Its Alive!

Current Ideas for my undead media ghouls. They need a little bit more detail added to them, but for the time being these will do. Detail can be added after the animation process.

Initial Ideas

Here are a couple of ideas I have for my 'Undead Media'poster. There are a couple of rough designs for the monsters, some rough layouts for the poster and also some thoughts on sound too.

Apologies they haven't been scanned in.. my scanner decided to give up on me.

Kawaii Monsters

 Fig 1 Kawaii Gameboy www.pintrest.com

So as we begin the 'Undead Media' project, my initial ideas are to have various different forms of dead media such as VHS tapes, Floppy Disc's, old NES controllers all turned into different stereotypical ghouls. I.e the 'VHZombie', the 'Franken Floppy' etc. The stage for the poster will have a space free with buttons surrounding the space. Once the user presses a button, a different undead media character will walk onto the screen, pose, then walk off (like a modelling shoot). This is to reflect the fact it is an art exhibition and each of these media forms will be actually be on show.

The art style I'll more than likely go for is simple bold colours with a 'cutesy' feel much like 'Kawaii' characters as I want the poster to mainly appeal to kids and young teenagers.

Fig. 1 Kawaii Gameboy (n.d.) [image online] available at: http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/236x/32/99/27/329927b7fa1cb46301134e88b99bd3c8.jpg [last accessed on 18/11/2014]

Let there be sound!

Fig 1 Sound Waves cdn.bleedingcool.net

This week's task is to research into and find out some interesting things you can do with sound.

In basic terms sound is a vibration that occurs through mediums such as air or water and is heard by an animal or human. Although it it used for primarily communication, entertainment and is often the by product of other activities, sometimes sound really is something to shout about. So here is a short list of interesting and artistic things people have achieved by making a lot of noise.

1) Levitation

Yes, really. Sound waves create compressions in the air when played  between two or more plates at the correct frequencies. When these compressions meet, it creates an 'interface' and this interface can be used to make things hover.

                       

2) Ultrasound (Ultrasonic Imaging)

Although many people know the name, not many actually realise that ultrasound images actually are produced through the use of sound. The ultrasound machine transmits high-frequency (1 to 5 megahertz) sound pulses into your body using a probe. The sound waves travel through your skin & tissue and device called a transducer then receives the sound waves as they bounce back from inside your body. The sound waves are then used to produce images.

Fig. 2 Ultrasound www.belizeportablexray.com

                                           

3) Electrostatic Bell Choir

The Electrostatic Bell Choir (Darsha Hewitt) is a piece of art that uses the static produced by old televisions to physically push lightweight pith balls into the adjacent bells.

The Televisions are automatically tuned to varying channels of white noise which causes them to build up increasing amounts of static. This then agitates the bells causing them to lightly strike the bells, creating sound.

Fig. 3 Electrostatic Bell choir www.creativeapplications.net

                                             




From the Darsha website: "The Electrostatic Bell Choir is an electromechanical sound installation that plays with the static electricity emitted from discarded CRT television monitors. This static (that can be felt when one places their hand on the screen when the TV is turned on) is gleaned for its potential to generate subtle movement and is used as the driving kinetic force in the artwork."


See it in action HERE.

4) Theremin

A Theremin is a music instrument which allows the user to create sound and music with their hands by physically interrupting a magnetic field produced by each antenna on the instrument.By interrupting the magnetic field, a sine wave is fed to a component which is then amplified to make sounds.The user can then adjust the pitch and volume of the instrument depending on what position their hands are in relation to each antenna.

                             

Image





Fig. 1 Sound Waves (n.d.) [Image online] Avaialable at: http://cdn.bleedingcool.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/sound-wave.png?9098e0 [Last accessed on 18/11/2014]




Fig. 2 Ultrasound (2010) [image online] available at: http://belizeportablexray.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Ultrasound.jpg [Last accessed on 18/11/2014]




Fig. 3 Electrostatic Bell Choir (2912) [image online] available at: http://belizeportablexray.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Ultrasound.jpg [Last accessed on 18/11/2014]




Video




Randy Gerge, (2013) Super Mario Bros. on the Theremin [video online] available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcTPRjiCs6s [Last accessed on 18/11/2014]




落合陽一 (2014) Three Dimensional Mid-Air Acoustic Manipulation [Acoustic Levitation] (2014-) [Video Online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odJxJRAxdFU [Last accessed on 18/11/2014]




Darsha Hewitt (2013) Electrostatic Bell Choir 2013 [video online] available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9srgjQrs4U [last accessed on 18/11/2014]




Expert Village (2008) How to play the Theremin: How does a Theremin work? [video online] available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEM8Ka7eKTc [last accessed on 18/11/2014]




Web




Hewitt, Darsha (n.d.) Electrostatic Bell Choir 2012, [online] available at:

http://www.darsha.org/?cat=18 [Last accessed on 18/11/2014]




Freudenrich, Craig, C (n.d.) How Ultrasound Works [online] available at: http://www.physics.utoronto.ca/~jharlow/teaching/phy138_0708/lec04/ultrasoundx.htm [last accessed on 18/11/2014]

El Lissitzky

Fig 1. Proun N 89 (1925) www.poulwebb.blogspot.com

El Lissitzky was a Russian artist, photographer, designer, typographer, polemicist and architect.

Lissitzky was well known for his work on suprematism, an art movement focused on basic geometric shapes.

Lissitzky believed that an artist is an 'agent for change' which can be seen in his propaganda works for the Soviet Union. A great example is his work "Beat the whites with the Red Wedge". During Russia's civil war the 'Reds' (Communists and revolutionaries) and 'Whites' (Monarchs, Conservatives, liberals and socialists) are represented in this art by the red triangle smashing the white form.

Fig.2 Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge (1920) www.designishistory.com

Born in 1890 he originally studied architectural engineering before spending time in Europe teaching himself about fine art and sketching. Lissitzky also had a passion for ancient Jewish culture which lead him into a career illustrating Jewish children's books, trying to promote Jewish culture as Russia had just replaced its anti Semitic laws.

During 1919 Lissitzky was invited to teach graphic arts and printing in Vitebsk by Marc Chagall, Chagall also invited Kazimir Malevich who began developing his ideas on suprematism, which ultimately lead to Lissitzky also subscribing to suprematism.

During 1920 Malevich and Lissitzky formed a group called Molposnovis, a proto-suprematist group of students, professors and other artists. This group later re-emerged as UNOVIS and all credit for works of art created by the group was shared between them. Members also wore a black squares as chest badges, which was also their group signature. The group split in 1922.

Lissitsky went on to develop his own suprematist style which consisted of geometric paintings he called 'Proun'(s) which Lissitzky defined as "the station where one changes from painting to architecture." (Design is History, n.d.) The full meaning was never revealed.

Suprematism was mainly expressed through 2D shapes, however Lisstzky went passed this and incorporated 3D shapes into his work.

Lissitsky continued along this artistic pathway for many years, also sticking to his roots in Jewish illustration by occasionally adding Jewish symbols into his pieces.

Lissitzky also developed architectural ideas such as 'Horizontal Skyscrapers' which was only ever used one building.

Lissitsky continued his work until his death with his last work being a propaganda poster for Russia during World War II.


Design is History, (n.d.) El Lissitzky [online] available at: http://www.designishistory.com/1920/el-lissitzky/ [last accessed on 18/11/2014]

The Art Story (n.d.) El Lissitsky Biography [online] available at: http://www.theartstory.org/artist-lissitzky-el.htm [last accessed on 18/11/2014]

Fig 1. Proun N 89 (1925) [image online] available at: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP_C4Om27_TkgWkAYKNYaEiD5RgISgh3KR93jUKkmlImC4kQXSa0ig6tJANYTzjjTtklsZhkE_4KLwJEYMm1Et__gwsjSFCWjXICKM6uTMDarN7ntNdzhSf_HCBF9b9zGI-GSUw42JCfXO/s640/1925+Proun+N+89+collage,+tempera+50+x+65+cm.jpg [last accessed on 18/11/2014]

Fig. 2 Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge (1920) [image online] available at: http://www.designishistory.com/images/lissitzky/BeatTheWhites.jpg [last accessed on 18/11/2014]

Guglielmo Marconi

Fig 1 Guglielmo Marconi www.astrosurf.com

Guglielmo Marconi was an electrical engineer and shared Nobel prize winner (1909) often credited for being the inventor of the radio.

Marconi was a privately educated student, who reportedly has an interest in science and electricity from an early age and was known to study the works of Maxwell, Hertz, Righi and Lodge. Marconi experimented in his fathers laboratory with the goal to create a practical system of "wireless telegraphy." He eventually succeeded in sending wireless signals over one and a half miles.

In 1896 Marconi brought his work to England and was given the worlds first patent for his system of wireless telegraphy. In July 1897 he formed The Wireless Telegraph & Signal Company Ltd. and in 1899 he established wireless communication between England and France over the English Channel.

He continued to develop and patent new inventions throughout 1902 - 1912 including transmitting the first complete messages to Poldhu from Nova Scotia.

Further significance of Marconis invention can be seen with its involvement on the RMS Titanic. Radio operators aboard the Titanic were employed by The Marconi International Marine Communication Company. During the sinking, wireless communications were reportedly maintained for 72 hours between the titanic and the rescuing ship. Britains postmaster General stated "Those who have been saved, have been saved through one man, Mr Marconi...and his marvelous invention".

In 1923 Marconi experimented with communication between his yacht and the Poldhu station which led to the establishment of the beam system for long distance communication.


Author Unknown (n.d.) Guglielmo Marconi Biography [online] available at: http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1909/marconi-bio.html [last accessed on 18/11/2014]

Isted, GA (n.d.) Guglielmo Marconi and the History of Radio [online] available at: https://11bab91939e1120aa3c84de29125e7936127385c.googledrive.com/host/0B-UggpdTDpJEWnpUdGc5Tkw2aU0/p45.pdf [last accessed on 18/11/2014]

Fig. 1 Guglielmo Marconi (n.d.) [image online] available at: http://www.astrosurf.com/luxorion/Radio/marconi-spark-gap.jpg [last accessed on 18/11/2014]

CloudBiography (2012) Guglielmo Marconi Biography [video online] available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBM4oXboZBA [last accessed on 18/11/2014]

Konrad Zuse

Fig 1: Konrad Zuse www.kerryr.net 

Konrad Zuse (1910-1995) was a German civil engineer and is regarded as the inventor of the modern computer. The first 'computing machine' he developed was known as the Z1. He built the Z1 and a further three machines the Z2, Z3 and Z1 between the years 1936 and 1945.

A further accomplishment was the development of one of the first programming languages 'Plankalkul'.

Zuse was born in Berlin in 1910 and was labelled as a creative student, often paintings or making structures such as cranes. Zuse was torn between studying art or civil engineering, but decided to study the latter. Being a civil engineer, he learned how perform repetitive static calculations that were necessary to build bridges and other structures. These repetitive calculations are what inspired Zuse to develop his machines as he felt these tasks needed to be automated to make engineers and scientists lives easier. 

He was also completely unaware of other computing developments outside of his home country,therefore he thought of and developed these ideas in isolation.

In order to go about this, he first asked "what mathematical problems should a computing machine solve?" he answered with "to build new specifications from given specifications by a prescription" Zuse set about developing his first computer, the Z1.

Fig 2. Z1 Computer www.hnf.de 

Z1
-First mechanical computer designed by Zuse

-Constructed the Z1 in his parents apartment

-Freely Programmable

-Worked via a mechanical calculator by reading instructions punched from a tape

-Contained many parts from a modern computer such as a control unit, memory, micro sequences, floating point arithmetic and input output devices

-Was destroyed in Berlin 1943 during World War II

-All construction plans were also destroyed

You can read more about his life and other inventions here and here.


Author uknown (n.d) Konrad Zuse Internet Archive [online] available at: http://zuse.zib.de/punchedTape [Last accessed 18/11/2014]

Zuse, Horst (n.d.) The Life and Work of Konrad Zuse [online] available at:
https://web.archive.org/web/20100430201756/http://www.epemag.com/zuse/default.htm#index

Fig. 1  Konrad Zuse (n.d.) [image online] available at: http://www.kerryr.net/images/pioneers/gallery/zuse_z3_lg.jpg [Last accessed 18/11/2014]

Fig. 2 Z1 Computer (n.d.) [image online] available at: http://www.hnf.de/uploads/tx_templavoila/Z1.jpg [Last asseecced 18/11/2014]

The Multiphone

fig. 1 Shyvers Multiphone (n.d) www.decophobia.com

I found this piece of dead media particularly interesting because of the way personal music players are taken for granted in today's society. People seem to feel it's a god given right to have access to their own choice of music, when just a few years the thought of having a personal selection of music in your hands was ludicrous.


Nowadays you can't go anywhere today without seeing the vast majority of the population with wires hanging out of their ears.

Could you imagine if having access to your own music wasn't as easy?

Enter, the Multiphone. This piece of kit was designed by Kenneth C. Shyvers in 1939 as a way to have access to your own music whilst in food and drink establishments. The Multiphone was set up in cafes, bars and restaurants and gave people the ability to play their own music at their table if they paid the right amount of coins. After the coins were inserted, the Multiphone was connected to a team via a telephone connection, who would manually select the song and play it though the line.
Not as easy as sticking your iphone on shuffle..

Although it is a now obsolete form of media, the Multiphone is an important stepping stone into the personal media players we have today, and even more so into streaming sites such as Spotify and Youtube.
In effect it's the same principle, but rather than paying coins and listening through a telephone line, when you want to listen to a song you don't have readily available, the most common thing to do is to stream the song onto your mobile through a 4G connection.


Author Unknown (n.d.) Shyers Multiphone [online] available at: http://www.dyz.com/phones/multiphone.html [Last accessed 18/11/2014]

Fig. 1 Shyvers Multiphone (n.d) [image online] available at: http://www.decophobia.com/prodimg/shyvers-multiphone-with-bracket-art-deco2(1).jpg [Last accessed 18/11/2014]