- Maker: Julia Kelley
- Genre: Eversion
- Level: Graduate
- Program: Composition, Rhetoric, and Digital Media
- Course: WRIT 5400: Technical Writing
- Instructor: Dr. Eric Mason
- Semester Created: Fall 2021
Description
Introduction
Hi! My name is Julia and for my Eversion Project in Dr. Mason’s Fall 2021 Technical Writing course, I chose to use the Pixelstick as my source of technology.
Pixelstick. (2016). Bitbanger LLC. http://www.thepixelstick.com/
Where the Idea Came From
This project serves two purposes:
1) To learn about a new technology and how it functions
- Examine features
- Explore what types of art could be potentially produced from the tool
2) To emphasize the presence and power of art
- Art is unique in its ability to give a voice to the voiceless, to teach compassion, and to inspire creativity through enriched self-expression
- It drives cognizance in how humans understand not only their senses of self, but the ways that others live and experience
Image by Julia Kelley
Art is something that everyone can connect with, and it acts as a bridge that brings people together, despite differences and personal obstacles. There are very few things that have the ability and the power to do that. The idea to create this image with the Pixelstick came from my artistic background and the passion that I have for art.
Over the course of the last year and a half, the pandemic halted the activity of live artistic events such as theatre, but through this time of darkness, creatives came together to push performance forward, and they developed new ways for sharing art with the (at the time) hopeless spirits of the world. The pandemic gave theatre and those who are passionate about its existence the opportunity to show that it is a force to be reckoned with – that no matter what happens, it will be there to lead people to the light. Art was the stable force within the chaos. In my life, even pandemic aside, it is certainly what I have turned to in times of difficulty. Like others, I too believe that art is the hope for the future – it is the path that can guide people toward acceptance, empathy and a sense of community that we all so longingly wish for.
Therefore, I thought it would be cool to capture an image (like a string of music notes) floating across a stage. Perhaps the black curtain acts as a metaphor to reveal that art adds light to darkness, especially in the times we are currently facing.
How It Works
My project uses the Pixelstick to transmit an image across a physical space. In other words, it merges the “digital” with the “physical” by piecing both worlds together through the use of technology. As Justin Hodgson states in Post-Digital Rhetoric and the New Aesthetic, new technology defines the human condition and these technologies “influence human ways of being/thinking about the world” (Hodgson, 2019, p. 45). According to Hodgson, part of this application stems from analyzing the various contours of the “New Aesthetic” (eversion as/of design, pixel orientations, human-technology making and hyperawareness of mediation) and identifying how these contours can expand people’s perceptions of attention to better understand the relationship between humans and technology in the present moment (Hodgson, 2019, pp. 47 – 66).
Pixelstick. (2016). Bitbanger LLC. http://www.thepixelstick.com/
According to Pixelstick’s website, “Each one of pixelstick’s 200 LEDs acts like a pixel on a screen, displaying your image one vertical line at a time as you walk. These vertical lines, when captured by a long exposure, combine to recreate your image in mid air, leaving pixelstick (and the person using it) invisible” (Pixelstick, 2016, para. 2).
“From a hand-drawn pattern to a still from your favorite movie, pixelstick can handle anything you throw at it. Once you’ve picked an image, use the controller to tweak brightness, speed, white balance, and a host of other options to ensure you get the perfect shot” (Pixelstick, 2016, para. 3).
The materials that I used for the purposes of my project are as follows:
- Pixelstick
- Camera
- Tripod
- SD card (with image(s) formatted correctly)
- Remote (iPhone)
- Batteries
Props:
- Microphone stand
- Microphone
Location:
- NSU’s Performance Theatre
Pixelstick. (2016). Bitbanger LLC. http://www.thepixelstick.com/
The Pixelstick works by capturing the pixels within a given image and transmitting them across a given space. It does so most effectively when the space is dark – if there are strong light sources, the technology will pick it up and this will be visible in the image one is trying to capture. The formatting of each image needs to be 200 pixels high, rotated counter clockwise and saved as a 24 bit BMP file. In preparation for filming, a camera should be set to shutter mode and it is recommended that a remote is used to start and stop the camera so that the Pixelstick does not detect the movement. An SD card with the formatted image(s) should be synced to the Pixelstick and the technology has features that allow changes in speed or brightness, for example. Once the equipment is set up and the camera is rolling, a user can move through the space with the Pixelstick however they prefer.
References:
Pixelstick. (2016). Bitbanger LLC. http://www.thepixelstick.com/
Hodgson, J. (2019). Post-digital rhetoric and the new aesthetic. The Ohio State University Press.
Why It Matters:
The future is digital. Technology will only continue to advance and if we do not stay open to the shifts that will undoubtedly come, we either risk missing out on new ways of seeing the world, or we become blind to the world we currently see. Neither is a great option. The field of rhetoric and composition seeks for the means to understand and examine rhetorical devices that are at play in our daily lives: How is rhetoric being used to craft our sense of being? How far can it go? Through what avenues? This project is valuable to the field in one of two ways. It showcases how technology can be used rhetorically by combining digital tools with physical environments. It also does what the field itself aims to do, which is to share stories, interpret perspectives and cultivate connections. My project exhibits a unique way of being in the world through the employment of digital technologies and rhetorically communicates a greater purpose: the importance and power of art.
Pixelstick. (2016). Bitbanger LLC. http://www.thepixelstick.com/
Reference to original music notes image: Colorful music note transparent background. (2019). ClipartMax.com. Retrieved November 25, 2021, from https://www.clipartmax.com/middle/m2H7d3b1Z5m2N4b1_colorful-music-note-transparent-background/
