Creative Research

Mangarise

by Elliot Greenfield & Ahmed Mohamed

Through this research we would like to explore Manga and the different ways we can implement it into our project. Manga are comics created in Japan and have their own unique style that differentiates itself from other works created in Europe and America. It is read by people all over the world spanning many different age groups.One of the things that make manga so unique is that it can have a very dark(tone) story line and involve adult-themes.

We would like to create an app that would be able to 'Mangarise' real life, this could entail manipulating the user face or a background. So instead of being engulfed in the Mangaka's world(which by itself is satisfying enough) you'll be able to bring it to you.

Snapchat

Snapchat uses a sophisticated facial tracking software from Looksery a ukrainian company for £150 million. It has many different features which allow the use to put said filters in realtime. It starts by mapping the face using an algorithm then allows you input filters on your face. These include a face Swap that allows you to put to swap faces with someone you know. Filters that involve movement from the user such as raising an eyebrow or opening a mouth to get and effect or face manipulation. Snapchat also has the ability to purchase more effects and lenses. Its very simple to use and has great output making it fun. The below image showcases the face swapping effect.

Another that uses filters and facial tracking is MSQRD, looking at this it is more sophisticated facial tracking allows users to record a lot longer as in snapchat you can only record up to 10 seconds of video. The choices of filters within MSQRD are abundant. This app also features paid and sponsored filters. These include The Joker from batman, President Obama and a face swapping feature. Overall trying out the apps i found that MSQRD is the more advanced in its facial recognition as snapchat can be temperamental at points. But when it comes to the social platform behind snapchat it wins hands down as it has millions of users whereas MSQRD only allows the user to export videos to your camera roll.

Gif Art

As we are incorporating gifs as our final output for the program we have had a look at various gif artists. The one on the picture below is by the Gif Connoisseur which features a man standing in front of various animated backgrounds. This would work well for us as we could have the final picture placed in front of backgrounds by the users choice.

Yoshi Sodeoka, who creates both prints and videos, was born in Hiroshima and grew up in Yokohama. In 1989, he moved to NYC to study at the Pratt Institute, armed with years of art education. In fact, his childhood art mentor introduced him to bands like the Rolling Stones and Sex Pistols. Both a musician and visual artist, Sodeoka attributes his loose, psychedelic style to his taste in '70s progressive rock—traces of which can also be found in his GIFs. His videos and prints work can be found in the permanent collection at the Museum of the Moving Image and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

Evan Roth is another gif artists that has seen a lot of success on the internet and in real life having his work featured in the museum of modern art. He creates sculptures and prints based off hacker culture and pop culture.

Manga Artists

There are many different magakas out there with different styles, theses mangaka create manga that fit into specific categories. for example ‘Shounen’ and ‘Seinen’. Manga's that are categorised as shounen are more light at heart and are aimed at the teenage demographic.In contrast manga that are categorised as seinen are more gory, have a deeper story and are aimed at adults. These distinctions play a role in how their art turns out. The following images are panels from popular mangaka’s,i have chosen to research these artists particularly because of their unique art styles and success.

Takehiko inoue is best known for ‘Slam Dunk’ and ‘Vagabond'. Both very popular manga.Takehiko inoue’s style is very complex and has a strong realism that's not very common in other mangas.He places extra emphasis in the 3 dimensional aspect of his drawing. This allows the reader to better connect with the story on a deeper level.

Oda eiichiro has a very simple style when drawing faces but takes extra care in his backgrounds. Due to this he excels in world-building, being able to create beautiful and detailed sceneries. His manga ‘one piece’ is the most popular shounen manga of all time with over 345 million copies in circulation worldwide.

Yasuhisa Hara Is a relatively new mangaka but has gained great success due to his intriguing story and brilliant art style.The manga ‘Kingdom’ is loosely based on china and the wars they were involved in in the past. Yasuhisa Hara pays great attention to detail and this is most noted in his gigantic battle arcs.

Genetic Algorithms

We are also interested in a generative process of creating many variation of one image. The idea is for the user to upload an image, for example of themselves, and from there ‘Mangarise’ it.An artist that uses genetic algorithms  particularly well is kate compton(also known as galaxy Kate).She builds algorithms to create many variations of something that is both random and controlled. An example is her Flower Evolving app.she explains her method as  “.. a way to guide that generator towards more constraint-fulfilling and desirable-property-producing content". This technique can play a significant role for our mangarising project.

Conclusion

Through the different avenues we have chosen to research, we have built a better understanding of what it is we would like to create. Our project will involve a user uploading feature, have facial recognition and if possible background recognition also and genetic algorisms for the many variations. All so our users will have the ability to 'Mangarise' their world.

References:

http://www.galaxykate.com/
http://galaxykate0.tumblr.com/post/139774965871/so-you-want-to-build-a-generator
http://www.evan-roth.com/work/one-gif-compositions/
http://thegifconnoisseur.tumblr.com/
http://www.sodeoka.com/