September 2017 – Page 83 – [OLD FALL 2017] 15-104 • Introduction to Computing for Creative Practice

agusman-Looking Outwards 01-A Thousand Faces

Artist: Ana Herruzo, http://herruzo-pierce.com/
Date Completed: October 2013
Topic: Stage Production, Live Music, Projection Mapping, Audio-visualization

The Beats Antique “A Thousand Faces” Tour is a feat of stage production and complex projection mapping. Personally, I find the group Beats Antique quite gimmicky and hokey, with their borderline appropriation of South-Asian musical and visual culture and their quasi-hip “oriental” coffee shop aesthetic. Despite this, the group has managed to pull off some of the most fantastic live performances of the decade, along with the help of the renowned creative studio OBSCURA DIGITAL. Using CAD modeling, 3D software like Touch Designer, and projection mapping tools, Ana and Obscura map video footage and generative art from more than 100 artists onto an elaborate set.

I am blown away by the breadth and diversity in the applications of projection mapping she has explored, particularly within this project for Beats Antique. This project displayed a great degree of balance between showcasing the studio’s innovative production methods and tech while also showcasing unique artistic work. It’s quite “Creative Content/Ideas First” and less “Look At These Cool Flashing Lights”. I’m particularly excited about how this singular experience was such a seamless conglomerate of so many great minds and ideas.

Ana Herruzo is an architect, designer and programmer running her own practice HERRUZO-PIERCE Creative Studio in Los Angeles. Formerly, she was a partner of the ZULARK Design Collective working on publicly engaging architectural interventions. In 2011 following her partnership, she served as an Interactive Engineer at OBSCURA DIGITAL, where she directed the development of large-scale productions and shows all across the world for a number of reputable clients.

dchikows -Section C – Looking Outwards – 01

David Wicks is an artist featured on the website Sans Umbrella to showcase his latest work titled “Drawing Water.” The project is essentially a creative visualization to illustrate the relationship of where water is falling and real data about where it is being consumed in the United States. The created animation is very beautiful. I appreciate how organic it’s movement feels especially because it was created by something far removed from nature. The idea behind Wick’s work points to how crucial a resource like water is to all of us as we use it everyday. By forcing someone to think about where his or her water came from it makes us as consumers more conscious that we are apart of a larger system. Opposed to having a view that your water is always ready to go for you when you turn on your sink.

See More of David Wicks’ work here

Hannahk2 – Looking Outwards – 01

The project that I chose is a light installation project by the Seoul based duo artists, Kimchi and Chips. The project creates volumetric drawings in the air, using hundreds of coordinated video projections. In this sculptural work, light projections are made to merge in a field of fog to form animated, physical shapes. 8 video projectors are split into 630 sub-projectors using a combination of concave mirrors– designed using artificial nature algorithms, and each mirror is computationally generated to create a group that comes together to form the single shape in the air. What inspires me about this project is the fact that these artists are basically materializing objects from light, something that is not exactly tangible. The result is surreal and visceral, due to the addition of sound and the set up of the installation. I also respect the exactness of the calculations required to make the projections work: to merge the light beams together, the path of each of the 16 million pixel beams had to individually be measured. The project could have been more effective maybe if they were able to create more complex shapes and movements, but it is extremely impressive already in the way that it is playing with the boundary between material and non-materials, and existence and absence. This project was part of a series of 3 works which materialize 3 dimensional sculptures through different uses of light. Other works in the series include showing depth with many illuminated nylon strings.

Here is the link: http://www.creativeapplications.net/vvvv/the-light-barrier-third-edition-drawings-volumes-in-the-air-with-light/

the team attaching tape to the mirror structure

farming windows

the view of the mirror structure

a view of the light projections

Isabelle Looking Outwards 01

Creator: Umbrellium

Project: Assemblance

Video demonstrating the project.

In this project participants use their hands, feet and bodies to control and guide lasers. The laser beams create light structures that participants can manipulate and fortify. Umbrellium Designs is the group behind this project, the group focuses on projects that encourage people to participate in design. This project was partially supported by the sponsorship of Kvant Laser Systems and Pangolin Laser Systems who provided the materials necessary for the project’s execution. Umbrellium consists of “a team of architects, designers, tactical urbanists and creative technologists”. They are Based in London so most of their projects are hosted in the UK. The lasers users interacted with were computer controlled so code was required to follow the motions of users hands, feets and bodies and control the interaction between different users lasers. Prior works that utilized motion tracking, such as the kinect which has drawing capabilities, may have partially inspired this piece.

Sources:

Project Page

About Umbrellium

egrady – Looking Outwards 1

Virtual Reality has caused quite the stir recently in video games, creating a more interactive experience by literally placing the user in the game world. While I may not be referring to a specific design of virtual reality, I am referring to the usherance of this new and innovative form of game design as a collective idea, which I find not only highly intriguing, but also highly inspiring. And while the concept itself may be in it’s early stages of development, the entire idea of virtual reality is inherently promising.

Many established developers are attempted to incorporate VR into their games, such as how Bethesda Softworks is creating a VR adaptation for “Fallout 4”. This is interesting, because Bethesda in this case is inspsired by how immersive Fallout 4 is already, in terms of the game. It puts the players in the shoes of the character, who gets to explore an unfamiliar world. But with the addition of VR, the ‘immersiveness’ is taken to a whole new level.

The usherance of this new form of entertainment creates, with it, a new process in creative development, with a more ingrained focus on world building and immersiveness. I think that the emminence of virtual reality proves that the majority of gamers who desire to play, do so with a similarly equal desire for a sense of escapism, of which virtual reality can most definitely provide. We go from thinking of video games as a simply action based quick button five minutes of fun, to a more cinematic experience, where the user is quite literally put into the shoes of the protagonist, while hoping to experience an event as close to real life as possible, without it being real life, of course. I find it highly inspiring, because it opens up new possibilities for what gaming can achieve. It also additionally opens up a new world of possibilites for creating a universe for which virtual can be employed. The focus is now placed on art, where through art, hopefully entertainment can be achieved.

BrandonHyun-Project-01-Face

project-01-face

//Brandon Hyun
//15104 section #1
//bhyun1@andrew.cmu.edu
//Project-01-Face

function setup() {
    createCanvas(600, 600);
    rect(0,0,600,600);
    background(26,90,143);
    noStroke();
//rectangularface
    fill(248, 173, 133);
    rect (100,100,400,400);
//hair
fill(99,67,57);
rect(100,100,400,100);
//whitetriangle on the left
fill(99,67,57);
    beginShape();
vertex(100,100);
vertex(50,100);
vertex(100,200);
endShape(CLOSE);
//blacktriangle on the right
fill(26,90,143)
  beginShape();
vertex(450,100);
vertex(500,100);
vertex(550,200);
endShape(CLOSE);
//black triangle on the bottomleft
fill(26,90,143)
  beginShape();
vertex(100,450);
vertex(100,500);
vertex(200,550);
endShape(CLOSE);
//backhair
fill(99,67,57);
beginShape();
vertex(500,200);
vertex(450,200);
vertex(500,300);
endShape(CLOSE);
//glasses
fill(99,67,57);
ellipse(200,300,100,100);
fill(99,67,57);
ellipse(350,300,100,100);
//whitecirclesin glasses
fill(255,255,255);
ellipse(200,300,75,75);
fill(255,255,255);
ellipse(350,300,75,75);
//connectingbridge for glass
fill(99,67,57);
rect(240,280,65,15);
//eyes
fill(0,0,0);
ellipse(200,300,20,20);
ellipse(350,300,20,20);
//mouth
rect(250,400,75,15);
}

function draw() {
}

I really enjoyed making this portrait out of a software that I was never familiar with. It was quite challenging and confusing in the beginning but as I got further with it, I felt I was doing something that was really cool. I am very happy with what I have done and I hope I can do something greater with this.

thlai-Project-01-Face

I constructed my portrait mainly using ellipse shapes. I started by sketching my idea on paper, then bringing it into Illustrator to see tidy up the composition. I couldn’t decide on a background color, so I just made an ever-changing background with some of my favorite colors.

thlai-portrait

// Tiffany Lai
// 15-104 Section A
// thlai@andrew.cmu.edu
// Project-01

function setup() {
    createCanvas(600, 600);
    frameRate(1.5);
    noStroke();
    angleMode(DEGREES);
}

function draw() {
    background(random(35, 62), random(145,182), random(140, 178));

    // WHITE OUTLINE
    fill(255);
    push();
    translate(230, -194);
    rotate(40);
    ellipse(371, 201, 235, 146); // bangs
    pop();

    ellipse(386, 671, 383, 432); // body
    ellipse(196, 291, 64, 71); // left ear

    // HAIR
    push();
    translate(467, -149);
    rotate(58);
    fill(82, 69, 64);
    stroke(255);
    strokeWeight(8);
    ellipse(367, 346, 473, 337);
    pop();

    // BODY
    fill(74, 193, 187);
    ellipse(386, 671, 366, 417);

    // LEFT EAR
    fill(220, 172, 138);
    ellipse(196, 291, 49, 60);

    // FACE
    fill(229, 182, 149);
    ellipse(317, 302, 240, 310); // face
    ellipse(445, 313, 51, 63); // right ear

    // MOUTH
    fill(82, 69, 64);
    ellipse(303, 361, 120, 134); // opening

    fill(229, 182, 149);
    ellipse(305, 330, 159, 110); // cover

    push();
    translate(-105, 106);
    rotate(-17);
    fill(201, 113, 98);
    ellipse(317, 412, 45, 20); // tongue
    pop();

    // EYES
    fill(82, 69, 64);
    ellipse(235, 310, 54, 54);
    fill(229, 182, 149);
    ellipse(232, 316, 65, 56); // left

    fill(82, 69, 64);
    ellipse(365, 325, 56, 56);
    fill(229, 182, 149);
    ellipse(367, 331, 65, 56); // right

    // CHEEKS
    fill(226, 169, 150);
    ellipse(226, 328, 39, 27); // left

    fill(226, 169, 150);
    ellipse(387, 342, 39, 27); // right

    // NOSE
    push();
    translate(200, -100);
    rotate(30);
    fill(196, 148, 116);
    ellipse(290, 340, 35, 12);
    pop();

    // BANGS
    push();
    translate(230, -194);
    rotate(40);
    fill(82, 69, 64);
    ellipse(371, 201, 222, 131);
    pop();
    
}

ablackbu – Looking Outwards – 01

Fabric Keyboard:

___________________________________________

I came upon this video a bit by accident. I am very interested in wearable technology in soft-lines and this project by the Responsive Environments team at the MIT media lab. They created a device using a touch and stretch sensitive fabric to create sound. The fabric device can detect touch, proximity, pressure, stretch, and position. The implications for a soft, light and packable/wearable musical controller are endless.

As a designer interested in soft-lines, i deeply admire people that can push the bounds of how we think of fabrics. Adding technology to textiles (something that has been around for thousands of years) pushes and improves our experiences with clothing and personal objects.

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

Embedding a musical device in clothing as they have started to explore has implications beyond the field of musical expression. Looking around my dorm room I am thinking of another example of this technology being put to use. Think about putting these sensors in your pillow in bed. Maybe when your head hits it it starts playing rain noise to help you fall asleep.

This is truly an amazing step in wearable and soft-line technology.

___________________________________________

amui1 – Project-01-Face

amui1-project01-face

//Allison mui
//15-104 Section A
//amui1@andrew.cmu.edu
//Project-01
function setup() {
    createCanvas(600,600);
    background(255);
}

function draw() {
    strokeWeight(0);
    fill(255,240,245);
    rect(0,0,300,600);
    fill(255,228,225)
    rect(300,0,300,600);
    //head
    //hair
    fill(0);
    arc(300,292,380,380,PI, HALF_PI*3);
    fill(0);
    rect(110,292,250,250);
    arc(300,292,350,350,HALF_PI*3, 0);
    rect(350,292,125,250);
    //neck
    strokeWeight(1);
    fill(247,193,155);
    rect(260,420,75,80,20);
    //ear
    fill(247,193,155);
    ellipse(170,300,40,40);
    ellipse(430,300,40,40);
    fill(255,240,245);
    ellipse(170,300,20,20);
    ellipse(430,300,20,20);
    //face
    fill(247,193,155);
    ellipse(300,300,270,300);
    fill(0);
    arc(173,150,250,200,0,HALF_PI);
    //eyes
    line(200,265,206,268);
    line(196,272,201,274);
    line(193,280,200,283);
    line(395,270,402,267);
    line(398,278,405,275);
    line(401,285,408,283);
    fill(255);
    strokeWeight(3);
    arc(240,290.5,80,77,PI, TWO_PI);
    arc(360,290.5,80,77,PI, TWO_PI);
    fill(63,42,20);
    ellipse(240,272.5,40,33);
    ellipse(360,272.5,40,33);
    fill(0);
    ellipse(240,272,20,20);
    ellipse(360,272,20,20);
    fill(255);
    strokeWeight(0);
    ellipse(250,265,10,10);
    ellipse(365,265,10,10);
    //nose
    strokeWeight(2);
    arc(310,325,2,25,3*HALF_PI, HALF_PI);
    noFill();
    arc(300,350,20,10,TWO_PI, PI);
    //mouth
    fill(255);
    strokeWeight(0);
    arc(300,380,100,65,TWO_PI, PI);
    //laughmark
    strokeWeight(2);
    line(200,240,260,235);
    line(330,235,390,240);
    noFill();
    strokeWeight(1);
    arc(215,395,5,12,3*HALF_PI, HALF_PI);
    arc(385,395,5,12,HALF_PI, 3*HALF_PI);
    //shirt
    fill(135,206,260);
    arc(300,630,380,300,PI, TWO_PI)
}

My portrait is made of rectangles, arcs, circles, and curves. My process consisted of a lot of trial and error and looking for help in the p5js reference directory. I first started off with the head shape and then built off of that. I am happy with my product. However, in the future, I would like to learn how to add more details to my face to improve my portrait further.

mstropka-lookingoutwards-01

This is the 2016 AICP Sponsor reel. The designers behind this piece used motion capture to record various dancers performing and translate their movements to 3D avatars. The team used a combination of procedural animation techniques and dynamic simulations to add character to the different dances.

I find this piece inspiring because the artists behind the work found a way to not just combine the art of dancing with digital art, but they used the digital side to enhance the movements of the dancers. A good example of this is at 0:58-1:03 in the video. The animators emphasized the spinning motion of the dance by creating a flurry of particles that follow the dancer around. Though it is unclear exactly how the dancer is moving, the particle swarm captures the gesture of the moments in a very life like and real way. This work is a very interesting twenty first century take on the ideas that the Italian futurists developed about one hundred years ago. You may be able to see the similarities in Umberto Boccioni’s “Dynamism of a Soccer Player.”

Uberto Boccioni’s Dynamism of a Soccer Player

While this video is very entertaining to watch, it only showcases very fast upbeat dancing. I would like to see the technology and techniques that the designers behind this piece used applied to different types of motions. I bet slower more subtle motions could turn into something very beautiful when combined with these effects.