Async.Art & Polygonal Mind - The Cube
On of the Megacube partners was Async.Art. From this collaboration the first 3D piece of programmable art was created: The Cube.
The mission
With the event of Megacube, created by Polygonal Mind, a lot of prices were given and a lot of crypto-partners have the opportunity of promote themselves.
One of this partners was Async.Art, a place where you can obtain and create Programmable Art.
From this collaboration the first 3D piece of programmable art was created: The Cube.
Resources
- Maya
- Textures
What is Async.Art?
As I mentioned before, Async.Art enables you to create and collect programmable art, but what does “programmable” really mean ?
A clearer way to put it is that the art changes based on the owner.
How does it achieve this?
Tipically, when you create a piece of art, it’s a unique creation that you can upload to a site for sale or personal keeping. However, what Async does differently is tokenize two elements:
- The master: this is the final piece of art.
- The layers: these are the individual components that make up the entire piece of art.
Imagine it like working in Photoshop. You have your main file with your entire work, and you break it down into different layers for easier editing. This concept isn’t exclusive to Photoshop; it applies to video edition software, 3D design and similar tools.
2D diagram of how Async.art works, the frame also acts as a layer
This setup allows the same piece of art to be owned by multiple people, with one person holding the master and others possesing individual layers.
The transformative magic happens through State changes, aptly named as they represent different states of the same layer. These states can change dynamically, triggered either by the layer owner or automatically through events like time progession, day-night ctcles, and more.
This dynamic interplay of State changes breathes life into art, making it dynamic and evolving masterpiece.
Cube’s first steps
When translating this concept into a 3D model, there are multiple approaches, and the choice often depends on the desired artistic outcome. Here are two common methods:
Individual faces and different images
- In this basic approach, each face of the 3D model corresponds to a different image or layer.
- Each image represents a state, and changes on these states alter the appearance of the overall 3D model.
- This method provides a straightforward way to manage layers but might require more images for complex models.
Manipulating UV maps
- This method involves playing with the UV mapping of the 3D model to achieve different looks on a single texture.
- By altering the UV coordinates, you can create variations in the appearance of the model without necessarily changing the texture itself.
- This approach can be more efficient in terms of texture usage, especially for models with shared textures across multiple faces.
Ultimately, the chosen method depends on the artistic goals, complexity of the model and the desired interactivity of the art piece. Both approaches offer unique possibilities for creating dynamic and programmable 3D art.
In the first steps on this project, I tried a simple approach and create an UV map to test how we could divide the cube, aiming to understand the division of different layers.
Simultaneously, we decided on the shape and style of the cube. Ultimately, we settled on a cube because we couldn’t forget that this project was inspired by the Megacube.
We opted for a similar style known as Outrun style or retrowave, characterized by dark backgrounds and neon lights decorating the scene.
After testing the layers, we made the decision to divide them into three layers, each having three different states.
First design of the cube
Example of UV map cube
Style & final result
Final Cube in 3D with master
So, once we had the different states and layers, it was time to create the model. To achieve this, and to explore the depht that 3D allows, we experimented with transparency. We manipulated the faces, placing them at different dephts within the same space. This way, even thought the external shape remains a cube, we could add more intricate details inside.
After completing that step, the next task was to prepare the layers and divide them. This allowed the owner not only change one element but several across different faces.
Finally, we decided to divide it into the background, the different faces and the frame. If you want to test how the texture changes, you can try it here.
And here is some of the possibilities in 3D.
Cube with different layers
Conclusion
This was a fun project to create and introduce a new way of making art. I had heard about it before, but it was when I tested it that I discovered its possibilities.
If you want to see this cube, you can go to Decentraland and observe how it changes.
