Uncanny Narrative Arts

Semester Three Reflective Journal

Mr Happy — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 21:55:42 +0000

Semester Three saw my work becoming far more focused, with the Dissertation proving to be the final catalyst required for the onset of the final Projects’ concepts. This semester was very intensive, and left no time to collaborate on others’ projects, signalling an end to the professional practice I had been accumulating over the first two Semesters.

Overall, I think my projects have been a success. They are of a higher standard than anything produced in the previous Semesters, and through overcoming the hurdles and hindrances which I came up against, I have grown as both an artist and a person. Firstly, I would like to link to my Dissertation:

C.Lawton.Msc.Dissertation.2010

Whilst it is entirely possible to enjoy and experience the final artworks without any prior knowledge of my research field, they are all heavily influenced by the research completed in the creation of the Dissertation. It is recommended, therefore, that the Dissertation be read by the viewer in order to better understand the underlying intent of the works.

Projects

Msc Project 01 – Pan (Film):

Concept – Pan

Barbara Hepworth believed that the life and vitality of a sculpture come not from the material properties or physicality of the sculpture itself, but from the imagination of the sculptor brought to life. If the vitality comes not from the physical nature of the sculpture, but instead from what Hepworth called its “inner spiritual lifeⁱ” then it matters not whether the sculpture is made of clay, stone, bronze, or pixels. A digital sculpture rendered photo-realistically is the Uncanny relative of the physical sculpture captured on photographic film. To the viewer, it is the same experience, as the interpretation of a real object and an imagined one, such as a dream or illusion, is conducted using the same neural machinery. The “real and imagined share a physical source in the brain.ⁱⁱ” If executed properly, a digital sculpture could be taken as a physical one.

The film project Pan was intended as an exploration into the nature of sculpture and the sculpting process, utilizing contemporary digital art techniques. The intent was to recreate the sculpting process entirely digitally, using no real world materials, in order to explore the relationship between digital sculpture and traditional sculpture from the perspective of the artist.

The subject matter of the sculpture in the film is Pan, the Pagan and Ancient Greek god of Nature. The reason for this subject choice was based upon the distortion of this figure in Medieval Europe. Pan, once a symbol of Nature and Fertility, was warped into a symbol used to instil terror and oppress the masses. Pan became the Christian Devil.

i Hepworth, B. 1937 (in Harrison, C. ed & Wood, P. ed 2003.)

ii Martinez-Conde, S. and Macknik, S. L. 2010. Page 4.

Reflection

Overall the film was a success. It stands as a proof of concept for projects I have in mind once I have left the University. There were many technical issues to overcome and learn from. Most notably, I learned that far more powerful processing equipment than I had available would be necessary to create an animation of the realism I had in mind. For the purposes of testing out these concepts the resources were sufficient. Certain elements, such as dust, and caustics, were outside of the scope of this project, and were dropped from the outset. Thematically, the film acts as I had intended, and conceptually it succeeded in all my expectations. Creating the project in the way that I did enabled me to reflect upon the nature of digital sculpture in a way I could not have had I simply disregarded all of the steps of traditional sculpture. I now look forward to taking the ideas I was developing in this piece to a far higher level. In order to do this, I will seek funding and a small team of collaborative experts.

Msc Project 02 – Canvases

Ape

Concept

Ape is intended as an exploration into the Uncanniness of mimicry in the animal kingdom, and the repressed animal nature of Man. Take, for example, the Cuckoo. The Cuckoo is a parasitic bird which lays its eggs in the nests of other species. Upon hatching, the other bird treats the Cuckoo as its own, and the Cuckoo proceeds to starve out the host’s offspring by eating all of their food. Moths and butterflies disguise themselves as owls and other creatures for protection. People often hide their true nature, or their true beliefs, in order to fit better into a society they would otherwise be rejected by.

Pan

Concept

Medieval European artists created imagery steeped in the Uncanny. Through the creation of representational religious imagery, they delved into the depths of the human psyche. The Devil, ubiquitous symbol in Christian faiths for the evil inherit in man, and his minions in corruption, were represented in canvas and sculpture. Serving as propaganda, decorating churches and cathedrals in reminder to the masses that Hell awaits those who Sinⁱ. This form of propagandised expression died out with the Enlightenment and the age of Reason. However, this formative age of Western Culture spawned some of the most Uncanny art the world has seen.

Artists creating these images had free reign to create their grisly depictions. However, certain influences shone throughout. Pagan culture was distorted, and its Gods became their Uncanny Doppelgängers, the Demons of Christianityⁱⁱ (in fitting with Freud’s theoryⁱⁱⁱ.) In this manner, Deities symbolising a celebration of life and the vital became tools of its oppression.

In depicting the Evils of Hell, these artists had free reign to create whichever horrors their imaginations could birth^iv. Each creation an artist makes reveals something to the audience about the artist, as, as Hepworth argued, artistic creation was the convergence of the conscious and unconscious minds^v. In depicting the things which they were to repress, they were exploring those very acts within their fantasies. They were presenting their repressed desires, for the sole function of the repression of desire. Dreams are thought to be the allowance of the expression of repressed desire in a safe way to be processed by the mind^vi. Artists, such as the Surrealists, often sought to explore these realms as a way to express and discover repressed and hidden wonders of the self and the external reality. These precursors to the pioneering dream explorers sought instead to use their dreams to create fear and prostration. As the desire to dominate and control could be considered an Evil human trait, the artists, even if they sought to warn the populous with their work, could be considered the Uncanny Double of their future counterparts.

i Ward, L. & Steeds, W. 2007. Page 11.

ii Ward, L. & Steeds, W. 2007. Page 9.

iii Freud, S. 1919 (in Freud, S. 2003 page 143).

iv Ward, L. & Steeds, W. 2007. Page 9-10.

v Hepworth, B. 1937 (in Harrison, C. ed & Wood, P. ed 2003.)

vi Freud, S. (in Gay, P. ed. 1995).

SleepyHeads

Concept

The most primal Uncanny effect appears to come from the confusion between the animate, or inanimate nature of an object or entity. This effect factors into Ernst Jentsch’s discussion regarding the Uncanny as an evolutionary defence mechanismⁱ. Jentsch elaborated upon this through an anecdote regarding a traveller whom sat upon a snake thinking it a tree root, recoiling in horror as it moved beneathⁱⁱ. Upon realization of what has happened, one is gripped by a fear of mortality. The fear comes from the danger of being killed by a known foe. However, the most profound fear occurred before this realization, in the period in which it appeared that the tree moved in a controlled manner. This Uncanny horror, brought upon by the uncertainty over the animate nature of the travellers chosen seat, ensures the the mistake will not be made again.

This example is of an Uncanny uncertainty regarding the nature of external factors, and how it upsets the internal perception of reality held by the traveller. However, there is also the possibility that part of the Uncanniness came from a realization that the traveller had misunderstood his own internal perceptions, that reality was not as imaginedⁱⁱⁱ. This disruption between reality and imagination – that the root was not actually a root, and whatever image the movement had conjured about its true nature before revelation – creates an Uncanny conundrum^iv.

In a similar vein to the animate being mistaken as inanimate, the inanimate husk left after death can maintain an Uncanny power. Due to a preconception held that the corpse is animate as it once was in life^v, the dead appear as sleeping, almost ready to wake and rise. Seeing the dead acts as a reminder that at some point we will all die, and become a mere echo of our former selves. Our lives, hopes, dreams, and loves all lost, leaving only the broken machine of flesh.

SleepyHeads is intended as an exploration into these themes, and also the three-tiered nature of Man according to Freudian Theory: the Id, the Ego, and the Superego. The trinity of Id, Ego, and Superego represent the primal, instinctive, animal drives of Man, the conceptual “self”, the thinking, personality driven Man, and the sense of right and wrong, behaviour and control influenced by Man’s society and culture.

i Jentsch, E. 1906 (in Jentsch, E. 1997).

ii Jentsch, E. 1906 (in Jentsch, E. 1997).

iii Jentsch, E. 1906 (in Jentsch, E. 1997).

iv Disbelief that an event has been witnessed, or that another person could behave in another manner than one is accustomed to could become the source of an Uncanny upset, especially if there is no third party to verify the events. As time passes, or on trying to describe the events to others, the self doubt sets in. This leads to a questioning of ones own mental faculties, and in contemplating madness, one faces being out of control of oneself, an Uncanny state of being.

v Jentsch, E. 1906 (in Jentsch, E. 1997). Page 15.

Reflection

I think the canvas triptych has been a success. Each exploration ties aesthetically and also thematically to my research. The ambiguity of the construction and materials of these images adds intentionally to their Uncanniness, as an exploration of Jentsch’s Uncanny Uncertainty principle. The only thing which I think could tie the three pieces more is if Ape looked like it was made of similar materials to both Pan and Sleepyheads. However, given the more bestial subject matter and visual style of the sculpt, I felt it more fitting to seek a medieval gargoyle like tactile feel.

Overall Reflection

Overall, I feel that the third Semester has been a success. It has enabled me to seek out my own artistic Identity in a way I would never have been able to before. It has also allowed me to explore a topic which has been a lifelong fascination of mine to a depth I had never before reached. Finally, overcoming all the problems I have faced over recent months has left me more confident and focused than before, and has left me with the confidence that I can create work I had previously been too frightened to attempt.

Self Portrait Sculpture – Progress Videos

Mr Happy — Sun, 30 May 2010 19:02:23 +0000

Head Scan Data – Turntables

Mr Happy — Tue, 25 May 2010 15:45:51 +0000

Turnarounds of the head scan data.

Head Scan Data

Mr Happy — Tue, 25 May 2010 15:21:31 +0000

Here is the original head scan data captured by Victoria Blake. The red images show the flow of the polygons. At this stage, the scan data is completely inappropriate for use in a finished project. It would be impossible to animate anything of use using this data. However, retopologizing the mesh will allow for a strong base mesh for animation. Note that whilst there are no ears, or back of head, on this data, there is not often details such as those on actual life / death masks. At present I am unsure about whether or not to make ears separately and add them in.

Tabbed Browsing

Mr Happy — Thu, 20 May 2010 11:13:28 +0000

Tabbed Browsing allows easy sorting of web pages to ensure you never get lost. This site has been tested on Internet Explorer // Mozilla Firefox // Google Chrome.

Tabbed Browsing

Right Click on a link >> Open in New Tab

Middle Mouse Click on the link

Pg Report – The Uncanny in Narrative Arts

Mr Happy — Tue, 18 May 2010 20:01:21 +0000

Here is a jpg version of my Pg Report. You can find a pdf here. All images used under fair use for education and critique. I am only putting this online so as to maintain a record and to share with others interested in my research field.

PG Report Pdf

Mr Happy — Tue, 18 May 2010 20:00:13 +0000

Here is the PDF of the Pg Report.

PGDipRep_CLawton

Possible Projection Projects

Mr Happy — Tue, 18 May 2010 17:55:11 +0000

I am currently unsure which way to go regarding my Projection Project. There are many possibilities, and I need to make sure that I make the right decision at this point in order to gain the most from the experience. I intend to pitch each of the following potentials to the exam panel at my assessment. With their feedback, it should enable me to make an informed decision in order to begin immediately in Semester Three.

Bloke in the Toilet – Projected Slug Singing

This piece, which would be a collaboration with Steven Crichton and David Blake, would involve the reuse of the assets from the music video project. The idea is to calculate the angle required, and render a new version of the animation which is all in one piece, with the slug circling and singing the song. This would be visible only from the correct angle as a 3d slug moving about. The effect would be very much like the optical illusion street paintings.

Slug Sex

Inspired during research into slugs for the music video project. This piece would involve the projection of an animated loop of photo realistic slugs mating. I am still unsure of the best way to approach this as a projection, at present projection onto the inside of a half sphere seems like it might work. This project requires further research, and it might be too ambitious given the amount of work involved in the execution.

Virtual Artwork

The concept is to create a projected area wherein virtual artworks can be exhibited – an extension of a room. This would allow me to experiment with the staging of my work, and find a new way for me to work as well. The works themselves would be stationary, statues. However, it could be animated in that every so often the sculptures are changed out in some way for others. The lack of sophisticated character animation would free up time to spend on quality over quantity. This project would require more space than the others, but could be quite impacting on an audience.

Further research is required for all of these projects. As soon as I know which way to go my research can flourish.

Untitled Death Mask Project – Research into Techniques

Mr Happy — Mon, 17 May 2010 18:30:10 +0000

In order to successfully create the effect I have in mind for my primary Msc Project, it is essential that I create 3d imagery that is believable as a real world object. My research lead me to consult a number of sources, such as:

Mastering Maya 2009 by Eric Keller
ZBrush Digital Sculpting Human Anatomy by Scott Spencer
Character Rigging: The Puppet Rig by Carlo Sansonetti.

At present, the most useful tutorial resource I have found is Creating a Photo-Realistic Render in Mental Ray; Rendering Digital Sculptures with Ryan Kingslien. This expert level training, from one of the world’s leading 3d graphics instructors, has enabled me to learn the specifics of what is required to get a photo-realistic render out of mental ray. However, it covers setup for rendering still images. I will require a lot more tweaking and research in order to attain the same quality results in an animated sequence. Here are the results of my learning:

The Slug – Overall Progress in Semester Two

Mr Happy — Mon, 17 May 2010 17:14:48 +0000

Here are the current progress shots of the Slug for the music video. At present the eyeballs are a proxy stand in, and will be replaced with more human like eyeballs in the early stages of Semester Three. This is due to a lack of time this Semester through illness. In total, new eyes will take about a day to complete. Also, I will need to tweak the material settings once we have the lighting and environment set up. This is because the settings used for these renders are based around this lighting condition. My aim is to spend two days maximum in Semester Three working on the shader settings and final tweaks on my part.

There will be other aspects involved, dealt with by my colleagues. Hopefully, I will have time to help out where necessary, though my time will be limited due to my own main project. The collaboration between the three of us will move into a second project, which is related to this one, and is detailed here.

In creating this character I took certain liberties with reality, for a number of reasons. In order for it to communicate effectively with the viewer that it is singing, a more human like mouth was required. The forms of the slug overall were made more cartoon like than hyperreal in order to create a more engaging character than would have otherwise been the case. I did not want the Uncanny Valley effect to make the piece repulsive for the wrong reasons. Also, I made the whole head have the leopard print appearance, even though most leopard slugs do not have a spotty head. My reason for this was simply that the desaturated grey/brown of a leopard slug head was a bit dull.

Collaborators

On this project, I am collaborating with my friends Steven Crichton and David Blake. The roles we are playing in this project are as follows:

Chris Lawton – Modelling / Texturing / Shading

Steven Crichton – Direction / Location Shooting / Mocap Data / Matchmoving

David Blake – Rigging / Animation