A pilot study into the use of Photogrammetry and 3-D printing techniques for the production of surrogate museum items at Brantwood

by | Jul 29, 2024 | Uncategorised | 0 comments

Email: m.tattersall@lancaster.ac.uk Thesis Title The Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness: An Epistolary Novel on the Interiority, Performance, and Prophecy of John Ruskin, 1871-1900 Institution Department of English Literature and Creative Writing, Lancaster University

The Brantwood Photogrammetry Project proved a very successful illustration of digital techniques as part of existing curatorial standards. Whilst there were some challenges along the way, Matthew’s work in the project created five digital conservation files: a bust, a replica of Ruskin’s cross pendant, a small-scale copy of Ruskin’s gravestone in St Andrew’s Churchyard, a detailed replica of a geological rock specimen, and a representation of Ruskin’s bedroom. Of these, the bust, rock specimen, and gravestone were particularly well-realised; Matthew 3D-printed copies of these to present to Dr Scarlet-Farr, Brantwood’s Collections Manager.
Matthew valued the opportunity to explore photogrammetry techniques and workflows to resolve challenging flaws in some of the scans. This furnished Matthew with a resilient knowledge of optimization methods and is ultimately indicative of the Ruskinian ethos of art— if the method came out automatically and mechanically perfect, reproducible every time, it would exclude the human element of craft, and therefore, art itself.
Matthew hopes that the work begun at Brantwood in this project represents only the beginning of his collaboration with the organization, and his work as a curatorial photogrammetrist at large. Combining a keen desire to preserve history with an impulse to take visitor experience towards the science-fiction, Matthew is ready to reapply his skills in another project soon. In the meantime he will share updates via his website:
matthewtattersall.com

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