Wednesday, February 3, 2010
iar 560 assignment2
After reading both articles, I have a new understanding for 3D modeling and everything that it consists of. After research I’ve come to find that there is so much more complexity to modeling than I knew about, yet more opportunity at the same time with all the different modeling programs and what they have to offer.
The purpose of 3D models is to use 3D geometry to define 2D and 3D shapes. These descriptions are then rasterized to create images for raster-based screens and printers. This is a very useful method for designers, architects, and mechanical engineers, especially when it comes to modeling their work to the best of its ability. However, there are challenges with 3D modeling programs and their unrealistic representations of day lighting and its effects on object surfaces.
Designers and model-makers have an important decision to make when deciding which features of the real object or other entity to incorporate in a 3D model. A good model captures information and relationships vital for a specific purpose, whether that purpose is functional or aesthetic (Building 3D Worlds pg.2). Today, scientific visualization allows visualizing a model in a 3D environment possible. Data from this model reveals information that would be nearly impossible to gather from looking at towering piles of numerical printouts (Building 3D Worlds pg3). There is also behavioral modeling, which gives the designer the ability to view an objects behavior in an environment, such as a stone falling to the ground if dropped, moving in an arc through the air when thrown, or colliding with other objects (Building 3D Worlds pg3). Artists and scientists still ponder the question of, when is a model good enough? A model should show 3D spatial information such as depth, but behavioral modeling and the modeling of other aspects of 3D reality, such as sound physical feedback, also can be important.
Visualization is the modeling of objects interiors. Objects interiors can be very useful for engineers and designers who want to understand the effects of stress or temperature on their materials. Advancements in computer-aided design have made 3D modeling possible for designers with voxel-based modeling. However, in order for voxel-based modeling to happen personal computers will need more memory, they will need faster algorithms for drawing voxel-based models on the screen, and better input and output devices are required (Building 3D Worlds pg5).
There are several important terms in the 3D modeling world that are important to know as designers, Boolean operation, primitives and sweeps. Boolean operations is adding and subtracting of shapes that can be performed with solid objects (Building 3D Worlds pg8). Primitives are 3D shapes that are not composed of any subsidiary 3D forms (and thus are usually quite simple). Primitives are pre-made and are defined in concise ways that take up less storage space. Programs use certain primitive shapes as useful starting points for creating components of more complex objects. Sweeps are Basic 3D forms, which can be created by drawing a 2D geometric shape, referred to as a profile, and then sweeping it through space to describe a 3D form (Building 3D Worlds pg7). All 3D programs understand polygons, and most 3D file-exchange formats are based on polygonal descriptions. For cube like forms with flat surfaces, a polygonal representation describes the desired shapes quite accurately. For curved forms, however, such spheres and cylinders, a polygonal representation can only approximate the desired surface. You can render polygonal models of curved objects to look smooth, but to model a curved surface more accurately you need real curved shapes, not linear approximations (Building 3D Worlds pg9).
To help make 3D modeling of real world objects easier, especially those in nature, which don’t look like a collection of geometric primitives or sweeps, digital clay and 3D sculpting have evolved. An approach to modifying simple objects called digital clay, or 3D sculpting (not related to volumetric sculpting), lets you click and drag on polygon vertices. By pushing and pulling on the vertices and connecting lines of objects polygonal mesh, you can warp a polyhedral object into various bent, twisted, and distorted new shapes (Building 3D Worlds pg10). Another useful tool for designers was the invention of Fractals. Many natural forms could not be described geometrically until the invention of fractals. Fractal objects mimic natural structures in a nonspecific way. Developed fractals as a geometric way to express seemingly irregular “non-geometric-looking” forms such as trees, coastlines, and clouds by noticing that they exhibited, at many levels of detail, patterns of self-similarity- the structure of a small section resembles the structure of the whole object (Building 3D Worlds pg16).
Particle systems is also a useful tool for designers, when it comes to modeling, for example, smoke, fire, air, bubbles, and the like which are not really single, distinct objects like a chair or a tree or self-similar structures like a plant, but can be thought of as dispersed particulate matter (Building 3D Worlds pg17). Such phenomena can be successfully represented with particle systems, or algorithmically controlled masses of individual shapes that are automatically created with hierarchies that can control movement of the entire system. (Building 3D Worlds pg18-19) Partical systems can be used to create natural forms such as plants and trees by defining the particles to look like branches, petals, or even parts of blades of grass.
Considering geometric modeling, a good data structure is one that is well formed, while balancing the attributes of generality, efficiency, and completeness in a manner that matches the needs of the application for which it is used. There are three general categories of geometric modeling, wire frames, surface models, and solid models. Wire frame models represent only the edges of shapes, leaving to the viewer the task of inferring the volume and other properties of the shape and form theses outlines. Surface models represent the vertices, edges, and faces of an object, but the structure they impose on these components is rather limited. They are relationships between the faces themselves; essentially collections of unrelated polygons (geometric modelingpg2). This approach supports hidden-line removal, the process where only those parts of the shape that are visible from a given point or view are displayed on the screen. Makes it possible to see the relationship between them. Lastly, solid models are the most complete, well formed, and general of all methods used to represent shapes. Its efficiency depends on the particular approach used to implement the model. Its surface, volume, and geometric properties can be calculated (geometric modelingpg3).
The use of these 3D modeling programs has evolved into something that designers and architects use daily to represent and communicate their work to their peers and the public. Without these programs, the modeling of complex structures would take far longer, and it would be much harder to visualize and express to other people. However, the difficulty of learning these programs is a downfall. Without the resources to be taught how to use these programs, trying to figure them out by yourself is nearly impossible. When you do know how to navigate these complex, 3D modeling programs you can get some extraordinary results and are very realistic.
Sources:
"Building 3D Worlds – 3D Geometric Graphics I" from The Computer in The
Visual Arts by Anne Spalter, Addison Wesley Longman Inc. 1999
On Geometric Modeling: Excerpt from “Modeling”. Architecture’s New Media by Yehuda Kalay, The MIT Press, 2004
The purpose of 3D models is to use 3D geometry to define 2D and 3D shapes. These descriptions are then rasterized to create images for raster-based screens and printers. This is a very useful method for designers, architects, and mechanical engineers, especially when it comes to modeling their work to the best of its ability. However, there are challenges with 3D modeling programs and their unrealistic representations of day lighting and its effects on object surfaces.
Designers and model-makers have an important decision to make when deciding which features of the real object or other entity to incorporate in a 3D model. A good model captures information and relationships vital for a specific purpose, whether that purpose is functional or aesthetic (Building 3D Worlds pg.2). Today, scientific visualization allows visualizing a model in a 3D environment possible. Data from this model reveals information that would be nearly impossible to gather from looking at towering piles of numerical printouts (Building 3D Worlds pg3). There is also behavioral modeling, which gives the designer the ability to view an objects behavior in an environment, such as a stone falling to the ground if dropped, moving in an arc through the air when thrown, or colliding with other objects (Building 3D Worlds pg3). Artists and scientists still ponder the question of, when is a model good enough? A model should show 3D spatial information such as depth, but behavioral modeling and the modeling of other aspects of 3D reality, such as sound physical feedback, also can be important.
Visualization is the modeling of objects interiors. Objects interiors can be very useful for engineers and designers who want to understand the effects of stress or temperature on their materials. Advancements in computer-aided design have made 3D modeling possible for designers with voxel-based modeling. However, in order for voxel-based modeling to happen personal computers will need more memory, they will need faster algorithms for drawing voxel-based models on the screen, and better input and output devices are required (Building 3D Worlds pg5).
There are several important terms in the 3D modeling world that are important to know as designers, Boolean operation, primitives and sweeps. Boolean operations is adding and subtracting of shapes that can be performed with solid objects (Building 3D Worlds pg8). Primitives are 3D shapes that are not composed of any subsidiary 3D forms (and thus are usually quite simple). Primitives are pre-made and are defined in concise ways that take up less storage space. Programs use certain primitive shapes as useful starting points for creating components of more complex objects. Sweeps are Basic 3D forms, which can be created by drawing a 2D geometric shape, referred to as a profile, and then sweeping it through space to describe a 3D form (Building 3D Worlds pg7). All 3D programs understand polygons, and most 3D file-exchange formats are based on polygonal descriptions. For cube like forms with flat surfaces, a polygonal representation describes the desired shapes quite accurately. For curved forms, however, such spheres and cylinders, a polygonal representation can only approximate the desired surface. You can render polygonal models of curved objects to look smooth, but to model a curved surface more accurately you need real curved shapes, not linear approximations (Building 3D Worlds pg9).
To help make 3D modeling of real world objects easier, especially those in nature, which don’t look like a collection of geometric primitives or sweeps, digital clay and 3D sculpting have evolved. An approach to modifying simple objects called digital clay, or 3D sculpting (not related to volumetric sculpting), lets you click and drag on polygon vertices. By pushing and pulling on the vertices and connecting lines of objects polygonal mesh, you can warp a polyhedral object into various bent, twisted, and distorted new shapes (Building 3D Worlds pg10). Another useful tool for designers was the invention of Fractals. Many natural forms could not be described geometrically until the invention of fractals. Fractal objects mimic natural structures in a nonspecific way. Developed fractals as a geometric way to express seemingly irregular “non-geometric-looking” forms such as trees, coastlines, and clouds by noticing that they exhibited, at many levels of detail, patterns of self-similarity- the structure of a small section resembles the structure of the whole object (Building 3D Worlds pg16).
Particle systems is also a useful tool for designers, when it comes to modeling, for example, smoke, fire, air, bubbles, and the like which are not really single, distinct objects like a chair or a tree or self-similar structures like a plant, but can be thought of as dispersed particulate matter (Building 3D Worlds pg17). Such phenomena can be successfully represented with particle systems, or algorithmically controlled masses of individual shapes that are automatically created with hierarchies that can control movement of the entire system. (Building 3D Worlds pg18-19) Partical systems can be used to create natural forms such as plants and trees by defining the particles to look like branches, petals, or even parts of blades of grass.
Considering geometric modeling, a good data structure is one that is well formed, while balancing the attributes of generality, efficiency, and completeness in a manner that matches the needs of the application for which it is used. There are three general categories of geometric modeling, wire frames, surface models, and solid models. Wire frame models represent only the edges of shapes, leaving to the viewer the task of inferring the volume and other properties of the shape and form theses outlines. Surface models represent the vertices, edges, and faces of an object, but the structure they impose on these components is rather limited. They are relationships between the faces themselves; essentially collections of unrelated polygons (geometric modelingpg2). This approach supports hidden-line removal, the process where only those parts of the shape that are visible from a given point or view are displayed on the screen. Makes it possible to see the relationship between them. Lastly, solid models are the most complete, well formed, and general of all methods used to represent shapes. Its efficiency depends on the particular approach used to implement the model. Its surface, volume, and geometric properties can be calculated (geometric modelingpg3).
The use of these 3D modeling programs has evolved into something that designers and architects use daily to represent and communicate their work to their peers and the public. Without these programs, the modeling of complex structures would take far longer, and it would be much harder to visualize and express to other people. However, the difficulty of learning these programs is a downfall. Without the resources to be taught how to use these programs, trying to figure them out by yourself is nearly impossible. When you do know how to navigate these complex, 3D modeling programs you can get some extraordinary results and are very realistic.
Sources:
"Building 3D Worlds – 3D Geometric Graphics I" from The Computer in The
Visual Arts by Anne Spalter, Addison Wesley Longman Inc. 1999
On Geometric Modeling: Excerpt from “Modeling”. Architecture’s New Media by Yehuda Kalay, The MIT Press, 2004
Thursday, January 28, 2010
iar 560 assignment1
Based on the two readings, “Computing in Architectural Design,” and “The Pioneers of Digital Art,” it is obvious that design has evolved tremendously through out the century. In the first article, “Computing,” Leonardo Davinci thought about design and ergonomics as early as 1490, with the drawing of his Vitruvian Man. By looking at the scale of the human body and how it reacts to architecture ergonomically was a huge step forward in art and design.
One of the first men to approach computer-aided design and one of the founding fathers of digital media, was Ivan Sutherland in the 1960’s with his creation of the sketchpad. This program was a man-machine graphical communication system. This program was a way to integrate the evolving design and analysis programs. By using a light pen to sketch a design idea, the program would refine the sketch into a perfect drawing by straightening the lines and squares in the drawing using a built-in assumption about the shape the user intended to draw. This is a very relevant program for any design profession, which would be very helpful for those who may not draw well enough by hand to get their design across, well enough to be believable by peers.
In the mid-1960s, artists and engineers united to make an exhibition about art mediums and technology, and the computer demonstrates this radical extension. Technology and art have almost collided today to become an interface to display work, express ideas, and share design to the world. This step was huge for the design world and its future. However, the problem in the 1960s and 70s, was gaining access to the giant computer systems, which remained in only three main locations; military, industry, and research universities. So it was hard for the average designer to use these advancements; advancements that design students today can take full advantage of.
In the 1970s, computer-animation was beginning to interest designers. Advanced research and experimentation done by Charles Csuri, allowed him to pull up hand-drawn images from the computers memory and animate them on the screen with a light pen. This idea of repeated objects to form an action is similar to that of a flipbook or similar to today’s movies, commercials, virtual tours and so on. The advancements have made expressing design to the world a lot easier. Also in the 70s, the Aalto was invented, which is a notebook-sized computer. Before the Aalto, computers were machines housed in a central facility, as talked about above. So in essence, the Aalto was the first personal computer, however it was never successfully marketed.
In the 70s, computers began to appear in architectural practices used for computer-aided design. CAD took two different approaches or routes with its program. The first was geometric modeling, which was geared toward supporting the needs of the construction industry, a very useful tool in seeing and representing a designers work. Secondly, the program was used for complex curves, complex geometrics, building description, and space planning. Computer-aided design was becoming a prominent aspect of the design world. Architects during this time were fascinated by the ability of these computing machines, which were now capable of drafting, a skill that took many hours of concentration and tedious drawing by hand. Now drafting is just a click of a mouse away and can be completed in a timely fashion with less room for human error. Drafting was a key aspect of the new computer graphics program, but the ability to conceive and communicate ideas to other designers and clients had just gotten much easier.
Auto Desk, known as drafting and modeling systems has evolved over the past few generations. The first generation CAD software dealt simply with polygons, solids, NURBS, and blobs. The second-generation version of auto desk, the commonly used version, focused on building specific software objects as doors, windows, columns, and stairs. Today a 3rd version of Auto Desk is under development, which focuses on simulating dynamic behavior of buildings, the movement of people, and the natural environment; leading towards virtual environments, a challenge for the professions of architecture, town planning, and interior design of the future.
Finally, in the mid 1980s the personal computer was actually put on the market. The arrival of the Apple and Macintosh was a huge step in computer graphic-based machines. The Mac allowed flexibility for varying fonts, styles, and sizes, which played a crucial role in the new era of layout and design. Well into the 1990s, Macs were dominating the world of graphic design, multimedia and education. However, the problem with the original Mac is it was only available in a black and white display. Three years later, the Mac two hit the market, which had the advantage of color graphics and digital imaging. This was an important step for the world of design and graphics and how to best display the work of the designer.
Entering the 1990s, a whole new revolution of digital modeling and animation was introduced. Video games had hit the market, with the first arcade game, “Pong.” This led to the experimentation of web-specific art and virtual realities. As of today, the world of design lies in the hands of computer graphics and design programs. Computers and virtual environments is the next step toward the future of design and inhabitable physical environments. Computer programs are in the process of being able to control temperature, humidity, and lighting security systems all at the touch of a key or mouse. Virtual environments are the new, living “space.”
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