As a visual artist and filmmaker, I’ve always had the desire to create a largish installation of some sort. I’ve thought of ways to display video works on a larger scale than just a computer or phone screen. I’ve been fascinated by large led screens like the ones in Times Square or even the CASE building here at CU. I think this is a crazy cool way to display art or moving pictures. It also makes a statement. These passions led me to explore creative coding. I had never worked with this medium until this project. It was a joy to learn.

LED Visuals Installation

I at first chose a minimalist aesthetic for my design because I want the projection screen to serve as the platter for whatever is being displayed. After some further work I feel my aesthetic sits somewhere in the middle of minimalism and modernism. I wanted my final artifact to have a very basic furniture feeling, almost like something that could be bought from Ikea. I feel that my created visuals adhere to the combination of these aesthetics as well. They’re bold, colorful, but made up of simple geometric shapes.

Minimalist Chair

Minimal Cube Visual

Through sketching I’ve identified what I wanted my final design to be. I wanted the projection screen to hang from the ceiling using hooks and stainless steel chains. The hanging mechanism was to attach to a wood beam. The screen, attached to the top beam in the back. I went through iterations of how I was going to pull this attachment off. I considered using staples or sewing the screen fabric in a way that it could slide over the beam. The bottom of the screen was to also have a cylindrical beam attached to the screen in the same fashion.

 

Design Sketches

As part of my design process I identified specifications and constraints.

Specifications:

Adhere to my Aesthetic

• As mentioned above, the aesthetic I’ve chosen is minimalism. For my final output to be successful I feel that I need to accurately represent this design choice. 

Accurately Display Visuals

• This specification is one of functionality. I decided to build this project because I wanted a larger installation to display video visuals which I create. Success for this specification is very straight forward – it must be able to have video projected onto it!

Look Good Hanging from Ceiling

• This is different from functionality in that it’s about the design adhering to the space. What I mean by “look good” is that I want it to naturally fit into whatever room it’s currently being displayed in.

Durability

• I plan to have the final product be something that can be moved around and installed in different locations. For this reason I need it to be durable. This comes down to the construction methods I employ during the fabrication process. 

Constraints:

Skills

• Or lack thereof. There are some more complex construction aspects to my project. For example, I plan to attach the screen to the rod by cutting a very thin insert. I then want to somehow adhere the screen inside the insert. I don’t have very much skill with precise woodworking and feel this might be above my pay grade. However, I have a backup design I may choose to go with.  

Screen Material

• The material I’m going to be using for the screen is the only thing I have left to collect. I have done some research on the appropriate material to use. The common consensus is blackout fabric. However, I’m hesitant to use this material. I want something more sleek than fabric in the final design. In my mind I had envisioned some sort of plastic material but this may not be possible.

Time to Make Visuals

• I had discussed in my first post that I want to create generative visuals with code. I’m starting to feel like this might not be possible in the time I have. The construction process itself is starting to seem like it may not go as smoothly as I had expected. I’m considering using some videos I’ve already created.

Space in Room

• I’m planning to install my design in my bedroom to begin with. This isn’t a super big constraint. I’ll just need to move stuff around in my bedroom which could be a bit of a pain. 

Lack of Craftsmanship

• Again, I’m not too worried about this constraint. I mostly want my final output to be clean and sleek.  

I feel that I achieved all my specifications and my constraints didn’t hinder my process. The only constraint I faced was that I couldn’t acquire a projector in time to use it in tandem with my screen. However, I know that it’s functional and I’m looking forward to getting one when I can afford it.

My final product swayed a bit from what I had envisioned in sketching and prototypes. At first I planned to make it dynamic by having a storage system where the screen could be rolled up and attached to the top beam. However, I decided I wanted it to be dynamic by having the screen be detachable. Using velcro, the screen fabric can be removed and stored. I made this choice because it allows for the design to double as a clothes line and storage space. There’s nothing I appreciate more than dual use designs!

Projector Screen

Dual Purpose Hanging System

I’m very happy with the final output of my visuals. I consider the aesthetic of these visuals to be ‘minimalism in the future’. I’ve coded my visuals with Javascript, using the p5js library that is catered towards creative coding. All my creations are animated and fairly simplistic. They’re mainly geometric shapes. Below you’ll find images of all my visuals so far along with a video that shows my source code and animation for one of them.

I’m incredibly proud of the products I came out with. My hanging screen is fun to look at and blends in well with my room. The visuals I created opened up programming doors I hadn’t experimented with yet. I’m looking forward to continuing my creative works over the summer as I’ll have more time to focus on them!

Sources:

Minimalist Chair: https://www.elledecor.com/shopping/furniture/g10281794/minimalist-furniture/

LED Visuals Installation: https://www.spikeisland.org.uk/exhibition-services/audio-visual-installation/