Test Shots !!!

These are some photos we took while testing the screens and animations against the Lenticular cards. Looking at these images, we are feeling pretty excited about how the final installation will look.

Bits and Pieces

We have been collecting all the bits and pieces for the ADM the last few months.

After testing 5 different versions, we decided on these frames. This is half of them in a nice pile.

 USB extender cords, hubs, and ports

 An amazing Jigsaw for cutting our MDF wood panels out

 USB screens getting assembled

 Test Placement #1

 Test Placements #2

  Test Placements #3

Where shall it be?

Have you been wondering where the ADM will be in The Edge?
Here is a pic! Its going to be right next to the cafe, inside.

Lock it in Eddie

You'll be pleased to know that we have decided on the screens. As mentioned earlier - the key rings from Dick Smith here And also some 8 inch photoframes also from DS here Dick did us a sweet deal. These ones were preferable to others due to their amazingly bright LED display. We also looked at portable DVD players, but decided against them due to their lame TFT displays....and who uses DVDs anyway? Everyone should get an HDMI box for projecting or displaying non interactive video!!

its a RISkY BuSiNeSs

This project has been so interesting and exciting. A key factor for us has been about TAKING RISKS. We have spent months researching the best technology suited to our project, as well as strange, 'lost in translation' conversations with wholesalers overseas. As the project scope was changing so much from our initial proposal, due to various factors, including the HUMIDITY of Brisbane and the effect on outdoor public works.....we have had to rethink, redesign, and replan the project.

Everything is in flux and it constantly seems like a lot of the hardware we need to purchase is unable to be tested before purchase...
Its pretty funny for us.

We came up with a joke that the project codename shall be "risky business".

Here is a cheeky GIF of us with some screens we were buying to test out, along with our copies of the Risky Business Blu Ray!!!

Re sending

The prints have been re sent off...hopefully we're happy with the next round...tstay tuned for some pictures!

Re working....

We weren't happy with the test print of the lenticular, so we re worked it. The initial design didn't have enough difference between the frames. We have 3 images - one each viewable from each side and one viewable front on. We want these 3 to be quite different to one another - so as to get quite a jarring effect as you walk past the card - the images will all quite suddenly change as you move by. Anyway, in light of this, we are reworking the images.

Lenticular prints

We sent off the lenticular prints, and we are waiting for a test to return to us! Stay tuned....

Mini screens

Screens we have been investigating....

This one, while quite wacky, simply won't do. We need somehting flat to fit under the acrylic.

I'll admit the mirror is tempting - when viewing pix of loved ones and aquaintances it can be quite a laff to add yourself in via the mirror. But It won't do for the ADM. Our standards are just too high.

The added functionality of the bottle opener would simply be lost on the ADM - it's all hidden under the lenticular prints and acrylic.

This one is not too shabby - we tested it out after buying from officeworks and it seems to tick all the boxes - USB powered, doesn't auto off. But we have discovered NO keyrings seem to play animated gifs. They can only do stills - regular gifs, jpgs, pngs, bmps. Bummer dude. But we figure the sweet transitions will suffice - such as clock wipe, pixellate etc. We think we'll go with this one, and ask Dick to do us one of his famous deals.

Acrylic

We've decided. Although it was extremely hard to say NO to the neon pink acrylic...we ended up choosing 3mm clear acrylic to cover the ADM. The screens and lenticular cards will sit under this acrylic top layer, safe from the elements. The 3mm is thick enough not to bend when vertically placed...! We have decided on 2 panels - 2 fierce scalene triangles to be precise. "Scalene? Ew, that sounds like something you need cream for" I hear you say. Wrong again my friend. It's just a triangle with 3 uneven sides, and 3 different angles.

Here is a sketch out of the acrylic....! Note the fantastic use of scalene triangles in the design.

The colours are more interesting than the clear, so I have included them.

Tasks

Tasks... We've been trying to break this piece down into...pieces...to figure out where to begin. We need to source: LCD screens - 1.5 inch and 8 inch, and see if they can play animated gifs, movs/mp4/avi etc, and also if they have an auto on switch so they don't power down. They also need to be USB powered. Acrylic sheets: This will depend on th number of screens. With the revised budget we have, it looks like it will be much much smaller than originally planned - maybe 2 pices using .5 to .75 of a square meter's worth of space? Hi density foam: a sandwich filler to hold the screens. Wood base Figure out how to attach to the wall - can we hammer drill into that bewdiful concrete? Screws: what guage is strong enough to support that kind of weight? We need to design: The lenticular cards (2 week turnaround @ printers) The movs/gifs to play on screen The shape of the mural panels. But when, when will we do these things????

Dollarmites etc

We have been developing some roughs for the lenticular printed cards. We're interested in something colourful, abstract and vivid - usually lenticular prints have sequential images to create a small animation. However, we are more interested in creating something that really juxtaposes different images so as to create quite a vivid, jarring effect when you walk past. What's lenticular printing I hear you ask? Remember those rulers that had had pictures of dinosaurs...or Dollarmites...and when you move them back and forward, the image moved! That's lenticular printing. Click here for the wikipedia overview....and here are some images of other people's lenticular prints. Stay tuned for ours.

The only picture on the entire internet of a Dollarmites ruler. Pls send us a better image if you have one, or better still just send us the ruler.

Are you ready for ADM?

That is correct. A new and exciting work entitled 'Animated Digital Mural' will be up at The Edge in 2012. Incase you have not seen The Edge before, here are a few photos to give you an idea of the entrance/breezeway which will we be utilising to display the work.

LOVE the QR code on the floor!

Our Animated Digital Mural is going to blend old and new technology and aesthetics, celebrating innovation and community. If you managed to catch our previous work at The Edge, 'ERROR FOREVER' then you may already have an idea of what is to come!

We hope to embody the energy and creativity of The Edge are using a variety of tekno tools to make this mural come to life- literally!!

There is a lot of pre planning for us to get stuck into but we can't wait to show you some of the stuff we are working on for the mural!!! 

So much to do- where to begin?

We have begun investigating materials and are questioning just how much soldering we may end up doing, considering the breadth of the project.

Welcome to the Animated Digital Mural

We are very excited to announce that we will be making a public work commissioned by the State Library of QLD Digital Culture Center "The Edge".