More Live Video Processing 2

Another live video processing experiment. Runs slower but a lot more going on it it. Used a PASeq as opposed to a single image processing effect to build complexity. The new PASeq preference option was used so the screen only updates once per cycle for PASeq loop action processing of the live video feed. All done in Studio Artist 4.

Powerbook Live Video Processing

I've been playing around with Studio Artist 4 on a powerbook running live video effect processing using the built in iSight camera. It's surprisingly zippy. And only running 2 cpu cores as opposed to my usual 8.

Variations on a Face 14

Another wild abstraction example in the variations series. All generated in Studio Artist 4 using different MSG presets.

Variations on a Face 13

This example has a symmetry thing going on in addition to the abstraction processing. Another in the variations series created by directed evolution of MSG processors in Studio Artist 4.

Turning off Threading for Recursive Processing

In general threading is a great thing for image processing code, since you get close to a Nx speedup for N threads running on different cpu cores. So why would you want to turn it off?

It's possible in Studio Artist's MSG modular image processing architecture to build recursive IO connections. For some MSG processors it doesn't matter, but for things like warps or filtering where the output image buffer is also the input image buffer, strange and magical things happen because of the recursive feedback created by this kind of recursive processing. Now if you thread the processing into multiple cores processing separate bands in the image the recursive spatial feedback is broken up into N chunks. So you get a banded visual effect associated with the recursive processing that is very different than what you would see with non-threaded processing. And the banding is a function of the number of cpu cores.

So i added a new Studio Artist 4 preference option yesterday that lets you turn MSG threading off if you wish. The image at the top of this post is with threading off. The image below is with threading on. Notice the difference in the appearance.


Now sometimes the banding effect associated with threaded processing can be visually quite stunning, so you really do want to have the option of choosing whether you are running this kind of preset with threading on or off.

Variations on a Face 12

The amazing thing about MSG is that I'm always surprised by new processing effects it's capable of generating. This one in particular is fascinating. It shows the power of directed evolution for generating new visual processing effects, since i'm not even sure where i would have started if i tried to generate this particular effect from ground zero by building a processing chain by hand. The nice thing about directed evolution is that you just choose the example effects you like and then evolve or mutate variations off of the chosen preview image, continuing that iterative process until you arrive at your final effected image(s).

Variations on a Face 11

A cool abstraction example from the variations series. Like all the images in the series, this was generated using MSG processors that were assembled into visual processing presets using the Studio Artist 4 evolution editor.

Live Video Processing Revisited

Trying out some new ideas with live video processing in Studio Artist 4. I was using a paint action sequence (PASeq) that works with 2 different layers to build up this live processing effect. MSG processing in one layer, interactive warp and color simplify in the other.

Variations on a Face 10

More examples of abstracted source images generated in Studio Artist 4 with MSG processing. MSG stands for modular synthesized graphics and is Studio Artist's modular image processing architecture.

Variations on a Face 9

An abstracted image created using MSG processors in Studio Artist 4. It's part of a continuing series of images posted here that are all derived from the same source image.

Variations on a Face 8

Still more examples of using MSG processors to create visual abstraction off of the same source image in Studio Artist 4.

Variations on a Face 7

Another example in the variations on a face series. All generated in Studio Artist 4 using the evolution editor to swap evolve and mutate MSG presets that process a source image. The same source image in the case of this series of abstracted images.

Variations on a Face 6

The continuing series that explores different MSG abstraction presets processing the same source image. I hope by now you're getting the sense that there's an infinite range of variety in the kinds of visual effects that can be generated using MSG processors in Studio Artist 4.

Variations on a Face 5

This one is kind of out but fun. More examples from the variations on a face series. All of the images in the series were generated from the same source image using different MSG presets that were generated via directed evolution. Directed evolution means you evolve sets of MSG previews via swap or mutation evolution, then choose the one you like the most, then generate a new set based off the preview image you liked the best, etc in an iterative process until you get to something you like enough to keep. Doing this moves you slowly through the overall MSG parameter space with it's associated visual looks, which is essentially infinite.

Variations on a Face 4

Another image in the MSG derived variations on a face series. I used the Studio Artist 4 evolution editor to generated all of the different examples. I use swap evolution a lot when performing directed evolution to build varying complexity over time. Along with the occasional random add mutation.

Variations on a Face 3

Another image from the variations on a face series. All generated using different MSG presets that process the same source image.

Variations on a Face 2

Another image from the variations on a face series. This one would be good for video processing for a horror movie. Everything in this series was generated by directed evolution of MSG processors in Studio Artist 4.

More Live Video Processing

Another image generated by loop action processing of a live video stream in Studio Artist 4. I'm using a Paint Action Sequence (PASeq) for the loop processing. It combines a few interactive warp action steps with some image operation processing steps. The video feed is coming in from an iSight camera.

Variations on a Face 1

I thought i'd post a series of images that are all different variations of MSG processing using the same source image. Here's the first one.

Kapaa Diner

Dinner in Kapaa at this place next to a cool old coconut grove filled with goats. It's amazing it hasn't been bulldozed and turned into a shopping center or condo complex, enjoy it while it lasts. Flip video pan taken in low light and then converted into a static panorama using the Studio Artist 4 temporal scan tracker.

Live Video Processing

This cracks me up. I've been playing around with live video processing in Studio Artist 4 today. It was actually created by running a Paint Action Sequence (PASeq) in loop action while processing an iSight camera live video feed.

Hanalei Beach

180 degree Flip video pan taken at Hanalei beach that was then converted into a static panorama image using the Studio Artist 4 temporal scan tracker.

Ching's Village

This started with a Flip video pan in Ching Young Village in Hanalei. I ran the Studio Artist 4 temporal scan tracker in reverse direction from the actual video pan so it generates an artificial rendition of the scene that is more surreal. Although Ching Young Village is kind of surreal by itself without any additional modification.

Honolulu Takeoff

I had this idea to shoot a video sequence of taking off from Honolulu airport from the window of the place, and then turning it into a static panorama. Here's a first attempt at it. Not quite what i had hoped for, i need to think through how to make it better. This was generated using the temporal scan tracker in Studio Artist 4. Using the full slit scan is way to jumpy with no real detail.

Scan Tracker Experiment

This was generated by processing some Flip video footage taken in a moving car in Hawaii Kai with the Studio Artist temporal scan tracker.

IFS Attractor Animation

This is a still frame from an IFS attractor animation i was trying out using Studio Artist 4. There are a few different IFS attractors displayed in the frame capture. They are all being generated within a single MSG preset that was generated by directed evolution in the evolution editor palette. I used the MSG memories in the MSG advanced editor to build up the keyframes for the animation (it works like the old animation memories in MSG Evolver in the Studio Artist 3.5 package).

IFS stand for iterated fractal system. It's a kind of chaotic attractor.

Paia Sunset

Sunset shot taken in Paia with a Flip video pan, followed by processing using the Studio Artist 4 scan tracker to make a static panorama. For this particular video sequence i got better results dialing it down all the way to a slit scan setting. The partial coverage control is still really useful even when you do this and gives a much better image quality then you would get if you used a standard slit scan algorithm.

Dinner in Paia

Dinner at a cool place in Paia. This started with a video pan using a Flip camera followed by processing with the Studio Artist 4 temporal scan tracker to create the static panorama image. As you can see, only 1 crutch, so we're making progress these days.

Honolulu Airport

Waiting for a Hawaiian Airlines flight in Honolulu airport. Started with a video pan using a Flip camera followed by processing with the Temporal Scan Tracker in Studio Artist 4.

Color FSA Effect

Moving the stark look variation ideas into color processing with a stylized cartoon effect. Again, created using FSA filtering and MSG processors in Studio Artist 4.

Stark Look 3

Totally different take on the stark black and white contrast look. This one reminds me of a stylized woodcut print. Generated using FSA filtering with MSG processors in Studio Artist 4.

Stark Look 2

This guy looks like he belongs in HellRaiser. Actually the same source image as yesterday's post. More variations on the stark look using FSA MSG processing in Studio Artist 4. FSA stands for float sum area and is a set of MSG processors that can be used to build resolution independent filtering effects.

Stark Look

I've been loving the stark simple look recently. Lots of new ideas for effects that started with the new FSA MSG processors that were then swap evolved to create variation.

MSG Surprise

The one thing about MSG is that it never ceases to amaze me. Totally expected way to build up flat cartoon style imagery created via directed evolution of MSG presets in the new Studio Artist 4 evolution editor.

Fooling Around

This fell out of some fooling around with the Studio Artist interactive warp features. It hadn't really occurred to me to use push-pull move to build up fractal patterning in imagery but you can in fact do it.

MSG Symmetry Exp

Playing around with MSG evolution. This procedural piece is a symmetry experiment.