An Amazing Use of 3D

I came back from my "walking set" of chores, hungry and slightly tired (I probably walked about 5 miles) and I turn on the TV and start getting my lunch ready. My typical Discovery TV show isn't on on Friday afternoons, but with that, I found something so much better. This TV series, named The Human Body: Pushing the Limits, talks about real-life amazing scenarios with the help of some incredible anatomical 3D images and animations. At the moment, I am watching the end of Strength and onto Brain Power. Other than the episodes I am watching, there is also Sight and Sensation. This series is pretty amazing and even by only watching it for a mere 20 minutes as of now, I have learned quite a bit about the human body.... and I have taken numerous classes in biology and anatomy. However, this series is worded in a way that everyone can take advantage of. Catch a few episodes now or order the DVD set from Discovery. I may be a nerd for saying this, but the Discovery Channel is awesome no matter what is on.






Video courtesy of YouTube.com Part 1 of The Human Body: Pushing the Limits 'Strength'.
Photo courtesy of Photobucket.com 'Sensation' and Discovery.com 'Sight'.

John-Scott Project: Scott Portion

After some much needed rest and vacationing, I can now get back to showing my projects at the end of the semester. Ha ha! When I say much needed rest, I mean it. This little beauty kept me up nights before it was due, especially the night before. This is a 3D rendered illustration depicting nutrient absorption in the small intestine via thousands of villi in the intestinal lumen. The yellow spheres represent fat globules and lipids and the magenta represent both carbohydrate and amino acids (building blocks of proteins).

A few of my fellow students and I had a party that lasted all night; all of us working and helping each other. The project was due at 9 am and I finally threw in the towel with what I have here at 7:30 am. At that time, I went home, took a shower, and went back to class for the critique. Too bad I noticed too late that the RBCs that I decided to add at the last minute were too small. It will be an easy fix when I want to open up 3D Studio Max again. Mostly it will consist of rendering and compositing the foreground once again. I really liked compositing the different render passes the most, but my lighting pass freaked out and made the image blown-out when the opacity was at 100% in Photoshop. Other than the RBC problem, I am happier with the image than I thought I would be.

3D Studio Max is like math for me. I'm not a fan, but I feel like I have a talent for it. With everything, I just think it needs more practice so I'm not struggling with the program. I will post the revised one when I get the courage to open up the program again! :D Stay tuned for the John portion of the John-Scott Project!

Nutrient Absorption of the Small Intestine. Lindsey Pionek. 3D Studio Max 2009 and Photoshop.

Today

Well I have been sitting on my butt all day working on a mock business plan for my business practices class. For some reason instead of just working on the part that is due a week and a half from now I decided that I want to get the whole thing done this weekend. So far so good, I am very close to getting that done, but trust me I have plenty more to do. Weekends are interesting for me. Every time Saturday comes around I can tell I am sleep deprived during the week. This Saturday I slept until 12:30 my record.... not good, but at the same time I guess I needed it.

I do have something pretty cool to share today. While waiting to my printer to print many contract and copyright forms, I found this website called radiologyart.com. Artist and medical student, Satre Stuelke, decided to take CT scans to a different level. Instead of peering into the human body, he took a look into toys and food.... and diagnosed them. Who would have ever thought that you could discover an entire other way of viewing your favorite toys from days past? He also used Osirix software to visualize the objects. Make sure you check out the website and read the "diagnoses" of the object; they are quite entertaining!

Photo courtesy of www.radiologyart.com. CT scans of a toy elephant and small stuffed bunny, 2008, Satre Stuelke.

One down....

There you go, the sliding filament theory. It's fun, isn't it? It may look like a simple task, but it takes a lot longer to make and organize than one thinks. I had to do a few adjustments, as I wrote in a post prior, but I'm still not very happy with it. I guess it will be a project for me this break....OH YEAH! I am done with my first semester of graduate school! I feel great. Some people went out tonight, but I am satisfied with just sitting in front of the television (which I am doing right now).

I don't want any plans or any planning tonight and I just want to be left alone, but I doubt that that will happen since my phone has been going off the hook this entire week. I have not had so many texts and phone calls this whole semester as I have this past week. THE BUSIEST WEEK OF THE SEMESTER.....why does that happen?

Oh well, it's done and it's over for another couple months..... more artwork that I haven't posted yet to come! Now I can catch up on my sleep.......ZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzz................

So sleepy, but can't sleep

Well everyone in our program must be at the epitome of tiredness. I know I am. All of my projects are done except for a few nit-picky things on my website, and the Powerpoint for presentations on Thursday.....phew! We made it! But you know what stinks?! Well, I did not to do well with my anatomical visualization assignment that was due today. When I went up to present, I immediately noticed several flaws..... AWESOME, way to finish the semester on a great note, Lindsey. At least they are easy fixes. As soon as I get them fixed, I will post it. I don't want to look like a complete idiot by puttin up something terrible.... you never know who will see your blog, as I have already found out.....

Our class also received our final anatomy grades back.... I hope everyone did ok! I did well, but my last exam was my worst and it really sucked because I seriously must have been just below the line of getting an A.... oh well, can't complain. I don't have to take the class again.

Another good thing though, I have a second interview for an internship for next semester! It's on Friday, so I hope it works out! It seems like they are very interested, at least.

Well, the rest of my stuff will be up in a matter of a few days, so keep your eyes peeled!

ps: I think I have successfully quit smoking! I don't have cravings anymore! Woo hoo!

Ok nighty night!

In ode to the looming anatomy exam, I found an ad for Genteal eye drops that I thought was interesting. I also found this cool play on hands for AT&T. These were found on the blog called AdPharm, a pharmaceutical ad agency that shows off other pharm ads as well. I thought it would be a good reference..... too bad what I really need right now is to study anatomy.

Talking about anatomy, I know we all freak out, but you know, in the end it seems to work out. However, I feel like I should be a little more worried. It's so hard to study because every single anatomy test this semester has been through a different professor, so you can't get used to one professor's teaching style. I'm in a good spot though, so I'm not too worried, but my over-achieving attitude wants to get a high grade. We finally had our crit for anatomical visualization on the anatomical landmarks; I think it went well, but I could change a few things, us artists can always change a few things.....

Other things to freak out about: Website 95% done on monday, anatomical illustration due on tuesday, and then Artwork PowerPoint and instructional design project on wednesday, and final presentation on thursday.....phew! Plus Mr. Dude from home won't stop calling.... I feel bad, but I just don't have time for this, obviously.

I also applied to an internship today..... hopefully I hear from them soon!

It's time for me to fall asleep on my books and watch anatomy videos...... I know I'm cool.

Blogging and Anatomy

Well today was just another day with Computer Applications and Human Anatomy. My personal website is to be 95% done by next Monday.... I will make it happen....after the final anatomy exam this Friday.... it's going to be a long week.

One thing was awesome today, though. Vanessa Ruiz, a former student in the UIC Biomedical Visualization, as well as a writer of the blog, Street Anatomy, came to talk to our class about blogging. It was nice to say that I actually had one and I'm pretty constant on it as well. I learned quite a few tricks of the trade too!

What is also pretty cool is that she is doing what I want to do with my career as well; Pharmaceutical Advertising Design. She works at Abelson-Taylor in Chicago and it seems like she is very happy there as an art director.

So tooling around the internet, procrastinating before bed, I found these pieces of Graphic work by Jason Freeny. I enjoy his humor in finding anatomy to fit the gummy bear and balloon dog and putting it in an anatomical chart format. Plus, the smooth contours and fun colors catch my eye and make it more whimsical. Quite the find, I think!

I Can't Fall Asleep So Here's a Body...

Well, there you go people, there's the body for you. Our assignment was focused on anatomical landmarks for identifying deep structures, and yes men, your nipples are landmarks. (Especially on the guys on the link! :D ) I really liked this assignment. It was basic, but line work can be descriptive and you can incorporate your style into a line drawing, even if tone and value is your thing.

I wasn't going to put this on tonight, but when my crit actually is, but you know, since I can't sleep for some reason (it's almost 3:30 AM), I thought I would put it up. I am going to be dead tired tomorrow when I really need help. We have Computer Applications tomorrow and we have to create our own websites. I was working on mine all day long and Scott is probably going to be like: "Ok, so what did you actually do?" while I'm falling asleep when he's trying to answer my questions.... great. (Scott, if you are reading this, I'm sorry!) I guess I will have to make my coffee a wee bit stronger than usual. I will probably hear an explanation on why I'm not able to sleep, but I know damn well why...... IT'S THE CRAZY TIME OF THE SEMESTER!

My, What a Form You Have!

Here my friends, we have a messed-up heart with the left hepatic vein not draining into the inferior vena cava like it should be, but up into the right atrium that our class had to draw with the focus on form. I enjoyed this project since I tend to go into detail. Unlike the knee assignment prior to this, I received much better reviews, much better than I expected, actually. I will take it though, don't you worry! Too bad I was looking at the labels the day after I handed it in (and after it was critiqued for that matter) and I noticed something off.... HALF OF MY DAMN LABELS WERE FLIPPED FOR LEFT AND RIGHT!!!! Seriously, Lindsey?! Do you have to make yourself look more like an idiot?! The surprising thing is, NO ONE, not even our professor, made a comment. I'm assuming if they didn't make a comment because they didn't notice it because of my beautiful, magnificent, glorious rendition of light on form (jk, but not really ;) ), or maybe they just thought I really am an idiot and they decided to leave it alone.... I guess I won't know now, but I did change it before I put it here and I emailed the professor so he really didn't think I was a moron; I am so embarrassed. I'm really not an idiot; I just don't pay attention fully all the time because there is always so much going on in my mind.

Well today is when my lucky streak ended.... it all started when UIC sent me this email saying "Your e-bill is ready". WHAT?! I have loans to pay for this! Well I look and there is over $7000 in there with a late fee. If you don't know the whole situation, UIC financial aid and I have not seen eye-to-eye since I have been here. It all started when I never received anything about financial aid during the summer so I applied for a private loan. Well that private loan never showed because I put my mom's birthday as the wrong year so there was a massive amount of money in my account and no one would help me. Well, after the joys of FASFA and their loans, I no longer needed the private loan, so I sent that money back to the loan company so I wouldn't have to pay for it later..... Well now in my UIC account the same amount from the private loan plus a late fee are in my account right now..... WHAT THE HELL? So, guess who's going back there when she should really be taking the time to do homework and nobody else has this problem? ME!

There is the financial aid black cloud over me once again, the noticed flaw in my labeling, and then working on my online class I can't figure out this stupid concept map to do anything....and I haven't had time to study for anatomy yet... and I have friends coming up this weekend (NOT COMPLAINING) so I won't do anything then... so yeah, when it rains, it pours........

I love my life sometimes.....

A Day to Remember

Though I know everyone will be talking about it and blogging about it tonight, I just have to. Congratulations to the new president-elect, Barack Obama. Though every presidential election makes the history books, this one is a gem for America and for me personally.

Though I was not able to vote, I know, I know, I don't want to hear it, let me explain....

Being a resident of Wisconsin and living in Chicago because of school, I had to request an absentee ballot. I did all that and well, my ballot came in the mail yesterday, the day before the damn election.... it had to be postmarked by 5pm that day, and being in class all day (Mondays are the days of Hell) well, it didn't happen. I was incredibly disappointed since I did my research and watched all the debates and everything. But really? What did I expect? This kinds of stuff happens all the time in my life. I voted in my heart; and thankfully Obama became the 44th and the 1st African-American president of the United States of America.

The City of Chicago was madness today and I am so proud to be in the city where the Obama family resided. There is so much joy going around that I feel so proud to be an American; we have gone so far in equality of the human race as a whole. However (and unfortunately), we do have a long way to go. One thing that really disappointed me was the people that were booing Obama when McCain gave his speech of "defeat". He's your new president, no matter what you do, so you will have to deal with it at least and stand for USA as a whole. Even McCain was not happy of his followers at that point and gave a very tasteful and rewarding speech. I give him great respect for that.

This has been a great and memorable week. Not only do we have a new president that I hope the best for, but with school as well, things have been working out for me. Surprisingly, the anatomy results came back, and once again I succeeded! Though it must have been on a curve, I did receive an "A" once again which some people were not happy about. Only one more to go. I also had a critique today for Anatomical Visualization (I will show the stuff tomorrow) that went well. I am going to celebrate this feeling of success while it lasts.... you will know when it goes down. LOL

PS: Well, my sleeping on my books for a week before the exam worked again! It's worth a try people!