PROCEDURAL GEOMETRY WORKFLOWS
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THE IDEA
Brainstorming Ideas
This project aims to take the ideas that we know and visualise them in an abstract way, to creatively interpret that idea into something completely new - showcased through a 3D visualisation.
These ideas need to be based off one of the following topics:
• Scientific or Natural Phenomenon
• Music
• Writing, Words and Poetry
• Emotions and Mood
• Math or Data
• Technology
• Movement and Art
Taking a few of the topics that interested me, I brainstormed random thoughts that came to mind when focusing on that topic alone - a few of the ideas I came up with ended up forming collections of ideas or they would link to another topic.
Each of the topics have their own colours, and the smaller notes on the side of ideas show that they relate to another topic
After considering all the ideas that I had come up with there was one major idea that constantly piqued my interest and related to most of the main topics that I had chosen to base my visualisation off...
The idea is to take the concept of the brain, specifically focusing on memories, and depict them as flickering fragments - a montage of moments that spark to show how we vividly remember some and others fade over time.
Moodboard and Plan
Now that I had the idea, the next step was to form a collection of references to what I wanted to experiment with. Now that I had the idea, the next step was to form a collection of references to what I wanted to experiment with. The way that the memories are going to be shown is by pulling them out of the brain as streams of light in order to depict that some memories are strongly remembered and some are slowly forgotten about - all of the references below show how light can be depicted in so many ways depending on the colours, the style, the movement, and intensity and more.
Fig 1: Blue Data Wires [Image] Retrieved on 21 February, from https://www.behance.net/gallery/79990503/Houdini-Styleframes
Fig 2: Blue Rings [Image] Retrieved on 21 February, from https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/abstract-technology-background-gm1297995666-390968121?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=srp_photos_top&utm_content=https%3A%2F%2Funsplash.com%2Fs%2Fphotos%2Flight-streaks&utm_term=light%20streaks%3A%3A%3A
Fig 3: Fibre Optic Cables [Image] Retrieved on 21 February, from https://www.abc.net.au/news/2009-09-22/light-streams-through-fibre-optic-cables/953292?nw=0
Fig 4: Streams of White [Image] Retrieved on 21 February, from https://www.behance.net/gallery/79990503/Houdini-Styleframes
Fig 5: Symmetrical Pattern [Image] Retrieved on 22 February, from https://www.behance.net/gallery/79990503/Houdini-Styleframes
Fig 6: Start Beyond (2019, July 21) GROWTH - 4K Abstract Art Animation [Video] Retrieved on 26 February, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPadr0tAvwY
Fig 7: Glowing Light Streams [Image] Retrieved on 25 February, from https://www.behance.net/gallery/79990503/Houdini-Styleframes
Fig 8: Lightspeed streaks [Image] Retrieved on 25 February, from https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/blue-and-gold-futuristic-particle-beam-stream-digital-data-flow-dynamic-pattern-with-gm1339775923-420022240?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=srp_photos_top&utm_content=https%3A%2F%2Funsplash.com%2Fs%2Fphotos%2Flight-streaks&utm_term=light%20streaks%3A%3A%3A
Fig 9: Smokey Lights [Image] Retrieved on 25 February, from https://www.iamag.co/lucy-vfx-particles/
Fig 10: Pink Neon Cables [Image] Retrieved on 25, from https://www.behance.net/gallery/26557565/Light-Line
Fig 11: Light Canon [Image] Retrieved on 25 February, from https://www.iamag.co/lucy-vfx-particles/
In addition to this, I wanted to create a separate mood board for different ideas and emotions that a flickering memory could contain - all the emotions written in the brainstorm at the beginning of this project can all be experienced by a person, which is why I want to base each key fragment of memory around a single emotion.
Fig 1: Rain Falling on Umbrella [Image] Retrieved on 25 February 2022, from https://www.thejakartapost.com/life/2018/09/07/how-indonesians-control-nature-meet-the-rain-shamans.html
Fig 2: Sunrays [Image] Retrieved on 25 February 2022, from https://www.britannica.com/science/crepuscular-ray
Fig 3: Rainbow [Image] Retrieved on 25 February 2022, from https://pixabay.com/photos/rainbow-rain-nature-weather-1649789/
Fig 4: Golden Brown Eye Close Up [Image] Retrieved on 25 February 2022, from https://www.istockphoto.com/search/2/image?phrase=eye+close+up
Fig 5: Lightning Strike [Image] Retrieved on 25 February 2022, from https://eden.uktv.co.uk/nature/earth/article/thunder-and-lightning-facts/
Fig 6: Shattered glass heart [Image] Retrieved on 25 February 2022, from https://medium.com/@aquietbrain/dear-shattered-heart-3950ac0bcdfc
Fig 7: Candle flares [Image] Retrieved on 26 February 2022, from https://www.istockphoto.com/search/2/image?phrase=candle+light
Fig 8: Fireworks [Image] Retrieved on 26 February 2022, from https://www.britannica.com/story/why-do-americans-celebrate-independence-day-with-fireworks
Fig 9: Couple holding hands [Image] Retrieved on 26 February 2022, from https://www.stocksy.com/60788/couple-holding-hands
Since each person is different and unique, it’s important that each memory I decide to add to my concept is clearly understood and not mixed with another. All the references above are only there to give an idea for what the visualisation could be, but I do want to explore those ideas further to create a surreal experience that every person is touched by in some ways.
Researching the Brain
Temporal Lobe
The temporal lobe is one of the four major lobes of the cerebral cortex - it is the lower lobe that sits close to the ear level within the skull. The temporal lobe is responsible for creating and preserving both conscious and long-term memory.
Limbic System - including the Hippocampus and Amygdala
The limbic system is the part of the brain involved in our behavioural and emotion responses and is where you will find both the hippocampus and amygdala.
The hippocampus is one of the main parts of the limbic system and is essentially the memory centre of the brain. This tiny organ helps you form long-term memories and connect memories to emotions and senses. Whenever you reminisce over a memory, the hippocampus (specifically on the right side of your brain) is behind this function.
The amygdala is located right next to the hippocampus, and both the left and right amygdalae play a central role in our emotional responses. It also attaches the emotional content to our memories which then plays a role in how strongly those memories are remembered - memories with stronger emotional meaning tend to be stored for longer periods of time.
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3D EXPLORATION
Light Streams
Experiment One
Testing different methods and styles to form the streams of light that will symbolise each memory that an individual experiences.
In creating these silhouettes, I came across a problem where if the lines continued to stretch out they would eventually turn back inwards on themselves - specifically in the last silhouette which has the exact same preset as the first one, however this shows the continued version that grows in on itself.
This is a problem that I will have to overcome as I want to showcase the entire silhouette in one of the ending sequences of this visualisation.
Particles along Lines
Experiment One
Trying to create the glowing neurons that travel through each memory to visually depict the brain remembering each memory.
I didn’t get to experiment with the actual movement since rendering these frames took quite a long time, but I’m extremely happy with these results.
Experiment Two
Adding different colours to show that each memory is connected to a different emotion or feeling.
Although these designs looked extremely cool, they didn’t turn out as I had initially wanted them to be as I want to keep the memories a single colour as the neurons travel through them.
So instead of having the coloured lines show the emotions, the memory fragments that flicker throughout the visualisation can be based around a colour that symbolises a specific emotion.
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CONTINUED RESEARCH
The Inspiration
The main inspiration behind this entire visualisation came from the song "Cornfield Chase" which is the theme song of the well-known movie Interstellar.
This then led to me finding another version of the song created by Dorian Marko who specialises in creating beautiful piano instrumentals with his own twist. When you first listen to the song it has moments where it intensifies and mellows out, and whilst this happens it triggers your emotions to remember the most precious moments of your life.
Whilst listening to the ending of the Marko's version, I could see my own memories flickering between one another - forming the idea of how the brain remembers core memories.
The song’s duration is quite long so it needs to be cut down and edited but I want to keep the intense atmosphere that you feel when listening, however, this song is the perfect audio to work with the visualisation that I want to create.
Emotions and Colour Theory
The memories that flicker throughout the visualisation can’t be random moment, so to form a connection with the audiences they need be based off a realistic moment that they might already have an existing memory of.
Each person has their own experiences and memories that connect to specific emotions. In the same way that this happens, I want to use the psychology of colour theory and how looking at a certain colour can trigger specific emotions to be felt by an individual. Not all of the colours below will appear in the visualisation, but it gives important insight into the idea of emotions and colour theory.
Black
Black isn’t considered to be a colour, however, a lot of people seem to find that this colour represents nothing or simply an empty void that is waiting to be filled.
For some the colour black could also be tied to death and other feelings related to that which are more evil and bad - leading to someone experiencing stronger feelings of negative emotions.
White
White is also considered to mean emptiness but in a more positive view compared to black, emanating a peaceful and innocent emotions when seen. It can also be seen as the start of something new or pure, like the beginning of a new chapter or journey.
Blue
Blue is seen as one of the most diverse colours when it comes to what it could mean, as it completely depends on how the person already feels and seeing this colour can then enhance those emotions.
Depending on the circumstance and situation it’s seen in it could mean anything on a spectrum of sadness, discouraged, cold or loneliness, to the completely opposite side of serenity, calmness, productivity or stability.
Green
Green is most known for its connection to nature and life which isn’t something that you can feel, however it evokes feelings of beauty or optimism and sometimes even luck when you see something like a rainbow. In the opposite perspective you have sayings such as “green with envy” which relates to jealousy or often illness.
Yellow and Orange
Yellow leans more towards the more positive view of emotions as it’s already a bright and inviting colour - emotions such as warmth, happiness, joy and pure bliss can all be felt when viewing this colour.
Orange closely relates to yellow but creates more complex emotions such as energetic, enthusiasm or playful, but more importantly it has more connections to realistic things such as Halloween, the season of autumn, as well as safety.
Red
Depending on the shade of red it can have two very different meanings.
Warmer and darker shades of red have more relation to aggressive emotions and power, sometimes even leaning towards danger and warning, whereas the lighter shades of red with cooler undertones associate with passion and love - a lot of companies and brands like to utilise when marketing products that are designed for couples.
Pink
Pink is closely related to red as it’s the lighter shade of red, meaning that it can create atmospheres based around romance and nurturing. Most importantly it is one of those colours that is immediately associated with anything feminine or girly since it’s such a vibrant colour.
Purple
Purple is hard to pinpoint to a specific emotion since it is such a unique and exotic colour that not many people use. Some people relate it to royalty because of its history whereas others will say it creates a mysterious or spiritual mood when they see it.
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SHOT LIST
Light Stream Shots
For a video to captivate viewers it needs to have a story that it conveys to them, and in this visualisation the story is going to be shown through the many shots that showcase the light streams.
Intro Shots of the Brain
1. The brain appearing out of the darkness
The first shot opens as an extreme close up shot of the top of the brain being lit from behind as the piano instrumental begins.
2. Full shot of the brain
Dollies out to show the full model of the brain still being lit from behind.
3. Panning shots from different angles to show the brain glowing
A series of multiple angled shots that showcase the brain. As the shots continue to the lower angles the brain will start to have a subtle glow around where the temporal lobe is located.
