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A 500 word evaluation of my artefact

My artefact’s name is Write Your Eiptaph. It is an interactive projection installation consisting of three open walls, totaling 3.6 meters long and 2 meters high. In this space, there is a platform in the middle with a computer and keyboard placed for interactive use by visitors. The piece uses four projectors, two computers, and a Matrox TripleHead. Three of the projectors are connected to the Matrox TripleHead for background video and connected to a computer for operation. The other projector is directly connected to the second computer, and the set program will be displayed on the computer monitor for the visitor to operate. In the process of production, I used the software Processing, After Effects and Photoshop.

The inspiration for this work was influenced by teamlab, the Japanese digital media art team. The team has created many works that include philosophical thinking in the digital media arena, such as stroke of life; Forest of Flowers and People: Lost, Immersed and Reborn. These works show more than just beautiful projections, visitors also able to interact with these virtual scenes. From teamLab’s website, “Through an interactive relationship between the viewers and the artwork, viewers become an intrinsic part of that artwork”, which is also what I strive to achieve in my work.

This work presents a question to all audiences. What do you want to write on your epitaph? The pace of modern life is getting faster and faster, our space for solitude is becoming more and more narrow, the time for thinking is becoming more and more compressed. But death does not slacken for our busyness. It comes to us firmly and persistently. The famous Chinese writer Bi Shumin believed that modern medicine wraps death in white draperies, leaving us unaware of its details, but death is tenacious, it is omnipotent, and there is no power to resist it. When visitors visit my work, they can reflect on their spent life, by thinking about death, rethinking the meaning of life. This gives them a better understanding of themselves and enlightens how they spend the rest of their lives.

Thinking about the theme that this work tries to convey is somewhat serious, but it can still be interesting. For example, about the color style I use in this work, I think when people associating death, it does not need to be like black and white photos, it can be colored, because our life is colorful even at the end of the life. In addition, I used the epitaphs of nine celebrities in the video. These epitaphs are of different types and have their own characteristics. This also reflects the characteristics of each individual. And with regard to the interactive part, visitors can type out any answers they think by typing on the keyboard or using the mouse. This will be placed on the projections and even if they wish, they can even take photos with their epitaph and upload them to social media. Moreover, I choose a soothing and ethereal background music that allows audience has a strong sense of incorporation and immerse themselves in the installation.

Even though I have made a lot of preparations and efforts to make a great visual and Interactive experience and contain a meaningful connotation for this work, it still has a space worth improving. For example, users can hardly get the best viewing angle and range of activities because of the small space. Some difficulties were encountered in the construction installation due to the inability to hang the projector, such as the poor position of the projector, which affected the projection visual effect. As the background video, the scene should be more enriched.

From teamLab website, “The advent of digital technology allows human expression to become free from these physical constraints, enabling it to exist independently and evolve freely.” There is no doubt that the model of this work is digital, and perhaps it will move forward like the successful business model of teamLab, becoming a popular trend, attracting more visitors to the exhibition. Evolving projection and interactive programs enable viewers to gain a better sense of participation and experience that will satisfy people’s spiritual world in the future.

Reference

 Shumin,B.(2016).Write Down Your epitaph. Life Bookstore Publishing Company Limited.

 Yalom, I.D. (2008)."Staring at the Sun: Overcoming the Terror of Death", The Humanistic Psychologist, vol. 36, no. 3-4, pp. 283-297.

 TeamLab.Strokes of Life.[Video].(2017). Available at: http://art.team-lab.cn/

 TeamLab.Living Digital Forest and Future Park[Video].(2017). Available at: https://www.teamlab.art/cn/e/beijing/

 TeamLab. Digital Art. [Online] Available at: https://www.teamlab.art/cn/concept/expandart/

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A list of sources

1.Music (which I used in the video)

The music I used download from free music website Internet Archive.

There is no song name and composer name but Identifier is “Sleep Music Delta Waves Relaxing Music To Help You Sleep, Deep Sleep, Inner Peace”.

 Available at: https://archive.org/details/SleepMusicDeltaWavesRelaxingMusicToHelpYouSleepDeepSleepInnerPeace

2.Reference is for Processing

 Name: keyPressed()

 Example:

// Click on the image to give it focus,

// and then press any key.

 int value = 0;

 void draw() {

 fill(value);

 rect(25, 25, 50, 50);

}

 void keyPressed() {

 if (value == 0) {

   value = 255;

 } else {

   value = 0;

 }

}

 Available at: https://processing.org/reference/keyPressed_.html

3.Reference

 Shumin,B.(2016).Write Down Your epitaph. Life Bookstore Publishing Company Limited.

 Yalom, I.D. (2008)."Staring at the Sun: Overcoming the Terror of Death", The Humanistic Psychologist, vol. 36, no. 3-4, pp. 283-297.

 TeamLab.Strokes of Life.[Video].(2017). Available at: http://art.team-lab.cn/

 TeamLab.Living Digital Forest and Future Park[Video].(2017). Available at: https://www.teamlab.art/cn/e/beijing/

 TeamLab. Digital Art. [Online] Available at: https://www.teamlab.art/cn/concept/expandart/

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Demo video for my project

This is a demo video for my project.

Because there were others working at the exhibition site, there was no light off, and the effect was slightly worse than the dark environment, but I tried to show the entire project.

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This is a user test video and obtains the consent of the tester.

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User test

I invited three audiences to conduct user testing. They are all groups of students who love novelty, art, and middle-level consumption. This is in line with the characteristics of the target audience of the work.

Regarding the test, I tested it in three aspects, such as asking them about the visual effects of the video, the operability and entertaining of the interaction, and the appearance of installation.

Result analysis: They think that the background video fits the theme and serves as a decoration. And the interactive part is simple and very interesting. But they think that the angle of the device and projection has some shortcomings, the position of the projection should match better, and the installation can be arranged more perfect.

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Set up a shelf and test again

First test the length and width required for the shelf, and send the plank to the studio for cutting, then test the width of the shelf, so that all visitors do not touch the bottom of the shelf, I took a height of 2.1 meters. Finally, the drill and nails are used to join the board to the bracket, which makes it strong.

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This is a test by using Matrox Triplehead.

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Set up Matrox Triplehead

I borrowed 2 PC,4 projectors and HDMI cables and a adapter from the loan store. 

It took a long time to test and carry equipment. Finally it can work after testing it. Today, from 10:00 in the morning to 10:00 in the evening, tired but rewarding day solved the main problems and planned to make the shelves tomorrow.

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Tutorial on Youtube

I used matrox triplehead to test but it did not work. On 2rd May I came to Stephen‘s class, he took a time to dealt with it but the day after that when I tried it again however it doesn't work. So I write emails to Ian and Stephen for technical support , next Tuesday Ian will come to help if I still not solve the equipment problem, and Stephen said he would send a steps to me if it could work. 

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Buy some materials for placing projections

Due to the holiday of the bank holiday school, we were unable to borrow tools and equipment to continue my project, so I went to the wickes shop to buy brackets which is needed for placing projectors. Originally only three brackets were needed in the plan, just in case there was not enough, I finally bought a total of six.

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The process of making a background video - 3 (AfterEffect)

I mainly use AfterEffect for background video production.

AE▷ Effect ▷CC Particle Systems II

Both scenes use this effect, but the difference is that one is different in ion type, one is Faded Sphere and the other is Tripolygon. Of course, as the music changes, other values that can be customized will also change.

AE▷ Effect ▷Ripple

Whether it's a font or a picture, it takes the form of ripples as it enters and exits, adding an atmosphere to the picture and creating a sense of fluidity.

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The process of making a background video - 2

In addition to enabling users to interact in an aesthetically pleasing context, my video also has the ability to display images, so I selected nine famous epitaphs and placed them on three corresponding walls. The wall is only an epitaph, so it needs to appear three times by changing the text.

After that, I want to sublimate the theme and tell the audience to write down the meaning of the epitaph, so I played a paragraph of text that will appear along with the particle animation. This text is:

Write you epitaph

These words will be turn into an energy that is radiated around you

It brings inspiration and encouragement to your future life

Best wishes

In the end, in order to be able to respond to the beginning of the video, “write your epitaph” will appear again, and the background effect will be made by the characteristics of the three-walled corners to fit the structure of the wall.

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The process of making a background video - 1

First of all, I thought about how many scenes I probably need. One for beginning, one for ending, three for dynamic background images (sufficient space for visitors to post their answers), and a scene to play nine famous epitaphs to echo the theme (and at the same time give visitors the inspiration). This is probably the main scene of five.

First of all, at the beginning, I think that even if it is a background video, you need to display the name of the theme. Since the middle wall is mainly used for user interaction, the main animated screen will appear on the left and right sides of the wall.

Next are three dynamic backgrounds related to the theme. The reason for the large amount of space is to highlight the user interaction.

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Brush wall and have the last tutorial

I encountered a device problem today and the matrox triplehead could not be used. I wrote an email to Ian and he will help us solve this problem next Tuesday.

Talked with my tutor Alessio, he gave me a lot of encouragement. I showed him my background video and interaction, and I am very happy that he likes it.

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Site testing and equipment testing

Today we were able to enter the B07 room to get the allocated space for displaying installation. I moved to the required table and borrowed three projectors and a Matrox TripleHead for testing. In the afternoon, I attended Stephen Littman's tutorial at Lidop Building and finally successfully projected a video onto three different angles by using Matrox TripleHead. However, today the technical team did not helped build my installation so that I could not test it in kind.

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Discussion on the size of the installation

Because I am doing a projection installation, it involved the use of the venue, so I communicated with Dionysia. She told me that the technician might only be able to provide a 1.2-meter-wide wall for me to use, so my installation was slightly modified in size. As shown, it will look like this if successful.

And I have several options before finalizing like this:

This is my email communication with Dionysia:

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Famous epitaph reference

In order to enrich my video, I need some material about the epitaph. So I found this blog through Google, which recorded many celebrities or famous epitaphs.

https://www.loveliveson.com/epitaph/#inlovingmemoryquotesanchor