Shy Guy
The Painting Companion
Date
Oct 10, 2019
Duration
2 Weeks
Target Audience
The target audience for this project are art enthusiasts, technology enthusiasts, educators, students, and anyone interested in exploring the intersection of art and technology. It aims to engage a diverse range of individuals and inspire them to think critically about the future of art and its creation.
Team
Facilitator: Garrett Lynch (IRL)
Team Members & Main Roles:
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Aditi Singh (Prototype Building)
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Anirudha Ghosh (Research & Testing)
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Ishitha Chandra (Documentation)
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Nidhi Surekha (Programming)
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Vidushi (Prototype Building)
This is a group project and can be completed by designers with expertise in Computer Programming, Prototype Building and Art Installation.
Project Brief
Our aim is to blur the lines between man-made and machine-made art and make people question everything they know about creativity. Our goal is to create an interactive art piece that will make viewers go "whoa!" and "huh?" at the same time. We're talking about an installation that involves a computer program using any kind of medium from water to chalk dust, and everything in between to create artistic paintings. And the best part? The audience gets to be part of the creation process! They can interact with the installation in real-time, creating an unique experience and leaving their artistic mark on the piece. Who knew computers could be so creative, right?
Budget
We were lucky to have access to our college workshop and spare wood which cut down our costs. We also received some equipment like breadboards, wires, wire-cutter from class and we made use of an old mirror installation we found near the college canteen. Our main expenses were on motors, sensors, tupperware, PVC pipes, and araldite, totaling ~ Rs.1500.
Deliverables
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Interactive Art Installation
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Art Piece generated
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Programming code for the machine
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Project Documentation
Design Considerations
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The project needs to have an artistic vision to conceptualize and plan the art piece and interactive installation to encourage engagement.
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The team needs to have a sound understanding of programming, preferably Arduino's language.
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The design requires careful planning of logistics, including equipment, cost-effective budget, and installation.
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The project requires effective collaboration and communication among the team members.
The Process & Outcome: Shy Guy
Are you ready to hear the tale of our thrilling art project? It all began with Arduino and its programming language based on C++. But, let me tell you, coding on TinkerCAD made it way more fun and less of a pain in the butt. We started small with learning about the Arduino equipment provided, like breadboards, DC motors, wire cutters, soldering iron, different kinds of sensors like Infrared, Light, Pressure, etc. Then we coded simulations of LED lights' logical blinking patterns, and motor rotation in clockwise and anti-clockwise directions on TinkerCAD. This code was then plugged into the physical devices, making the LEDs blink like it was Diwali and the motors spun both ways like a merry-go-round. We were like kids in a candy store once we got the hang of it. Having knowledge on Java programming myself, I found the language a breeze to understand.
Once we had a good grasp of things, we brainstormed different mediums and techniques to use for our art piece. I suggested using light sensors for a robot that follows people's shadows and the water drip painting technique for some good old-fashioned fun. We had to nix the water drip idea when we found out another team was already on it. But that's okay, because then I thought back to my experimental typography class where I burned paper to create letters. And thus, the idea of painting with fire & smoke was born! We did our research and found a way to create soot-based artwork without having to burn down the building. We were all floored by the idea of using fire and smoke as our element, so we went ahead and did it.
After this came the process of conceptualization and planning. During our research, we stumbled upon this video of a painting made with candle soot, and decided to give it a go. Our painting would happen on the ceiling (no wonder we need to repaint kitchen ceilings every few years!) And with our knowledge of motors, we could bring movement to the machine. Now that the machine-art part was done, we had to think if the human-machine interaction. What could dictate the robot's movement to make it interactive? In highschool, for my science exhibition, I remembered working on an Arduino project related to motion sensors. So I found it the perfect solution to our problem. Once it was decided that our robot would away when it senses motion, Aditi decided to name him "Shy Guy". Anirudha came up with a sketch for how the robot would look while we all brainstormed on the perfect paper, candle size, and other variables. Then we proceeded to decide on the parts and functioning.
Aditi led the planning and purchasing of parts, while I worked on coding the wheel & candle motions' logic on TinkerCAD. To cut down on costs, we used wooden wheels covered with orange foam sheets, a tupperware box to fit our arduino board and spare PVC pipes to hold our candles- hey, whatever works! All the cutting and shaping happened at the workshops. Then it was time to put it all together.
Ater optimally fitting in the Arduino prototype such that it would be easy to add edited codes, we tested our prototype thousands of times. We fixed many problems on the way with the program and the wheel fitting. This felt like the most time consuming part of the project. Now coming to the canvas, we couldn't create a high ground, and holding it up would be a pain. So we decided to hang it from the ceiling instead - a true masterpiece in the making. We found a optimal space with a hook on the ceiling to put up the exhibit. And what's this? We found an old mirror-surface installation in the canteen to put our robot on. Fate was on our side! With the mirror, people didn't have to stare up at the ceiling, and the aesthetic feel of viewing the art process through the mirror added an extra layer of intrigue. And then it was time for pictures - thousands of them, to finish our sketchbook documentation.
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Learnings & Shortcomings
Learning through exploration is like a rollercoaster ride – full of ups and downs, but a thrilling adventure nonetheless! This project was a prime example of that. I was able to make mistakes and improve upon them, just like how I've improved my cooking skills from burnt toast to edible food.
There's always room for improvement, though. I'm already thinking of ways to bring more control to the flames. Maybe I can try using something other than candles, like a flamethrower (just kidding, safety first, folks!). And instead of the canvas swinging like a pendulum, I could make it move on a flat surface for better control. Stronger batteries for the robot wouldn't hurt either. And maybe I can even increase the wheel-surface friction for better movement – like my socks on a hardwood floor. Despite the challenges, this project has been a joyous learning experience. We didn't have full control over the flames, but we made up for it with a movable canvas that added a human touch to the painting process. And just like the aim of the project, Shy Guy didn't paint for us, but with us. Our work was also showcased as a part of the "Artsy Bots: Generative Art and Collaborative Performances" exhibit at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru. I can't wait to see where my next learning adventure takes me!
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