For this Looking Outwards, I decided to cover a 3D character called Eggdog. This character was based off of a real pomeranian that looked quite similar to the shape of an egg after getting a haircut. This video of the dog became very popular over time and led to the creation of a 3D model. I assume that the 3D rendering of the dog and the videos of this character was made using a program like Blender. Within these types of programs, you can create and rig 3D models. You can also record animations and bring in other models to create an environment. What I admire about this work is that Eggdog is such a simple character, but has become so widespread and has made a lot of people laugh due to the silliness of its design.
A tech company named Ethmode recently developed a program to design garment in 3D in order to reduce textile waste in the fashion industry. The program is used to build generative designs, visualize material and customize silhouettes through languages such as JavaScript. Beyond providing photo-realistic renders of the garment that help to decide the basic design, the program also offer sophisticated animation on the the movement, drape and stretch of the garments. Credited to this tech agency, manufacturers in Bangladesh are able to reduce 40% of physical sampling by implementing 3D digital design process. Handful of brands started to work on customized clothing through this digital realm to create gowns and customized sneakers.
Link to the article: https://eco-age.com/magazine/how-3d-digital-design-and-augmented-reality-can-slash-textile-waste-fashion/
For this project, I want to discuss a Javascript library called three.js and projects that use this library to create short animatics, motion experiments and virtual worlds. Three.js is a cross-browser JavaScript library and application programming interface used to create and display animated 3D computer graphics in a web browser using WebGL. This project by Glenn Fox, is a model of a unit of buildings, shops and culture in Tokyo. Fox’s body of work that shows caricature of the build environment. 3D computer graphics have particular file types like .obj that can be created with code. Algorithms are used to create generic shapes that make up the building blocks of the rendered image. A lot of Fox’s work is used in Game Design environments.
Aghori Portrait by Aldo Martínez Calzadilla(2017) URL: https://fineartamerica.com/featured/3d-aghori-portrait-aldo-martinez-calzadilla.html
The piece looks extraodinarily realistic and detailed. The image has the quality of a photograph as the character in the image looks like a real human-being with well depicted hairs, muscle lines, blood vines, and skin texture. The character is holding a skull with both hands above his head with calm, religious facial expressions, drawing viewers’ attention to this uncommon behavior. The artist impresses the viewers with his expertise in modeling and sculpting. The artist used 3D programs such as Brush, Maya, and Mari, which allows him to first build the models, and then refine the models by adding colors, skin textures, other details, and even shadows and lighting. The artist demonstrates his deep understanding of the human body and observational skills, which makes the piece convincing in terms of anatomy. With the use of technology, algorithms, computational softwares, and data visualization, the artist was able to generate this sophisticated, narrative, and appealing image.
Throughout the past year, I noticed that 3-D graphics have become a very popular medium to decorate and enliven websites and apps. One of my favorite artists I’ve come across is Laurie Rowan. His work takes advantage of animation and the physical “realness” of his medium to communicate out-of-the-box and quirky ideas. It’s difficult to choose one, but I enjoy “MTV: Love,” a short animation reel made for MTV. I think this is a great example of how imaginative and seemingly non-practical artistic visions can be used for the benefit for mainstream audiences on a platform like television.
I assume that Laurie uses a program like Cinema4D to render his characters, and an editing software like AfterEffects to piece them together, but I’m unfamiliar with the algorithmic process. Laurie’s work inspires me to look toward other mediums to further my illustration practice.
Brutalist styled architecture that has been transformed into a “futuristic” style
Jakub Javora is an artist who practices concept design, concept art, and illustration. One of the many projects that the artist completed was the concept art of an upcoming feature film called Restore Point. With the use of the location the story is based on, Javora was able to transform the real location into a futuristic and dark scene. It’s intriguing to see how one is able to create an alternate world through the use of 3D computer graphics. The artist used the newest version of the software Ebsynth, which he was able to paint the characters on. Ebsynth is a tool that converts real-life video footage into stylized hand-painted animation. This allowed him to achieve the “futuristic” look with both the characters and the environment.
@bijouhome_ on Instagram is an account which posts varieties of renderings of building interiors. I find their work to be extremely inspiring because although each rendering is different from another, there is a clear style and aesthetic to each design. The use of pastel colors, as well as the realistic, yet futuristic style is something I strive for in my work. Although I do not know much about the exact process of how the renders are generated, I would assume that Rhino, and V-Ray are two very important tools that are common when rendering for architecture. Knowing the challenges and difficulties of these two programs, I was especially inspired by the extent of which the tools can be used.
I’ve been interested in procedural generation for quite a while, mostly due to my interest in creating a 3D roguelike game, and as a result of this I have chosen a demonstration of a procedural generation model in 3D. The generation algorithm in this case is cellular automata, an algorithm that generates forms and structures based on rules applied to each neighboring “cell.” The use of cellular automata in the video below shows a great understanding of the algorithm, giving the various forms being shown. The 2017 video generates forms using blocks, most forms being non-descript or crystalline in structure. My personal favorite forms shown in the video are Clouds 1 and 2 because of their cave-like structures. Despite the interesting nature of the algorithms and forms generated, the creator, Softology, most likely intended this to be a demonstration for their software, Visions of Chaos.
The work in 3D computer graphics that I want to talk about is the work done for Merida’s hair in the Disney/Pixar movie Brave. Because Merida’s hair is this thick mess of curls, they had to develop a new technology in order to capture its movement. That new technology is called “core curve and points.” Essentially, each “strand” of hair is represented by a spring (1,500 hand-placed curls!!). The points along the core curve include the springs, so that when Merida moves her head along the curve, the hair moves with her. I admire this project because of how this technology makes it possible to represent more identities in animated film. I also admire how much fun the team seems to have had cracking this problem? It took almost three years to finalize her hair!! That’s crazy!! I admire that they genuinely love this work so much. Claudia Chung is my source of information on this project, she was the simulation supervisor on Brave.
Here’s the website where I got my information from: https://www.insidescience.org/news/brave-features-hair-raising-animations
With all precautions given Covid-19, creative people have been searching for more ways to communicate and further innovate despite these very limiting times. One interesting implementation of technology, specifically 3D rendering and computer-generated graphics, is direct-to-consumer based fashion label Hanifa’s virtual fashion show.
Anifa Mvuemba, Founder and Creative Director of Hanifa
Anifa Mvuemba, founder and creative director of Hanifa, launched their Pink Label Congo line through an Instagram Live streaming of a video featuring a series of animated 3D renderings. The garments were put against a black backdrop, without a human model; just the walking dresses treading empty space right in viewers’ hands.
Using computer generated graphic technology and 3D rendering softwares, Mvuemba was able to break past the limitations brought forth by the pandemic and reached an even larger and more inclusive audience through these means.
This recent exploration into the world of digital fashion shows challenges the traditional experience of traditional runways and the necessity for these shows. I begin to ask myself questions about this: does the convenience and breadth of being able to reach a larger live audience outweigh the rich experience of the physicality of seeing models walk by in garments on a stage?
Mvuemba thinks that her fashion show may be the start of a new wave in fashion [shows]. The computer softwares allow her to not only render designs to finer detail than seen by the naked eye, but also fit all her garments to figures often seen with Black women, creating a more inclusive space in a highly discriminatory industry. She hopes to see a day where everyone, not just rich socialites, can “sit at the front row” and experience fashion come to life.
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