Peter Hardie

Bournemouth University, UK

House

Digital Art

This work is based on a visual investigation of the sensation of light and reflection on water. It consists of six short 3D computer animation sequences and a number of high-resolution prints.

The primary intent is in realising the sensations evoked by the play of light on water. The colours and shapes generated by the movement of waves and ripples, the changing surface of reflections, the light bouncing of the water surface. The sensation of light on water generated by, specific rivers and seas at differing times of the year.

The work explores the area between realism, exploring the tools now available in a 3D computer animation system for these purposes, and abstraction, looking at the aspects of colour, form and movement. The view is presented straight on to produce a flat perspective in line with the picture surface.

Technical Process: The Softimage XSI system was used to:

• Construct the scenes
• Colour and texture the scene using procedural, displacement, transparency and colour textures
• Create material properties such as the refraction, transparency and reflectance of the water surface.
• Use a particle system to simulate falling water
• Light the scenes, including the generation of caustic light off the water surfaces.
• Composite separate layers of images together.
• Render the final images for the animation sequences.

The Adobe Photoshop system was used to paint houses, trees, boats and sky images for the reflections.

Studied art at: Newcastle College of Art, Portsmouth College of Art, and Environmental Design at Hornsey College of Art. Since 1968 I have been instrumental in developing computer animation courses for art-based students in UK universities, in particular the Masters Programmes in Computer Animation at Bournemouth University, which has an international reputation.
I have been the programme leader for the Masters in Arts In 3D Computer Animation since 1989. The course philosophy states that the field of computer animation has always represented the marriage between art and science, and practitioners in this innovative field need a good understanding of both the creative and technical processes involved.
In parallel to this I have been engaged in exhibitions, publications, computer animated sequences for television and computer generated simulation ride films.
I am currently the director of the Visual Research Group at the National Centre for Computer Animation at Bournemouth University. I am now engaged in producing artworks through the medium of computer graphics, both as still and moving image.
The main aim of my research work is the successful creation of still and moving artworks for exhibiting in galleries and screenings, based on the study of natural phenomena and landscape. There are two distinct objectives in this work: one to realise works which stand in their own right as artworks (both still and animated sequences) and two to utilise the tools used (and developed) in an innovative manner. The works explore the area between realism, exploring the tools now available in a 3D computer animation system for these purposes, and abstraction, looking at the aspects of colour, form and movement.
The use of plasma screens enables the display of animated sequences in a gallery situation, being a frame on the wall with no special lighting conditions required.