20 Foot Canvas

"20 Foot Canvas is a collaborative, interdisciplinary research project conducted by artists and computer scientists working in the Electronic Visualization Laboratory (EVL). Using the NEC Wall (a 20' multi touch display that is the largest one of its type in the world) at the EVL, users can collaborate to make a large work of art. The project pays homage to traditional painting, allowing artists to paint the “canvas” by touching the wall with fingers or traditional brushes. Using our iPad application, developed at the EVL, artists may select and mix colors as a painter would on a traditional painter’s pallet. The project is the product of two main areas of research. First, it is an investigation into the intersection of art and technology through the development of creative, interactive and collaborative digital tools. The second area of research involves the utilization of very large multi touch displays, with multiple users and varied applications. Five UIC students collaborated on the project, which involved the design and implementation of the iPad painter’s palette application, networking the iPad to the large multi touch display and accurately emulating paint and pencil strokes."