Overall, the process of beginning the museum project has shown me just how much work goes in to the digital rendering we see in exhibits. Actually coming to understand this process has shown me the amount of different steps and stages of development that are involved in modeling, along with the number of programs that need to be used. Interacting with the object in this way has forced me to look beyond the simple eye catching details of an artifact, instead, forcing me to notice all of the tiny details of the object, giving me a deeper appreciation for it. Being able to take note of every little crack and texture in the artifact makes me feel much closer to the subject that I am studying.
As the team responsible for the digital rendering of an artifact, this photogrammetry definitely encourages close looking and attention to details that we may have otherwise missed. The creators of a 3-D model definitely seem to be the ones who look at their object with the most critical eyes. This means that every little inconsistency jumps out to us, since we have spent so much time with the real object and getting to know it.
Personally, engaging with these objects does not make me more curious about the stories they tell, although I do find it impressive being able to be so close to such old things. Because we are photographing objects that we are not extremely attached to, I feel objective about it. I think if we had chosen our objects or knew more about their backgrounds I would be more curious about the stories hidden in the artifact.
Status Update
For our object specifically, we have taken all of our photos, and I was able to get a really good look at the object, including all the little signs of wear and age that made not have been evident to me before. I also have converted all the images to JPEG, and now we need to upload them into the 3-D modeling software. I am a little nervous about this part because I am really hoping that my photos were able to do the object justice, along with capture its size. I am looking forward to seeing the 3-D rendering and the final product.
