Bioluminescent Forest
Six Weeks Making a Forest Glow With Projection Mapping
Friedrich van Schoor - designer, multimedia and video artist and Tarek Mawad - photographer, animator and 3D artist, decided to create amazing piece of art based on video mapping. It took them six weeks to bring their project to life.
It was mostly inspired by underwater creatures living in ocean depths. They admired contrast made by bright colorful lights shining in large dark spaces. They were both fascinated by natural peace, undisturbed by people.
It was mostly inspired by underwater creatures living in ocean depths. They admired contrast made by bright colorful lights shining in large dark spaces. They were both fascinated by natural peace, undisturbed by people.
But definitely the biggest impact on their work took phenomenon of bioluminescence. Bioluminescence is occurrence of producing bright light by living organisms. The most commonly known example of this phenomenon in nature are fireflies.
The authors of this project decided to give some features not normally appearing in natural environment of forests.
As they said, they wanted to personalise forest and show it to people the way they believed it lives and the way they saw it themselves.
Video Mapping is very complicated and quite new technique where author physically visualise (using projectors) animations done in computer program. It is hard to combine really existing forms with multimedia animation. It took many days, thousands or more photographs and many re-taken shots to achieve result we can admire now.
I encourage you to watch finished project itself as well as some parts of "behind the scenes".
Video Mapping is very complicated and quite new technique where author physically visualise (using projectors) animations done in computer program. It is hard to combine really existing forms with multimedia animation. It took many days, thousands or more photographs and many re-taken shots to achieve result we can admire now.
I encourage you to watch finished project itself as well as some parts of "behind the scenes".
1. Did you know about video mapping technique before?
2. Would you like to try this technique yourself?
3. Do you think video mapping has its future in art?
Sources:2. Would you like to try this technique yourself?
3. Do you think video mapping has its future in art?
https://vimeo.com/115082758
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioluminescence
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I-_yCEhd2w
Comments
2. It would be quite interesting to play with this technique. I mostly heard of mapping on hard surfaces, such as buildings or sculptures, making them seem alive. But mapping a forest must have been extremely hard. All of the elements are constantly moving in a nonpredictable way. The creators of the video have done an excellent job.
3. Obviously. Such as animation is a kind of art, video mapping is too. Essentially mapping is an animation that is put on a different surface than just a basic screen. This art is taking animation into the next level, taking into consideration the structure of the three dimensional, real objects, for a moment changing their purpose and appearance.
No, first time i heard about them.
2. Would you like to try this technique yourself?
Yes
3. Do you think video mapping has its future in art?
Yes
Now, if we take computer bioluminescence as an example, then I honestly see this for the first time. Very beautiful indeed. One example of how a person is inspired by the ideas of nature and creates something of his own.
2. Would you like to try this technique yourself?
It would be nice to watch a light show in real life. Behind such an outdoor light show using computer graphics and so on. But on the other hand, this is very dangerous. Mass shows for people in the wild to do is very risky. Nature damage may be caused. It seems to me so far that people are not ready for this.
3. Do you think video mapping has its future in art?
Yes, of course, I think many creative people will soon catch up with this trend. Like for example the shows I wrote about above. I think this is a very promising direction in art. Art using new technologies is always perceived by society very well and positively.
2. If I was an artist, then maybe I would. However, the apogee of my photographer skills is turning automatic flash on and off on my camera.
3. Sorry, no idea, as I said, I’m not an artist at all, but I’d like to see some more of this, so best of luck.
2. I'm not really into graphics, at least not as a creator. I like watching other peoples works and this idea also appeals to me - it gives interesting effects. Of course, if I were an artist, I would like to try it.
3. Probably yes. I'm not a specialist in this field, but it seems that computer graphic techniques are becoming more and more popular in art, so this one can also be widely used.
1. I once heard about it, but I didn't get too much into the subject. But honestly, I must admit that this is an amazing technique that takes movies to the next level.
2. I like trying new things, so why not? I will definitely try it someday.
3. Yes, I think video mapping has its future in art. Here we have very high detail and accuracy, more details and area of operation. This will be something new in this area.
I knew about video mapping before. It is amazing and makes a great impression on viewers.
2. Would you like to try this technique yourself?
Of course, I'd like to try the video mapping technique myself. It's best to learn something using it yourself.
3. Do you think video mapping has a future in art?
I believe that video mapping has its future in art. This is very interesting. A lot of people are delighted with the effects, so it seems to me that in a few years it will be a top theme in art.
2. I'm not really interested in art, so It's not really my thing to try it out.
3. Like i said, I'm not interested into art, so it's hard for me to say anything about it's future. It might have a future in some applications, but it may not be so popular.
2. Yes, It looks very interesting and the results are stunning. Although I'm not entirely sure if I would be ready for such dedication, because it seems to consume great amount of time.
3. Yes, despite the work that needs to be put in it, I think it's worth it, because of the outcome. Artists for sure will get more interested in this technique.
2. I think it's too complicated for me to try it myself. However, I'd love to see someone use it live.
3. Absolutely, art is constantly evolving and this is something beautiful. It is ideally suited to appear in art, and in particular in cinematography.
About the level of difficulty I also was very impressed especially when I saw the shots with toad and caterpillar. They must have been the most problematic but even leaves are moving unexpectedly even in slightest wind so we can agree that it was very demanding project in general.
I hope that we can see in future much more projects like this developing animation as well as our perception of art.
If you are interested in trying yourself you have this possibility even on PJA there is such subject and hence professors who have extensive knowledge on video mapping.
I'm also not into shows organized in places as the one shown in video. Especially for huge groups of people. The artists made it clear that they valued the peace and calmness of deep woods and other natural environments undisturbed by humans. That is why there are shows organized for people like the ones on the old town in Warsaw for example for christmas (not one of my favorite to tell you the truth..very cheap and bad looking commercial move if you ask me) but also the kinda of shows we can watch on Long Night of Museums on PJA.
I also like this direction in art but would prefer to keep some features of traditional thinking in it. Combining them seems the most interesting for me personally.
2. I would not see the use or need for it to be used by me.
3. I think it improves the process of creating animations. And if the people who create animations use this technology then it is the future.
Well I guess not every hobby or interest must be something you are the greatest at! If you are really interested in something you can always try and do it for yourself. I believe that hobbies in general shouldn't be something you do to compare with others or compete. So you can always try it out.
I may tell you that this group of artists already made a huge progress and created a few more projects similar to this one where they experiment with lights mostly.
As a person admiring and evaluating art you are probably one of the reasons why artists create their works. It is mostly created for others to watch after all. It is also very important.
Video mapping became quite popular recently and I suppose that is why it's so liked right now. Mostly because it is new and spectacular. But I also hope it will develop especially in this direction.
I believe this kind of art is universal at its aesthetic form of shown reality. You don't have to know it from the technical side to admire its beauty. I agree that this technique changes a lot in perception of regular animation.
You can of course try whatever you want and find it interesting for you. Good luck in trying in the future hopefully.
Perhaps if you really would like to try it yourself you might be the one who will contribute to development video mapping in future.
Yes, I forgot whether I saw such wonderful video mapping performance on TV or in real life during travel, I only remember I saw it around 2012, but I seldom see it so far, I wish to see it again someday, I really appreciate and enjoy art.
2. Would you like to try this technique yourself?
Yes if possible, but I think then I will have to learn and prepare a lot for it, anyway I like learning new techniques especially about art, I just hope I will get 48 hours in a day to learn them.
3. Do you think video mapping has its future in art?
Absolutely it has, because there are so many people like art, as well as me, where there is a consumer, there is a producer, and then there will be a future.
2. Well as programmer I don't think that I will be using it somewhere so I wouldn't
3. Definitely yes! There are lots of interconnected things in art that makes it special and unique and mapping is one of them