INstallation Diag#1

This is a very rough, very basic diagram of how I would ideally like the installation, but I am pretty sure now that there won’t be enough room at Wilson Road, so…. do I attempt this in another location and video it, or do I just stick with the PC based idea (which will run  from the website), therefor negating the need for space?  Hmmmm….

IN stallation

I have been working on/dreaming up ideas for my final project.  I love the idea of the augmented reality 3d figures – as an option on the website – where the user can print out a sheet of marked paper, place it on their physical desktop, where (once they have allowed their webcam access), a 3d figure will appear on their physical desktop (viewed on the monitor) as if in reality, shown on their computer screen, whilst they look on in the background.

BUT… I am thinking it would be such a shame not to take advantage of the space at Wilson Road and show this also as an installation.  I imagine  a room, where the viewer walks in and behind them is a large projection of the animated movie (as in the website), before the viewer would be another projected screen, and at the top of this screen, a webcam/camera focussed on the viewer.  ON the ground would be certain marked patterns.  These patterns would act as marker symbols for the 3d images.  So… the viewer would see in front – herself, surrounded by 3D moving (animated) images, with the projected movie running as a scene behind her.

I am not sure if I am describing/explaining this well enough – I am not certain of the terminology yet, but I am hugely excited by this idea!

This would fit my proposal exactly, and I am hoping it won’t be too much of a brain-twist to do this either (see my earlier comments on the technology being foregrounded rather the artwork, and spending too much time on the technical and so missing out on the creative).

I have started working on 3d models recently – just need to ensure they can be output/exported into the correct extension to work with the code/software I found.  I really didn’t have the time to learn how to code, etc from scratch, so I am hoping this is the answer to my prayers, and I feel it is a much better fit than my original markerless facial tracking idea.

I want to start working on the website movie now – I want it to be an atmospheric, ethereal experience, and so am looking at After Effects here, and looking at researching other artists and the work they have done which may have a similar style.

Lots of work to do – but I finally feel like something concrete is in place now.  Now I can run with it!

Re: Timetable

It has been so hard to follow the timetable, although the second one was a lot more realistic.   Work, family and just life in general, all add to the stress of  trying to juggle time.  There have been many fights over time requirements/commitments in my home.  But, as I observe my peers’ blogs – I see that I am not alone, in fact – it seems to be the norm.  As always in my life, I seem to be attempting to ‘get my house in order’ at the eleventh hour – but the timetable did act as a kind of Governer hanging over me – reminding me that this was time I expected to devote to the project.  Often, I would find myself annoyed at (what felt like) the intrusion of extra tasks, presentations, etc., when all I really wanted was to get on with the project (of course, I understand these ‘intrusive tasks’ are acutally essential parts of the MA, but at the time…).  Due to the above mentioned pressures, plus having a mid-course crisis and changing direction in the project, I feel quite a long way behind now, but have confidence I will catch up.

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Living Sasquatch

This is fantastic – I would love to incorporate something like this into my site….

Follow the instructions: Print out the image and allow your webcam to activate; then focus cam onto printed image and watch Sasquatch appear on your desk!  Loving it!

http://www.livingsasquatch.com/watch.php?id=4919

‘Scuse my appearance – early morning!

Timetable

 

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New Schedule Oct 09 +

I need a new achievable short-term schedule.  So here it is:

Mon evenings: Flash practice

Fri evenings: Sketching (Pencil / graphics)

Sun am: Site building / project building

Sun evenings: Reading

Extra sessions: Thursday 29th October – Project pannning/storyboard

 

Long-term:

December 09: Actions: Storyboard + Site started + Sketches complete

                           Training: Flash / After Effects / ?

January/February 10: Flash movie produced, editing ongoing

March/April 10: Finalising / editing Site

April/May 10 - Completion / final touches

 

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First Timetable 2008-2009 (November 08)

I intend to devote approximately 8 – 15 hours per week on actual design and creation of artwork, 4 hours per week learning technical aspects/software, 2 hours on reflective practice (utilizing my weblog: http://annaleiza.wordpress.com ), and a further 2 hours per week researching software and theory.  Additional time will be allocated as / when the project requires it, but this schedule is purely to enable me to begin the creative process with a clear understanding of how much time I need to devote to each area.  This timetable is of course, intended to be flexible, as it is expected that time allocation will change as the project evolves and I become more familiar with applications.

November 2008 – Began studying Poser 3D software

December 2008:  – Further theoretical research to prepare for finalization of proposal and also to gather thoughts / inspire imagery for practical project.

December 2008 – April 2010: – Continuous reflection and re-evaluation of project.

December 2008: – Added to Bibliography through theoretical research

December 2008: – Research of alternative software – i.e. motion tracking.

January 2009: – Completion of final draft of proposal – with ideas firmly in place.

January 2009: – First drawings / sketches for project to be formed

January 2009: – Begin studying Flash in more depth – animation

February 2009:- Study motion tracking software

March 2009: – 3D characters evolved and reflective process begun

Spring 2009:  – Website map to be fully developed, installation ideas in place, suitable software chosen.

Summer 2009: – Early Draft of Site developed; sketches, animations, film ready to put in place.

Winter 2009: – Further theoretical research, further reflection on project – does it work / hold up to theoretical proposal?

Spring 2010: – Finalization / realization of completed project.

Got It!

 ’Finally picked up the Processing book – Foundation Processing: Creative Coding and Computational Art, Ira Greenberg, FRIENDS OF ED ACADEMIC (1 Jun 2007),

ISBN: 159059617X

Looks really interesting  … Now to find the time to read it all – and it aint small!

Cyber emotions

This image was produced as I was looking at emotions and blending reality and the digital – augmented reality.  Extreme human emotions on digital characters.  The image is basic – I’m not too keen on the end result, but it did spark an interest in overlaying emotions onto models.  In the end, I think it started to move my work off track, and so the idea has been shelved for now.

1:31 More fragments from the frazzled brain…

*****(Once again, another remnant from previous ideas on the project, which although no longer in use, are still valid as a trail to where I am now)****

 

 ’Liking the idea recently of using simple rollovers – ie as in Hoogerbrugge’s Modern Living site, but using film, photography, along with animation.  Is this too simple?  Am I shying away from the more technologically complex interactive possibilities for fear of the technology foregrounding and eventually becoming dated? 

‘Really want to mix up the whole multimedia thing here.  Want to pull on the aspect of human emotions portrayed by an array of forms.  Maybe I could still have the ‘mirroring’ effect, maybe using ‘Processing ’ (software) (if this is actually possible with that software of course!).  The forms could still mimic head movements, but could change constantly to different forms, different emotions…

Back to WHERE am I?  Maybe constant changing backgrounds also – Bus Station, Airport, Hospital, daybreak in the city/country, nighttime in city/country, on couch watching TV, in bed, washing dishes, hanging laundry, in a class, at the movies, old people’s home….

Emotions, Identity – the Body, and location

Digital Human Being

1:29 More project thoughts

Seems I have come to a standstill on the project – the idea of a kind of digital mirror reflecting the viewer still stands – it is still a part of what i want to do, but as locating the correct software has proved such a nightmare (either outrageously expensive, or the developers have not yet released the software, or…) – I am talking about markerless facial recognition software here.  I located a webcam (logitech) that could do a similar thing, but that would require all users having a logitech webcam – and as this was something I wanted to be accessible on the web – not purely as a digital installation in a physical space, this was proving to be a problem, and I was starting to feel stifled – losing the creative edge whilst searching for the technical answers.

So …during this frustrating process, I wondered if the whole markerleses facial recognition thing might be quite limiting artistically, resulting in an amusing software application rather than artwork. 

Soooooooo…. my thoughts have once again turned to the web.  I still like the cyborg quality of merging the physical with the digital world – and most likely still utilizing a web cam.  I am pretty certain my work will require some programming. just not sure to what extent.  I am now wanting to get into Processing and see what I can develop from using that.  It’s time to get playing with this stuff / practicing. 

I also want to start the website itself this next week (after my hols!) as this could help direct the project further. 

 It’s time to get moving!

in being

in being

This was once again looking into extreme human emotions imposed onto avatars.  Shelved for now.  I would like to revisit at some point after the MA.