Illuminating Data

This exhibit reminding me of the "Talk to Me" exhibit at the MOMA that I visited last fall. Both exhibits featured works that communicated data in an artistic and creative way that could be understood by the public. In the Illuminating Data exhibition, artists presented work that communicated data through sculpture, prints, animation, and dynamic presentations. One of my favorite pieces was from Christopher Baker, who programmed thermal receipt printers to collect common twitter topics and print them using a custom software. The effect was awesome as the paper descended from the wall. Another favorite was Riley Harmon's "What It Is Without in the Hand that Wields It. He created a network of tubes hooked up to a video game that dispenses blood when a player dies. I thought this concept was very intriguing because it made the violent video game experience more realistic. It gives the characters more of a human-like quality, which makes actually playing the game unsettling. Over all, the projects were very interesting and I look forward to seeing more of these types of projects in the future. 

Class trip: AAUGA

The class trip to AAUGA opened my eyes to what is possible in the world of animation. Although I felt as though the skill level was way beyond where I currently am, the presentations were inspiring. I took a particular interest in the presentation that focused on correcting a mesh. The utilization of both maya and mudbox and the communication between the two programs prompts endless possibility... that is if I can get a hang of these programs. I also enjoyed the composite presentation that turned a 3D set into a 2D render with different shaders. This presentation opened my eyes to the amazing quality of maya renders and how you can control the effect of the renders. I especially enjoyed when she animated the renders. I am definitely considering looking into the process and animating sequences in the future. Overall, the trip was overwhelming because I realized how much I did not know, but it was also inspired me to keep exploring the programs that the animation world has to offer.