For this project, I was required to photograph an architectural sire to serve as a backdrop for projection mapping. This photograph served as the backdrop for 3 Pre-Set compositions to express a conceptual idea. Using tools such as Adobe Photoshop and MadMapper, I was able to create a series of compositions that expressed what I had in mind.
My concept for this project was inspired by the second Avatar movie that came out 2 months ago. I was inspired by all the ocean waves and I imagined that it would be cool to have the contrast of blue appear on the building as well as the motions of waves being projected.
Design Process
The first part of this project required me to photograph an architectural site (interior or exterior) to serve as a background. After exploring and photographing the area around me, I chose a photo that I felt was interesting to work with.
Cinemark (Music City Mall)
The next step I took was to darken the sky. Since this was an exterior shot in the afternoon, I wanted to simulate an evening/night setting for the projection mapping. I went into Adobe Photoshop and selected just the sky to create a mask layer over. For this image, I created create two mask layers each. One was a curves layer that I played around with to lower the exposure of the images. The second mask layer was a photo filter layer in which I placed a blue filter over the sky to simulate an evening/nighttime setting. After these alterations, I exported the image in the same dimensions as the projector in MadMapper.
Cinemark (Music City Mall)
The exported image was placed in MadMapper and applied as a backdrop. Then I added quads on top of that. I honestly was struggling a bit more than expected and so I kept it simple and projected it onto the flat walls of the building and ground.
Interpretations:
For the project, I was kind of inspired by the second Avatar movie which is why there is a lot of blue and ocean-themed projections. However, I'm not really satisfied overall with the project. I'm happy that I did learn to use MadMapper and I feel that I have an okay grasp of the software but my project is not what I wanted it to be. I feel that I didn't express the concept well enough.
The concept for this project focuses on UTD and creating a sort of highlight for life at UTD. I took some interior photos of some of the school buildings at night and decided to use the architecture to my advantage. As someone with no experience with MadMapper or masking of any sort, this was a good exercise to get me familiar with the software.
Techniques I mostly utilized quad layers and masking to achieve the intended effect. While some were easy, such as the one on the pillar and the table, others required extensive masking. The one on the floor in particular took some effort to mask out, as legs of the chairs and tables needed to be masked out. In order to encapsulate the UTD spirit, I used footage of events that were held at UTD.
Interpretations
For this project, I wanted to focus my video on UTD. I wanted to keep the footage and locations relevant to my topic, and tried to showcase life at UTD the best I could. If I was more familiar with the software, I would’ve gone a bit deeper with the techniques that I used.
Observing the ATEC building, looking for unique forms to "activate," I couldn't help but feel lost in how spacious it was. After searching and ideating and taking dozens of photos, I decided my main concept would be to invoke the feeling of the galaxy surrounding the viewer, little particles all moving in different time, but working together and still feeling harmonious.
In the end, using different textures and materials, I wanted three distinct compositions to own their portions of the space, but flow together, and seem to live and breathe as one unit.
Techniques
The first bit of ideation I did for this project was learning about the nature of Materials/Pixel Shaders in MadMapper. I learned how to layer them, blend them, and fine tune their parameters, so that I could achieve the vision I had for my ATEC galaxy.
To apply these concepts to the space, I considered the unique aspects of the forms that would be useful for developing a theme. I zeroed in on a blueish-gray accent wall to the right of the space, a walkway that connects the left and right walls, and a wooden accented space at the highest point in my composition.
Pictured below is my canvas, the space with no forms applied to it yet. The material shown on the left is the main engine behind the left side of the composition, which I Voronized through the FX panel and layered, to give it a sort of shimmery, broken glass feel.
In an effort to fully activate the space, I used the colors of the accent wall as the base for my materials on the left wall, and utilizing the walkway as a conceptual bridge between the two units. I wanted the space to feel as if the accented blue were coming to life, eternally shifting and crawling and being this nebulous creature that was taking over the entire space. I let the wooden office remain its own, shimmering, unendurable galaxy, while tying in some of its light, rolling dunes into the space below.
Interpretation
In the above video, I flip through the natural progression of each composition until they are all working together, flowing as I had original envisioned.
It starts steadfast on the left, where the nebulous planet and wooden galaxy remain still. Then, on the right side of the space, the blue wall becomes activated, travelling across the walkway, sending-ripples across the glassy surface of the space around the nebulous planet.
I'm happy with the way they harmonize, and all seem to flow in one direction, across the space and over the viewer, though they might be a little bit gaudy all together. I think I have more to learn about subtlety in materials.
My concept for this project revolves around submarines and the military personnel that manned these ships at pearl harbor. I decided to go with this photo as I was inspired when visiting the USS Bowfin museum during my recent trip to Hawaii.
Original Photo of Torpedo Room
Techniques:
Since the scene is indoors and already dark I didn't need to edit it much other then sizing it down to a specific area. I utilized the quad masking tool and added masks to add details to the projected areas. Additionally, I added inverted masks to the quad in the back over the torpedo tubes so that the only part you see would be inside the tube.
Scene 1
Scene 2
Scene 3
Interpretations:
For my project, I wanted to make a memorial type show as that is what pearl harbor is dedicated for. I specifically put this towards the end of the tour for this reason; this is right before you head back onto the top of the submarine. I chose to center my scenes around a few of the faces of the 80 crew members within the submarine that helped to take revenge for the pearl harbor attack. Overall, I was satisfied with my first attempt. I enjoyed messing around with MadMapper; even if getting it to screen capture was a pain.
in case video doesn't play link: https://youtu.be/KlFArHgd51k
For the first assignment I created a composition of night themed projections. Aiming to create a mesmerizing and imaginative atmosphere using stars projected on different surfaces such as walls, pillars, and panels in the ECSW Axxess Atrium. The concept of these projections is to bring the night sky indoors, providing a unique experience.
To achieve this outcome, I utilized Adobe After Effects to create 30-second clips that could be projected in specific sections (the walls, pillars, and panels). These animations were designed to complement the different surfaces. The use of Adobe After Effects enhanced the overall visual appeal of the night themed projections by utilizing effects and manipulating the settings within them. Additionally Adobe Photoshop was useful to create masks to layer the videos being projected onto the surfaces.
The projections are heavily influenced by three different styles, including a "warp speed" star show, traveling through space, and a moving star trail in a random pattern. These styles create a sense of motion and progression, giving the audience a feeling of being transported to a different world. The combination of these styles results in an immersive and captivating experience.
My concept for this project revolves around integrating elements of nature scenes into the structures of the ArtScience Museums in the Marina Bay Sands resort in Singapore. I decided to go with this photo as I was inspired when visiting the TeamLabs exhibition within the museum, as they specialize in interactive projection mapping exhibitions.
Original Photo
TeamLabs - Future World: Where Art Meets Science
Techniques:
To make the scene appear realistic, I edited the original photo into Photoshop to make the scene look more cool-toned and dark to replicate nighttime. I utilized the quad masking tool and added masks to add details to the projected areas. Additionally, I feathered the edges of my quad masks to blend the edges from being too harsh, especially around the areas with organic shapes from the bushes and trees.
Scene 1
Scene 2
Scene 3
Interpretations:
For my project, I wanted to keep different areas of the composition consistent with their corresponding element. I drew inspiration from how they incorporate forms of nature into their exhibits. I chose to center my scenes around components that reflect the original photo, like flowers on the lotus-shaped building, etc. Overall, I was satisfied with my first attempt at this project, as I enjoyed playing with the MadMapper program and seeing my visions come to life.
For my project, I decided to create a composition that resembles a futuristic aquatic city. I chose an image taken in the ATEC building since the inside of the building gives a futuristic and modern atmosphere. I also adjusted the original image's brightness and color (dark blue) to match the image to the central theme of my composition.
Techniques:
I first created different masks for each side of the compositions I chose to project. I focused on how I could make a composition that resembles a futuristic aquatic city, especially when it comes to color.
For my first scene, I used several videos I had taken in the past and adjusted the color and contrast to create a composition as needed to design a futuristic aquatic city. I also used a couple of effects from MadMapper library to add a more futuristic and aquatic feeling, including the ReliefNoise and Noise5D for the floor and Dunes for the ceiling (along with the sunset video I took), and the static effect on the left side of my scene.
For my second scene, I also used the same methods that I chose to use for my first scene, but I decided to differentiate the color schemes I decided to use. I layered the NoiseGrid effect with the Hue wave effect from the library for the middle side of the right side of my composition. For the bottom right side, I chose to use the Noisy Barcode effect with a hint of color adjustment to match the overall color scheme of my second scene. I also tried to experiment with my Mac Pro built-in camera for the left side of my composition after adjusting brightness, contrast, and saturation to create a film camera-looking effect. I used the same effects (ReliefNoise and Noise5D) but with pink color to give a different look. For the ceiling, I utilized a video I took and adjusted the color to make it look green. For the top right part of my composition, I also utilized a video I took, but I applied a VHS filter to make my composition look more appealing.
For my third scene, I utilized the videos I took and the built-in effects with different color schemes to give it a distinct look from the others. I chose to use the Iteration effect for the sky, but I edited the RGB value to match my color scheme for the third scene. For the right sides, I used the MadNoise effect for the top side and both of the Random and CubicCircles effects with a slight color adjustment. For the middle one, I imported a video I took and applied the FX Cosine Palette effect to make my composition look more dynamic. I used the same effects that are ReliefNoise and Noise5D, but I also slightly adjusted the color to match the overall color scheme. For the top right side of my composition, I utilized the MadNoise effect from the library to add an illusional atmosphere, which adds a futuristic atmosphere to my third scene. For the left side of my composition, I adjusted the camera angle and applied a VHS filter to make my composition seem even more technological.
Interpretation:
For my compositions, since I decided to create a composition resembling a futuristic aquatic city, I experimented by utilizing different media and formats, especially textures and colors. I added a piece of music that also matches my overall theme. I would have utilized several different media I could use if I had more knowledge and experience with MadMapper, but I had a great chance to learn and experiment with the software by finishing this assignment.
Concept: My initial concept was on the beauty of rural Italian buildings and the vibrant paints used, but as I began work, my concept shifted. Instead of emphasizing a yellow building, I began to focus on how the colors interacted. My first projection is focusing on analogous colors, using very similar colors to that of the building. My next projection is focusing on complimentary colors within the projection. The last projection is focusing on projecting one complimentary color on the other.
Techniques:
I began setting my image as the background. Next I began blocking out the main surfaces and getting the perspective as close as I could. Because I was still getting the hang of the program, I didn't realize I could mask within a quad layer. I created about 40 separate masks for the windows before I realized that the masks would not work in the way I needed them to. Thankfully, I could copy the mask into my base quad layers so I didn't have to redo all of my masks. After I was happy with the masking, I played around with some of the base materials and the parameters. When I was recording, the videos did not have the background picture. After a bit of help, I realized I had to set my background image as its own component for the Syphon recorder to register it.
Interpretation:
In all honesty, I am not happy with how it looks graphically. I am proud of the masking and how it turned out, but I don't like the visuals I created. Though this was my first time using mad mapper in depth, I think I could have created a more appealing art piece. I did hit a few road blocks as I was completing this assignment, but now I am a little more familiar with the program. As I progress through this course, I am confident in my ability to learn and improve my art.
This piece was, more than anything, an exercise in becoming familiar with the software. As a not particularly tech savvy individual, I anticipate creating much cooler projections throughout the course, but I am happy with this piece as a starting point in order to reference in the future. I kept things very simple, using the media provided by MadMapper, with the singular goal of finding a comfortable rhythm within the software.
I knew I wanted to use a photo I took from my time abroad, and I think I will continue this method throughout the duration of the course, as I have many photographs of tons of interesting architecture. This picture depicts the Duomo, a cathedral in Florence, Italy. Maybe next assignment, I'll slap my face on the Colosseum!
After choosing the photo, I uploaded it into MadMapper and got to work designating areas to be projected upon. I chose four areas of the structure that I felt would lend the most naturally to projection mapping, and then selected the materials from the provided options. I adjusted the colors of the various components so that it went from violet to blue to teal to green, hoping to subtly imply the cool tones of the rainbow as the viewer looks from left to right.
Interpretation:
This work is a decent starting point, to get comfortable using the software. It isn't particularly daring or flashy, but was viewed by me more as an exercise. In the future, I would like to learn to map things more accurately, perhaps even adjusting to make the recesses where the statues are placed either masked off or mapped in a way that would incorporate the architectural design a bit more rather than setting the maps just directly on top of the image. But as it stands, I am content with this piece and I feel more confident approaching the software now for potentially more challenging tasks.
This project consisted of photos I took with my phone within this past year. I take more interior photos than exterior, but I found an interesting building in Dallas to work with. That way, I can learn to work with both interior and exterior backgrounds. Each project has their own concept, in which the interior projects had the same scenes and compositions with different color concepts while the exterior project utilizes different set of photos.
Techniques
The process for my interior compositions are similar. I ensured different colors and variety to my generators. My exterior composition cycled through different photos with a simple generator to match its theme. I used quad masks on all compositions to project specific areas of my backgrounds.
Interpretations
Organic
With an overall geometric structure, I used three different organic generators to contrast against the walls and square artwork. The color palettes are complimentary colors with blue and orange, red and green, and yellow and violet. I adjusted the X and Y positions of the generators for an attempt to have each project flow right after each other.
Monochromatic
Because the image is monochromatic with black and white, I used three different generators with a colorful monochromatic palette. These colors included different shades of cyan, magenta, and green. I felt like I gave each projection a proper generator for a theme. The top generator is on top of a still beam, the middle generator is organic on top of rounded line art, and the bottom generator allows the eye to follow down a path.
Communication
The "...it was all a dream..." was my inspiration for this project's concept. I utilized different set of photos to create a sense of how odd dreams could be while still creating a message to our subconscious. These photo sets included eyeballs and a mouth, various artworks of "See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Say No Evil", and different typefaces.
For my project, I wanted the compositions of my scenes to be themed around the ocean and ocean life. Since this is a new medium for me, I chose a photo of the Sciences building on campus as I felt the flat walls would be a good starting point and still look interesting. I took the photo right before it got dark and felt the cool, blue tones of the photo would match well with ocean imagery. I wanted to create compositions that allowed me to experiment with the program while conveying my concept.
Techniques:
I started my project by creating masks for each side of my composition. After masking each side, I messed around with different materials and settings.
scene 1: sunlight layer
For my first scene, I used public materials to create the look of coral and the upper layer of the ocean. I used sine dynamics, perlin noise fun, and fractal warping on three sides of the building. I adjusted the colors to be more colorful and cool toned to represent different coral reefs. I synced the perlin noise fun and fractal warping side to an instrumental called Woods by Hawkins.
scene 2
For my second scene, I experimented with my own media by creating a short procreate animation of a fish swimming. I used two other public materials: layered and abstract. I adjusted the colors and scale to imitate waves and water. I synced the abstract material with an instrumental called Zion by SalmonLikeFish. This scene is meant to represent the upper-middle layer of the ocean or the twilight zone.
scene 3
For my third scene, I chose darker materials and colors to mimic the lower levels of the ocean. I used public materials called strange surface and paint to mimic the flow of water and the darkness of the lower ocean levels. I synced the strange surface walls with an instrumental called Whale Lines by Dave Nelson.
Interpretation:
For my scenes I wanted them to represent different zones of the ocean. I chose to represent the zones through the colors, pattern, and movements of each material. I added on audios that I felt also matched each zone and would add to the imagery I used. After finishing my project, there are things I would do differently with the patterns and designs. However, I feel that I was able to experiment and learned a lot about the program.
The concept of this assignment is a direct reference to my own journey from the start of the pandemic to now. The white item next to the MIDI keyboard is a Clorox wipe container. Being a musician, the actual controller itself is a representation of the struggles I’ve encountered when finding myself. The image below is the original point of reference.
Techniques
I wanted to make this assignment personal to myself so I used the controller that I make music on. It was rather difficult figuring out exactly where I would project onto, but once I incorporated the Clorox wipes next to the keys, it made perfect sense.
When starting, I had to first edit my image to look as if it was darker in the background than what it actually was. I imported the edited image, and began placing my quads in the appropriate measures. I modified the guidelines to perfectly shape the area, then I masked out the part of the keyboard that had buttons. I feel as if this helped it pop more and feel more cohesive as projecting onto black buttons would not be satisfactory. Then, I modified the video clips in-app when I created the 3 scenes. That way, once one scene cycled through, the next scene could play. I made sure the scene was edited in MadMapper in a way that told a story, whether it be color changing or flipping the orientation.
The first image on the Clorox wipes is the virus itself, which allows the viewer to recognize that this is about illness. Being that we are still technically in a pandemic, the context is easy to interpret as being COVID-19. The image changes from green to blue and with a different sequence between scenes, signaling a mutation may have occurred(variants). They are also replicated to show how it may not be as big, but it is still multiplying. Next, the keyboard projection is more a psychedelic take on the phrase “finding yourself”. I chose to use this pattern on the board and not the keys because I found myself and my sound by using the controller, not just one key. The change in pattern and color from this area also shows how even something inspiring may leave one in a rut. Although I love music creation, it become isolating when one feels as if they are not making progress. The static image it changes into represents this "rut". Lastly, the video underneath is a woman driving looking at the rear view mirror. The pandemic allowed for a lot of time for reflection, and I wanted to emphasize this. I used a person driving because, although reflecting is healthy, it is dangerous to focus on the past. It becomes concerning and more urgent the longer she looks at the backseat, because she is not looking for her future, like I was.
Interpretation
I feel as if it is cohesive as long as the viewer initially focuses and recognizes the virus image on the left. In the future, I would most likely exchange the bottom map because I am noticing that some people might find it hard to see. Additionally, I would find a more clear and better surface to project onto. The MIDI controller was fine, but it did not leave me much room to do as much as I wanted on it. The bottom image of the woman in the car is also quite difficult to see, so I have learned to use bigger surfaces of areas later on. This is my first ever time using this program so in the future, I hope to familiarize myself with more techniques so I do not encounter as many hurdles.
I love 2D Fighting games and I help organize and run large events for them, even going as far as to create my own controller for them. I wanted to show what this controller means to me by showing what I use it for on the controller itself, by using the many clips from games and events Ive played and gone to.
Techniques:
For this project, finding a suitable picture of my controller was one of the surprisingly larger challenges since while the controller has a lot of faces to use and project onto, its very hard to balance at a good angle for viewing. I'm not the happiest with how it came out but it worked for my needs. As for the mapping process, I started by placing Masks along the 3 main visible faces on the box, on the window and for testing on my computer screen. I set the Window as a preset pattern that would change with every transition but I ran into some issues with the stroke/border of that quad. The most striking thing about this project though was the copious use of videos and clips in conjunction to the Audio Reactive elements. Using clips from the last year, I placed them on my controller to show what this box was used for and what that meant. Inside this I also used the trailer I created for the event I help run in Carrollton as it is one of the biggest things I do relating to this hobby. I added the AR elements to match the energy of the trailer and I think it looks flashy with the loudness of the song.
Interpretation
In terms of how it came out, I think there are very clear things I'd want to change or redo when I'm more familiar with Mad Mapper, such as the window border clipping through 2 of the masks, the strange perspective for the trailer and some general roughness, but I think for a first project I'm happy with it. This box is a labor of love, the tool of my trade, a commitment to self improvement and the passion of a bunch of people that want to do cool things and laugh about it with friends and rivals alike and I think using the video clips in that way is something that shows all of that in a fun way.
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