Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Finalize Proposal - Sound-lligraphy

Application Title
Sound-lligraphy


Research Topic
Chinese Calligraphy

Background

Chinese Calligraphy is one of the Chinese traditional writing. Over the thousands of years, the style of Chinese calligraphy has evolved continually. About 213 B.C., under the famous Chin Shih Huang Ti, who perpetrated the 'burning of the books', the Prime Minister Li Szu drew up an official index of characters and unified the written form for the use of scholars. This is chuan-shu and contained more than 3,000 characters. From that time to the present, there are five major styles of calligraphy:


|  seal  |  clerical |  cursive |   regular |
(http://www.chinapage.com/callig1.html)


Calligraphy is not only a practical technique for writing Chinese characters, but also a unique Oriental art of expression and a branch of learning or discipline as well. As a branch of learning it is rich in content, including the evolution of writing styles, development and rules of technique, history of calligraphy, calligraphers and their inheritance in art, and evaluation of calligraphy as a work of art. This branch of learning is wide ranging and deep, forming an important part of Chinese culture.

The local name for calligraphy is Shūfǎ 書法 in China, literally "the way/method/law of writing"; Shodō 書道 in Japan, literally "the way/principle of writing"; and Seoye (서예) 書藝 in Korea, literally "the skill/criterion of writing". The calligraphy of East Asian characters is an important and appreciated aspect of East Asian culture. East Asian calligraphy is normally regarded as one of the "arts" (Chinese 藝術 pinyin: yìshù, Japanese 芸術 geijutsu) in the countries where it is practiced. But there is actually a debate as to whether East Asian calligraphy is a discipline or an art. Indeed, both may be true.

As a practice
As a discipline calligraphy is, at the basic level, a pursuit -書法 Chinese: shūfǎ, "the rules of writing Han characters"- focused on writing well. Students aim to obtain the characteristics of the writing of famous calligraphic masters. Elementary school students practice calligraphy in this way, as do elders practicing temporary calligraphy, without aspiring to artistic creation.

As an art
Calligraphy is also considered an art - 艺术 Chinese: yìshù, a relatively recent word meaning "art", where works are appreciated more or only for their aesthetic qualities.
The English word "Calligraphy" refers to that which is "beautiful writing", thus including both aspects.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Asian_calligraphy)


Problem Identification
Many forms of the traditional ways is transforming into digital. Nowadays, the people are hardly remembering about the art of Chinese Calligraphy. They feel that using Chinese Calligraphy is a waste of time on the preparation of materials, and the traditional method of writing make their hand dirty and the smell of the ink is incredible, not everyone of us can accept. Chinese Calligraphy is great invention of writing created by our ancient, we shouldn't let it dies. What we can do is to improve and to do some transformation on the method of writing so do the traditional culture can have interaction with the human.

Aim and Objectives
To transform the old story into new media.
To encourage people have more interaction with the culture.
To let people understand Chinese Calligraphy.
To presented the relationship between sound and images.


Motivation
Encourage people to know more about Chinese Calligraphy and the meaning of Chinese text. People will be more interesting on this if there is interaction in between. Therefore, they can easily remember it all the time.


Ideation or Concept
My idea is to transform the old way of written Chinese Calligraphy into a modern and digital way. Sound and images always have big relationship between each other. Although you don't know what is the meaning of the text, but if there sound playing along, the meaning is always obvious. My concept is let the user hold the calligraphy pen and start following the text stroke and sequence, every moment they make, the sound of the text will be coming out along. The faster they write, the louder the sound play. The first text I plan to research will be Water, 水.

Review, Analysis and Precedence Studies
On reviewing the video and article while i doing research, I found out there lots more interaction on Chinese Calligraphy like tablet, water calligraphy and etc. While sound Calligraphy that appear is just simple and non relate sound play along while calligrapher writing. My concept and idea isn't appear before, so it might work and create a new interaction calligraphy.

Here some video i found.
                                
                                                                                                 


Design Approach 
The design will be in Chinese Calligraphy background with some simple Chinese style design while user can interact between the calligraphy open and the screen. The whole approach will be in Chinese mode.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Consultation

Today, Madam Forrest have require all of the students who attend classes show the update of our blog and progress. At my turn, since Mr. Kok Yoong have give me some blog to read on, I have ask some opinion from Madam Forrest as I quite confusing on what should be the final outcome of my FYP.

After reading the "Preview of a proposed multimedia performance by Rohan de Saram (cello), with live visual art by Denis Brown (calligraphy/mixed media).", I found out that the way and concept he presenting Calligraphy is outstanding and I have get some idea from it. As previously I'm confusing to come out with a device to help people on learning or create something that can be interact with human. Now I have the idea to combining the sound with the calligraphy stroke. As the interaction part, when the text on the screen being written, the sound of the text will coming out. Like the text 水 (water), when a person starting to write, there will have water sound coming out to show that this text is related to water. By combining movement and sound, human can more easy and faster remember.

Madam Forrest have told me to try on a single chinese text and test on it. While I'm still researching on using what kind of software to develop my idea. Hopefully my idea acceptable and I can successful come out with something interesting.

Monday, December 20, 2010

Report

From We Make Money Not Art

Interview with Milk and Tales

"We came up with a broader program that we called 'Keeping In Touch' which would aim to communicate ongoing activities to the general public via an interactive system on the RFH hoardings for the entire duration of the refurbishment period. This system was made up of a tactile surface, sensors and a sound system which would enable a series of hoarding to go up every 2-3 months. This would keep a momentum with the audience until the re-opening of the hall, and maximize the use of the interactive system."

From this article review, it has prove that, sound can remind or make people keep remember on certain thing or cases. Just like an advertisement who repeated every hours, there always a theme song or background music come across with it, human who watching it every hours will get faster to remember it in mind rather that told by someone around them. As Calligraphy is a very big topic, I have try to use sound to combine with it to let people can more easy remember the text and stroke of the chinese text.




From Rhizome

An Age-Old Binary

"The relationship between sound and image has been a ripe area of artistic practice for at least a century. The philosophical difference between the two 'objects' has often been debated, as have our processes for transmitting and perceiving them."

Image and sound always have a big relationship. Although we can't see the image but yet the sound of it will keep track with us. If there no sound of the images, then the images will tell you the story.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

FYP1 - Critique 2 - Idea Development 3

Place to set up my installation.


Of cause is at my University. Room DR 2016 =)
By the way, that is our exhibition places for our FYP. My installation can be install in anyway with the basic setup - table.


Saturday, November 27, 2010

FYP1 - Critique 2 - Idea Development 2

Have the idea to make a DIY touch table and DIY pen. Here the video I found related to my idea.

This video show how to build a IR pen by using very cheap and simply way.

 
In this video Wiimote is needed.

Wii Remote price...

RM 170 - RM 200
 Perhaps...  Have to brought this to proceed...

Here come a cheaper and easy way to DIY the touch table.





Thursday, November 25, 2010

FYP1 - Critique 2 - Idea Development 1

Here is the price for the product that i might need to buy for proceed my project.

Wacom Tablet...

 

That actually it costly if i choose to use the Wacom tablet. Trying to find other way to replace it. DIY is one of the best way. Nowadays human like following trend and keep updating themselves. An interactive device might can help to encourage and motivate them to learn more about Chinese Calligraphy.


Sunday, November 21, 2010

FYP1 - Critique 2 - Precedence Study 4

Here is some video that related on how they present Chinese Calligraphy other than the formal writing.



Other than just using tablet, there are lots more creative way to present the Chinese Calligraphy.

Sound Calligraphy

 Kung Fu Calligraphy

Water Calligraphy

Saturday, November 20, 2010

FYP1 - Critique 2 - Precedence Study 3

The PENPOWER Diamond Jr. is ultra-modern design touch writing pad offers two models for you to choose from: stylish black, and stunning white; and can recognize traditional and simplified Chinese, Hong Kong characters, English, numbers, symbols, Japanese hiragana and katakana. Moreover, it has English-Chinese/Chinese-English real-time online translation and dictionary search functions and allows dial-up connection and e-mail receipt. When an e-mail is received, it notifies you with music/a flash of light.

This company actually have come out with lots of device that allow us to write on it. The size of the device usually is small which allow us to bring it everywhere and we can learn everywhere.

For more detail, please click here.

Friday, November 19, 2010

FYP1 - Critique 2 - Precedence Study 2

Touchscreen calligraphy tablet concept gives linguists hope. 

 


Ah, now this is the spirit. Rather than concocting yet another handheld tablet that's good for nothing more than checking email and wowing onlookers, designers Soonkyu Jang, Chung Lee and Yonghuk Yim have come together to put linguists on the front burner once again. This here touchscreen concept is a calligraphy board that enables you to practice your stroke without ruining reams of paper and blasting through countless bottles of ink. Initially, at least, the board would only come loaded with teaching tools for the Korean language, but you know Leapfrog could hook this thing up with Lithuanian, Maltese and Slovak should it ever get involved.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

FYP1 - Critique 2 - Precedence Study 1

Chinese Calligraphy Tablet


A very similar idea and concept with my FYP title. It also is using tablet to teach those who don't know Chinese Calligraphy with the interaction between the device. And this device is actually fully build by the student while not just using the common tablet which can be found in the market.

It was developed by a design courses student called Daniel Yoon who currently now working as a product designer at LDA (www.lumdesign.com), which is a product design consultancy, located in Irvine California. This work shown is from the days he as a student at Art Center College of Design - Pasadena, CA.

The goal was to create a multi user interface device that was touch based. He decided to develop a system that would teach users how to write Chinese Calligraphy for Chinese Americans. The reason for this is that most of Chinese Americans he have met here in the USA, know how to speak mandarin/Cantonese, but did not know how to read or write.


The user can use the system in 2 ways. 
1. Learn from the device
2. Learn with another person (father, grandparent, or friend)

When learning with the device alone, one half of the screen would show a character being written with all of the proper brush strokes being illustrated. The second half of the screen(the user's half) would
then be for the user to copy the same brush strokes that was being written by the device. As the student becomes more advanced, they can then transition into learning sentences.

As for the actual device itself, it is basically a tablet PC with a touch based interface. Two brush tipped stylus' are included with the system.

The form itself was derived from "brush strokes" as the shape resembles the tapering line weight effect of written characters.



The device can be used either flat, or propped up.  In the up position it can display previous work that the user is proud of.

This is the final out come.

For more detail, please click here.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

FYP1 - Critique 2 - Research 2

Nowadays, iPhone and touch screen handphone is a trend. A statistic comparing actually prove that,human are getting bored with the 'die' screen of the handphone and wish to own a touch screen handphone to have more interaction. Maybe few years later, handphone will be replacing by those smart phone.

As hot a seller as Google Android phones are right now, its user base isn’t the most satisfied with their device. When surveying current Android device owners, Nielson found that 71 percent would buy an Android phone again. That sounds like a high loyalty rating, but it falls noticeably short when asking iPhone owners about their next handset — 89 percent are happy with iOS4 and plan to buy a future Apple handset.


Both the Android and iOS4 platforms still trail the 33 percent U.S. share held by Research in Motion’s BlackBerry devices, but for many, BlackBerry needs an overhaul. One half of the current BlackBerry owners surveyed don’t want another RIM device when it comes time to upgrade, but instead are looking at replacements running either Google’s or Apple’s mobile platform. Even with the top market share spot in the U.S., RIM share has been trending down because the current devices are seen as inferior when it comes to browsing or offering apps. That should change tomorrow as RIM is holding a press event where it is widely expected the company will debut its new BlackBerry 6 operating system and potentially new devices, such as a tablet.


Given that the U.S. currently has the largest smartphone user base — Canalys estimates 14.7 million smartphones were purchased in the U.S. last quarter — it’s easy to overlook the current king of smartphone sales globally: Nokia. In the second quarter of 2010, the Finnish phone-maker sold 23.8 million handsets. Nokia saw a 41 percent growth rate over the prior year’s second quarter sales, which sounds positive, but when compared to Android’s 886 percent gain, Nokia’s growth pales in comparison. The overall smartphone market is growing, which is lifting sales of nearly all. But some — like Android — are clearly growing far faster than others.

Now have lots of software concept for user more utilize with their touch scree hand phone.


Thursday, November 11, 2010

FYP1 - Critique 2 - Research 1


What is Chinese Calligraphy?

Chinese calligraphy (Brush calligraphy) is an art unique to Asian cultures. According to legend, Chinese calligraphy had been found out at three thousand years ago while the Chinese character and writing was invented five thousand years ago. It is a traditional four arts, in the imperial era, it is a very important criterion for selection of executives to the Imperial court and now not only prevails in China but around the world as a unique art.

Unlike other visual art techniques, all calligraphy strokes are permanent and incorrigible, demanding careful planning and confident execution. Such are the skills required for an administrator / executive. While one has to conform to the defined structure of words, the expression can be extremely creative. To exercise humanistic imagination and touch under the faceless laws and regulations is also a virtue well appreciated. ( http://www.asiawind.com/art/callig/)

By controlling the focus of ink, the thickness and adsorption of the paper itself, and the agility of the brush, the artist is free to produce endless variations of a style and form. Calligraphers have to follow strict rules. Calligrapher has to follow the same rules for thousands of years. Each character requires a certain number of brush strokes written in order to write a particular stroke. However, as handwriting and drawing, everyone seemed to be some different.

Calligraphy is an appropriate way as to maintain a healthy and positive way and to consider either relaxation or self-entertainment. Historically, calligraphy artists were well-known longevity.

Four Treasures of Study

Four Treasures of Study or Four Jewels of the Study, the indispensable tools that need to be prepare before start writing. There are expressions used to denote the brush, ink, paper and ink slab.

Brush – Make from animal hair slide into wooden or bamboo tube. For soften, white goat hair and rabbit hair will be use while for a hard and precise tip, stiff wolf hair will be use. Different material will make the calligrapher’s brush strokes looks thick and heavy.

Ink – A liquid make by soot, animal glue, incense or medicines, and sometimes preservatives. A good ink should be ground so as to be refined black with luster.

Paper – The paper been use called Xuan Zhi, a type of paper which soft, fine textured, anti-moth, a high tensile strength, the remarkable longevity of such products -. "Millennium", so it has a lasting reputation for the quality of the file depends on the processing method used to make them. Nowadays, user has more choices on the types of paper while not limited to the Xuan Zhi only.
Ink slab – It usually makes by stone, but other materials such as pottery, brick and tile are also widely used. Nowadays it hard to be found, because most of the ink comes with a bottle while user just needs to use the brush dot into the ink, then can start writing.


The Basic Stroke

Basically you can say that all modern Chinese characters are drawn with a palette consisting of eight basic strokes. Generally all strokes are painted from top to bottom and left to right – with exceptions for characters number six, which is draw upwards. In the following overview each type of stroke is shown (drawn in black color) within actual characters (drawn in grey color):


Technique and method

For complete the process in writing Chinese Calligraphy, there are certain step and technique need to be follow. There are many different methods of holding a Chinese calligraphy brush among Chinese calligraphers and common people. They may be different for various Chinese calligraphy styles in different sizes.

When started writing Chinese calligraphy, the first thing need to be do is conform yourself on sitting on the chair straight 90 degree. According to the spaces between you and the table, adjust it. Now is time to learn is how to hold the brush. Double Hook Method is the common way of writing. By stretch out the thumb, index finger and middle finger (like acting gun), kindly place the brush on top of index finger and middle finger. Then use the thumb firm it by placing the finger between the index finger and middle finger. At the same time, the brush can be slowly moved toward ring finger and little finger reinforcing the hold from behind. Be remain, the brush have to be vertical. Now, can start writing with the rules wrist need to rise and can’t touch the table surface. It might take some time to practice to write steady strokes.


  
                 Proper postures for writing while seated.
                     
 
Proper postures for writing while standing. 

 Holding the brush

 
Supported wrist method.

 Raised wrist method.

Suspended wrist method.

(http://www.chinavoc.com/arts/calligraphy/holdbrush.asp)

The video below shows different technique been used, the stroke of the text shows different way and feel.



Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Design Reserach Proposal

Today is our SRI proposal consultation day. Meet with Mr.Khong at the K-Space.

When i start tell him my FYP idea, he do give me some suggestion to make it more interesting. He claim that the way I doing by using tablet for Chinese Calligraphy is bit bored and it might can be presented by using movement like dancing, kung fu and etc. The interaction between is very important to make the user feel interset to play or use on it.

Mr.Khong have decide my SRI title as Reviewing the various artistic style, common trend, technique and method in creating Chinese Calligraphy. In this research project, the focus will be on the new artistic way of creating the Chinese Calligraphy. It is a form of art, the unique of the stroke have made the text become exquisite. In order to make it more attractive, human are getting more creative in order to transform it into an interactive and modern way. There are few main elements to follow in order to complete the writing of Chinese Calligraphy. By exploring on it, there are more creative method can be found to perform the Chinese Calligraphy in different way by not limited only writing. On doing this title, i will find out more about Chinese Calligraphy and the creative way on making it more interactive. To study the various artistic style, I will get know what is the element that will make human have more interesting on it.

As the title have settle down, i shall move forward and do my best on it.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

FYP1 - Critique 1 -Proposal 3 [selected]

Research Topic
Chinese Calligraphy

Background

Chinese Calligraphy is one of the Chinese traditional writing. Over the thousands of years, the style of Chinese calligraphy has evolved continually. About 213 B.C., under the famous Chin Shih Huang Ti, who perpetrated the 'burning of the books', the Prime Minister Li Szu drew up an official index of characters and unified the written form for the use of scholars. This is chuan-shu and contained more than 3,000 characters. From that time to the present, there are five major styles of calligraphy:


|  seal  |  clerical |  cursive |   regular |
(http://www.chinapage.com/callig1.html)


Calligraphy is not only a practical technique for writing Chinese characters, but also a unique Oriental art of expression and a branch of learning or discipline as well. As a branch of learning it is rich in content, including the evolution of writing styles, development and rules of technique, history of calligraphy, calligraphers and their inheritance in art, and evaluation of calligraphy as a work of art. This branch of learning is wide ranging and deep, forming an important part of Chinese culture.

The local name for calligraphy is Shūfǎ 書法 in China, literally "the way/method/law of writing"; Shodō 書道 in Japan, literally "the way/principle of writing"; and Seoye (서예) 書藝 in Korea, literally "the skill/criterion of writing". The calligraphy of East Asian characters is an important and appreciated aspect of East Asian culture. East Asian calligraphy is normally regarded as one of the "arts" (Chinese 藝術 pinyin: yìshù, Japanese 芸術 geijutsu) in the countries where it is practiced. But there is actually a debate as to whether East Asian calligraphy is a discipline or an art. Indeed, both may be true.

As a practice
As a discipline calligraphy is, at the basic level, a pursuit -書法 Chinese: shūfǎ, "the rules of writing Han characters"- focused on writing well. Students aim to obtain the characteristics of the writing of famous calligraphic masters. Elementary school students practice calligraphy in this way, as do elders practicing temporary calligraphy, without aspiring to artistic creation.

As an art
Calligraphy is also considered an art - 艺术 Chinese: yìshù, a relatively recent word meaning "art", where works are appreciated more or only for their aesthetic qualities.
The English word "Calligraphy" refers to that which is "beautiful writing", thus including both aspects.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Asian_calligraphy)


Problem Identification
Many forms of the traditional ways is transforming into digital. Nowadays, the people are hardly remembering about the art of Chinese Calligraphy. They feel that using Chinese Calligraphy is a waste of time on the preparation of materials, and the traditional method of writing make their hand dirty and the smell of the ink is incredible, not everyone of us can accept. Chinese Calligraphy is great invention of writing created by our ancient, we shouldn't let it dies. What we can do is to improve and to do some transformation on the method of writing so do the easier preparation of materials.

Aim and Objectives
To educate people on the proper ways of writing Chinese Calligraphy.
To transform the old story into new media.
To encourage people have more interaction with the culture.


Motivation
Encourage people to learn more about Chinese Calligraphy and the technique of writing. People will be more interesting on this if there is interaction between the devices. Therefore, they can easily remember it all the time.


Ideation or Concept
My idea is to transform the old way of written Chinese Calligraphy into a modern and digital way. By using tablet (a temporary devices, will find another tool to replace it.), people can hold the pen by referring the pen holding technique on the screen, pressing the pen harder to make the stroke thicker or smoothly move the pen to make to stroke lighter.

Review, Analysis and Precedence Studies
Here is some research video of using the tablet to work with the computer. What i have to do is similar with it, writing on the device and it will respond what you have done on the screen. But i fail to upload the video, so here is the link :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5s5EvhHy7eQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I568NyZLJkY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pYHDQDWRcs

Design Approach
The design will be in more toward chinese style while user can interact between the device and the screen.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

FYP1 - Critique 1 -Proposal 2

Research Topic
Walking with piano

Background
Health is most important to everyone. Without a healthy body, we can't enjoy our life. Walking is the most easy way for us to exercise ourself.

Piano is the most common and soft tone music instrument that can let people felt more comfortable and peaceful. When the tone played, the tone actually will effect people feeling.

Problem Identification
Nowadays, people are getting lazy to get involve in any exercise especially walking. They just dislike feel to get dirt or sweaty after exercise. Some how the distance just one floor, they also rather than wasting the time on waiting the lift. Or the places distance just within 1km, they also need to drive, even wasting time on searching parking. Staircase is the common object that you can see in everywhere while you can see there no people walking on it if lift or escalator is right beside on it.  Walking on the staircase is an easy way for them to exercise without wasting their time. Do people know that their health is getting in trouble if they still continue the way of life style? Why people are lazy?

Aim and Objectives
To let people keep awareness that walking also can be an exercise to stronger their health.
To provide a different way of music played.
To advice people to save the electrician, and save the world pollution.

Motivation
A short distance walking a day, keep doctor a way. It is good for our life and can be a light exercise instead of you wasting the time on waiting the lift and get in to wait everyone to in and out.

Ideation or Concept
My concept is to combine music with the walking exercise on the staircase. With the projection of the piano key on the staircase, every step that stepped, there will have different tone played. By walking on the staircase, it not only is an exercise, it also one of the way to save the electrician to save the world pollution.

Review, Analysis and Precedence Studies


This video show that they are playing around with the piano. 

Design Approach 
There will be a simple projection of piano on the staircase.      

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

FYP1 - Critique 1 -Proposal 1

Research Topic
Learning with movement

Background

Since birth, children have a curiosity. They want to know everything around them and how their world works. Babies learn by interacting with people around them, using their senses. Since early years are crucial for their brain development, you need to support and guide them. They are learning while playing.

Problem Identification
Kids can't sit quietly is the most headache problem to the parents. Compare sitting down to study, they prefer playing and walk around although it is wasting time and get dirt on their body. Kids actually hard to differentiate what is good for them and what is not. The question they always like to ask is what, how, why, where and when. 

Aim and Objectives 
Playing while learning is the most easy way for people to remember.

Motivation
To educate kids from a different way.
To motivate and easier the kids to remember from playing.

Ideation or Concept
There will be a graphic that full with the object around us (car, house, cloud, flower, tree, and etc.) projected on the wall. Kids can interact with the graphic by using their hand. Once the hand moving on certain object,  the object will move away and disappear. The object name will be appear once the object move away. Kids can get know the object name at the same time. After several second, the object will appear again.


Review, Analysis and Precedence Studies


This is a video that i found which the concept is similar with my project. 

Design Approach
The overall design will be a 2D colorful graphic.


Friday, October 22, 2010

Hello...

Hai everyone, my name is Yab Cheng Lu, ID is 1071113946.

I'm from Faculty of Creative Multimedia, Multimedia University, Cyberjaya, Bachelor in Multimedia majoring in Digital Media, Delta (Final) Year.

The purpose of creating this blog is for my Final Year Project (FYP) journal on the subject called Design Project 1 (MMW3013). Currently now we need to propose 3 proposals to get approve by the lecturer... Then only started our project...

Please leave comment so that i can do better and improve on my project. Hopefully all working on smoothly. =)