“Pencil Polka” by McMahon
Conference:
SIGGRAPH Video Review:
Track:
- 38
Title:
- Pencil Polka
Director(s):
Company / Institution / Agency:
- Electric Picture Works
Description:
The concept for Pencil Polka began as a demonstration of our 3-D system to an illustrator friend who asked me if the computer could make a pencil. I complied by creating a quick model of simple forms: some cylinders, cones and an extruded hexagon. The idea of simulating the “classic” artist’s tool with the new high-tech tool, a computer, inspired me, and to the rough modeI added a wood grain texture map, specular high-lights, labels and “sharpener” marks. I wanted to create a humorous piece of animation, so I developed a jumpy, dancing motion. Deciding on a title, I proceeded to find music which seemed well-suited to the pencils’ lively,up-beat dance. Pencil Polka was created with Intelligent Light software running on an Apollo DN-4000. The “scribble” and “erase” animation was done on a Quantel Paintbox and combined with the 3-D frames using an Abekas A6 2 Digital Recorder.
