Multi Player Art
I just woke up this morning and thought about a java(processing) program that I wrote last night. I was really only looking to create a proof-of-concept for the midi connection but it evolved into something pretty cool. It really only became interesting when my girlfriend walked up to take a look, and she started controlling the brush settings as I painted on the screen with my Wacom.
Player 1 uses a drawing tablet. Their responsibilities are; controlling the act of painting and the direction/ speed of the brush.
Player 2 uses the M-Audio Trigger Finger. Their responsibilities are; Controlling the color, alpha & brush size using the sliders and knobs of the Trigger Finger.
The basic GUI displays the color selected on the bottom left. As Player 1 clicks the mouse or presses the pen to the tablet, the drawing is initiated. Drawing ceases when the mouse click is released or the pen is lifted from the surface of the tablet. While drawing is occuring, Player 2 may dynamically control the brush settings and color palatte.
The goal is to create a system that lets two artists combine specific parts of their talent to create a unique artwork.
If you consider the elements and principles of Design and Colour;
Player 1 is responsible for only the line and the direction in the elements of design. Player 2 controls the oscillation of shape, size, texture and value.
With the principles of design it is not so cut and dry. Balance in a design is created from a combination of line, color and shape. Player 2 contributes most to the balance through the color and shape but there is significant influence by Player 1. Gradation is a result of a color oscillation and is created by Player 2. Interestingly enough, Player 1 could create themes of gradation by careful placement of the brush. The creation of repetition in a work can be done by either player. Player 1 may create repetition through placement of the brush while Player 2 can create it through careful selections of color and line style. Contrast is created through the juxtaposition of opposing elements. With this system, there are infinite ways that contrast can be created when two people are affecting the same work. If the two players communicate a strategy for creating the work then pleasing contrast may be easily achieved. If the two players work against each other, it could quickly create chaotic, un-appealing contrast. Harmony, Dominance and Unity are much like Contrast in that they can be difficult to get right without communication between players.
It will be interesting to explore how this type of interactive art can be used by different people. I plan to connect this to Twitter for the art show!
When everything is said & done (& re-factored!) I will post the source code for anyone with a M-Audio Trigger Finger who wants to try it out.
Big thanks to Ruin & Wesen for their Java/Processing Midi Classes. Read about their amazing work at http://ruinwesen.com/blog?id=95
Just another day at the office.
I have just arrived at work and I thought that it would be prudent to dig up the snapshots from our assignment on Monday. With a dark and ominous sky looming overhead Dave and I loaded up the car with a portable strobe, softbox and stand. We flew over highway 17 with our clients in tow, after a short drive through Santa Cruz on highway 1 we ended in the parking lot of Wilder Ranch State Park.
To set the scene; The sky was dark and gloomy, the wind whipped sand up is sheets of razor sharp particles and the landscape bent and shifted with every gust. We unloaded the 50 pounds of gear and trudged headfirst into the wind that was blowing in from the ocean. The first location was close to the parking lot but in no way sheltered from the wind. The softbox on the strobe was acting as a parachute and whipping around with every new gust. Suddenly I had a new purpose, human stand.
Location two was sheltered from the wind and adjacent to a chicken coop. It made for some unique background noise.
Location three was by far the most treacherous with the strongest winds and a looming cliff side. It is at location three that my purpose as a light stand was fully realized. I had to fight the wind to keep the light angled correctly, Dave was gracious enough to snap a photo of my struggle.
The best part of this shoot was the musician in the scene who was playing his cello. His lonely notes would whip around us with every blast of wind. It made for a haunting yet beautiful noise and a spectacular experience on the job.
Were just getting warmed up.
This is the beginning, the middle and the end. We are just getting started but we have been finishing for ages. Youth represents a constant state of flux and we are caught up in the ebb and flow of our obligations and responsibilities. The world changes very fast in this modern time. It changes at a pace that our ancestors could never anticipate and a large cause of this can be attributed to recent developments in technology.
The world is a different place every day. Yesterday we were using XHTML, tomorrow we will be using HTML 5. Programming is becoming more accessible and the tools we use to create are more powerful than ever. I hate to use this quote when there is so much controversy about who authored it but I feel that it is a fully accurate description of the power of computing.
“Computers are incredibly fast, accurate and stupid; humans are incredibly slow, inaccurate and brilliant; together they are powerful beyond imagination.” -Author Unknown
Welcome to AI is OK. Here we will explore why I love code and why I can’t wait to graduate. Stay tuned!
-miles