DUE
4.29 (REGULAR CLASS TIME) :
* READING 4 (NEW AESTHETIC)
* SELECTION OF A POST FROM
THE NEW AESTHETIC TUMBLR
AND WHY IT APPEALED.
(ON YOUR BLOG)
5.6 (REGULAR CLASS TIME) :
* PROJECT 6
* SEMESTER LONG WRITE-UPS
* SOME FOOD. POT LUCK.
5.13 (FINAL, 10:15 AM MEETING TIME) :
* YOUR PRESENCE IN A DIGITAL
WORLD MEETING PLACE
* (RELATED) PROJECT 7
*
WORKSHOP HOURS
EVERY FRIDAY AND SUNDAY UP TO
THE FINAL MEETING, 1-4... SAVE
FOR MAY 3 (B.B. FILM FESTIVAL).
(WHICH IS AN EVENT YOU CAN
WRITE ABOUT, IF YOU NEED IT.)
★ ★ ★ ★
A S S I G N M E N T 6
Polygonal Portrait
"Learning About Blender 3D and Self"
*Phase 1 of a 3 part exploration into what we might consider the "3D World". With Blender 3D, we will be employing a technique called "box modeling". In laymen's terms, a very lo-res method of 3D modeling that is typically a precursor to a more defined model. However for our purposes and parallel to the ideas from "The New Aesthetic", we are going to be chivalrous to the concept of 'cubes' and 'minimalism'.
Workflow of Project 6
1.) Explore the fundamentals of Blender 3D (program)! A tutorial post I've written containing everything necessary to completing assignment is here :
For the record, the version of Blender I have employed for the write-up is 2.56. Fundamentals may apply if a different version, but be sure. Working computers in lab should have Blender installed.
2.) With techniques and fundamentals in mind, develop project. You are to create a self portrait. Additionally, a portrait of yourself you believe would be perceived from the lens of a machine. This is where the cubist visual-minimalism comes in handy for the college student without enough time to create a million-polygon rendition. You may be very, very liberal in your approach to your machine-esque self portrait. It may be your head or face. It may be a certain part or closely related object to you which summarizes your being. Your family may even be representative of you. Endless possibilities. But it is self portrait.
3.) Important enough to get its own bulletpoint : Model this as if it could fit on a large pedestal in the Sheppard Gallery in Church Fine Arts. Don't worry too much about in-program scale. You can 'scale' it where its going...
4.) The method of turn-in : Five snapshots rendered from Blender and posted to your blog. This way : One front-view, one back-view, one-side view, one-top view, and angle of your choice. Also, artist's statement about image's relationship to it being your portrait.
This is just an example I did (playing with the whole 'other things are me' schtick) inspired by Michael Murphy's work. I took a zoomed up pixel shot of Sonic from 1991, even further bitmapped it to look more primitive, and distorted the individual pixels by deleting 'polygons' from panels it mapped the image onto. You will likely surpass this, and I would hope you do.
Links for inspiration-
Keep the file safe! You will be exporting a .dae file of the mesh/model to use in the end.
★ ★ ★ ★
A S S I G N M E N T 7
A Digital You
"Visualizing Yourself in Second Life"
Now the yang to Project 6's yang, in a way. Instead of a machine telling you how to portrait yourself, you are telling a machine how to see you. Phase 2 of 3 of the 3D world.
Learning how to build an avatar will get nearly a whole in-class period of work, April 29. We will take a trip to the Dynamic Media Lab for it.
So keep calm and stay digital.
Sign up for a free account and get acquainted with Second Life. Go to http://secondlife.com/ and sign up! Your first steps are to create a representational avatar/self portrait in the online community “Second Life”. If your computer allows it (more than likely yes) you are free to download the program for yourself. Test that out excessively. It must be reliable for the final meeting.
Follow these steps:
A) Start by changing your appearance functions to essentially create a self portrait in appearance and body shape as avatar. Either create or find clothing items that work for your self-portrait/avatar. Think of the tools available as a new type of drawing system – using this system to create the most realistic, representational depiction of the self.
Examples A and B. Your typical Second Life denizen.
Only without the white hair and lack of clothing.
Follow this tutorial. You'll learn a lot by 'doing', but this helps additionally.
http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Appearance_Editor
B) Once you have created an avatar (or you have one that your previously created as a mirrored self, great!), save this as an outfit. Now you will start working with the skin template in photoshop to create a more realistic representation of your face and head.
Follow the link below. You can download a template (Photoshop
file - layered) to stretch out a front and side portrait on to
map your own face into the Second Life world engine!
This is the link for the head template to import.
http://www.annotoole.com/CMFF/ (you will need CMFF_Master_Template_Head.zip)
This is a tutorial on making and importing skin. In a nutshell, simply enter at the top BUILD -> IMPORT -> IMAGE. It will only let you do so for 10 L (dollars in game). Using the lab fees available, I will ensure you receive a good amount of money from the Digital Lab (from myself and Joe DeLappe) to spend on importing images to map your face with. May take more than one try. After you've imported, you can simply enter the edit appearance mode, body -> skin -> face and use image.
http://www.avatars-3d.com/tutorial-template-secondlife/273-second-life-how-to-use-a-skin-template
IMPORTANT: To help customize yourself better, you may buy with $L (which the Digital Lab/department will supply to you) extra clothing. The online store accessible via Second Life is http://secondlife.com/shop/ .
http://www.avatars-3d.com/tutorial-template-secondlife/273-second-life-how-to-use-a-skin-template
IMPORTANT: To help customize yourself better, you may buy with $L (which the Digital Lab/department will supply to you) extra clothing. The online store accessible via Second Life is http://secondlife.com/shop/ .
1.) Post snapshots of your avatar in the Second Life world, in either exotic locales or the most mundane ones. As long as they are representative of you and a portrait of you. 'Ish.
How? Screen capture!
*In Second Life, disable HUD with Control + Alt + F1. To make image without menus.
*On Mac : Apple+Shift+3. It will save an image to your desktop.
*Of choosing : Crop and adjust lighting levels of image to your liking! Then post.
A minimum of three images. Artist statement : A short paragraph of this portrait's relationship to your Project 6 portrait.
My normal self. Out of disguise of infamous "DeBender of
the Universe" SL costume. Debating to show in class...
So we have two portraits of ourselves. That leaves...
★ ★ ★ ★
F I N A L M E E T I N G
* The preliminary plan towards this meeting
(10:15 AM, May 13th) is to congregate in the
virtual world of Second Life.
In a sandbox portion of the world,
where we may install our own models
converted to .dae from Blender (and
importantly create new prims/models
within the Second Life world there),
we will install a virtual art show.
I will attempt, to import a replica of the
Sheppard fine arts gallery from down-
stairs into Second Life so we may install
on pedestals Project 6. Our personas
present (Project 7) will observe.
It is then we will critique project 7 via
type-chat one-by-one and just chat.
More details will be posted separately later.
In addition to an extra credit possibility.
After that, game over.
.
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