Projector-Guided Painting

Matthew Flagg

Abstract:

This paper presents a novel interactive system for guiding
artists to paint using traditional media and tools. The enabling technology is a multi-projector display capable of controlling the appearance of an artist’s canvas. This display-oncanvas guides the artist to construct the painting as a series
of layers. Our process model for painting is based on classical techniques and was designed to address three main issues
which are challenging to novices: (1) positioning and sizing elements on the canvas, (2) executing the brushstrokes to
achieve a desired texture and (3) mixing pigments to make
a target color. These challenges are addressed through a set
of interaction modes. Preview and color selection modes enable the artist to focus on the current target layer by highlighting the areas of the canvas to be painted. Orientation
mode displays brushstroke guidelines for the creation of desired brush texture. Color mixing mode guides the artist
through the color mixing process with a user interface similar to a color wheel. These interaction modes allow a novice
artist to focus on a series of manageable subtasks in executing a complex painting. Our system covers the gamut of the
painting process from overall composition down to detailed
brushwork. We present the results from a user study which
quantify the benefit that our system can provide to a novice
painter.