Drawing on unfolding paper

I did finish that work in class & we gave it right after class to Therese, before we could blog it. I did not received it back so I guess that Therese still has it.

MAC Report

Alexandre Castonguay, Éléments, 2005
Cette installation consiste de caméra filmant les spectateurs/participants, puis projetant les images, modifier par des programmes filtre, sur les murs. Il y a 7 caméras, chacune d’entre elle modifiant l’image avec un programme différent. Les effets apportés aux images leur donnaient une nouvelle signification. Les êtres se mouvant sur les murs semblaient être composés de feux, d’eau ou d’autre matières du genre. J’ai trouvé que l’espace utilisé par l’installation était minime si l’on comparait avec l’espace que le musée mettait à la disposition de cette œuvre. D’une certaine façon, cette œuvre peut-être associé à mon travail final. La caméra diffusant l’information qu’elle reçoit peut se comparer aux lunettes pour aveugles (de mon projet) qui leur redonne la vision. La technologie dans les deux cas permet de donner un second point de vue sur la réalité que nous appréhendons à tous les jours. Évidemment cette ouvre aborde le sujet de l’interactivité, le pouvoir est entre les mains des utilisateurs de l’installation c’est leur responsabilité de découvrir l’œuvre en gesticulant devant les caméras. Mon projet aussi utilisera l’interactivité à l’aide d’une application flash l’utilisateur pourra naviguer entre les différents éléments de l’interface.

La fonctionnalité de mon œuvre et de celle d’Alexandre Castonguay dépend des actions de l’utilisateur, si l’utilisateur ne fait rien, il n’expérimentera rien de l’œuvre. C’est pour cela que l’aspect interactif ne peut pas toujours être évident au départ et il faut guider les spectateurs à interagir avec ce qui se trouve devant eux.


Pavel Pavlov, Ciné-park (série parking lots), 2005
Ce fut l’œuvre du musé qui m’intéressa le plus. Elle consiste en 4 grands écrans, un pour chaque point cardinal (nord, sud, est, ouest). Ces écrans présentaient chacun un point de vue différent d’un même stationnement. Mais, si l’on reste dans la pièce suffisamment longtemps, on voit l’image changer. Très lentement d’autres images viennent se superposer et d’autres disparaissent tel : des arbres apparaissent dans le stationnement, le jour se lève lentement, des voitures circulent en arrière-plan etc.

Cet œuvre me fait passer au passage discret du temps, mais aussi la confusion de l’espace au fur et à mesure que des éléments s’ajoutent et se retire des écrans. Aussi le fait qu’il y ait 4 écrans donne une fausse illusion de vision 360 degré et on se retrouve souvent à se tourner vers un autre écran pour avoir une autre impression du même stationnement.
J’ai franchement apprécié cet œuvre, mais hélas je n’y trouve aucun lien avec mon propre projet, malgré qu’il y ait multiples sujets et méthodes intéressante à utiliser et analyser.


Franchement, toutes les autres œuvres ne m’ont pas beaucoup impressionnée, mais je vais tout de même parler un peu de l’installation de Myriam Yates dont j’ai oublié le titre. L’installation consistait de 2 écrans diffusant les mêmes images simultanément, mais de façon symétrique. Cela donnait l’impression qu’il n’y avait qu’un seul écran et que l’espace filmé était beaucoup plus grand qu’il ne l’était en réalité. Les images projetées étaient celles de lieu urbain désert, ainsi que de l’Hippodrome de Montréal, lui aussi désert. Il y avait une voix off d’un commentateur de course de chevaux. Le tout donnait une impression de nostalgie, de solitude, là où il y avait tant de gens qui circulait autrefois. J’aime beaucoup l’effet de symétrie donnant l’illusion d’un seul lieu et non du même lieu présenter sur 2 écrans. Peut-être pourrais-je intégrer cet élément dans mon travail, mais je ne vois pas ce qui cela y apporterais à l’exception d’un ajout à l’esthétique visuel.

Interface Proposal

My final project will be a flash interactive animation about a device with the ability to cure blindness or any other eye diseases. The Visual cortex must be intact to function.
Actually the device is separated in 2 parts: the 1st device are glasses worn by the user, it will receive light information (like our eyes do) and send that information to the 2nd device. This other device is a brain implant; it will translate the binary information into electric impulses. These impulses will be sent to the brain and analyzed like if it was natural information coming from the eyes.
I will try to make my work look like a blind person using the device explains how the device cured his handicap. This would be a good opportunity to include more touching comments.

My interface will represent the glasses as part of the human body. The interface will first be represented will all its components , but with the user input, it will move the camera’s sight and focus on the parts selected by the user, including the brain, the implant, the glasses, also the interactions between those 3 entities will be described beside. So technically, I will have 4 interactive images:
1- Main interface
2- Blind or visually handicapped man
3- Brain implant
4- Glasses

It is somehow a continuation of my previous work with Therese, but dealt in a different manner. The final work will look like a white space with those three elements and the user able to move freely between them. The movement between the elements will be showed like camera motion. I am also thinking about making all the elements in black in white, to simulate a color blind vision. For the visual representation I am thinking of calking images found on the internet, so it will have this more personalised look. For the text, I might also scan my own writing, to give an even more personalised look.

I have a hard time representing my concept in drawings and words. Also it still isn’t clear in my own head how it is going to look.

Oups gave my sketches to Joey & forgot to scan them & blog it !

Color Study

I made a lillte flash for my color study, I thought it would be more interresting to work with so many colors, instead of just those of my colored pencils "colection". Hope I didnt miss the purpose of the exercise by doing so.

here is the link:
http://hybrid.concordia.ca/~e_carp/Cart_254/color_study.htm

I did it in a similar way that Joey presented it in class. Using 3 squares each of different color superposed one over the other.

Distilled "Word"

The word I chose is "control". The Idea came to me quiet naturally, I felt like it represented control, but I couldn't explain why. After I looked at it for a while, I realized that I was trying to represent 2 different types of control within one image by using 2 symbols. I wanted to represent the hand as a more aggressive and active type of control, while the eye is a more reflective, passive control.

Therese pointed out the hand because it seems to continue out of the frame does not create as much impact as I wanted it to. By centering it & closing the image It would create a stronger symbol. Also, the use of red in the eye makes it very aggressive which was not the main purpose of this part of the image.

When I think of control, I immediately think of "1984" or "The Matrix". Two stories representing control very negatively, I believe. So that is probably why the entire image came out to be more aggressive than I wanted it to be.

Futuristic Interface

This is the "futuristic" interface I handed in as a home assignment. I think it would be better if you take a look at it, before reading what my intentions about it were.

My concept was to represent a headgear device worn like glasses and headsets. The device blocks the natural vision of the user & transmits the information records by the device directly into the user eyes with the use of lasers. All sounds from the user surroundings are filtrated to diminish sound pollution; also some sounds can be deleted, while other amplified.

The device can also diffuse TV, radio and also journal and magazines articles. Since, this interface is directly sent on the user retina, each eye can observe at different content. For example, an article could be displayed in the right eye & a second article in the left one. The Device also give extra possibilities like zooming, reducing light refractions (on the snow for instance), calculating trajectories of objects in movement, also speed & distance of the object. Also the device can be linked to a terminal, where files can be downloaded or files recorded by the device can be modified, just like using a computer.

Finally, I added one of the Star Trek characters wearing a device similar to the one I wanted to represent. While my device should enhance the user capacities, the V.I.S.O.R (star-trek device) is used balance a eye malfunction of this crew member. Also, both those device can bring up the entire issue of dependence over machines & the modification of our reality through technology.

Also here is a previous interface I did that I discarded.

The concept was a part Biologic, part mechanic nano-sized device. It would be introduced inside a human body where a symbiotic relation would start. The symbiotic would warn his host whenever he is endangered physically as well as mentally. I also tried to place the "device" in the context of it's time (space exploration). I dismissed this work, because I had so much to say but so little to represent visually, since the "device" in progress would function inside the human body at nano-scale. I tried to make the 6 lasts shots look like a User's guide for the consumers who bought the product. The Bio-Remora (that’s how I called the product ^_^) was suppose to also improve the host heath, longevity and alimentation, because the Bio-Remora's health is linked to his host's health.

I wanted to bring up the issue of symbiosis with the machines.

|| Pause ||

In today's class, we worked on the word " pause". It's meanings, his functions, in which spaces can we see it etc. The work I did was 3 dimensional so I can't scan it.

So I will quickly describe it:
It was a piece of paper partially rolled up & taped to the rest of the page, so half of the page was attached to the other half by a piece of red tape. Also I continued the same line on both sides of the paper but with black tape, giving enphasis on the red part of that same line.

I tried to represent a material gap. Althought the paper was an entire structure the only thing holding it together was the thin rep tape. It created a tension & a sence of weight to the piece that 2d could not have achieved. The structure seemed quite fragile wich I belive represents well the state of pause.

I was unsatisfied by my 10 images of a futuristic human/computer interface. So, I will be working on it more extensively this week, since we have the permission to do so.

Human computer Intetaction Discussion

The 1st topic discussed in the text is the lack of originality in the futuristic representation of interfaces. The "operation Swordfish" is a good exemple, the hacker is operating a multi-screen (nothing new) computer. The hacking process is done in a 3d environment represented by cubes attaching to one another ... if hacking was as easy as it looked in the movie any one could do hack. The process representation is quite simplistic & was more intended to appeal visualy not mentaly. But this represents well the ongoing interest of our society for visually appealing products. Wich is in itself not a bad thing as long as content come with the contenant. For exemple the MAC laptop new design.

It seems that interfaces are getting more & more user-friedly, I guess that is why StarTrek episodes uses voice regonition on their ship. Althought many research are working toward that, we are far from the Startrek technology. Also, what has not been discussed or shown in any movie, at my knoledge, is the sight recognition. An interface capable of locating where the user is looking at & to open a file/folder, that would be quiet user-friendly & effortless.

A device that attracted my attention is the eye scanner in "Minority Report". It is used to greet clients getting in stores & also for security measures. This brings of course a personal privacy issue. If that device shall eve come into existence one day, I think it would be of great benifit to use in in public spaces since it is public, but no such device should be used in private spaces such as homes.

What I'v been familiar with because of my long standing roleplaying knowledge is the "Cyber Jack", a socket behind the skull alowing the user to connect any computer directly to his brain. Both movies "The Matrix" & "Johny Mnemonic" posses this concept both developed differently. Some researches with animal wetware are currently in progress.
http://www.fishandchips.uwa.edu.au/project.html
I seems kind of odd to think that the brain could speak to a computer & vice-versa, well both fondementaly work the same way with electric transmission.

The Final subject, I would like to approach is the use of transparency in the displays. On most of the interfaces shown the display used transparency.For Instance in "Minority Report", "Operation SwordFish", "The Matrix" & "The Matrix: Reloaded", "Forbidden Planet", "Star Wars", "StaTrekEnterprise", "The Time machine", "Total Recall" etc . I wounder why ? It is because there is so much information that the use of transparency is absolutly needed to see what is happening being the transparent objects or is it just used as a more visual appealing element. Also, the hologram in most representations is represented as transparent, with the only exeption of the StarTrek holodeck, wich in this case it can also create the illusion of being a real object enabling to interact with it.

Collage

Ok, I really liked the collage concept, I never used this method of creation before & I think it's quite interresting, for 2 main reasons:

1- It gives access to high quality pictures symbols
2- It brings the whole issue about copyrights & other people work's reapropriation.

Lets go directly to the works done in class

This is my Self-portrait, the television/technology represents well myself aswell as my generation. I used a lot of repetition in this work (BUY!, a big tv & a small one, 2 motions colling together, the "scrabble" like words), because the television is all about repetition: Publicity, similar shows often rebrroadcasted, news all the same on different channels.

The next one is my 32 greater than 12. I did this piece with a scientific & numerical concept in mind, by sometimes agreeing with sometimes not ( like my 0=1 ).

The last work done in class is my Monkey piece, my personal favorite. I simply took an article about darwin's theory of evolution, cut it into multiple pieces & rearanged them in a different way, with text upside down.

All the other works were done at home, here is the last one of the 1st serie "I want to fly". I seems quite empty, but that is what i wanted to represent, the lonelyness of the picture far away from healing (represented by a cross symbol).

Now, lets move to the emotional collages, the following is happyness. I tried to represent the girls desire throught drawing symbols of happyness, i noticed curves are often used to represent in a certain way happyness. But in this collage, hapyness is not necesseraly reached, its more somthing to person craves for. I scaned in black & white since i thought make the picture fit better with the rest of the montage.

Angry Collage. I mainly tried to represent the possible consequences of angryness, in this case violence, with the Nuclear Bomb, blood, Manson, explosions, etc. There are lots of cliche, I don't think it's really interresting.

Finally, that is the "hungry" piece. I like it's simplicity, 2 items a predator & a prey. Isn't what it is all about when we talk of hunger. Life eats life, herbivores plants, carnivores eat herbivores/carnivores. Also, the 2 images are so detailed that they speak for themselves.

Les secrets du Design !?

Lorsque je compare mes travaux avec ceux de mes camarades de classe, j'ai l'impression de ne pas avoir compris une règle, une loi ou un fait important à propos du design. Je n'arrive pas à trouver ce qui ne va pas avec mes travaux... son-ils trop complexe, trop simple, pas assez réfléchi ? J'y mets un maximum d'efforts possible, pourtant je n'arrive à aucun résultat satisfaisant.

En attendant voici les scans de mes dernières esquisses sur le mouvement, l'interruption et la symétrie:

Small,Medium,Large

En tant que personne n'ayant aucun talent en dessin, j'ai remarqué que j'avais tendance à dessiner ce que je croyais voir ou disons plutôt, ce que j’avais la conviction de voir. Car, toutes informations venant de nos sens est automatiquement analysées par notre cerveau.

J'ai aussi remarqué que je n'ai aucun sens des proportions et que j'ai tendance à accentuer un angle d'inclinaison d'une ligne. Aussi je dessine une ligne plus longue ou plus courte dépendant de l'importance que je lui accorde, si je crois que la ligne est très important pour représenter l'objet, j'aurai tendance à la dessiner plus longue.

Voici les 3 dessins:

Pricipes du Design 2D

Dans la première lecture obligatoire, l'auteur nous explique ce que le design est. De plus, il y a une simple introduction aux bases du design. J'avais déjà entendu cette définition du design : Une création "design" ne devrait pas seulement être esthétique, mais aussi fonctionnelle/pratique. Je trouve cette définition très subjective car presque tout peut être considéré esthétique ou fonctionnel, tout dépend du point de vue.

Il n'y a pas si longtemps l'artisanat créait des objets pratiques et l'artiste des objets esthétiques. En lisant la définition du design, je me demande si nous en sommes à un point où, nous croyons que : un objet esthétique est inutile et un objet pratique, inintéressant. Voilà pourquoi le design prend un tel essor de nos jours, en combinant esthétisme et fonctionnalité.

Une autre question qui m’intrigue est : « Le design peut-il être appliquer dans n'importe quel aspect de la vie quotidienne et est-il nécessaire de le faire ? »

Plus j'y pense moins je dors la nuit. :P

Cart 254 Blog _ Genesis

My 1st Blog...
Ah! The wonders of Internet.

My pictures are not implemented yet ... but they will be soon ... anyway, it's not like your missing something, really !

You may notice, I sometimes write in english, other times in French ... depends on my moods swings. ^_^