An occasional newsletter of the Computers and Sculpture Forum.

This issue prepared by Tim Duffield

The last issue of The Platform before

These are the dates of the biannual International Sculpture Conference. It will be held at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers. The Computers and Sculpture Forum will take place on Saturday, May 23. This issue brings you the

Our initial plans foresaw sequences of poster sessions arranged by theme interspersed by panel discussions and panoramic overviews of our terrain. We anticipated that Practical, Theoretical, and Virtual interests and concerns would define the themes. As ever, our concerns ARE practical, theoretical and virtual, but the way the proposals came in called for a different organization. We think we have a program for the day that is rich and varied.

We received a great number of proposals for presentation. The final cut almost halved the total number. Many decisions were based on the need for a balanced program rather than on quality, and nobody who was turned down should feel anything more than disappointment. We have fitted in as much diverse material as possible -- unfortunately, it has meant rather short presentations for some.

Extraordinary as it may seem

8.30-8.50
Three-dimensional Software
In only a few short years, three-dimensional software has achieved great sophistication. Alias/Wavefront will demonstrate Maya Artisan as an example of what is now available.

8.50-8.55
Introduction to the Computers and Sculpture Forum: Timothy Duffield
 

8.55-10.30
"Digital Sculpture: Input and Output"

Coordinator: Dan Collins

Dan Collins: "Digital Sculpture"

Michael Rees: "Facets and Fingerprints: Contemplating the Potential of Computers and Sculpture."

William Kreysler: "Computer-based Sculpture Enlargement"

Andrew Werby: "Transmutation: >From a natural object to a virtual object to a sculptural object."

Timothy Duffield: "Form and Space -- and Boolean Algebra"

Carlo Sequin: "Virtual Prototyping of Geometrical Sculptures"
 

10.40-12.05
International Panel

Moderator: Rob Fisher

In keeping with the spirit of an international conference, and reflecting the growing use worldwide of the computer as a tool for sculptors, this panel introduces the rarely seen work of dozens of sculptors from the UK, Europe, Slovakia, Africa and Central America. The panelists will present the richly varied work of sculptors representing extremely diverse cultures and societal circumstances who have discovered and invented applications of the computer to sculpture that reflect and enhance their personal directions and media.

Keith Brown, United Kingdom, will show the work produced by members of FasT-uk (Fine Art Sculptors and Technology in the United Kingdom).

Christian Lavigne, France, will present the work of the members of Ars Mathematica, the association of sculptors from France and elsewhere in Europe who use the computer. He will also show the emergence of computer related sculpture in the developing nations of Africa and Central America.

Martin Sperka, Slovakia, will present the work of several Slovak sculptors.
 

12.05-12.40
Lunch. During lunch, Alias/Wavefront will continue their demonstration.

12.40-12.45
Information regarding other organizations and events relating to Arts and Technology issues

12.45-12.55
"Sculpting as Event and Sculpture as Actor." An Address by John Hyatt
 

12.55-2.30
"Virtual Sculpture: The Internet, Information Space and Visualization"

Coordinator: Derrick Woodham

Alan Stone: "Expanding Gallery Walls"

Robert Michael Smith: "Virtual Sculpture"

Mary Visser: "Virtual and Reality in the Studio Classroom."

Sheldon Brown: "Art, Information and Space"

Derrick Woodham: "An Interactive, Networked, Multi-user, Three Dimensional, Virtual Sculpture Park"

2.35-2.45
Slides and Videos. A presentation compiled by Alvin Sher of slides and video of sculpture relating to the poster session themes. The material has been sent in by sculptors unable to attend the conference or to give their own presentation.
 

2.45-3.20
"The Computer as a Tool for Sculpture: Design and Creation"

Coordinator: Timothy Duffield

Stephen Keltner: "Line to Line: a Creation of a Steel Sculpture from a Digital Image"

Rod McCormick: "Computer Aided Design for Handmade Sculpture"

Elona Van Gent: "Cabinet of Wonder: Computers and Creative Process"

Mark Parmenter: "A Case History: From Computer Generated Image to Bronze Sculpture, Process and Technique"

Daniel-Jean Primeau: "Gluttonous Trees"

David Morris: "Waterforms"
 

4.25-4.30
Slides and Videos. Part Two of a presentation compiled by Alvin Sher of slides and video of sculpture relating to the poster session themes
 

4.30-5.45
"The Computer as an Integral Part of a Sculpture: Sensing, Robotics and Interactivity"

Coordinator: Michael Rodemer

Michael Rodemer: "Aesthetic Applications of Microcontrollers"

Chuck Genco: "Integrating Microprocessors into Sculpture and Installations"

Stephen Pevnick: "Real Time Multi-media: Public Information Display Fountain"

Ira Sherman: "The Prosthetic Aesthetic"
 

We anticipate a large audience and hope that most of you are going to be able to get to Chicago to join us. If you have not already done so, book a hotel room. The conference hotel (the Sheraton) is filling fast, so you may have to find alternative places. Look in the ISC conference brochure or the ISC website for information.

In addition to our Saturday of events, there will be a panel session devoted to the ISC website. The panel comprises Bruce Beasley, Rob Fisher and Robert Smith, the ISC webmaster. Also, a demonstration of a 3D projection device is being arranged. The device is entitled:

It is not, accurately speaking, a holographic display, but it is similar in its effect. An object that has been created in the computer can be rotated and animated and appears as a floating object in space. All members of the Computers and Sculpture Forum are invited to submit their work for display on the device. The procedure is as follows: A) create a form (or forms) in a 3-D program; B) animate the form (this can be a simple rotation of the form, a morph into another form, movement between a set of forms -- anything you wish); C) dump the animation to video tape; D) send it in; E) the device does the rest, projecting your animation into space. It sounds too simple to be true, but, believe me, the effect is quite remarkable.

The resolution of your frames should be 720 x 486 with a .9 aspect ratio. There should be a central 620 x 380 safe area and a further 30-pixel feather, i.e. the image should be masked and placed on a BLACK ground with a 30-pixel feather. That means that the form itself, as it animates, should not extend beyond a maximum 560 x 320 boundary. For the best quality, submit your video on 3/4-inch beta for transfer to a compiled VHS videotape for play-back on the 3D system. This is a system that requires high quality images to succeed. Although you can submit your tape as VHS or SVHS, the transfer and consequent generational loss may result in poor quality and disappointment.

For further questions, contact Robert Smith at sculpt3d@interport.net. Material should be submitted to him (NOT to Tim Duffield), but make contact with Robert before you do anything to confirm these details. At the time of writing, we did not have a 100% confirmation of the availability of the device; however, I would not mention it if it were really up in the air.

UPDATE: The High Definition Volumetric Display will NOT be available. The logistics of organizing it proved too difficult, and the potential display sites too problematic. The mention of it has been left in because the device DOES have interest and appeal, and we ARE hoping to find some other venue at some other time for display. We will keep you posted, and hope that you will send in your work when the time is ripe.

We have two deadlines: number one refers to the displays of slides and video organized by Alvin Sher as noted in the timetable. As promised, we will put together

of work that is not presented by you personally. The presentations will relate to the themes defined in the timetable, and are especially for those who cannot come to Chicago or whose proposal for presentation was not accepted. We encourage you to send 10 slides of your work OR (not "and") a videotape of no more than ONE minute duration and a statement about your work that would take no more than one minute to read. Also note in which theme, as outlined above, your work fits. Do not forget to name your slides and reference them to a slide list. If you want to have your material returned, include a stamped self-addressed envelope.

Send your material to Alvin Sher at 4 No. Pine Street, Niantic, CT. 06357. His e-mail address is ashe@conncoll.edu. Do NOT mail to Tim Duffield.

The following piece from Derrick Woodham appeared in Platform #12:

DAAP, the Active Worlds Zone of the College of DAAP (Design, Art, Architecture and Planning) at the University of Cincinnati, will exhibit the models of interested sculptors during the International Sculpture Conference. The exhibition will be on view at the conference in a booth in the trade area, and anywhere in the world over the Internet on a Pentium cpu computer operating Windows95 or NT, with the Active Worlds Browser installed. Interested sculptors are invited to explore DAAP, which is currently on line in Active Worlds. The free browser can be downloaded from www.activeworlds.com.

VRML and RWX models can be installed directly, and 3DS, DXF, and COB (TrueSpace) models can be converted. Regretably, only models in these formats can be used, and Active Worlds does not operate in any operating system other than Windows 95 or NT. Derrick has added the following detail: Truespace .cob or .scn, .3ds and Vrml 2.0 .wrl objects will keep their materials (color and surface properties) and texture mapping co-ords (for bitmaps only). Send both object and bitmap files, which are installed separately. The bitmaps should be 256 x 256 pixel .jpg files. If you can only send .dxf files, he will be happy to install materials and texture maps as you wish. A thumbnail of the work should provide the information necessary to finish these models. If you already have an image on line, the address would be sufficient for this. Please zip model files, and email them to Derrick. (Do NOT send them to Tim Duffield.) Let him know how large you would like the sculpture to be. He will notify everyone as soon as their model is installed, and would expect to hear back from you approving the model or identifying problems. Even if you work on the Mac, you should be able to arrange translation into one of these formats, and even if you cannot visit an Active Worlds zone on your own computer, you will be able to see your work displayed in Chicago.

For further information, please contact Derrick Woodham, University of Cincinnati, ML# 210016, Cincinnati, Ohio 45221-210016. Phone 513 556 0280. Email to derrick.woodham@uc.edu

Note: I had difficulty downloading the Active Worlds browser directly from their link on their website. I solved the problem by going to http://aw.mpl.net/downloads/, which was a list of files including the browser: awbfull.exe. Derrick's website is at http://www.uc.edu/~woodhad/index.html, the DAAP site at http://www.daap.uc.edu/soa/dwoodham/daap.htm

Support

I will not repeat the piece for new members that I inserted in the previous two issues. If you are a new member, please refer to the issues that are posted on the ISC website at www.sculpture.com. The following is for EVERYONE, particularly those of you who will attend our Forum day at the conference, and very particularly, for all of you who will be presenting on that day. Events such as the Chicago Conference involve costs as well as time in organizing. I am happy to give my time; the costs aren't huge, but I would appreciate your help. The cost of printing and mailing the newsletter is obvious, but even if the newsletter went completely on-line, there would be a lot of hidden costs, such as telephone charges, that would continue to be incurred. If you have already sent in some money recently, thank you. I don't need any more from you.

UK Forum

As reported in the last issue, Keith Brown has formed FAST-UK (Fine Art Sculptors and Technology in the UK). It is a counterpart to our organization here. He has started to develop a website for the group. The site has both public and members-only areas. As a member of the C & S F, you can gain access to the members area by contacting Keith and asking for a password and username. The url is http://www.finearts.mmu.ac.uk/fast-uk/. He would be very happy to include links to home sites of any Computers and Sculpture Forum members. Send details to Keith.
KEITH.BROWN@mcr1.poptel.org.uk (home ) or j.k.brown@mmu.ac.uk (work).
 

WEBSITE ADDRESSES Please send me your website address. I would like to publish a list of addresses in the future.
 

CONTACTS:

Tim Duffield, 1551 Johnny's Way, West Chester, Pa 19382 (610) 430-8557
timd@netaxs.com

Rob Fisher, 228 North Allegheny St, Bellefonte, Pa 16823 (814) 355-1458
Glenunion@aol.com

Bruce Beasley, 322 Lewis Street, Oakland, Ca 94607 (510) 836-1414
Beasley@well.com

Robert Smith, c/o Sculpture Center, 167 E69th St, NY, NY10021 (212) 737-9870
Sculpt3d@interport.net

 
The Platform has now been posted on the ISC website at www.sculpture.org, at the Intersculpt site in Paris www.stratocom.fr/intersculpt/, and at the new FAST-UK site at http://www.finearts.mmu.ac.uk/fast-uk/.