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iDEA: DREXEL LIBRARIES E-REPOSITORY AND ARCHIVES

iDEA: DREXEL LIBRARIES E-REPOSITORY AND ARCHIVES

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Digital paleoart: reconstruction and restoration from laser-scanned fossils

Details
Title
Digital paleoart: reconstruction and restoration from laser-scanned fossils
Author(s)
Boucher, Evan Matthew
Advisor(s)
Artz, Theo
Keywords
Digital media; Fossils in art; Technology in art
Date
2011-03
Publisher
Drexel University
Thesis
M.S., Digital Media -- Drexel University, 2011
Abstract
For over two centuries, the science of paleontology has used imagery in order to help convey its ideas. This “paleoart” struggled at first to be accepted as a legitimate tool in science due to fears over scientific accuracy of reconstructions and restorations. At first, many restorations were made on the basis of poor fossil evidence. This was a result of the combination of the vastly incomplete nature of the fossil record compounded by the fact that too many artistic and scientific speculations became integrated into the artwork. With the 20th Century came the general acceptance of paleoart. Throughout the century it co-evolved with paleontology as new discoveries and ideas were founded. In the digital age, new technologies are being used not only for reconstructions and restorations, but for research purposes themselves. Digital technologies, including three-dimensional digitizers and computer animation, can now be used to create more accurate restorations than ever before, based directly on extremely detailed three-dimensional digitized fossils. In order to capitalize on this technology, and push the limits of what is possible in 21st Century paleoart, a restoration of the extinct crocodylian, Thoracosaurus neocesariensis, was created, by starting with a relatively complete digitized fossil source. The rest of the animal’s skeleton, its muscles, and outer skin were then restored, using techniques of computer animation, guided by the scientific literature and principles of comparative anatomy. Motion was then used to depict the behavior and habits of the animal, influenced by the biology of the restoration and observations of the animal’s closest living relatives. The goal was to restore an animal with an unprecedented amount of scientific accuracy by blending the techniques of rigorous scientific research with state-of-the-art computer generated imagery.
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/1860/3482
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