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Here are some images taken from a dynamic physical animation created using processing. The program called MOSstack, uses a variety of gravitational and structural formulae to create strange structures which are then animated collapsing. These structures have then been recreated in sculpture by the artist Tobias Putrih at the ‘Overhang’ exhibition in Newcastle last year.

This is just one example of the variety of different animations and stills that can be created using Processing. At the moment I am attempting to layer up the image below into a wave style ripple. Working out how to duplicate the image then increasing it’s size and reducing its opacity however, is proving to be quite difficult to get my head around, even with command reference.

Turn around sketches of the spaceship design Simon and I are modelling at the moment. Having already designed quite a generic, Ralph McQuire style spaceship, I wanted to create something with a little more character, and the futuristic Beetle design seemed like the obvious route to take, as a recogniseable shape. I am really pleased with the side profile of the car/ship, as all of the chasis-lines flow in and out of each other in a very natural, smooth way. The spoiler especially accentuates these lines, and hopefully we will have time to add in many details, like side lights on the tips of the spoiler and a witty number plate etc. The colour scheme and textures I want to reitterate the beaten up flower-power, hippy stereotype, but also with the added feature of a translucent forcefield surrounding the car. Simon and I drew up some different designs for wings that could fold out. I enviseaged telescopic airliner style wings, Simon opting for a more streamlined triangular shape. In the end Simon had the idea of consulting the VW/Audi design team as to what kind of design they would put forward if they intended a Beetle to fly. I am glad we have not yet taken the route of adopting features of an actual Beetle insect, as I think this might be too obvious a link and would detract slightly from the futuristic look we are going for.

FUTURE DEVELOPMENT:: Choreograph how the ship will move and be animated, possibly banking in and out of corners to show off the 3d aspect of the ship and possibly dodging various objects/asteroids coming it’s way. Bearing in mind the different tracks and other animations it will be overlaying.

Here are some stills from an animation loop i created using Flash. The symmetrical patterns are animated as individual symbols turning clockwise then counter clockwise. The overlapping creates some interesting patterns and the colour of light given off changes with each spin. I also made a variation that cycles through different hues of colour, giving an even more tron-like tone to the loop. The third variation involves layers of magnification, giving a 3D tunnel like effect. Although the simplicity and mesmorising nature of this loop are the kind of the thing I am after, I want to go beyond the idea of patterns, perhaps involving a union of two patterns or an image gradually revealed from geometric shapes.

FUTURE DEVELOPMENT:: Experiment with different ways of representing simple line and colour, possibly to combine and form a bigger picture in the style of Pollock, whereby mini compositions make up a larger composition. This technique has a name, which I do not recall, but it can also be found in modern day photo montages.

Here is the source footage and final snapshot from a wave like loop made in After- Effects. The wave-like form is mainly inspired by the phenomenon of cymatics. It was also something I was trying to integrate into the mapping experiment I made at the Rugby Club. I thought it would look quite interesting as a circular projection onto the speaker cone of the rig. Unfortunately I was not able to do this as the front of the speakers was a black mesh and absorbed almost all of the 1500 lumens emitted by the projector.

Here are a few images taken from the mapping experiment we set up at the rugby club. The animation I made had to be specific to the planes and surfaces highlighted by the white grid. I really like the way the grid falls onto the surface as an image, but it is essentially just a means to an end in terms of creating the animation. This is pprobably one of the simplest methods of creating a surface specific animation, but unfortunately requires the target object to be set up prior to any production. The design stage can obviously be conducted before this then tweaked to the site after but this still requires quite alot of time. I am looking into different, more accurate methods of 3D mapping which include actually building the object/building in 3D space then measuring the distance between this and the projector. There is a programming language designed specifically for this called VVVV (v4) which I am eager to get to grips with, as it should also provide some interesting images for my futuristic Wipeoutesque animation, which I will be working on next week.

FUTURE DEVELOPMENT:: Look at different ways of mapping and do as much preparation before projecting thee grid (using this method).

Here is a screenshot of my first animated loop. Using stop-motion of a lamp and the filter effect used on the cells animation. When looped the lights appear to be orbiting the center. I rendered it out at 640×480, a relatively low resolution so that the VJing software can handle the workload.

Accidental happening, when using a kaleidoscope type effect on a sketch of cell form. By trying to distort the predominantly 2D image into one with perspective I found this psychedelic effect within after effects. I also accidentally managed to import a series of images I had taken at the Newquae aquarium as research for my underwater scene. Although, this was not quite the outcome I would have liked, I like the way that something unpredictable came out simply by playing around with various effects and parameters. Hopefully I will be able to post what I had originally visualised by the end of the week. This being a twisting and turning, growing cell structure, being tracked by the camera. I am currently working with Simon on creating a 3D structure, textured with cells, which the camera will negotiate, then I will apply a mask and other effects to give the illusion that the track is growing up.

Here are some photos of the Exeter festival taken earlier in the year. The installation was simply a projection of abstract form and colour that reacted to sounds made in the theatre. I was quite interested in how the audience became the aural aspect of the piece, and there were even music sessions held in the light of the piece during the week.

A mock up of the light wave pattern loop I want to refine further. The background was made using the raw footage taken from the video posted earlier in my blog. The graph layer I added in was an attempt to contrast with the flowing yet chaotic light waves. This also gives an impression of quantifiable measures in the field of fluid dynamics. I also added in a graphic loop, which seems to correlate to the flow of the horizontal light sweep. This addition provides a foreground/focal point for the eye to follow.

FUTURE DEVELOPMENT:: Refine the shape of the central graphic, perhaps in the form of an oscilloscope, and attempt to recreate the flow of the background light using Maya. I have already had a play with some of the wave/ fluid tools, and they show a promising likeness to the real thing.