The Pursuit of Realism is a visual and three-dimensional experiment created to test certain theories I had developed while investigating methods used by 15th and 16th Century painters to create the impression of realism.

I chose the 1602 still life painting Quince, Cabbage, Melon and Cucumber by Juan Sanchez Cotan as my subject because it was both a famous classic and an early example of realism in art. I then attempted to recreate this painting in digital three dimensions in order to discover the secrets behind its construction.

During my research into how these artists created the illusion of three dimensions it became apparent that certain artists had used camera obscura and camera lucida to project images and paint from them. Art historians such as Martin Kemp and David Hockney have conducted a considerable amount of research into different paintings they suspected were created using these methods. They have even speculated that Cotan used camera lucida to create his still lifes.

I had originally begun creating three-dimensional models of the fruit in the painting with the expectation that they had been painted from the human eye's perspective. I therefore created a digital camera with the same lens specification as the human eye through which to view the model. I had expected to have some distortions in the models due to human error, but the distortions I found were not consistent with this. The only possible answer was that the painting had been created using perspective formed by using a different lens.

This realisation plus other strange occurrences with the models demonstrated that the models did not work together in three-dimensions but that each had been painted separately using a range of techniques that were thought not to have been invented until long after Cotan painted the picture. This could mean a radical re-evaluation of how we look at art before and after Cotan's time.

This project did not only surprise me with the depth and breadth of techniques the painters' of the past had used, but also showed me the importance of three-dimensional analysis of these artworks and also the possibilities that digital modelling could offer in the advancement of painting and other forms of art.

For more in-depth information about my research, please email me.

You can view a short video clip of the final model showing how it is constructed here.

In the Shadow of Leaves is a series of short theatrical productions based on the teachings of Hagakure, the Book of the Samurai by Yamamoto Tsunetomo between 1710 and 1717.

The series deals with many of the samurai’s beliefs and ideals on how to live a good life and how to treat those around you, but updated to be relevant to modern times and issues. This interpretation does not only show culturally different views upon various subjects but it is also enlightening in its sharp observation of human nature.

In the Shadow of Leaves is a continuing series, with new episodes being written and produced as it explores the messages contained within Hagakure. It also branches out to explore problems of modern society and possible philosophical answers to these questions.

In early February 2008 the Brighton based digital media company Kanoti employed Reality Bytes to work on a new Flash game for AMD.

The game, which was a puzzle/James Bond style adventure game, required Reality Bytes to model a super agent’s transforming car, a villainous scientist in a wacky flying helicopter and a game level with an enemy base on top of a volcano, all based on the drawings by John Davison.

The results were not only a series of characters and animations that seemed to have jumped straight out of a sketchbook but they were also able to be exported into Flash which not only helped to reduce loading times but also allowed the action to be smoother and more exciting.