of us are at working age in our
lives and felt that our routine had become very much of our identity. So we
came up with the piece titled “Lost in the Routine” we picked a persona of a
young office worker whose routine has taken over his life. We composed a video
of a mixture of our filmed footage as well as combined it with found footage.
Special thanks to
College Humor
GoPro and YouView
We then made this daily routine of the person come to life in
a very boring way. However in the spirit of repetitive nature of a routine we
then duplicated the video by 4X and speed it up slightly. We repeated this
process until we ended up with a very abstract chaos that reveals the craziness
of allowing a mundane routine to dictate how you spend your life, and
ultimately become who you are.
We then followed this piece up with “Dementia.” For this we
searched for poems over the subject to gather inspiration and to clarify what
exactly dementia is, and how it affects people. We cam across a poem by Juliet
Rains. It reads as:
Alzheimers
By Juliet Rains
You try to talk,
Your words strung
together
Like a cross-word
puzzle that still needs to be solved.
You try to read,
The story like a foreign movie
Missing the subtitles,
No way for you to
connect the dots.
You try to walk,
Your feet don’t respond
As you sink to the bottom
Of the vast ocean of nothingness that is you now.
You try to remember
But the gate is closed,
The lock secure,
The key,
Oh, that key,
Who took that key,
Who took you away from you,
Away from me
This poem helped us formulate a composition that takes the
views of several different people suffering from Alzheimer’s and relate it back
to the poem. This one was a very poignant piece for us. We were both lucky
enough to have very positive and influential elders in our life. However, their
absences is just as influential as their presence was.
The final piece we intended as an installation piece that is
meant to be interacted with after the presentation. Using processing we wanted
to reflect the focus back on the view in order to reflect on their own identity.
So sequentially: The first work was meant to draw attention to how an identity
is formed through actions, The second is to show how fragile identity really
is, and the third is to draw attention to how you see yourself now. Using
processing we created the installation to react to both light and sound. We
manipulated the light to distort the captured video of the viewers. Very much
in the same way we all have distorted perceptions of our selves. We then used
sound to drive the opacity of the video. This means that you have to literally
make noise to be noticed.
After completion of this project, and ultimately the course,
we believe that our work with identity really elevated us to a new conceptual
use for the technology.
Technology and
Technique
Many thanks to Ronald Wu and Bill Watts for using Maya and
Rhino to create the arch form in 3D shape. Another big thanks to them for
utilizing Pepakura and the UTD laser cutter to fabricate it in real space.
Once we had the arch form, we used 2 projectors provided by
Andrew Scott and The University of Texas at Dallas.
We used Madmapper to help calibrate and shape our
projections onto the form.
Modul8 was a great tool for us to manage and manipulate our
video content. By connecting a midi controller we were able to control aspects
of the video, such as: lightness, contrast, blur, noise, RGB values, etc. to
tailor a live performance around the piece.
For the final work in the presentation, we utilized
processing to compose a sketch that took webcam feedback and broke it down into
adjustable pixel cells sizes of averaged color. We then determined the
brightness from cell to cell to determine the z location in processing P3D
space to distort the image but retain some control via lighting.
Monday, May 2, 2016
Ronald Wu & Mo Murphy
Title: Mirror, Mirror
Concept
This sculpture focuses on self-perception. We wanted to demonstrate how one might percieve his/herself and how that point of view in unique to them alone. The sculpture reveals two figures peering towards the viewer immersed in a constantly changing environment. The figures remain distorted throughout to illustrate how that point of view is unique to them alone and might look completely different to someone else.
Process
1. Developed the model in Maya & Rhino
2. Unwrapped UV Map using Maya
3. Brought UV template into After Effects
4. Filmed footage for video distortion
5. Edit footage to UV template via After Effects
6. Compile video layers and footage in Modul8 and MadMapper
7. Syphon audio synced layers from Modul8 to MadMapper
8. Linked up Midi-Controls to MadMapper
After Effects
Modul8
MadMapper
Link to Facebook Video
Concept
This sculpture focuses on self-perception. We wanted to demonstrate how one might percieve his/herself and how that point of view in unique to them alone. The sculpture reveals two figures peering towards the viewer immersed in a constantly changing environment. The figures remain distorted throughout to illustrate how that point of view is unique to them alone and might look completely different to someone else.
Process
1. Developed the model in Maya & Rhino
2. Unwrapped UV Map using Maya
3. Brought UV template into After Effects
4. Filmed footage for video distortion
5. Edit footage to UV template via After Effects
6. Compile video layers and footage in Modul8 and MadMapper
7. Syphon audio synced layers from Modul8 to MadMapper
8. Linked up Midi-Controls to MadMapper
After Effects
Modul8
MadMapper
Link to Facebook Video
Sunday, May 1, 2016
Sowmya Rajendran: Hourglass Relief
Sowmya Rajendran
__________________________________________________________
Concept
Time is a precious commodity for human beings. It is an abstract and intangible concept that presides over every aspect of our daily lives. We are consumed by our past judgments, our present routines, and our uncertainties about the future. The hourglass is a concrete symbol of the ephemeral nature of life and the inevitability of the consequences of time. The concept of balance between the past, present, and future is recognized in the symmetrical shape of the hourglass, with its counterbalanced triangular compartments. The idea of duality in life can also be drawn from its form.These ideas commonly associated with the hourglass symbol were explored in my projections.
Process
For this project, we were going to be working individually, but teams were also going to be sharing one relief sculpture to project onto. When brainstorming about our projection canvas, Maryam, Brittany and I decided to revisit our old hourglass model from week 1. Maryam and I remodelled the hourglass piece into a low-poly model. This model was taken into Pepakura for laser cutting and the final layout was done in Rhino.
First, a calibration was done to fit the virtual model onto the physical relief. I utilized the calibrated model as the "spatial scan", so that I could work on animations off-site. I wanted to create a glass shatter effect for some of my compositions, and I found that I could achieve this effect pretty easily on After Effects.
In After Effects, you can create customized shatter maps that break/shatter according to the shapes you define on the map. I made a customized shatter map by importing the scanned hourglass image into Photoshop and blocking out the areas I wanted to shatter with multiple colored shapes. This map was taken back into After Effects and applied into the preset. Here's an easy step-by-step tutorial on how to make your own shatter maps!
All the animations were aggregrated into Modul8 into the different preset nodes and syphoned into MadMapper. I utilized the midi controller buttons to switch between presets on each software simultaneously. Midi controls were also added to the color and video speed knob in Modul8.
Finished Pieces
Concept
Time is a precious commodity for human beings. It is an abstract and intangible concept that presides over every aspect of our daily lives. We are consumed by our past judgments, our present routines, and our uncertainties about the future. The hourglass is a concrete symbol of the ephemeral nature of life and the inevitability of the consequences of time. The concept of balance between the past, present, and future is recognized in the symmetrical shape of the hourglass, with its counterbalanced triangular compartments. The idea of duality in life can also be drawn from its form.These ideas commonly associated with the hourglass symbol were explored in my projections.
Process
 |
| Hourglass Model |
First, a calibration was done to fit the virtual model onto the physical relief. I utilized the calibrated model as the "spatial scan", so that I could work on animations off-site. I wanted to create a glass shatter effect for some of my compositions, and I found that I could achieve this effect pretty easily on After Effects.
In After Effects, you can create customized shatter maps that break/shatter according to the shapes you define on the map. I made a customized shatter map by importing the scanned hourglass image into Photoshop and blocking out the areas I wanted to shatter with multiple colored shapes. This map was taken back into After Effects and applied into the preset. Here's an easy step-by-step tutorial on how to make your own shatter maps!
All the animations were aggregrated into Modul8 into the different preset nodes and syphoned into MadMapper. I utilized the midi controller buttons to switch between presets on each software simultaneously. Midi controls were also added to the color and video speed knob in Modul8.
Finished Pieces
Project 05: The Archway
Concept:
For this project, I chose imagery relating to the shape of
the archway in addition to natural archways found in the real world. I also
incorporated my poetry and instrumental music by Sleeping at Last. Below is the title/subject of each piece, its
description, and finished piece.
1. Their Sunset; Our Sunrise
This is a poem I wrote in high school. It’s
based on the structure of the poem “Fire and Ice” by Robert Frost. The arched
shape of a sun set/sun rise inspired the use of this poem for my concept. The
music playing in the background is “Saturn” by Sleeping at Last.
Transcript:
“They say today our sun will set; we say it will rise,
From our past full of regret, we hold onto, we shall not
fret, if we just let go our cries.
We think we know enough of love to know that we’ll surprise,
And today above their setting sun, our sun will surely rise.”
2. Glacial Arch Collapse
For this piece, the archway shape reminded me of the glacial
arches found near the earth’s poles. The collapse of the ice archway is a
reminder of the effect of global warming (whether natural or enhanced by
humans). The music playing in the background is “Arctic” by Sleeping at Last.
3. Ocean Arch Aquarium
For this piece, I planned to turn the ocean archway into a sort
of aquarium and slowly fill it up from top to bottom with trash to bring
awareness to the impact consumerism has on the environment. However, due to
falling short on time, I was only able to get the aquarium into the background.
The music playing in the background is “Pacific” by Sleeping at Last.
4. Space Arch Portal
For this piece, I wanted to turn the archway into a gateway
portal to the celestial heavens above. The archway shape reminded me of the
arch of a “shooting star” that enters our atmosphere during a meteor shower.
The music playing in the background is “Moon” by Sleeping at Last.
Process:
The archway sculpture was modeled in Autodesk Maya, laid out
in the Pepakura software, and prepared for laser cutting in Rhino. After the
archway was laser cut, assembled, and placed in the studio classroom, I helped
tape the edges of the geometry on the archway while my classmates calibrated
the model in MadMapper. Lines were created and two masks (one for each
projector). Next, I gathered free stock video footage relevant to my concepts,
imported the media into Modul8 on both sides of the archway (flipped the image,
set my presets in MadMapper, hooked up the Arturo Beatstep midi controller, and
mapped midi controls to Modul8 and MadMapper.
Project 04: Hourglass Relief Sculpture
Concept:
For this project, Sowmya, Maryam, and I decided to create an hourglass shaped relief sculpture based off our first project this semester. However, each one of us created our own concepts for the relief sculpture.
The hourglass shape was the perfect projection relief sculpture for a poem that I had written during my senior year of high school. At the time, I learned about Shakespeare's sonnets and was assigned to write my own sonnet. "Stress" was the overall subject I chose as it was my last semester of high school and I wanted to creatively express how I felt during that time. Due to the relevance of the poem to my current stressed out emotional state in my final semester of graduate school, I felt adding imagery would enhance the poem's execution. Furthermore, I edited the last couple lines to make the poem even more relevant to my current emotional state 7 years later. Below is the poem:
Forever the sand continues to fall;
Like a clogged vein I feel pressure.
Each day I give this life my all;
Never more than I have measured.
With broken shoulders I hold a burden;
The weight builds as I devour complex fruit.
Like a walk through God's troubled garden;
This stressed soul lacks an armored suit.
The stump in my day, it shows distress,
Like jagged marks observed in severed trees.
I humbly bow, my heart confessed,
Turn one hundred an eighty degrees.
Great strength I have obtained, new eyes truly see,
Beyond space and time, all that I can be.
Process:
The hourglass sculpture was modeled in Autodesk Maya, laid out in the Pepakura software, and prepared for laser cutting. After the hourglass was laser cut, assembled, hung on the wall, and calibrated in MadMapper, I created lines and 4 shapes with masks: the background, the top of the hourglass, the center of the hourglass, and the base of the hourglass. Next, I gathered free stock video footage, imported the media into Modul8, created layers, and made adjustments to some of the footage. Then I syphoned Modul8 on the center shape of the hourglass, set my presets in MadMapper, hooked up the Arturo Beatstep midi controller, and mapped midi controls to to Modul8 and MadMapper.
Finished Piece:
For this project, Sowmya, Maryam, and I decided to create an hourglass shaped relief sculpture based off our first project this semester. However, each one of us created our own concepts for the relief sculpture.
The hourglass shape was the perfect projection relief sculpture for a poem that I had written during my senior year of high school. At the time, I learned about Shakespeare's sonnets and was assigned to write my own sonnet. "Stress" was the overall subject I chose as it was my last semester of high school and I wanted to creatively express how I felt during that time. Due to the relevance of the poem to my current stressed out emotional state in my final semester of graduate school, I felt adding imagery would enhance the poem's execution. Furthermore, I edited the last couple lines to make the poem even more relevant to my current emotional state 7 years later. Below is the poem:
Forever the sand continues to fall;
Like a clogged vein I feel pressure.
Each day I give this life my all;
Never more than I have measured.
With broken shoulders I hold a burden;
The weight builds as I devour complex fruit.
Like a walk through God's troubled garden;
This stressed soul lacks an armored suit.
The stump in my day, it shows distress,
Like jagged marks observed in severed trees.
I humbly bow, my heart confessed,
Turn one hundred an eighty degrees.
Great strength I have obtained, new eyes truly see,
Beyond space and time, all that I can be.
Process:
The hourglass sculpture was modeled in Autodesk Maya, laid out in the Pepakura software, and prepared for laser cutting. After the hourglass was laser cut, assembled, hung on the wall, and calibrated in MadMapper, I created lines and 4 shapes with masks: the background, the top of the hourglass, the center of the hourglass, and the base of the hourglass. Next, I gathered free stock video footage, imported the media into Modul8, created layers, and made adjustments to some of the footage. Then I syphoned Modul8 on the center shape of the hourglass, set my presets in MadMapper, hooked up the Arturo Beatstep midi controller, and mapped midi controls to to Modul8 and MadMapper.
Finished Piece:
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