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Estee Ellis

SCENES ON SCREENS: REALISTIC REPRESENTATIONS OF 3D SPACE ON 2D SURFACES

The visual system is complex one, and our ability to recognize and produce 2D representations of 3D space warrants further attention. Realistic drawing is a skill that is valued across many domains but is not easily acquired. Research has shown that realistic drawing can be learned, with evidence suggesting that drawing ability is closely related to perception. Today, encounters with man-made realistic images are ubiquitous across media types, and many people take active roles in consuming and producing representations within the participatory culture of digital media. Given this rich context of image literacy and the growing prevalence of human computer interactions, the digital interface is an especially promising site of convergence for the perception and production of realistic images. This paper examines the benefits, challenges, and strategies of realistic drawing, explores the context of our current interactions with realistic images in various forms, and proposes a tool that would leverage our familiarly with 2D interactive media to support drawing education and enrich our experience of 3D space. 

 

Sector A: Philosophy and Science of Seeing | Advised by: Yasmin Kafai (COMM) | Jacob Rivkin (FNAR)