Some will argue that this could easily be done in CGI and they’re right. But, there’s an artistic and genuine feeling that comes with doing it in the real world. It’s an impressive bit of creativity and perhaps even more impressive in terms of the robotic build.
Light painting is a photography technique that utilizes long exposure times and sources of light to “paint” or draw in a scene. You’ve no doubt seen this used in still photography – streaks of light as cars whizz by or in star trails, for example – but it takes on a whole new artistic value when you take control of the light source in a deliberate manner.
Then, of course, you’ve got people like Josh Sheldon who take things to a whole new level.
Whereas most people paint with light by hand, Sheldon created a robot to do the deed for him. This granted precise control over the light source and allowed him to create stunning 3D animations that simply wouldn’t be possible by hand.
Sheldon used 3D modeling software Blender and notes that each of the animations took between four and 12 hours to shoot.
Those looking to delve deeper into Sheldon’s techniques are encouraged to check out his work over on GitHub. It’s a pretty complicated rig so if you’re like me, it’s something that’ll be best enjoyed from the sidelines.
Read more: 3D light painting robot creates stunning imagery
thumbnail courtesy of techspot.com
