The immediacy of the artist's mark in shape computation : from visualization to representation

Approaches to shape computation and algorithmic art-making within the fields of shape grammars and computer graphics still do not consider the immediacy of the artist's mark in drawing and painting. This research examines the canvas, or 2D picture plane, as the expressive and dynamic problem space of the artist who naturally reframes both the problem and the solution with each successive mark. The fluidity of the artist's mark is the most important element in transforming the blank canvas into an image. In this research, I use my own traditionally drawn and painted artwork as the baseline corpus for analysis. From my analysis, I define a nonsymbolic, formal grammar for the synthesis of images in the style of the baseline corpus and develop software prototype "sketches" to support the geometric representation of freehand sketching consistent with mark-making. Curve generation is critical to the expressive marks of the artist. The result of this research is a curvilinear shape grammar that supports both explicit and implicit shape recognition while affording the artist the ability to draw (shape union) and erase (shape difference) computationally.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Architecture.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2006

Author dc:creator

• Martino, Jacquelyn A

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Gregory Stiny and Terry Knight.

• Architecture.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/37265
• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Identifier URI

http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/37265

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/37265