Are you passionate about digital art and excited to explore new skills?

Perhaps you’re an artist, performer or designer keen to experiment with digital arts practices, but not sure where to start…Join us for the PROTO Tech-Labs, a series of fun and interactive, hands-on workshops that will explore digital art technologies, as part of the PROTO creative development programme for artists in the North.

At PROTO Tech-Labs you will learn how to create 3D models and sculptures and transport them into real world environments; and get to grips with motion capture and animation. They're easy to follow, expert-guided sessions, suitable for beginners and for those looking to advance their skills in digital art. Best of all, they are FREE!

PROTO is a ground-breaking new programme designed to nurture and encourage the growth of artists looking to enhance their digital creativity through skill development, digital learning and networking, brought to you by FutureEverything. 

Tech-Lab #1: Bringing Movement to Life – A Hands-On Motion Capture Workshop (24 October)

Step into the world of animation!  Whether you're a digital newbie or have a keen interest in animation and motion capture, this session is your chance to dive into the art of capturing movement.

Led by Dr. Lucie Sykes, you’ll learn how to use FREEMOCAP, a markerless motion capture system that allows you to explore movement and its capture. Lucie will guide you step-by-step through software installation, show you how to record your very first motion capture, and help you to create a unique animation sequence that brings your ideas to life. In the session you will learn how to view movement from a performer’s perspective, adding even more expression and dynamism to your animations using Lucie’s own Sculptural Qualities Framework.

All you need is a laptop to join in on the fun! Bring your own (just make sure you can install the FREEMOCAP app through Anaconda, and use of your terminal is required for the complete installation).  Alternatively,  you can borrow one - just let us know if you require a laptop when registering and we can provide one for you.

Computer specifications: 
●    Operating systems, including macOS 11.12 or later and Windows 10 64-bit or later
●    CPU: 2 x 64-bit 2.8 GHz 8.00 GT/s CPUs
●    RAM: 32 GB (or 16 GB of 1600 MHz DDR3 RAM)
●    Storage: 300 GB (600 GB for air-gapped deployments.

Tech-Lab #2: Wild Creations - A Digital Sculpture & Augmented Reality Workshop (31 October)

Get ready to unleash your creativity using 3D modelling and augmented reality in Wild Creations!

Join digital artist Nicholas Delap for a hands-on session through a two-part creative journey. First, you will dive into the world of 3D sculpting using ZBrush, a powerful yet user-friendly digital arts tool. Imagine crafting your own digital sculptures inspired by the wild beauty of nature—whether it’s the plants and trees in your local park or the untamed landscapes around you. Your creativity will take flight as you build your nature-inspired models.

In part two, you will learn how to bring your creations to life in augmented reality. Using Spark AR, a free AR platform, you will get to showcase your artwork in the real world, all through a custom Instagram filter. 
This is your chance to blend tech, art, and the natural world in a fun and creative way!

All you need is a laptop to get started. Bring your own (just be ready to install the free apps ZBrush and Spark AR), or we’ve got you covered— just let us know if you need to borrow one when you sign up. 

Computer specifications:

Windows
●    OS: 64-bit editions of Windows 10 or 11. (32-bit operating systems are no longer supported.)
●    CPU: Intel 64-bit CPU or AMD 64-bit CPU.
●    RAM: 4 GB (6+ GB strongly recommended.)
●    HDD: 20 GB of free hard drive space for ZBrush and its scratch disk.
●    Pen Tablet: Mouse or Wacom compatible (WinTab API) pen tablet.
●    Monitor: 1280x1024 monitor resolution with 32-bit color.
●    Video card: Must support OpenGL 3.3 or higher and Vulkan 1.1 or higher.

Mac
●    OS: mac OSX: 11.5 or above.
●    CPU: 64-bit processor with SSE4.2 support.
●    RAM: 4 GB (6+ GB strongly recommended.)
●    HDD: 20 GB of free hard drive space for ZBrush and its scratch disk.
●    Pen Tablet: Mouse or compatible pressure-sensitive pen tablet.
●    Monitor: 1280x1024 monitor resolution with millions of colors.
●    Video card: Must support OpenGL 3.3 or higher (or Apple Silicon.)