USC Animation - Visualizing Art and Science

The Democratization of Animation

2007-12-13T04:18:00.000-08:00

Therefore for our research purposes, both science visualization and quantitative visuals were suitable for our research purposes since one of our main areas of inquiry was the domain of aesthetics and how aesthetics relates to the fields of science, art and animation.

In our research it was found the scientists and artists have a reciprocal relationship in terms of how they regard visual phenomena and natural processes. Scientists use animation as a communication tool to educate the general public, gain grants, and support their hypothesis. While artists use visual phenomena and depictions of natural processes as sources of inspiration for their animations and visual effects (i.e. crystals, jellyfish, nebula, lightning, etc…). This relationship is becoming more cohesive with the democratizing of digital animation.

The democratization of animation is something I write about a lot. It is my personal view on how animation is transforming visual culture in general. I gained this view as a graphic designer in the early 90s and by witness how Photoshop and, computers in general, help expand the field of graphic design. At the time, many graphic design journals, such as Émigré, Eye magazine, and the AIGA talked about the democratization of graphic design. The same thing is has already happened with animation, for example Autodesk has created a curriculum package enabling high school students to model and animation science visuals with Maya software. For the most, the democratizing of animation puts the software in the hands of the scientist, or access to an animator with the software allowing scientists to communicate more ideas at a greater rate.

science visualization vs. information graphics

2007-12-13T04:17:00.000-08:00

The terms science visualization and information visualization are often used interchangeably, and while the two disciplines can overlap both tend to present visual data in separate ways.

Science visuals often deal with concrete data structures that represent natural processes, i.e. weather, medical anatomy, and physics, etc… where as information visualization or quantitative information deals with mathematical data structures and are often presented as charts as graphs.

3D renders, hyper-realistic visuals, fly-through animations, and flash cartoons are often the domain of science visuals while vector graphics are more often associated with information graphics.

But from an aesthetic stand point the distinction fades and both scientific visualizations, such as nebulas and electron microscope imagery and graphic content of visual complexity can be captivating sources of inspiration to animators and visual artists.

Women Illustrators

2007-12-12T17:45:00.000-08:00

Dave's Seminar Post

2007-12-12T17:29:00.000-08:00

- Enabled in 1990, the Children's Television Act was created to enhance television's potential to teach children. The CTA establishes a guideline that every station airs at least three hours per week of core educational programming.

-Captain Planet, a cartoon superhero, was created with the intent of entertaining viewers into an awareness of environmental hazards

-Bill Nye, an engineer by day, stand up comedian by night, created the show Bill Nye the Science Guy which aimed to teach specific topics in science to a preteen audience.

-Many children's programs today seemingly have little to no educational value. A few stations continue to put forth an effort to teach, but the shows are predominantly on cable television. These stations include Discovery Channel Kids and National Geographic, and PBS on network televsion.

Women Illustrators

2007-12-12T17:19:00.000-08:00

2007-12-12T15:34:00.000-08:00

Bulleted List for Science and Spirituality:

• Co-Exist? Judy Lemus said she was spiritual, but not religious. Dr. Francis Collins is religious and scientist. CNN Article

• Faking Science? Especially Web misinformation

Creature Museum: creatures
Water Crystals: crystals

• Human Judgment: Erroneous Science

Da Vinci: Da Vinci
Flat Earth: Flat Earth Forum

An Animation dealing with both:
Duelity
Duelity

Duelity

2007-12-12T15:24:00.000-08:00

This is an awesome animation created earlier this year by students in the Vancouver Film School dealing with the creation of the world and humans. It is interesting because it approaches the creationism theory with scientific dialogue and the Evolution/Big Bang theory with a middle ages/religious dialogue.

Watch all three videos.

duelity

www.duelity.net

The Differences/Similarities between artists & scientists

2007-12-12T10:36:00.000-08:00

This research on the similarities and differences between art & science was taken from a book called The Origins of Creativity edited by Karl H. Pfenninger (Jan Pfenninger's dad - thanks Jan!) and Judy Lemus's footage from seminar. Added are a few thoughts of my own.

Similarities Between Artists & Scientists:

For both, the creative process in not linear with time.
Both seek to discover and communicate truths about the world in which we live
Both rely on elements of choice, inspiration and serendipity

Differences:

Scientists strive for commonality, artists tend to be unique
Art needs the artist to exist, science can exists without scientists
Artists a can make things up, scientists must rely on truths

The Mysticism of Sience

2007-12-12T09:42:00.000-08:00

Krome Barret's book, Logic & Design, In Art, Science and Mathmatics is a treasure trove of excepts and illustrations depicting the interconnections between science and art. In his introduction is an inspiring paragraph that mirrors Ernst Heackel's views on artist's and scientists from a contemporary perspective.

Barret states:

"It is fascinating to observe that physicists are moving closer to the thoughts of the ancients... of the mystics who found magic, and the origin of the universe, in number and geometry. As they search beyond our sensory scales into concepts of intergalactic space/time their models for is structure are based upon the minutest of particles."

Haeckel states -

"The tasks of scientists and artists are really identical, to depict the world around us with the precision of the scientist and the passion of the mystic."

The Process of Discovery for the Scientist, Artist and Animator

2007-12-12T08:10:00.000-08:00

Thomas R. Chech, in his essay, overturning the Dogma: Catalytic RNA discusses the evolution of his creative experience in researching RNA. Elaborating on how the creative process is enacted for the scientist, Chech mentions, that in the sciences he is familiar with (chemistry and biology), problems are rarely solved with a linear set of experiments. Hypotheses are proven to fail and lead scientists to other hypothesis. In Chech's research, the Hypothesis was that RNA is not pure. A protein enzyme should be responsible for replicating the catalyzed RNA. But experiments lead to new discoveries, and it was found that RNA is indeed self-replicating - a breakthrough discovery that has foundations for the origins of life.

Artists, he believes, also follow non-linear paths in their creative workflows. For example, Pollock tried to become a proficient draftsman as young artist. His attempts to created representational and symbolic paintings inspired by Diego Rivera and Picasso were often not well received. His action paintings, which made him famous, happened by accident. In preparations to paint a mural, several drips of paint fell to floor, and Pollock's love of the resulting drippy design evolved into one of the most influential periods in Modern American Art.

Both of these processes of discovery exemplify what Chech calls "progress that is not linear with time." He discusses how both artists and scientists have periods of belaboring frustration (i.e. struggling with draftsmanship of reoccurring failing hypothesis) and periods of rapid insight (i.e. is self replicating and the drips are aesthetically pleasing).

On a personal, as an animator, I can relate to Chech's notion that progress is not linear with time. Most of us go about our work in a very linear way. First we come up with a story, then we write the script, then visual development, then the story board, then the animatic, then the casting, then the ADR session, then animation which replaces the still images in the animatic, then post-production, etc. But when the animation begins, I often find myself revisiting the story and making changes. This can be especially true for areas of "dynamic animation." For example, two characters are fighting on the edge of the cliff, in the script there is heavy dialog explaining a crucial part of the story. But the animation must be dynamic and quick. It must be suspenseful and gripping. At this stage the dialog has to be cut, maybe edited. What, I have to do another ADR session and call back the actor?! Oh dear. But wait. I can cut the dialog out entirely. The scene is more suspenseful, even better. Egads! What a great discovery.

works cited:
Overturing the Dogma: Catalytic RNA, Thomas R. Cech
from The Origins of Creativity, Edited by Karl. H. Pfenninger

Religion and Science: Can We Get Along?

2007-12-08T22:26:00.000-08:00

Usually when anyone surveys the news about the conflict between science and religion, the two issues are considered to be polar opposites. Despite the fact that there is a great historical precedent of strongly religious scientists (and, gasp, Artists!) that have contributed greatly to mankind, today's world believes that religion and science are oil and water. They do not mix (except in salad) and that if those religious scientists had been alive today, they would have found either religion outdated or science dogmatic.

Dr. Francis Collins is both a scientist and a believer in religion, specifically Christianity. In this article, he describes how he was able to unite the two seemingly polar opposites. Continues the debate between science and religion and whether they can co-exist. Not only is he both, he is one of the closest scientists at the crux of many of science and religions latest scrap, evolution. He is the director of the Human Genome Project, which was formed to read out the 3.1 billion letters of the human genome, our own DNA instruction book.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/04/03/collins.commentary/index.html

This world is Flat

2007-12-08T22:25:00.000-08:00

Flat Earth Society

So you believe in a spherical earth? Not so, says the Flat Earth Society who follow the Flat Earth hypothesis. The contemporary flat earth movement originated with an English inventor, Samuel Rowbotham. The Flat Earth Society believes that the moon landings were faked and there is no evidence to support a spherical based earth. Test for yourself how the widely discredited hypothesis holds up.
http://www.theflatearthsociety.org/

jake

Judy D. Lemus

2007-12-08T20:00:00.000-08:00

Judy D. Lemus,Research Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences, is also the Marine Advisory Program Leader for USC Sea Grant where she guides interpretation and technology-transfer of marine science research. She completed both her BS and MS degrees in Biology at the University of California-Los Angeles and received her PhD in Biology from the University of Southern California. Her Creative works include Ocean Science Animations, Animations created through collaboration with Division of Animation and Digital Arts to help teach public audiences about ocean science concepts and research.

Ernst Haeckel

2007-12-08T15:54:00.000-08:00

3D Medical Animation

2007-12-08T15:53:00.001-08:00

Bill Nye The Science Guy

2007-12-08T13:43:00.000-08:00

William Sanford Nye, aka Bill Nye the Science Guy, is an American comedian, television host, science educator, and mechanical engineer. Nye began his dual career as an engineer by day, and stand up comedian by night. His television show, Bill Nye The Science Guy, ran from 1993 through 1997. Each episode (100 in all) aimed to teach a specific topic in science to a preteen audience, yet it garnered a wide adult audience as well.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Nye
http://www.ecb.org/guides/billnye.htm

Children's Television Act

2007-12-08T13:38:00.000-08:00

The Children's Television Act was enacted in 1990 in the United States to enhance television's potential to teach the nation's children valuable information and skills. The Act requires each television station that offers children's television programming in the U.S. to serve the educational and informational needs of children through its overall programming, including programming specifically designed to serve these needs (or "core" educational programming). In August 1996, the FCC adopted new rules to strengthen the enforcement of this statutory mandate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children%27s_Television_Act

Mystical Connections Between Science and Art

2007-12-07T02:33:00.000-08:00

"The regular pentagon, in association with the hexagon, has been credited with magincal powers through out recorded history.

"It came as no surprise to mystics that DNA is found to function like a right handed helix in which each tread is of the same size and turns at the same rate of 36 degrees per tread".

"On each tread the chemical lattice is coded in hexagons and pentagons!"

- taken from Logic & Desgin In At, Science & Mathematics by Krome Barratt

The design of the web site will be base on the pentagon. This was inspired by an earlier post on the mystical properties of snowflakes. Snowflakes form as hexagons, but a pentagon is a simpler form to work with for design purposes. But based on further research, as seen in the except above, a pentagon is just as appropriate.

- joe

Aesthetics help the universe survive

2007-12-06T09:44:00.000-08:00

Babies are born "cute" so parents don't discard them. That is nature's way. Beauty is a survival mechanism and the Earth is alive. Nature has programed our senses with the capabliity to cherish and protect beauty in the world. But doesn't this hold true for the Solar System, Galaxy and Universe as well? We protect what we find to be beautiful, whether its a child, a puppy, a forest, a mountain or a nebula. But what role do artists and scientists play in this process? Why do they care? Have they been programmed by God and nature to protect the universe? Scientists and artists, and others as well, study nature in order to perserve it. They study biology and medicine to ensure a child's survival. They archive data, such as DNA and landscape paintings, so we can perserve information for furture generations. A museum is an archive of beauty. A petri dish is also an archive of beauty. Scientists and artists are the white blood cells that help protect the system.

-joe

Universal Principles of Design

2007-12-06T09:07:00.001-08:00

The book Universal Principles of Design by William Lidwell, Kritina Holden, and Jill Butler is a concise guide into various rules that guide aesthetics and design. Each page references a different principle, some common, such as "highlighting," to more obscure ("The Law of Pragnanz"). Sidebars on each page denote the research involved in backing-up the principles.

As an animator, artist and designer I find this book to a valuable resource in developing my ideas. Some concepts are more relevant than others. For example, a knowing the principles of Baby Face Bias, Attractiveness Bias, Archetypes and Face-ism Ratio, would be of great benefit to character designers, screenwriters, and story development artists. But what I find most intriguing is the amount of scientific research which goes into each principle. By studying the various principles, it becomes obvious, that aesthetics are guided by a combination of science and pyschology.

Here are some of the principles in the book:

80/20 Rule
Accessibility
Advance Organizer
Aesthetic-Usability Effect
Affordance
Alignment
Archetypes
Attractiveness Bias
Chunking
Classical Conditioning
Closure
Cognitive Dissonance
Color
Common Fate
Comparison
Confirmation
Consistency
Constancy
Constraint
Control
Convergence
Cost-Benefit
Defensible Space
Depth of Processing
Development Cycle
Entry Point
Expectation Effect
Face-ism Ratio
Feedback Loop
Fibonacci Sequence
Fitt's Law
Form Follows Function
Framing
Golden Raton
Gutenberg Diagram
Hick's Law
Highlighting
Iconic Representation
Interference Effects
Iteration
Law of Pragnanz
Layering
Mnemonic Device
Most Average Facial Appearance Effect
Ockham's Razor

taken from Universal Principles of Design: A Cross-Disciplinar Reference, by William Lidwell, Kritina Holden and Jill Butler

-joe

The Relationship Between Art and Science

2007-12-06T08:55:00.000-08:00

I've been reading a great article by Jesus R. Soto in an old issue of Leonardo Journal. Here is his take on the relationship between art and science:

"The relationship that exsists between art and science cannot be reduced to a simple case of an artist 's appropriation and application of scientific methods and concepts. Art is not the illustration of scientific ideas; there is no cause-and-effect relationship between the two fields. At and science are engaged in a common struggle to confront universal questions".

taken from The Rold of Scientific Concepts in Art, Jesus R. Soto, Leonardo Journal, Vol 27, No 3. pp 227-230, 1994

But I wonder if there is a greater connection between art and science that we cannot fathom at this time. In some way, all time and matter in the universal is connected. As artists strive for greater aesthetic achievements, is it possible for their imaginations to visualize what scientists can only see with technology? Is beauty universal?

- joe

Terryl Whitlatch

2007-12-05T14:46:00.000-08:00

Here is some Star Wars conceptual work of some Tatoonine creatures:

from Star Wars.com

Whitlatch has worked on numerous film projects, such as Star Wars: Episode 1 and Jumanji, in creating believable fictional creatures. She grew up around animals and her background includes studying at colleges for both vertebrate zoology and art. Her approach to her concept art is fascinating. She does not illustrate animals or creatures that belong to other planets by what is “cool.” However, she composes the purpose of each creature by drawing a realistic skeleton. This does not mean that she draws a couple bones to indicate where the spine and limbs are. These bone skeletons have to be able to conceivably move, grow, reproduce, and still exist. She studies both animal and human skeletons for reference. This mindset allows works for the rest of the conceivable anatomy of the creature to be formed. Everything must have a purpose in creating these creatures, from the types of teeth they may exhibit indicating their diet to the type of hide relating to their environment. She loved the earlier Star Wars films for their reality that made sense, such as the Tauntauns in The Empire Strikes Back. This similar design philosophy allowed her to fit perfectly into the production line for Star Wars: Episode 1. She has also illustrated several books that focus on this intensive creature design, such as The Katurran Odyssey and The Wildlife of Star Wars. She is considered to be the foremost creature designer in the world.

here is an article about her work on star wars:
http://www.starwars.com/episode-i/bts/profile/f19990210/index.html
along with her profile:
http://www.starwars.com/bio/terrylwhitlatch.html

also: Doug Chiang has some really interesting work, including an animated film in production called "Robota"

Visualizing the Center of the Milky Way

2007-12-05T11:48:00.000-08:00

Robert Hurt, PhD, is an astronomer working on NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope mission, an infrared counterpart to the Hubble Space Telescope. He is a part of the public affairs team and oversees science visual communications for the project. This encompasses rendering research data as visual imagery and in conveying scientific results through illustration and artwork. He is part of the "FITS Liberator" development team, a Photoshop plugin that directly imports astronomy research imagery.

How are these images created?
Robert Hurt: Observations from the Spitzer Space Telescope are distributed in a FITS file format that is common to the field of astronomy. To make the jump from data to image, many observatories now use the FITS Liberator plugin for Photoshop. This freely-distributed import filter acts like a digital darkroom for the image. You can preview the image, set the black and white points, and even select between several functions to compress the dynamic range of the image.
http://www.apple.com/science/insidetheimage/hurt_stolovy/

Seismic Velocity Model

2007-12-05T11:47:00.001-08:00

Dr. Rob Vestrum is a partner at Thrust Belt Imaging in Calgary, Canada. His visualization geological formation with complex-structure imaging, anisotropy theory, velocity model interpretation, and anisotropic depth migration.
His project experience covers the Western Canadian foothills, the Californian thrust belt, and the South American Andes.
http://www.apple.com/science/insidetheimage/thrust_belt/

Molecular

2007-12-05T11:46:00.001-08:00

Computer graphics and animation, created at ACCAD, were used to give students the ability to see molecular interactions and the biological concepts those interactions supported. Computer graphics allowed students to see these processes as multi-dimensional, multi-colored images and sequenced events, with complex, time-dependent, three-dimensional processes.

http://accad.osu.edu/research/scientific_visualization_htmls/IBP.htm

Jane: Diary of a Dinosaur

2007-12-05T11:44:00.000-08:00

In the Summer of 2001, The Burpee Museum of Natural History discovered Jane, a juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex, in the Badlands of southeastern Montana. Jane is the most complete juvenile T.rex ever found. Jane lived and died 66 million years ago during the Cretaceous Period. It's unprecedented for such a small museum to discover, restore and own a dinosaur of this magnitude.
Starting in January 2005, The Burpee Museum of Natural History, Rockford IL, The Advanced Computing Center for the Arts and Design (ACCAD) at The Ohio State University, and Engine Studios, Rockford IL collaborated on an IMLS funded project for Jane: Diary of a Dinosaur . ACCAD contributed computer animation and interactive touchscreen media for the exhibit which opened June 29, 2005 at the Museum.
http://accad.osu.edu/research/scientific_visualization_htmls/jane.htm

Bio Unbound: Stuff Of Life

2007-12-05T11:43:00.000-08:00

Bio Unbound: Stuff Of Life
Bio Unbound: Stuff of Life is a collaborative project involving ACCAD, the Department of Design, the Department of Dance, and theDepartment of Entomology from OSU. The project is hosted by the Columbus Center Of Science and Industry (COSI) and represents an exhibit prototype for learning about DNA.
The DNA multi-user touch screen workbench allows users to learn the concept of Complimentary Base Pairing by manipulating and connecting nucleotides by hand. Interacting with the wall projection next to the workbench, users engage their entire body in exploring the concept of super coiling.
http://accad.osu.edu/research

The Imagination of the Scientist...

2007-12-04T09:32:00.000-08:00

"To be sure, when the pioneer of science sends out the inquisitive antennae of this mind, he must have a vivid intuitive imagination, for new ideas are not born of deduction, but indeed of creative artistic imagination.'

- Max Planck.

Planck was a German physicist from the early twentieth century. He is considered to be the father of quatum theory.

Sun Visualization

2007-12-03T09:37:00.000-08:00

Inspired by the Griffith Observatory, and with the help of the latest issue of 3D World magazine I set off to make a Sun Spot visualization of my own. The sun spots still have to be added, they will be created with Fluid Dynamics. Also, I may have missed a step along the way - the rays should be much smaller. I believe I should have worked in meters vs. cm. If I worked in meters the Multi-Streak particles would be smaller. But working in cm is advisable for large intergalactic scenes due to clipping plane errors that can result from working at large scales.

I should also adjust the Color Accumulation for the Hardware Render of the Rays. But the composite is of my own devising, using a combination of blending modes and radial blurs. I think the image works, but this represents how visuals can be misleading while being attractive to the viewer.

It is interesting to note that two particle placement techniques have been used in this composition: Emit from Surface and Emit from Texture. The stars in the background are images of real stars. They have been mapped to sprites, and emitted from a black and white texture painted onto a large sphere.

Research at the Griffith Observatory

2007-12-03T08:55:00.000-08:00

I recently visited the Griffith Observatory (http://www.griffithobs.org/) and was really impressed by the design and display of the various exhibits. Much of the research on display reminds of the work of digital artist, Jim Campbell (http://www.jimcampbell.tv/). Combining animation with scuplture, the Griffith Observatory is a captivating experience.

Brain Topographical Map

2007-12-02T04:01:00.000-08:00

Here is an interesting take on mapping the human brain.

http://www.unitseven.co.nz/

-joe

Discovery Channel Kids

2007-12-01T18:06:00.000-08:00

Discovery Kids airs informative and entertaining programming for children with an emphasis on real-life adventures, nature, science and wildlife from all over the world.

http://kids.discovery.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discovery_Kids

Mad Scientist part duex

2007-12-01T18:00:00.000-08:00

This scientist is quite mad. How could he not be? Look at those clothes. He is generally friendly and always willing to lend a hand (sorry for the terrible joke).

Widget the World Watcher

2007-12-01T17:49:00.000-08:00

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Widget_(TV_series)

Gonna Take Polution Down to ZERO!

2007-12-01T17:45:00.000-08:00

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Planet

Beauty in Science and The New York School

2007-11-29T10:31:00.000-08:00

1945: Thanks to World War II New York becomes the art capital of the world.

Dali, Ernst, Leger, Lipchitz, Masson, Matta, Mondrian, Tanguy, and Beton make New York their home.

Art evolves at an exciting pace. Cubism, Expressionism, and Dada-Surrealism lead to total abstraction. The pure aesthetic of Abstract-Expressionism is born. Pollock, Hofmann, Gorky, Rothko and de Kooning predate Warhol as the art world's media darlings. At the time, many question the talent of these individuals. Nevertheless, these artists opened a new doorway in humankind's spatial and spiritual visual journey.

1962: The National Academy of Sciences proposes the developement of a large space telescope.

1990: The Hubble space telescope is launched after a delay of 5 years, due to the Challenger disaster

1993: The world's largest contact lense is used to correct the Hubble's blurred vision.

Subconciously, The New York school foresaw the dynamic conflict between positive and negative, flatness and space found in the shifting forms of nebula and galaxies discovered by hubble. The awe inspiring beauty of such interstellar phenomena is no differant then the pure visual aesthetic developed by the New York School.

referance cited:
Art since the Mid-Century, 1945 to te present/Daniel Wheeler, pages 61 -81

http://hubblesite.org/gallery

http://www.aerospaceguide.net/spacehistory/hubble-history.html

Fly Anatomy for Conceptual Inspiration

2007-11-29T10:17:00.000-08:00

http://www.ento.csiro.au/biology/fly/flyGlossary.html is a great website for anyone interested in creating insect-like creatures for their animations. The site itself is quite remarkable, letting veiwers zoom in on various fly species while highlighting specific body arts. This is another interesting example of scientific visualization taking advantage of web site innovations.

Mad Scientist Sketch

2007-11-24T17:23:00.001-08:00

This is a sketch of the Mad Scientist that will guide visitors through our website. Different versions will be soon to come.

Dave

Visual Complexity

2007-11-17T02:16:00.000-08:00

We are often taught that less is more; an ideal that often places more focus on the animation than image. Counter to this notion is the website: http://www.visualcomplexity.com. Visual Complexity is an ongoing archive of highly complex graphs and data mines. The work featured on this site is scientific in nature while being abstract and beautiful. Several of the charts are animated, but even the still images convey a sense of movement due to their visual complexity.

FLYING M & M

2007-11-14T10:56:00.000-08:00

Blood Flow Animation

2007-11-14T08:54:00.000-08:00

Creating creatures from scratch

2007-11-06T17:58:00.000-08:00

Here are 3 articles on creating the creatures from an artistic point of view.
For Pirates of the Caribbean, Art Director Aaron McBride and Creature Model Supervisor Geoff Campbell helped bring these creatures to life.
Geoff goes into detail of how they would continuously model the creatures until it was right for the animation group (and how he decided to trash phonemes)

http://features.cgsociety.org/story_custom.php?story_id=4106&page=1

Aaron describes his process of designing the creatures for Pirates, and that he uses many real life references to help him visualize his final images.

http://features.cgsociety.org/story_custom.php?story_id=3667&page=1

Visual FX Art Director Alex Jaeger describes how he went about bringing the Tranformers to life from realistic cars to thousands of moving parts.

http://features.cgsociety.org/story_custom.php?story_id=4150

-jake
All of these articles contain some sweet previs picts!

BLOOD CELL ANIMATION

2007-11-01T13:22:00.001-07:00

1. Effects - Curve Flow - Select a curve for the curve flow to follow
set the following parameters: Control Segments = 6, subsegments = 4, emission rate=300

2. Scale up the control circles to control the width of the flow path

3. Instance the curve flow particles with the geometry of your choice

You can also make a particle based camera rig to fly through the flow but that is a little bit more complicated. The work flow involves parenting a 2 node camera, to two particles that have been attached to a motion path. You must also connect the World Centroid of the particles to the translation of two locators that are also parented to the particles.

Visualizing Multiple Dimensions

2007-11-01T11:34:00.001-07:00

Check out this fascinating site that uses flash to visualize the ten dimensions:

http://www.tenthdimension.com/medialinks.php

The Origins of Digital Scientific Visulization

2007-11-01T11:13:00.000-07:00

Visual design, in general, is indebted to John Whitney Sr. for his work in digital harmony. The precepts of digital harmony are synomous with L-Systems, i.e. create a series of rules and change those rules over time to create visuals. Also like L-systems, John Whitney utilized mathematics to create pure aesthetics, in other worlds, by utilizing the fundamentals of mathematics, Whitney was able to anticipate and control every detail of his creation. By watching his film Arabesque we can begin to fathom why our brains find radial structures, such as snow flakes, so alluring. The radio waves effect in After Effects can be alluring as well, but our control is limited by the AE UI. Below is an except from my animation history paper, which explains the necessity to understand Whitney's Digital Harmony in order to control the aesthetics of moving imagery.

How then can a understanding of Digital Harmony improve the field of motion graphics today?

Whitney defines harmony as a temporal experience of tension and resolve. This can be expressed mathematically, with whole number ratios that reflect the scales in music: octave, fifth, fourth, major and minor thirds . At this point we are aware of the important correlation Whitney is making between music and graphic visuals. The correlation between sound and music is important for motion graphics artists to make as well. In essence, motion graphics artists can communicate with their audiences on a higher/emotional level by thinking in musical terms rather than being dictated by software pre-sets or filters. This connection, which exists between audio and visual patterns, can be demonstrated through an analysis of 1975 film Arabesque. Arabesque conveys the underlying theories of digital harmony through the transitional animation of circle to a curve. This abstract film’s focal point is an animated circle, composed of dots, which shifts polarities based a cycle of 360° on a black background. The curves formed from these dots are reminiscent of Islamic patterns, hence the name of the piece. Like an orchestral movement, the rhythmic patterns of the curves are carefully organized into sections, building up Whitney’s pattern of tension and resolve. This is also a process of building up expectations – creating a series of rules, that are followed in the beginning of the piece and broken towards the end. In Arabesque’s cyclical nature, the circle unfolds into a curve and back into the circle. In the sections that follow, the pattern is replicated across the screen and form a triptych of cycles (i.e. three rhythmic patterns). Rhythm is established with these three patterned cycles. But, due to the patterns complexity, we no longer comprehend a singular motif, and our expectations can no longer be fulfilled. When our expectations are not met we become emotionally connected to the film – we desire a resolution. The film ends by repeating the sequence that it began. Viewers then will become emotionally satisfied, with what Whitney would described as having the feeling of returning home after a long journey . Furthermore, through the cycle of Arabesque will become familiar with the fundamentals of digital harmony: force, tension, tonic, tone, motion and emotion . These are essential elements which would help promote motion graphics beyond its current derivative state that seems focused on silhouettes (as in the Apple Ipod commercials) and generic “flowing vine” imagery (popularized in music videos).
While Arabesque may seem to be a study in mathematics and formal rules, Whitney also describes his work as magic, since the flow of movement in Arabesque goes beyond expectations. Even through Arabesque is programmed in Pascal (an outdated programming language), Whitney finds the means to usurp creative control over the computer’s rigid rules. This should provide inspiration to the motion graphic artist who wishes to go beyond the rules established by the software applications. Whitney’s use of word magic may also be describing the connection he is making to his audience. Magic in motion graphics can be achieved when the audience is no longer focused on the methods of used to create the animation (whether it was done in Flash or After Effects, for example) and they become consumed with work itself.

Final Web Site Ideas

2007-11-01T09:02:00.000-07:00

Here is my vision for the web site:

A flash toy greets users at the splash page. The mutant parts we are creating make up the interface for the Flash Toy. Basically, users can create their own "species" and get involved in the process of concept development. I picture the interface for the site to be an hexagon, building off of our snowflake metaphor. There will be four pages in the site dealing with our focus points. We can have animations tied in to each page; each amimation can be a different visualization. So far I have three visualizations that would be easy to create: blood flowing through a vein, a solar flare, and a nebula. Any suggestion on a fourth? Something with paint efx perhaps?

-joe

Ecosystem Simulation Using L-Systems in Houdini

2007-11-01T08:51:00.000-07:00

Check out this truly amazing article on using L-Systems using seed simulations and photosynthesis:

http://www.highend3d.com/articles/references/28-1.html

Squid Mutant

2007-10-31T13:06:00.000-07:00

Autodesk making in in roads into Highschool Education

2007-10-31T10:39:00.000-07:00

Over the summer I went to an education conference at SideFX Software. SideFX software, like most makers of high-end 3d animation packages, are trying to make more in roads in to Education - College and High School.

Since, Animation software is a crucial tool in enabling student visualize scientific principles I only thought that it would be a matter of time that Maya would be taught in High School. .

Buried in the most recent issue of the AWN Spotlight is the news that Autodesk is selling versions of Maya and 3ds Studio specifically tailored for High School students.
The version of Maya has the same features as the professional versions. Curriculum will be packaged with the software which will "simulate the experience of a real-world 3d design job". Lessons are project-based. Students learn how the software can in specific applications such as planetary mechanics, digestive system visualization, weather systems visualization and facial reconstruction. A Capstone Project has the students interact with a "client" and determine how the client's job can be made easier with 3d visualization.

Here is the news article:

Autodesk Introduces New Animation Academy Curriculum for High Schools

There is also more information on the Autodesk site: Media & Entertainment Education Solutions

Davy Jones never had it so good.

2007-10-24T15:31:00.000-07:00

While tooling around the ILM website, I found a section of website that they had dedicated to the last Pirates of the Carib. More specifically, on the creation of Davy Jones and his crew. You can go to the whole website and learn from it...there's even a short movie on the creature creation where it shows them working in zbrush.

They have a cool part where you have this see-all lens that acts as a way to see the characters acting in their mocap suits or the exact same spot in the finished movie. What they did was they gave everyone visual pajamas with painted triangle squares belts and created a computer program to read those in the footage afterwards. In this way they were able to shoot on location which I believe is a supposed first (no green screens).

Characters were first designed and illustrated in the computer between the concept artists and the Art Director, then approved by the Director. Many of Davy Jones' crew were created so that it would be impossible for a human character to just be in makeup. Photoreal illustrations were then created for the 14 characters. They were then modeled in 3d, including facial expressions with emotional targets. Only the bodies were mocap'ed, facial expressions were all keyframed animated by artists.

These are the steps taken during the filming process.

step 1: Shot on location
step 2: Shot is matchmoved.
step 3: Run through iMoCap to get the mocap data.
step 4: Adjust Data Parameters
step 5: Animator tweaks, animates faces and additional motion
step 6: Use simulations for cloth, chains, swords, hands and tentacles
step 7: Light/Render
step 8: Compositing

My favorite is seeing Davy Jones' eye makeup because they thought they would have to cut out his real eyes and put those into the film, but instead they were able to make 3dgenerated eyes that looked amazing! I still cannot get over that. Just think that the actor had to wear makeup for the entire film for nothing!

http://www.ilm.com/theshow/

-jake

Mutations

2007-10-24T09:11:00.000-07:00

L-System Hexagon Mutation

2007-10-24T09:06:00.001-07:00

click to play

Premise is FX
the rule is X=F[+X][-X]

keyframes are set at 30 degrees, 60 degrees, 90 degrees and 0 degrees

Great Speculative Zoology Sites

2007-10-21T14:12:00.000-07:00

these are all quite amazing....

http://scienceblogs.com/tetrapodzoology/2007/02/speculative_zoology_wedel_thro.php

http://cephalopodcast.com/blog/2006/12/22/speculative-biology-of-the-baleen-squids/

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7118065/

http://worldsofpossibility.blogspot.com/2007/07/speculative-biology-is-not-all-about.html

... and a reason for speculative biology at http://www.jstor.org/view/00068071/di006737/00p0012q/0

Focus Points for the blog

2007-10-21T07:51:00.000-07:00

At this point, the blog is coming along quite nicely. We have assembled an array of information that connects the disciplines of scientific visualization and visual development for animation. We also touched upon the aesthetics of scientific visualization, and why humans yearn to depict the cosmos. At this stage, I would like to re-address are intentions as researchers - touching upon the points we established when the blog began. As our research accumulates, these focus points will solidify and become the basis for final web site, which will discuss the interrelationship of art and science in regards to animation.

Our research can now be divided into four main areas. Below I will discuss those areas of interest.

FOCUS POINTS:
1. Aesthetics and Science:
Is there a subconscious connection between scientific data and the world of art? How do aesthetics impact visual data?

We try to answer these questions by pondering the beauty of snowflake. Our research shows how snowflakes develop and how their structure influence art and design. Most importantly, we find snow crystals to be naturally appealing. Does our attraction towards snow crystals influence our determination to study them?

2. Animation and Science Education:
How does animation impact education in the sciences?

One way to attract a child to science is through the use of aesthetics. Software can be used to stylize scientific data and make it more appealing to children and adults. One could tell the story of the snow crystal through animation. In its descent to earth, we could watch a snow crystal form in real time, and witness how the stresses in the water molecules transform into a series of interconnected open hexagons.

3. The Relationship Between Software tools and Scientific Visualization:
How does the usability of software impact scientific visualization? Can the democratizing of animation (i.e. anyone can animate with software tools) contribute misinformation?

Without the aid of software, the snowflake's descent would be a difficult story to tell. Without a tool such as Adobe Illustrator, I would have to draw the snow crystal with a compass and ruler to ensure that I was representing the crystalline structure properly. Without After Effects and Flash, I would have to painstakingly create the morphing crystal through hundreds of drawings. Fortunately, with the existence of such tools, our ability to visualize science has been made much easier. Houdini is an excellent example; we can now program L-systems in minutes. But usability also allows for misinformation. The Creation Museum in Ohio is an excellent example (http://www.creationmuseum.org). State of the art animation and visual displays convey information, from a religious point of view, which go against general scientific principles.

4. Scientific Visualization, Conceptual Design and Speculative Biology:
How can scientific visualization benefit the entertainment industry and animation in general?

Just as science can be made more appealing through artistry and stylization, conceptual design can be made more appealing through science. Many artists, such Alex Ries and Wayne Barlowe, are use science to make their creations seem real. This has created a new genre of art (or science) called Speculative Biology. Speculative Biology will have a growing impact on the entertainment industry as conceptual designers strive to make their imaginary creations as real as possible.

Any comments?

- joe

Dougal Dixon

2007-10-21T07:07:00.000-07:00

One of the goals of this sight is to promote the importance of biological referance and scientific data for purposes creature development in the motion picture industry. Pietr Folkes immediately comes to mind with his marine biology expertise. I also mentioned Wayne Barlowe, who also injects natural history into his science fiction and fantasy creations. In my previous post I mention my fondness of Barlowe - I've spent many hours perusing his books of illustrations. In that post I mention how I was introduced to Barlowe as a kid through the pages of Omni magazine, but I was mistaken. That particular issue of Omni actually featured Dougal Dixon, a writer with a background in earth sciences and palaeogeography. I may have gotten the two confused due to a rumor that an Dixon, in some way, copied some of Barlowe's work (this is mentioned on wiki site I reference below).

One of Dougal's books, After Man: a zoology of the future (go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_After_Man:_An_Anthropology_of_the_Future for more information) exemplifies how scientific data can benefit the world of science fiction and fantasy. The book is a capativity treatise on the evolution of man 5 million years into the future. It is primarily based on the impacts of genetic engineering, and how genetic engineering can fast-track the evolutionary process.

Dougal is primarily known for books on Dinosaurs. I not sure of his impact on the motion picture industry and if he influenced Mark Mcreery, who was the main conceptual designer for Jurassic Park (and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl).

-joe

Koch Island

2007-10-19T16:30:00.000-07:00

Give this a shot in you favorite L-system software

premise: F+F+F+F
rule 1: F=F-F+F+FF-F

Visualizing the Impossible

2007-10-18T20:48:00.000-07:00

It's amazing to see Japanese conceptual design from the 16th century. On the Western side of the world, humans were concerned more about science and religion, but the Japanese seemed to be fascinated by the supernatural (I think Guillermo Del Toro, ripped of one the images for Pan's Labyrinth.) But now, imagining the supernatural is a world-wide phenomena , and many artists, aided by digital tools, are using scientific principals to give life to fantasy. Just like Wayne Barlowe, Alex Ries is a gifted illustrator and conceptual artist who places his alien creations within plausible environments. Check out his amazing creations: (http://ttp://www.alexries.com/galleries.htm)

Japanese monsters 'Youkai'

2007-10-17T16:15:00.001-07:00

Blindness causes uneasiness. If you eat blind, the sense of taste alters. If you pinch your nose then, then it would even be harder to distinguish the different taste between water and tea. Five senses function supplementing each other. If one sense doesn’t function, other starts to function harder. How much information you gain from your sight is enormous, and it is not easy to complement your sight with other organs. It is the imagination which could be based on the empirical and the logical that can fill the lack of information. As long as what we see is not certain, all the interpretations are equal. Interpretations are finite. It becomes irrelevant whether it is based on science or logical background. It becomes something about which is more realistic to the one who has experienced.

The logic does not always ensure the reality. That is because the conditions differ from the culture and social environment. When something appears to be a ghost to some people, the idea of ghost becomes more realistic than scientific interpretations, and then the scientific interpretation would become only a possibility. It is the same quality that both science and superstitions try to explain the unknowable.

Here are some pictures of monstrous creatures in Japan. Some appeared in the classic novels in Heian period (9th century) which is the time period that art and literature flourished. The scroll called ‘hyakki yakou e maki’(100 monsters night walking) was published in 16 th century, and many after since then. They all have stories based on nature, morals, god/deities, karma, and different cultures in different regions.

Some L-Systems Terminology

2007-10-16T12:23:00.000-07:00

F - move forward and create geometry
H - move forward half the length and create geometry
G - move forward but don't record a vertex distance
f - move forward but don't create geometry
h - move forward half a length but don't create geomety
T(g) - apply gravity
+(a) - turn right a degrees
-(a) - turn left a degrees
^(a) - pitch down
&(a) - pitch up
/(a) - roll counter-clockwise
\(a) - roll clockwise

L-Systems

2007-10-16T07:18:00.000-07:00

L-systems translate letters into graphics. The letter F draws one segment, FF draws two segments, FFF draws three segments, etc..

Growing structures are enabled through a "re-writing" process. A graphical representation of a tree is grown when the strings are re-written in a cycle. The re-writing systems begins with an initiator (the first string, for example AB) and a series of consecutive rules which determine how the strings are replaced (rule 1 could be A=AB and rule 2 could be B=A).
The initial string is then rewritten based on the rules, which are followed in order (AB becomes ABA, ABA becomes ABAAB).

- joe

Koch Snowflakes

2007-10-16T06:47:00.000-07:00

The snow crystal has gone on to inspire a range of design motifs. Its radial symmetry is seen through a range of symbols ranging from the Star of David to Japanese Heraldry to Arabian desgins. Snowflakes are also reminescent of fractals, in fact, one of the earliest Fractal curves is know as the Koch Snowflake. The Koch Snowflake first appeared in a paper written by Swedish mathematician Helge von Koch. The Koch Snowflake is also known as Lindenmayer fractal since it can be produced with the computer langauge, know as L-systems. Devised by biologist Aristid Lindenmayer in 1968, the L-systems code is a formal computer langauge which uses a series of rules to create recursive structures. L-systems are also known as a genetic algorithm since the langauge is fundimental in visualizing botanical growth patterns. There is a range of software products that implement systems, such as Houdini. It is my belief, but I haven't varified this, that L-systems drive the growth patterns of Paint Effects in Maya.

An excellent resource for L-systems is http://algorithmicbotany.org/papers/.

You can also download the book The Algorithmic Beauty of Plants at the site as well (http://algorithmicbotany.org/papers/#abop)

-joe

What makes a snowflake beautiful?

2007-10-15T06:59:00.000-07:00

The molecular structure of a water molecule discourages the formation of equilateral triangles. As snow crystals evolve, open hexagons form due to stresses in their molecules. These radial formations exhibit beauty through symmetry and an endless variety of detail. The eye/brain response to this beauty equals captivation. Scientific visualization is born out of this captivation. Like explorers in ancient Rome, guided by a Ptolemaic map, we too explore a multitude of worlds captured in the random beauty of free-falling snowflakes. This captivation begs the question: which came first, the aesthetics of science or our affinity towards design? The answer may be irrelevant - beauty is what it is. But, you could (and should) believe that the world is one huge living entity - beauty is it's survival mechanism. Humans are designed to preserve beauty, and therefore, we are designed to preserve the world.

Go to http://www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals

-joe

Women Illustrators

2007-10-14T09:24:00.000-07:00

The following illustrations are in the history of science by women who led the way at a time when women’s contributions to science were stifled by cultural norms of the day.

T.J. Hussey

2007-10-14T09:18:00.002-07:00

Sarah Anne Drake-1838

2007-10-14T09:18:00.001-07:00

Sarah Anne Drake-1830

2007-10-14T09:17:00.003-07:00

Meria Sibylla-between 1675 and 1680

2007-10-14T09:17:00.001-07:00

Meria Sibylla-1683

2007-10-14T09:16:00.003-07:00

Elizabeth Coxen-1835

2007-10-14T09:16:00.001-07:00

Anna Lister-1671

2007-10-14T09:15:00.001-07:00

The Two Hypotheses on Nuerons and Visual Perception

2007-10-11T09:30:00.000-07:00

I know this subject is outside of our group's sphere of influence, but I did some reading over the summer on perception and neural activity. I was already familiar with the Grandmother hypothesis (the sparse hypothesis) which states that there are individual neurons that light up when we see certain objects, i.e. an individual neuron lights up when we see our grandmother. It is also good to know that there is another hypothesis known as the distributed/dispersed hypothesis. This hypothesis states that perceptions are dispersed over many neurons that required near simultaneous activation for the generation of imagery.

I learned of these separate theories in a book called The Brain, by Michael O'Shea (part of the Oxford Press series, A Very Short Introduction). The hypotheses are discussed on pages 76-78.

- joe

Science and Media: Fairness?

2007-10-08T01:55:00.000-07:00

This seems rather opportune. Unfortunately, I already have an event during this so I cannot go, but if you happen to check this blog and have free time along with an interest....

Does Science Get a Fair Shake in the Media?

Monday, October 8, 2007 : 5:30pm to 7:00pm

University Park Campus
Annenberg Auditorium

Free

Reuters and Scientific American staffers reflect on the special challenges of science journalism with USC's Clifford Johnson and Michael Quick.

Presented jointly by USC Annenberg's School of Journalism and Scientific American, the discussion with leading journalists and scholars to "examine all the elements that go into informing the public about the latest scientific discoveries and the challenges the media faces in getting the science right for a story."

Guests include:

* Author and journalism professor K.C. Cole
* Astronomy and physics professor Clifford Johnson
* Biological sciences professor Michael Quick
* Reuters biotechnology reporter Lisa Baertlein
* Author and environmental journalist Marla Cone

Scientific American editor-in-chief John Rennie will moderate.

A reception will follow the discussion.

here is the website listing:
http://web-app.usc.edu/ecal/custom/32/index.php?category=Item&item=0.864765

Yet another Internet...Pseudo-science

2007-10-01T23:35:00.000-07:00

Beautiful, isn't it?

This and many other images are all upon this website:
http://www.life-enthusiast.com/twilight/research_emoto.htm

This website details the formation of water crystals (and the photographs of them) when water from certain sources are frozen. Most of the photos are quite beautiful and convincing...such as our photo above. (Says that it is from "the Japan Shimanto River, referred to as the last clean stream in Japan")
While another photo ("Yodo River, Japan, pours into the Bay of Osaka. The river passes through most of the major cities in Kasai.")

Of course, makes sense...clean water plus or minus certain impurities could lead to different formation of frozen crystals, right? Bad Pollution, bad.
And like, all good internet experiments, they go on to show that when you play certain music (hard core rock, folk dance) those freeze into different patterns too. Ok...still somewhat believable...you know, sonic resonance or something...

Then comes the best part. They decide to do the same as above with words, except that the words were printed on paper and taped to the water glasses before freezing.
Not so cool, was that ice.

The pictures were good though.

Steve Wilson

2007-10-01T09:10:00.000-07:00

Judy Lemus has brought to our attention the art installation works of Steve Wilson. Scientific principles form the backdrop of MR. Wilson's work. Like Pietr, he uses art to educate, and bring to awareness to science-related issues. For example, in one of his installations, he allows human participans to interact with protozoa, through the use of motion capture and live microscopic footage.

Here is the link to his site: Steve Wilson

Even DaVinci Got It Wrong

2007-10-01T07:08:00.001-07:00

Referencing DaVinci is an ideal way to initiate any presentation on Scientific Visualization. In seminar it has happened three times so far. In the second instance, Dr. Judith Hirsch began her discussion with a DaVinci illustration featuring a lateral, side-to-side cross section of the brain. This illustration is remarkable in many ways, because it gives us one of the first accurate depictions of the shape and volume of the brain's cavities. Posted here is a similar illustration, but featuring an up and down cross section of the brain's volume. Leonardo's accuracy in determining this volume is the result of using a wax-injection method. In fact, Leonardo is credited as being the first individual to use a wax injection method to make castings to determine the shape and volume of the various organs of the body. But, while Leonardo is correct in determining the volume of the brain, he was wrong in illustrating what existed in the brain's cavity. In this DaVinci illustration, the brain is depicted as having 3 small cavities listed O, M, and N. These cavities reflect the prevailing notion, at the time, that the brain consisted of three cavities (or ventricles), which held imagination, reason, and memory. This theory was postulated by Galem of Pergamum (AD 131-201), who based his work off of Hippocrates, and was part of the ancient belief that the solid parts of the brain were worthless. Furthermore, this belief stated that the three small cavities, held within the solid brain matter, sent fluid (i.e. imagination fluid, reason fluid, memory) through the nerves to control the muscles and organs. This exemplifies, how even the greatest of minds, can propagate misinformation through an incorrect scientific rendering.

The research above was taken from Micheal O' Shea's book, The Brain, A Very Short Introduction.

-joe

LEONARDO JOURNAL

2007-09-30T11:21:00.000-07:00

As a kid, my interest in OMNI magazine faded away when the subscription ended. Time passed, and when the first Borders opened in my Detroit suburban enclave, I came upon a new magazine that sparked my interest: LEONARDO.

LEONARDO is a great journal that studies the interrelationship of art and science. It's an ideal reference that collects research data that is pertinent to each seminar group. For example, their on-line version, the Leonardo Electronic Almanac, has a great article on computer-assisted choreography ( A Dynamic Life of Cause: A Concept and Models Used for Computer-Assisted Choreography) that could be of interest to Kinetics and Character Animation group ). They also have a sound journal as well ( Leonardo Sound Journal ).

Here is the mission statement for Leonardo Journal:

Vision Statement: Science and Technology dominate our current landscape, emerging with an intensity and velocity never before experienced. This intense intellectual creativity needs to be integrated with the humanizing activity of creating art, to bring balance to how we experience our current existence and imagine our futures. Over the course of history, art has been both an organizing and integrating role with our emotional and intellectual lives. Art serves as a means of presenting, questioning, understanding and creating order out of chaos and change. Imagination often leads the way of discovery in science. Innovation of art, science and technology will allow for new ideas that may be important economically and socially. Leonardo/ISAST serves as the organization that nurtures and fosters this alliance between the arts and sciences, proactively bringing these social networks together leading to greater creativity and social change in both areas.

LEONARDO JOURNAL

- JOE

Wayne Barlowe

2007-09-30T09:43:00.000-07:00

I was introduced to Wayne Barlowe in the pages of OMNI magazine - a qausi-science/entertainment magazine I subscribed to when I was 13. His work caught my eye immediately. I faintly remember the magazine spread featuring his work. In it were his illustrations of dinosaurs.

His illustrations were unlike other dinosaur illustrations I was use to - they incoporated the theories (remember this 22 years ago - this theory is now generally accepted) that dinosaurs were the genetic predecesors to birds. Also, unlike the grey-green dinosaur illustrations I've seen, Barlowe's dinosaur hides had bits of color (i.e stripes, spots, etc...).

His most fascinating illustrations were rendered in 3d and made into TV special by the Discovery Channel. Here is the link:
ALIEN PLANET

Here is a snippet of his biography from the web site http://www.waynebarlowe.com/barlowe_pages/barlowe_bio.htm.
Born in Glen Cove, New York to well-known natural history artists Sy and Dorothea Barlowe, Wayne Douglas Barlowe attended the Art Students League and The Cooper Union in New York City. While in college he apprenticed in the Exhibition Department of The American Museum of Natural History. During this period Barlowe collaborated with his parents on his first professional book assignment, the Instant Nature Guide to Insects (Grossett & Dunlop).

In 1979 his first self-generated book, Barlowe's Guide to Extraterrestrials, was published by Workman Publishing. The Guide, which Barlowe conceived, illustrated and co-authored, was nominated for The American Book Award and the science fiction community's prestigious Hugo. It was chosen Best Illustrated Book of 1979 by the Locus Poll, and a Best Book For Young People by the American Library Association. The Guide, considered by many to be a contemporary classic SF work, has 270,000 copies sold to date. A Japanese edition has recently been released.

Barlowe's next book followed after nearly ten years, during which time he created over 300 book and magazine covers and illustrations for every major publisher. He has also created editorial paintings for Life, Time and Newsweek. His artwork has been seen on television on Walter Cronkhite's Universe and Connie Chung's Saturday Night as well as on the Discovery Channel. An interview with Barlowe appeared on the Sci-Fi Channel's Inside Space program. Portfolios and interviews in print have appeared in TV Guide, Starlog, Realms of Fantasy, Science Fiction Age, Starburst, TV ZONE (UK) and Filmfax.

Barlowe's second book, Expedition, a natural history journey to another world, consisted of forty paintings, one hundred black and white illustrations and two hundred pages of text, and was published in 1990 by Workman Publishing. It received extremely favorable reviews and was nominated for the Association of SF Artist's 1991 Chesley Award. Expedition was voted a 1991 Best Book for Teenagers by The New York Public Library.

And here is another Google Blogger's blog, from a biology student from the University of Maine featuring Barlowe's work.
cameronmccormick.blogspot.com

Journeys amongst the Internets

2007-09-26T01:34:00.000-07:00

While I was on a search for creature creation online, I found this fascinating website in Japanese. It is an online museum for the study of deceased animals. This now reminds me of how our group had been discussing the differences between reality and unreality(?) or how easily science could be misrepresented or misconstrued. Both of our speakers for the seminar stressed the importance of being scientifically accurate while still being able to communicate the ideas properly. This website is on the exact opposite of these goals. This is in fact a fake museum, with fake animals. All the animals are made of paper, modeling paste, and bamboo. They are amazing creations, many of them seemingly real or realistic enough (with exception to the "human face fish," the ones with horned tails, and the one that looks like a facsimile of the aliens from "Independence Day." The artist does post that this museum is a fake, but you have to go to the bottom of the page to a link that tells you about it. Anyways, I encourage you to enjoy this treat and remember that things are not what they seem online...they are much cooler.

http://sow.ggnet.co.jp/ex/information.htm

The Future of Pedagogical Methodologies in Creature Development: How procedural tools can help facilitate creature development and design.

2007-09-17T15:08:00.001-07:00

The pedagogy of scientific visualization began well before Leonardo Da Vinci and the Renaissance. Cartography is the most elementary of data visualization, Ptolemy’s world map being a primary example. Scientific visualization grew from world based mapping systems to Carolingian Constellation maps to J.G. Heck’s Bilder Atlas zum Conversations Lexicon. Such visualization depended on the cooperation of scientists and artists – although some individuals were gifted in both areas of study.

With today’s digital tools the bond between scientists and artists has grown. Images now proliferate on the web – ranging from interactive Flash diagrams to 3D Tsunami reenactments. In these examples, it is obvious that the artist has come to aid the scientists. But many may be unaware of when the scientists come to aid the artists – especially in the world of visual effects and creature development. More and more, creature developers are using scientific methods to create heightened believability in their designs. Therefore, a background in science or contact with a scientist is a great asset for a professional creature developer. For example, Tim McLaughlin of Industrial Light and Magic, has written a very interesting article on the subject called “the Taxonomy of Digital Creatures: Defining Character Development Techniques Based Upon Scope Use.” (here’s the link: http://delivery.acm.org/10.1145/1190000/1185808/a1-mclaughlin.pdf?key1=1185808&key2=1681600911&coll=GUIDE&dl=GUIDE&CFID=35484365&CFTOKEN=26061710). This article takes an interested professional through a non-digital creature development workflow. It implores artists to explore scientific principles.

To be continued…

Pieter Folkens' Illustration

2007-09-11T11:30:00.001-07:00

About PIETER FOLKENS

2007-09-11T11:24:00.001-07:00

PIETER FOLKENS

Academic, environmental and naturalist circles worldwide recognize Pieters' work as among the finest, most accurate renderings of marine mammals. He is an important illustrator of marine mammal field guides with work published in over two dozen languages from Greenlandic Eskimo to Malagasy. The accuracy of the illustrations stems from extensive field experience-including lengthy treks up the Amazon River and on Arctic Ice. The quality of the work grows from a consummate attention to detail. Folkens is an accomplished writer, conservationist and naturalist as well. He spends summers studying humpback whales and orcas in Alaska as a co-founder of the Alaska Whale Foundation. He has contributed time and talents to marine research and conservation efforts in West Africa, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Canada, Taiwan and Mexico, and at home in California. He has contributed unique scientific specimens currently residing in the collections of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and the California Academy of Sciences. He is the only living artist to illustrate a new marine mammal species for its scientific debut and to have presented academic papers at conferences of the Society for Marine Mammalogy of which he is a charter member and the founder of the Excellence in Science Communication Award. This native Californian spends his summers in Alaska with the Alaska Whale Foundation, for which he is a founding board member and researcher studying the feeding ecology of humpback whales.

Folkens' expertise in marine mammal morphology has appeared in twelve feature films as character designs and anatomicallycorrect stunt doubles as well as in four documentaries. His film work includes George and Gracie for Star Trek IV-The Voyage Home, the killer whales in the Free Willy series, dolphins for seaQuest DSV, White Squall, and others.

www.marinemammalogy.org/poster1.htm

2007-09-11T10:30:00.000-07:00

Ahoy hoy friends! While I was walking home the other day, I was thinking about scientific visualization, when out of no where this punk little kid came flying in on a razor scooter and nearly knocked the encyclopedia out of my hands! As I picked up my pocket protector a thought occured to me. Kids these days have little to no interest in science. Which then lead me to ask, why was I interested in science when I was younger? The answer to that was easy, Saturday morning television.

Growing up, there were shows like Bill Nye the Science Guy and Beakman's World. These shows not only portrayed science in a fun and positive light, they made it cool to want to be a scientist. For younger children, there were shows like The Magic School Bus, which taught kids science lessons while taking them away on fantastical adventures. It was fun to learn about science. Nowadays, there are shows where you follow a character who collects monster cards and battle each other with nearly inexplicable dialogue and no educational value at all. There are pretty flashing colorful lights, but little else. Children's programming doesnt offer the same type of educational entertainment it once did.

Many of us are entering the entertainment industry. We hold tremendous sway on what is seen on television, in the movies, and online media. I feel it is our duty to get the younger generation interested in academic pursuits, like science, to push future generations in the right direction. But how can we get children to be more interested in science? The answer is simple; Saturday morning cartoons that are not only fun and exciting, but that can teach and stimulate the mind.

Welcome to the USC's John C. Hench Department of Animation and Digital Art Visualizing Science and Art Blog

2007-09-04T08:18:00.000-07:00

Following in the footsteps of Leonardo Da Vinci, The Visualizing Art and Science Research Team from USC's John C. Hench Department of Animation and Digital Arts invites you to use your imagination and post your thoughts regarding the growing field of scientific visualization, especially in regards to the historical and pedagogical approaches to science and art/animation creation.

As we focus on the beauty of science and the wonders of the universe, this ongoing discussion will draw comparisons between the world of fine art and the cognitive space where scientific curiosity is born. As we walk through this hybrid gallery of art and science, let us be inspired by the Hubble images of the Veil Nebula, the Bio-Artography of microscopic imagery, and the recursive rhythms of algorithmic botany. Are these works any less beautiful than the works of William De Kooning, Georgia O' Keefe, or Piet Mondrain? It is remarkable to think, that the abstract expressionists, and other visual artists, could capture the beauty Hubble's universe, long before the advent digital technology. But now that digital technology is in our hands, we can explore new visual realms while using animation to envision science and quantitative information. As practitioners of the science of animation, we are all disciples of Da Vinci, who tells us to "Study the science of art and the art of science."

Therefore, let's begin the debate and the explore the relationship of art in the world science. There are many questions to address in this discussion. Here are areas to explore: With the democratization of digital tools, is there a greater influx of misinformation in regards to envisioning scientific date? Is there a cultural impact resulting from new digital visualization tools on the world of fine art? Is there a metaphysical connection between the an artist's vision and newly discovered micro and macro regions of the universe? And, how do we use 3D software, such as Maya, SoftImage, and Houdini to visualize worlds and processes which cannot be viewed with today's technology? These are just a few questions that are relative to the discourse in this blog. These questions will also be asked in a live discussion on September 19, where DADA will host Dr. Judith Lemus and Science illustrator Pieter Folkens in an open seminar at the University of Southern California. In the meantime look forward to your input and creative comments.