Random Auto-Testing

We've been running a lot of automated testing lately with large preset collections in gallery show mode in preparation for the studio artist 4 release. Gallery show can be configured to run endless variations of different source images and presets. This image randomly popped up this afternoon during some testing. Just before it uncovered a bug, so perhaps the imagery for told of what was to soon come.

Panorama Video Sketch

Here's another sketch that started as a video pan taken out the car window with a Flip camera while driving. That was then converted into a static panorama using the studio artist temporal scan tracker. I then used the new sketch ip ops to build the final sketch effect. The scan tracker artifacts add into the whole mood of the final sketch, taking what could be considered a disadvantage or defect when view in one light and turning it into an advantage in helping create the final mood of the piece. Brian Eno often talks about this kind of approach when he discusses some of his work, and it's a message i try to take to heart whenever possible.

The top image is the final sketch and i've included the original scan tracker output from the video pan below to help show off the overall process involved in creating something like this.

Scan Tracker Media Abstractions

Things start to get more interesting when you use video scan tracker panoramas as source inputs for more conventional Studio Artist treatments. I went through a phase a few months ago where i focused on using the vectorizer or graffiti photo mosaics as the secondary treatments. I've recently been exploring some of the new sketch effects on this kind of source material. The source for this color sketch effect was the scan tracker image from yesterdays post.

Scan Tracker Alternate Reality

I love how the Studio Artist temporal scan tracker can give you this strange composite viewpoint of an extended time period of reality. In some sense it captures the jumbled chaos of life as we experience it far better than a cleaned up straight panorama shot ever would. This started with Flip video taken out the car window while riding through Waimanalo, then processed via the v4 temporal scan tracker to generate the static panorama image that captures an extended period of time as you move left to right.

Masters of the Universe 3

Combination of some new vector sketch stuff on top of a paint synthesizer photo mosaic derived from using the vectorizer as the shape generator. The colorization comes from some new v4 image processing brush load settings.

I think the amazing power of Studio Artist really comes into play when you start combining together the different functional operation modes. V4 really lets them integrate much more with each other, like using the vectorizer to drive paint synth regionization for instance. And i'm using image processing brush load, but i don't think i've ever scratched the surface of what you could do with MSG brush loads when processing photo mosaics in the paint synthesizer, an exercise left for the view for the moment i guess until i get around to exploring it.

The image is from more shots of A G on the hot seat, as he well should be these days.

Graffiti Abstraction

Some graffiti brush abstraction experiments. I used the vectorizer to drive the paint synthesizer to build the photo mosaic.

Watercolor w Saccade Vector Sketch

The vector sketch is derived from a simulation of a visual saccade pattern that travels between points of visual attention. Overlaid on a watercolor wash simulation.

Used Car Lot

It actually is a picture of a used car lot. A study in extreme abstraction. The paint preset is a new kind of vector-raster hybrid.

Vector Sketch Experiments

Doing some more work refining the output options for vector sketch effects generated in Studio Artist 4.

Masters of the Universe, Part 1

Former U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said on Tuesday the current global recession will "surely be the longest and deepest" since the 1930s. Greenspan, a proponent of self-regulation, said he was "deeply dismayed" when in August 2007 the premise that firms had the enlightened self interest to monitor their own risk exposure "failed."

Colored Pencil Sketches

These were created with some new Studio Artist Paint Action Sequences i've been working on that simulate colored pencil and lite watercolor sketches.

Aloha Tower Night Shot

This was taken at night on the wharf at Aloha Tower after the Mabanzi gig there. The static panorama was generated from a 180 degree Flip video pan and processed with the Studio Artist scan tracker to generate the static panorama.

Aloha Tower Slit Scan2

Here's another slit scan panorama taken at Aloha Tower Market Place in Honolulu generated from a Flip video pan using the Studio Artist scan tracker.

Aloha Tower Slit Scan

This is a slit scan panorama generated from a Flip video pan taken in the parking lot of the Aloha Tower Marketplace in Honolulu. The giant power plant with the smoke stacks blocking the harbor view from the city on the right side reminds me of the Pink Floyd Animals cover picture, all it needs is the giant inflatable flying pig.

Honolulu Freeway Exit Sunset

This was taken on the H1 freeway ramp while headed towards Waikiki for dinner. The static panorama was generated from a flip video shot processed with the Studio Artist scan tracker.

This image in particular got me thinking about some new contrast adjustment controls i'd like to have access to, so hopefully i can find some time soon to add those to Studio Artist.

Keo's

Keo's Thai restaurant is one of my favorite places in Waikiki to eat. This static panorama taken while eating with some old friends visiting from Portland was generated from a Flip video pan using the Studio Artist scan tracker.

MSG Attractor Abstractions

These 2 examples both have some patterning going on created via MSG chaotic attractors. I like how they break free of the more typical rendered chaotic attractor look. Again, a directed evolution process was used to create the procedural images in the Studio Artist evolution editor.

MSG Petroglyph

I liked the playful quality of these. The first one almost looks like a petroglyph to me. Again, more examples of abstract imagery created via directed evolution of MSG processors.

More MSG Experiments 2

Some more procedural art examples created via directed evolution of MSG processors.

More MSG Experiments

More examples of procedural art created via directed evolution of MSG processors. I was doing a lot of swap mutations in the evolution editor and stumbled upon these.

Stroke Count Modulation

I resisted adding inverse stroke count modulation to Studio Artist for a long time, but now that it's there i'm realizing it's actually pretty useful. 2 examples from some oil paint experiments done with a single press of the action button using inverse stroke count modulation to adjust some of the paint parameters.

SpiralLateral Examples

These are some examples of procedural images created using the SpiralLateral MSG processor. I chained together multiple SpiralLateral processors in each color channel. They were all created via directed evolution of the original hand built MSG preset.

Color Sketch

Trying out some color sketch ideas. I'm using the new vector sketch generator to drive the Studio Artist paint synthesizer for these two.

BW Noire Cartoon Look

Some examples of hard contrast black and white film noire cartoon renditions. These work well for still images or for video processing.

More BW Sketch Weirdness

Some more examples of non typical bw sketch effects generated while playing around with the new Studio Artist sketch effects.

BW Sketch Weirdness

Playing with some odd parameter settings in the new Studio Artist BW Sketch effects and came up with this.

Subdivision Symmetry

Created with the new Subdivision MSG processor in Studio Artist.

Geometric Abstraction

Using a head shot source image to modulate a truchet MSG processor to create some geometric abstraction experiments.

Watercolor Ideas

Trying out some new approaches to generating watercolor effects in the paint synthesizer.

New Region Fill Pen Features

Testing some new region fill as brush pen mode features.