For this project, we are asked to produce an artefact that takes the user/viewer on a path exploring the field of digital media arts according to a given organizing principle. So I decided to research about what Digital Media Arts is and what are things that are categorized under DMA. As I have changed my field from computer application to creative arts field, this project was really helpful for me to understand my course and coursework.
Digital Media Arts is a study of one or more digital specialisms including video, drawing, animation, photo-manipulation, 3d modeling, sound, games, photography, social and interactive media in a new digital world.
After researching about what DMA is, I started gathering the information and images about the things that Digital Media Arts is comprised of and the things which I will be going to study during my course. I started reading about all the topics to know about them in a clear and detailed manner as what DMA covers and what these individual topics covered in DMA is all about.
VECTOR DRAWING
What is vector drawing or vector graphics?
Vector drawing or vector graphics is the creation of digital images through a sequence of commands or mathematical statements that place lines and shapes in a given two-dimensional or three-dimensional space. In vector graphics, the file that results from a graphic artist’s work is created and saved as a sequence of vector statements. For example, instead of containing a bit in the file for each bit of a line drawing, a vector graphic file describes a series of points to be connected.
DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY
What is Digital Photography?
Digital photography is the art and science of producing and manipulating digital photographs — photographs that are represented as bit maps. Digital photographs can be produced in a number of ways:
- Directly with a digital camera
- By capturing a frame from a video
- By scanning a conventional photograph
Once a photograph is in digital format, one can apply a wide variety of special effects to it with image enhancing software.
DIGITAL PHOTO MANIPULATION
What is Digital Photo Manipulation?
Also referred to as image manipulation, images are altered with the use of computer software. Artistic image manipulation is creative and imaginative, producing images that are unexpected, visually appealing, surreal, striking, humorous or eye-catching in some way. Photographs are modified to develop magazine covers, page layouts, and album or book covers. Multiple images are often combined to create a juxtaposition, collage or unique image.
Photos are retouched to correct or perfect shots, with refinements, such as removing blemishes or moles, brightening eyes, whitening teeth and smoothing wrinkles. Lighting filters, contrast enhancement, brightness, sharpness and various other tuning adjustments are also common types of photo retouching.
Professionals who manipulate images are referred to as digital artists, graphic artists, graphic designers and photo editors.
DIGITAL PAINTING
What is Digital Painting?
A ‘digital’ painting is created on the computer using a graphics program, a virtual paint box with brushes, colors and other supplies. The box contains instruments that do not exist outside the computer, and which give a digital artwork a different look and feel from an artwork that is made the traditional way. Once the design is finished, the painting is transmitted to paper, canvas, coated polyester, etc. Although this is not usually considered a painting, the design can also be displayed digitally or projected on a surface.
3D MODELLING
What is 3D modeling?
3-D modeling is the use of software to create a virtual three-dimensional model of some physical object.
3-D modeling is used in many different industries, including virtual reality, video games, 3D printing, marketing, TV and motion pictures, scientific and medical imaging and computer-aided design and manufacturing CAD/CAM.
WEBSITE DESIGN
What is Website Design?
Website design means planning, creation and updating of websites. It involves information architecture, website structure, user interface, navigation ergonomics, website layout, colors, contrasts, fonts and imagery (photography) as well as icons design.
All these website elements combined together form websites. Often, the meaning of “design” is perceived solely as a visual aspect. In reality, website design includes more abstract elements such as usability, ergonomics, layout traditions, user habits, navigation logic and other things that simplify the using of websites and help to find information faster.
COMPUTER GENERATED IMAGES
What are Computer Generated Images?
CGI (computer-generated imagery) is the creation of still or animated visual content with imaging software. CGI is used to produce images for many purposes including visual art, advertising, anatomical modeling, architectural design, engineering, television shows, video game art and film special effects, as well as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) applications.
CGI is accomplished through various methods. The use of algorithms to generate fractals, for example, can produce complex visual patterns. Other methods include painting in a 2D pixel-based image editor and creating shapes to make images, as in a vector-based image editor.
ANIMATION
What is Animation?
Animation is the process of displaying still images in a rapid sequence to create the illusion of movement. These images can be hand drawn, computer generated, or pictures of 3D objects. Though most people associate animation with cartoons, it also has applications in industrial and scientific research. Regardless of the type, the viewer’s body plays a main role in why people see continuous movement instead of a series of quickly changing images.
There are three main types of animation: traditional, stop motion, and computer generated. Each can be used to make both 2D and 3D images. There are also other less common forms, many of which focus on using an unusual medium like sand or glass to create the images, as well as combination of live action and drawings or computer created images.
GAME DESIGN
What is Game Design?
Game design is a large field, drawing from the fields of computer science/programming, creative writing, and graphic design. Game designers take the creative lead in imagining and bringing to life video game worlds.
Game design is the art of applying design and aesthetics to create a game to facilitate interaction between players for entertainment or for medical, educational, or experimental purposes. Game design can be applied both to games and, increasingly, to other interactions, particularly virtual ones.
Game design creates goals, rules, and challenges to define a sport, tabletop game, casino game, video game, role-playing game, or simulation that produces desirable interactions among its participants and, possibly, spectators.
I have decided to do my project in the simplest way that is making a PowerPoint presentation about what I have researched and understood.
References
Bond, J. (2017). The Definition of Game | Basic Theories of Game Design | InformIT. [online] Informit.com. Available at: http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=2819037&seqNum=3 [Accessed 2 Sep. 2017].
Gamecareerguide.com. (2017). Game Design, An Introduction- GameCareerGuide.com. [online] Available at: https://www.gamecareerguide.com/features/411/game_design_an_introduction.php [Accessed 2 Sep. 2017].
YouTube. (2017). What is Animation?. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6lLVDGF6kc [Accessed 2 Sep. 2017].
Animation, W. (2017). What is Animation, Type Of Animation – 2D & 3D Animation. [online] Indiaeducation.net. Available at: http://www.indiaeducation.net/animation/what-is-animation.html [Accessed 2 Sep. 2017].
WhatIs.com. (2017). What is CGI (computer-generated imagery)? – Definition from WhatIs.com. [online] Available at: http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/CGI-computer-generated-imagery [Accessed 1 Sep. 2017].
Techterms.com. (2017). Web Design Definition. [online] Available at: https://techterms.com/definition/web_design [Accessed 1 Sep. 2017].
Ntchosting.com. (2017). Web Page Design. [online] Available at: https://www.ntchosting.com/encyclopedia/web-design/web-page-design/ [Accessed 1 Sep. 2017].
Animationarena.com. (2017). Introduction to 3D Modeling. [online] Available at: http://www.animationarena.com/introduction-to-3d-modeling.html [Accessed 1 Sep. 2017].
Turning Point Arts. (2017). What is digital painting? – Turning Point Arts. [online] Available at: http://www.turningpointarts.com/what-is-digital-painting/ [Accessed 1 Sep. 2017].
Bright Hub. (2017). What Is Photo Manipulation? Digital Image Manipulation & Photo Editing. [online] Available at: http://www.brighthub.com/multimedia/photography/articles/38285.aspx [Accessed 1 Sep. 2017].
YouTube. (2017). What Is Digital Photography? | Digital Cameras. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2QTAMJOBe8 [Accessed 1 Sep. 2017].
MakeUseOf. (2017). What is Digital Photography? [Technology Explained]. [online] Available at: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/technology-explained-digital-photography/ [Accessed 1 Sep. 2017].
YouTube. (2017). What Are Vector Graphics?. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoCSwF0n-io [Accessed 30 Aug. 2017].
Techterms.com. (2017). Vector Graphic Definition. [online] Available at: https://techterms.com/definition/vectorgraphic [Accessed 30 Aug. 2017].
Learn.org. (2017). What Is Digital Media?. [online] Available at: https://learn.org/articles/What_is_Digital_Media.html [Accessed 30 Aug. 2017].
Saloni Khandelwal's Blog 