Outline

Outline from Attarr on Vimeo.

Documentation of the evolution of my processing sketch "Outline". Starting from a desire to highlight existing forms in architecture, developing into a study of user perspective and finally a look at the reflection of sound and light.

https://www.behance.net/Attarr

     Outline is a processing sketch which allows the user to highlight existing forms in architecture. The projector becomes a tool to reviel what is already there and in doing so creates new perspectives for the users of the room. The idea of exploration and changing perspective became important to me and a level of engagment was added. Creating sounds would now alter the visuals, and a interaction between light and sound was created.

Grid & Sound Reactions

     I experimented with more perspective changes and also added sound reactions to the processing sketch. As the viewers make sounds moving or talking the form of the building appears to shift and warp. Although this could be seen as a visual negative to prevent people from interacting the effect is quite the opposite, inviting people to talk and make noise. 

Perspective

     Exploring the shifting of perspective of projection. I think this is one of the main benefits and differences to projection mapping. A normal projection is on a flat surface designed to be viewed in a static position from the front. A mapped surface can be viewed from different angles to create interesting results. 


      I tested the grid mode more on the model and an interesting function that warps the grid so it appears to wobble and melt. The function changes our perspective of the object in a different way, turning a rigged object more fluid.  

Grid

    I created a extra mode to the outline sketch that creates a large grid of points and lines. The visual effect is really interesting, however it becomes very difficult to control. I think with some more user design it could work. Below is a video with some clips of the grid and vertex mode from outline. the main focus was on more 3 dimensional projections. As you change perspective the projection warps and twists. I hope that viewers would take this approach or circling the projection.

Glitch

     Augmented glitches are photos of a wall projected onto the location of the photo and then generatively glitched. The results are quite nice but some work could be done to reduce the strobing effect. The images are currently more suited to a screen or print.  






    

The Room as a Function - Room(int users);

     The room as a function is the collaboration of walls, windows, and doors. Each interacts with the users of the room in different ways as the users interact with each other. Ultimately the room is a storage device, a container which holds data. The method of storage is dynamic, over time through interaction and decay the rooms contents will change. In the studio this is present in the form of images being placed on the walls. A form of natural selection will create a user defined room that will in turn redefine the users. This back and forth development between user and room can be creative or destructive to the user, which can also escalate exponentially out of control.


Void Door(){
     If(User outside){
        User++;
     }else{
        User--;
     }
}


Void Room(){
     for(int I = User;i < User;i++){
         Wall();
         Window();
         Door();
         User();
     }
}

 


      The door acts as a control point, a form of entry and exit for users. The user protocol is to enter and introduce yourself to all other users (walk in and say good morning). This process starts the interactions between users.


      The walls serve as barriers to block the outside and reflect in internals back on itself. Reflecting movements, sounds and light back into the room, the effect is amplified as more people enter the room. As people interact with each other and the surroundings. A quiet room can quickly be excited to a higher energy level.


     The windows serve as points of entry and exit for light. Reflecting only a tiny portion back into the room. This is used by people thinking about entering the room to query the contents. This is a source of external data, sights and sounds from the immediate surroundings.

Created Spaces - Outline

     I modified the Outline sketch to create shapes resembling cubes that could be positioned and extruded on different surfaces. This was to test the idea of created space and illusions. I was also interested in testing a large range of depth at one time so i constructed an area for projecting onto.

      Adding objects to the room to project onto changes the nature of the room and projection. It reduces the importance of the building and creates a more mobile style of projection. In these experiments I wasn't to concerned with changing the room however in my development and final piece the use of added objects will be minimal. It would be much better to find a location in the building that suits my need rather than creating one.

      When observing the 3d illusions it became clear that the perspective of the viewer was very important. The results could look convincingly 3d from one point but from another could just look like random lines.



     One interesting thing I noticed when experimenting was the hologram like reflections in the windows of the building. When all the lights are out in the room the projected light reflects off the windows and back into the room. This second opportunity to view the light could be used to create interesting works and help develop concepts.

  

Outline

     To help testing and exploring the abilities with projectors I built a simple sketch in processing that allows the user to draw on surfaces using points and connections. The initial thought was to make it easier to outline shapes.
     I have used the sketch a few times now and has become a useful benchmark for testing various properties associated with different locations. The sketch also allows for quick projects without adding content as the main focus is on the architecture or visible shapes. 

Reflections and Refractions

     Discussing the idea of windows with Paul lead to a long discussion about reflecting and refracting light. Originating from a previous projection directed by Julius in which visuals where projected out of a window from the main studio room. One thing that interested me was the quality and complete separation of a reflected image when projecting out of the window. One image projecting onto the wall outside and a second landing inside the room.

     Idea's ranged from projecting light from window to window too the reflecting of light using mirrors. Overall it created a more technical and scientific branch from the main interpretation of the brief.

     I will investigate the branch further by testing the qualities of reflections and refractions. I have spotted several locations for interesting projections however it would be good to experiment with them. Testing the differences, abilities and overall ease of use.

Responce to the Enviroment

Barnes Building

     Without think too much about the brief I explored the building at different times of day to look for inspiration. I will make notes on anything that is "interesting" visually, conceptually or things that just stand out. I will also think about the logistics of projecting, sources of power, darkness and traffic.

Window Portals

     One thing that stands out straight away is the use of windows in the building. The response to these change greatly throughout the day. As they change from sources of strong light illuminating rooms to weak light that draws the view closer. There is an attraction towards looking out of windows, observing a different environment while staying safely in yours. Light becomes the only interaction between the two environments. This portal to another environment also controls the view points of the viewer. I think this is an important aspect that needs to be controlled in some way for every projection, whether it is a viewing point or based on the most probable point a person would be.







High traffic areas


     The high traffic and low traffic areas are interesting. How would projections in these places differ? How could you control flow through a building using projectors? The idea of circulation space was introduced to me in the mackintosh building and exploring it further would be a nice link between the projects.

Raspberry Pi

     When thinking about using processing to run a sketch I had the idea to use a raspberry pi instead of a laptop. This is basically a tiny computer capable of simple processes and video tasks. This would reduce the clutter and weight of everything being carried around, which after 3 weeks of projecting could be very helpful. As well the final piece will be smaller and easier to present cleanly.


     To run processing takes a little bit of coding, installing and removing of software. The steps are well documented and with some problem solving should be easy to follow.

http://scruss.com/blog/2014/01/07/processing-2-1-oracle-java-raspberry-pi-serial-arduino-%e2%98%ba/

Living Walls

Response to the Brief

 

     The brief provides an interesting but fairly open starting point. There are a number of different words or phrases that were thought provoking and a nice selection of material for references. Explained in more detail below is my summary of interests solely taken from the brief and references.

• the difference between text and visuals
• the memory of visuals over time
• visible history
• the presence of people in a building
• interactions with a building
• the narrative within a building
• decay of visual and architecture

How does the corrosion of a building compair to the image or memore of it?

From the brief:

 

"Visually engaging" -

      As always the visual quality of the piece is important. Projecting adds new elements to think about as well. For instance the different perspectives of passers by, the brightness and contrast throughout the day and the quality of reflected light.

 

"Dynamic digital projection"-

 

dy·nam·ic

/daɪˈnæmɪk/ Show Spelled [dahy-nam-ik]

adjective Also, dy·nam·i·cal.

1. pertaining to or characterized by energy or effective action; vigorously active or forceful; energetic: the dynamic president of the firm. 

2. Physics.

a. of or pertaining to force or power.

b. of or pertaining to force related to motion.

3. pertaining to the science of dynamics.

4. of or pertaining to the range of volume of musical sound.

5. Computers. (of data storage, processing, or programming) affected by the passage of time or the presence or absence of power: Dynamic memory must be constantly refreshed to avoid losing data. Dynamic websites contain Web pages that are generated in real time.

 
     Dynamic to me suggests that the projection would have some form of input, process and output. This could be as simple as the input of time but ultimately would change the projection in some way. This leads to the idea of interaction and user input. I don't feel this is necessary but could be an fun thing to explore.  

 

"virtual and real world"-

     This was an interesting part of the brief. The idea of two different worlds merging and integrating between the walls and projected light. This leads to many thoughts about opposite worlds and contrasts. With the wall being the real world how could the projector provide the virtual. This could also be an easy trap for cliché imagery of stereotypical "digital worlds". 

 

"visionary path between real architecture

and virtual stories"-

     "visionary path" and "story" are interesting concepts that raise the idea of some form of narrative. I like the idea of the projectors revealing the narratives lost within the walls, untold stories or whispers that no one heard. This idea has the possibility to research into the history of the building and find out more about what happened here. It could also be used to display current stories, effected by people walking past. Every new person to enter the building adds something new to the story.

 

"Be carful of doing your project in a high

traffic area, people will step in front of your projection." -

This was a warning about projector position, however I am questioning its relevance as a warning or as a idea. It could be interesting to use as a method of projection.

 

"engaging, meaningful response"-

I hope to create a rich and full project documented in my sketchbook. I hope that by using my sketchbook more the project will be more developed.

 

From References:

http://vimeo.com/3193296


Ali Momeni – "Any wall is a canvas waiting to happen"


     I like the simplicity and hope that this statement provides. I guess that not ever canvas holds a masterpiece however every mistake can help you learn and develop. I hope that thinking of the walls as canvas' will help me produce work of higher quality.

Urban Screens: Discovering the potential of outdoor screens for urban society

journals.uic.edu/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/1543/1458

 

There can be no words without images. -- Aristotle

 

Austrian statistician Otto Neurath wrote in 1925, “words divide, pictures unite.”


     The importance of images appeals to me as the conflict between text and visuals is something that has been with be all the way through education. Revolving around learning difficults with text, the importance of imagery and numbers has grown greatly. I think his could be a good influence but the main project should relate to the building itself.

Words are forgotten, but pictures stay in our minds

 

https://vimeo.com/84336261

     "Notes on Blindness" which contradicts this statment is about a man turning blind and documenting the degrading of the images retained within. Over time he forgets faces and memories but can remember the detail in photographs.

 

     The idea of decay,loss and corrosion are interesting, especially when comparing the differences of archetecture, visual and digital enviroments. How does the corrosion of a building compair to the image or memore of it? Which memories last longest and which archetectural components last longest?