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Taggers to Blanket Alys Beach With Digital Graffiti

by Warren Riddle on June 11, 2010 at 04:35 PM

Innovative taggers
Alys Beach promotes itself as the "crown jewel of Florida's Emerald Coast," but the still-green community only dates to 2004. Recognizing a need for an enticing an "extraordinary" event, town patriarch Jason Comer beseeched his residents to devise creative, alluring attractions. According to CNN, former video game reviewer Mike Ragsdale drew inspiration from the town's prevalent white walls, and heeded a creative call to arms with a Digital Graffiti concept. Just as Ragsdale once projected games onto his office walls, he envisioned digital art splashed throughout the "blank canvas" structures of his coastal city.

This Saturday, that one-time concept will embark on the third installation of "the world's first projection art festival." During the exposition, artists will digitally coat buildings with stills, videos, animations and CGI, using dozens of HD-capable LCD projectors. On the heels of last year's event, which lured 1,600 spectators, digital artists from 17 countries submitted 300 pieces for consideration this year.

This festival isn't just an exhibition, though, as a $5,000 "Best of Show" award and a $2,000 "Most Innovative/Experimental Creation" title await the most worthy participants. Competition should prove stiff, as 50 projectors are set to canvas the city's walls. Dmitry Kmelnitsky prevailed last year with his metamorphic "Lure of the Sirens," which he created using Adobe After Effects and Apple's Final Cut Pro.

Judge Alan Hunter says he experienced a "big 'ah-ha' moment" during the inaugural Digital Graffiti event, and has helped to continue the trend. After he returned to his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, Hunter started the Paint the Town Red digital "visual feast," where only the white walls have been replaced by brick and mortar.

For those interested in experiencing this avant-garde extravaganza, or are just sorely in need of a distraction as oil steadily encroaches on the Gulf Coast's white sand beaches, the Alys Beach site hosts all the pertinent info. [From: CNN]

Tags: aftereffects, alys beach, AlysBeach, AlysBeachFlorida, digital graffiti, DigitalArt, DigitalGraffiti, finalcutpro, florida, graffiti, projector, top, tourism

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