Visualization Students’ Creative Works Attract A Crowd At Fall Showcase
The wide array of creativity by students in the Visualization program took center stage in the Viz Fall Show on Dec. 3.
Artwork lined the walls of the Langford Architecture Center, buildings B and C, and a screening in Geren Auditorium was packed to see student projects in animation, game design and interactive design. Faculty members selected the works crafted by undergraduate and graduate students throughout the summer and fall semesters.
Jill Honeycutt, instructional associate professor and senior associate program director in the Visualization program, said she was inspired by the ongoing support and recognition of the students’ talents.
“The quality of both the flatwork and digital projects continues to improve with each passing year,” she said. “I left the event with a profound sense of pride and gratitude to be a part of the Visualization program at Texas A&M.”
The second floor of Langford C was filled with virtual and augmented reality projects. A VR attraction titled “Ripple Rescue” centered on taking care of the environment. The project was created by Bryn Shellenback, a senior Visualization student, and her teammates Wyatt Ferguson, Brack Harmon and Blake Avery.
The player wears a VR headset and holds VR devices attached to a tennis racket and joystick. The tennis racket simulates a fishing net in the game as the joystick steers the boat. The user plays the role of a park ranger tasked with cleaning a lake by using a net to scoop up trash or recycling to be placed in proper bins, she said.
Sophia Carver, a sophomore Visualization student, created a 2D visual novel with her group members — Titus Valverde, Tilly Hillie and David Hiavens — in a Time and Interaction course taught by Michael Bruner, instructional assistant professor.
“The Disappearance of Ichabod Crane” was created as a visual novel based on “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving. Through five scenes, the participant follows the character Elias Ashford as he searches for clues into Crane’s disappearance. Carver said her group was excited to be selected for the showcase.
“With each scene, the characters start talking to you and you choose dialogue options in response,” Carver said. “I am so glad we got to share this game with so many people. It feels really rewarding to see it come together for me and my team.”
Undergraduate and graduate students presented their work in a research symposium. Two students — Diego Romero (undergraduate) and Yi-Cheng Hsiao (graduate) — received awards for their research from a panel of professors in the college.
Drawings, design works, posters and fine art were featured throughout Langford B and C. Zoe Zepeda, a freshman Visualization student, had two featured works that she created in a drawing course taught by Dmitri Koustov, senior lecturer. Zepeda drew a still life with pencil of herself posing with a classroom skeleton model. She also created “Debby,” a comic book character, using a digital drawing application.
Students, family members, friends and faculty gathered in Geren Auditorium to view animated shorts, video game designs, interactive design works, character animations and virtual production films. The works drew laughs, “aww” sounds and several rounds of applause from the crowd for their intricate detail and storytelling.
Among the works were the three virtual production films developed through the Summer Industry Course: “Cardboard Camelot,” “Abducted,” and “Winded.”
An animated short titled “The Freak Show” was featured in the screening, created by Andersen Wood, a senior Visualization student, and his group members. The short follows an elderly man who collects horrifying monsters in his dungeon.
“Of all the projects I’ve made in Viz, this one by far feels the most ‘me,’” said Wood, who graduated Dec. 12. “Meeting with my friends and mentors to get feedback throughout the project’s development was my favorite part of production. My amazing mentor, Taylor Chojecki, had so many insights that helped me manage a larger scope than I’m used to in an efficient way.”
Other works included “To Kill a Hummingbird,” an animated short about an origami shaped hummingbird; “Take 6,” a video game featuring a film set intern; and “You Belong With Me,” an animated short about two bumblebees.
Wood said the students were thrilled to have their works featured in the screening for their friends and family to enjoy.
“I’m really happy with how the fall show turned out,” he said. “We had an amazing crowd turnout. And seeing the theater fill to capacity — and then some — just to witness all the student work was really special.”
