Reflective evaluation

Now that I have completed my final piece for this project I am able to look back upon my initial brief that I set myself and see if I met my objectives or if the project changed from my initial proposals.

My personal reflective objective was primarily aimed at developing my skills regarding timing and fluidity of pieces. The use of video, animations or images seems secondary in comparison to my primary goal of achieving fluid pieces of work. The projections or medium are only a form I have chosen to use to develop these skills. During the course of this project I have still noticed issues with timings with music and visual connecting. However I seem to be dealing with these as a gradual progression can be seen with each of my experiments as timings become better each time which in turn gives more fluid pieces. The final piece shows the most dramatic increase in my awareness of timings and pace. The use of fast changing backgrounds and patterns on the trainer work with the music. I feel I have worked with the pace of the music and bring the focus onto the trainer as the advert progresses. The idea was to grab attention at first the show the different designs more focused on the trainer as the advert nears the end. The changes in patterns, backgrounds and where the focus is placed all work with change and tempo of the music itself. This piece to me now seem very satisfactory as I feel I have achieved one of my main goals in creating a piece of work that is fluid.

My personal reflective objective was to see how I could possibly use projection mapping within my own work practices in future. The idea of incorporating this into a workshop seems valid and I believe could work really well. The experiments did not only teach me about timings and fluidity but also taught me many valuable lessons about the practicality of projection mapping. Considering the scale of projections, the equipment and softwares required, the environment they will be displayed within, lighting levels are all crucial factors working with this type of medium. My initial idea was to create a mobile workshop that I take with me. Using projection mapping as a part of this now seems slightly impractical. The idea of using projection mapping as part of a workshop still seems valid although I would now consider one longer term venue to carry out such works rather than mobile.

My learning objectives were to create fluid animations/videos which I feel I have achieved with the final piece of this project. To trial materials to see how they react to projections, this was done using smoke, mirrors, water, coloured trainer and detailed items such as the clock face. Each brought up different findings and helped my process overall. The planning of videos, timings and combinations were crucial to all the experiments I carried out. Each had it own concept and were planned out how I felt it best to portrait the concept, timings were considered along with music and pacing of pieces and the combination of video, images and animation were dealt with on a piece by piece basis. The content was created or used in what way fitted the piece best, these were decided upon what was the main focus or purpose of each piece. All pieces worked upon a theme or conceptual idea and each would focus on one or more aspects of projection mapping. The mapping, animation, materials and timings were all aspects that had to be considered and prioratised. The final piece collects all aspects together and in addition also adds the consideration of projection mapping softwares.

Final piece

I tried to give some context to my final piece for this project. I decided to try and create an advert for converse trainers using projection mapping. The reason I done this was to try and show what I have learned and how this may be used within the creative industries. The focus was not some much on the idea of an advert but was still based upon the experimenting with projection mapping.

This experiment ended up being far more difficult and time consuming than I had imagined it would be. Although it is by far the shortest length of video I have produced it far exceeded the others in both technical ability and execution. The timings between animation and music were critical to this piece especially as it is so short in length. This is probably the most satisfying part for me that I can see a vast improvement with my timings and pacing.

The experimental side involved me learning new software Madmapper which is specifically for projection mapping and also to see the difference of reflections from coloured surfaces. Learning the new software allowed me to overcome issues I was having with this piece and also rounded off what I had previously learned about mapping processes although this was only a demo version so the logo can be seen on the final work. Using a coloured trainer showed me a difference in how light might reflect of surfaces that were not white.

The final video can be seen on link  https://vimeo.com/125815387

The components and further explanation can also be seen on link  https://vimeo.com/126245344

Experiment No 4

This experiment was to see how projections might be altered by water. My initial idea was to try and create an underwater world with coral and movies of fish layered over. However this was not possible with the scale of projection I could display within the water. The image above shows how little of the water surface could be covered. The main issues were distance to allow the projection to be bigger, height as the projection stand was already at full height and the angle as the projector was already propped up by a book. Ideally this projection should have been done overhead which would require some method of fixing the projector. Also the ceiling would likely be to low to allow for a full scale projection of the bath. The lessons I learned were probably more valuable due to this being my most unsuccessful experiment. The scale of projection, the distances required, angles and heights that must also be considered when carrying out any projection mapping project. This experiment threw up many issues which I probably had not considered fully in my other experiments so it was definitely worth while carrying out.

The finished video can be seen on link  https://vimeo.com/126234203

The components and further explanation are also on link  https://vimeo.com/126239997

Technical issues

The last few days I have been trying to create my next projection mapping experiment. I had an idea to create a short advert based on converse trainers. The idea comes from the fact that converse will let you design your own trainers on their website. I thought I could put a variety of design on a single trainer within a thirty second period as though it was an advert for tv. I had began to map out a few parts of the trainer and decided to check how this projected onto the trainer and to see how it matched up with sizes etc. The image produced did not match the real trainer, this has created a problem for me as the map doesn't fit correctly. I have realised that I must use projecting software to correct this issue and have now looked a a few versions.
Free demo versions such as vpt7 and mad mapper are the most accessible. Vpt7 threw up instant issues in that it wouldn't seem to upload any of my own videos. Madmapper took a little time to work out, I still cannot work out hoe to use multiple videos in the same shot. However this software could be used for the trainer projection as I can play around with the images and even warp them if need be. The main issue with Madmapper is that it is for Mac only, I have aMac at home but I don't have a cable which allows me to connect it directly to the projector. This is something I have now ordered and will continue with when it arrives.
The other week I went and spent a few hours with the team who are doing the projection mapping project for BMW as part of professional project. I wanted to see how they used the software Resolume and how this worked using two projectors. This was very interesting and the team were very helpful in showing me how they set up and in their discussions about creating the animations.
The image below show the problems with mapping the trainer, I am glad I checked at this point as it has allowed me to order the necessary parts required for me to continue.

Experiment No 3

My previous experiments have taught me things about both mapping and animation. For this third experiment I wanted to look at the projecting side of things. What could I project onto/through?
I wanted to see if I could carry out live projections, my initial idea was to create art using alcohol inks. These inks mix themselves and are interesting to watch. I tried this using a perspex box with the projector placed underneath with the light facing my ceiling. With an acetone sheet on top which I dropped the inks onto. This never worked out as expected and appeared blurry.
I had an idea to use a kaleidoscope but never had one so I made a short animation from my alcohol ink images to create something like a kaleidoscope. I wanted to use this on a mirror and also through smoke. I realised that this experiment was more about surfaces etc than animation so I found royalty free stock videos to use for this experiment.
The mirror seemed to give more depth to the images projected onto it although this is not so visible in the final video. Also good to see that it is possible to project onto multiple surfaces with one projection. Also seen how certain images react to corners, i.e. wall/ceiling junction.
The smoke was made by simply putting lit cigarettes in a bowl inside the perspex box. This went really well with some interesting results. This worked best when the first cigarette was lit as the smoke was more distinctive in shape and form. This could be something I could use again in future, not sure exactly what for but I will remember doing it. There are videos on vimeo showing the components and also a final video. The links are below.

https://vimeo.com/122996976

https://vimeo.com/123292649

Video blogs for Components of experiments No 1 and No 2

I have realised that writing a blog doesn't really explain many parts of my experiments. This has made me decide to also create vlogs for each of the experiments. These will hopefully show more of what has been involved in each of the video, where my ideas came from and should add a bit more depth to what I write about in my blog. The first of these video blogs can be seen on the links below and detail the two experiments so far. In future I think I may add these to each of the finished video but I will just need to wait and see with file sizes etc.

https://vimeo.com/122831620

https://vimeo.com/122833910

experiment No 2

This experiment began with a thought about the clock in my kitchen. My initial thoughts were to use the cogs within the clock to show it working, then I felt that this seemed to obvious. I began thinking about what time is, to me time is an illusion, it is something man has created. So this made me want to try an optical illusion on the clock face. This is done in the form of a dots moving in a circular motion although they only really move in straight lines between two points. For this experiment I also wanted to try some new stuff in after effects and just see where it went really. Big Ben tied in with the time concept although the rest is probably more to do with the circular motion. This piece of work is not something I am entirely happy with although I did learn a great deal about working within after effects. I found that it seemed to work better exporting each element as separate films then composed together again to create the final piece. This also turned into more of an animation than a mapping project, this is something I must consider for my next experiment as I want to concentrate more on the mapping and projecting side of things. The link for the video is shown below.

https://vimeo.com/122136229

Experiment No 1

Been a while! Was waiting several weeks to get money and order the projector and video camera required to carry out this project. Done my first experiment about 10 days ago, titled fire and water. The idea came about when I was looking at the fireplace in my living room and wondered if I could make it appear as if flames were coming from it.
This then lead me to think of fire's opposite water and wondered if I could use both elements in the same projection. Something then came to me that both could potentially come from clouds in the form of rain and lightning could cause fire.
I used royalty free stock footage of clouds and the old style timer at the beginning, the rest of the effects were all created using After Effects. The water, fire and lightning were created using particle effects and I used a photo of the fireplace to help create masks on each of the effects. There are some issues with the final piece, mainly concerning timings with music, the pace of the whole piece is rather slow. There are some small areas which have not mapped correctly but overall I am pleased with this experiment especially as it was the first. The reason I have left it so long between the creating and blogging was just to see what comments I received on Behance which have been positive. The link below shows the final piece.

https://vimeo.com/120308343

Ideas for mapping

As this will be the first time I have tried projection mapping it makes sense to begin with smaller simpler ideas. I have been looking for some ideas of the types of materials/surfaces that I could try projecting onto. My initial ideas consist of murals, small boxes, bottles, trainers or manikins. Below are some videos I have watched to not only inspire but to try and gain an understanding of how others have carried out their projects.

http://vimeo.com/nobumichiasai/omote

http://vimeo.com/50538312

http://vimeo.com/115082758

http://vimeo.com/113933784

http://youtu.be/TGI4oz1QnZo

http://youtu.be/7ZHef-hAvOM

http://youtu.be/skU3T8bgEIM

http://youtu.be/KKsKwHbuu3M

http://youtu.be/bvvy86zvoX4

http://youtu.be/KToDmJbEE7Y

Inspirations for mapping

Over the past few years I have seen many projection mapping projects which inspired me to try some small scale projections of my own. Some of these large scale projections and some videos of the making of them are shown below.

http://youtu.be/lX6JcybgDFo

http://youtu.be/y4ajXJ3nj1Q

http://youtu.be/rYAdtkZe90k

http://youtu.be/SX2Gd-kqV5s

http://youtu.be/y6TNyICoTUc

http://youtu.be/o5ZvCv7yUKk

http://youtu.be/kcu8UP8CU58

http://youtu.be/yBzjNb4_Trw

http://vimeo.com/amcb/pixel

http://vimeo.com/54670485

These are all large scale projects which require a team of people and potentially multiple projectors.
Although inspirational for my project I will be experimenting with much smaller, simpler projections.

Semester 2 Initial proposal

This semester I wish to do some projection mapping, these will consist of a series of experimental pieces which will develop my skills in many ways. Last semester I worked on the interactive comic brief, this allowed me to develop a style which would suit the story. This was a historical character drawn in a modern style which kept with the period clothing. The project also allowed me to develop my animation skills which is one of my weaker points and also consider sound effects to match. One of the main considerations for the project was also the interactivity for the user and how this may involve and draw them into the story to create a more immersive and enjoyable experience.
My intention for this module is to create a series of projection maps onto a variety of surfaces. These may be based on narrative, music or be driven by other methods. The final product may be a video of these projections as each experiment takes place. This is essentially an experimental project to find out how projection mapping is done, what can be mapped onto and how. I think my strengths are within story telling but I would like to explore new methods of doing this. The last project highlighted my weakness within animation mainly with regards timings and movement. This project would let me tackle these weaknesses in either abstract or by means of a narrative. Timing is an essential part of story telling so this is why this project would not only teach me a new skill but would also help develop my overall skill in story telling. Creating this type of project would develop many aspects of my artistic practise, from drawing to planning ,experimentation. There are many areas where this is a fairly new development such as stage animations/projections, installation art and I could develop this a part of a storytelling experience