Payam Rajabi

W/RP

For project 2, we were given the challenge of creating an academy leader. I had been wanting to experiment with geometric perspective-localized paintings of typography on three-dimensional spaces, using projector-stencil techniques. This was inspired by artists such as George Rousse and Felice Varini, whose works I studied years ago. My goal was to create a motion sequence, utilizing this technique over a period of time, to create an optical illusion, ultimately blurring the line between 2D and 3D. By moving the camera away from its optimal perspective, I was able to warp the numbers and create a unique series of forms.

Process


I had to choose a space with simple forms to act as a neutral canvas, but one that would offer numerous geometric shapes and angle variations to create an interesting opportunity for this technique. The Ross Building at York University came to mind. I started going there to make photographs when I was in high school and I have been in love with this concrete jungle ever since. If you’re around the York campus, take a walk through the area and see the drawings for yourself.

I spent a full weekend projecting numbers onto my chosen surfaces and tracing them with chalk, then filled them in - thank you, Cheryl, Jared and Shane for the help!

This was a very rough first test run. I simply filmed the path I wanted to travel in and chopped in up in Final Cut to create equal 1-second intervals between numbers.

This was my second approach, in which I only focused on forming one number at a time, instead of trying consecutively move from one number to the next. This option allots more frames for a smoother transition, but is arguably less interesting that the previous take.

This was shot at night with a burst of flash for each shot. I still moved the camera around, but the light created more contrast between the light and its surroundings, isolating it from any other factors. Although I felt that this was effective, it did not convey the true essence of what the wall drawings were about.

In this final experiment, the camera was actually placed in a consistent position, and instead the position of the light was changed to show the effect of the drawing of a 3D surface. However, again, I did not feel it did the drawings justice.

This was one of the most ambitious projects I have taken on since I have been in YSDN, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was great to be spending a lot of time outdoors and using my hands to create something, rather than being on the computer from start to finish.

Added November 11, 2009