DIGITAL CONSERVATION FOR BUDDHIST DEITIES

This course belongs to the series of topics in Digital Buddhism(Phenomenology, Iconography, Pedagogy, Technology). It aims to explore digital techniques utilized in Buddhist deities restorations. Directions in the course include: traditional restoration, digital imaging, digital sculpting, and innovative techniques as alternative methods. Students will be guided to understand the different categories of buddhist deities, the traditional ways to restore by handcraft masters, restorations records review, non-intrusive ways to de-bug and protect deities, and principles of reversibility in the restoration process. Advanced optical technology to exam the cultural objects will be introduced in the course as well.

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DIGITAL HERITAGE

Digital Heritage course investigates and explores the boundary between cultural heritage and digital conservation: awareness of the challenges towards the conservation of cultural heritage; case studies cave temples listed as world heritage sites; innovative utilizations of digital/optical techniques for documentation and restoration; digital heritage for STEAM education; conservator presentations, field trip to related galleries and group presentations to the practitioner in the filed.

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DIGITAL SCULPTING FOR FACIAL ANIMATION

This course covers digital modeling / sculpting techniques including polygonal modeling, digital sculpting and blend-shape facial animation. The course breaks down into 4 stages : 1. basic topology of head model (student’s profile photos as reference), 2. high-poly sculpting and projection texturing, 3. blend shapes animation, 4. final project. In the final project, students get to choose either lip-sync animation or conceptual piece utilizing the created head models. An overview of digital editing / compositing and sound design will also be introduced to assist with students’ final project at the end of the semester.

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IMMERSIVE NARRATIVE OF CHINESE MONUMENTS

This course combines digital visualization technology with contemporary interpretations of the significance of Chinese monuments that identify and recall major events in Chinese history. Students will learn about the history, cultural significance, and scholarly knowledge of the monuments. Selected sites include timber-structure buildings, Daoist temples, and Buddhist art and architecture. Meanwhile, the course will cover immersive narrative knowledge, such as direct modeling for Chinese wooden carpentry structures, artifacts lighting, texturing, rendering, and virtual walk-through animation. Visualization and further utilizations will apply in the lectures and assignments to examine virtual environments’ authenticity and information management of the Chinese monuments. Students will create an immersive narrative using visualization tools to present a chosen monument site with its historical and cultural values in the final group project. Upon completing this course, students will have deepened their knowledge of the emerging field of the digital humanities through both a “digital” and a “humanistic” perspective and how digital humanities can be applied to visualize the history and culture of China.

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INTERACTIVE MOTION DESIGN

The course enables students to be proficient with a range of industry-standard motion design software; document preliminary work and explain conceptual development using appropriate vocabulary and theory; execute motion design projects and apply to interactive design; effectively communicate and demonstrate appropriate use of visual design principles.

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INTRODUCTION TO ANIMATION

Tangible heritage (site, object, and structure) and intangible heritage (motif, icon, character, textile, wardrobe, music, performance, language and ritual) are unseparated parts of the cultural heritage. The narrative and messaging of cultural heritage can be preserved by moving sequences, motion design and animation. The richness of heritage contents can be further disseminated and known by the dynamic media.

This course aims to utilize animation and motion media to depict and preserve the richness of cultural heritage contents. 3D animation and motion graphics techniques will be addressed and applied to the storytelling. Students will be guided to research the Asian cultural heritage contents including the tangible and intangible heritage. They will further explore the visual design and production pipeline of animation. Visiting expert of interactive media design and intangible heritage performance will get involved to share the insights to the students.

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VSFX IN THE AGE OF VIRTUAL PRODUCTION

In the contemporary era of virtual production, time-based media faces new opportunities and challenges in terms of pipelines, workflows, and distribution. Decentralizing, hybridizing, and outsourcing among film studios, production houses, broadcast design, interactive and gaming industry become the major discourses of the academia and the industry. The course focuses on the history/context, present practice, and the emerging trends of the VFX studies and applications. Through the collaborative research among academia and industry, the course investigates the theory and practice of VFX studies, and further exams the feasibility of emerging technologies through the entrepreneurship spirit. 

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