Soon to graduate from the MSc International Heritage Visualisation programme, I hold an MA in Archaeology with History of Art from the University of Glasgow (2019). I am primarily interested in the intersection of art and archaeology and the use of storytelling techniques to communicate research and historical narratives about heritage to a wide public. My current focus is on the use of narrative video games and other at-home digital experiences as a form of public outreach.

My dissertation project, The Library Cave Opens, explored how problematic early archaeological practice can be discussed and contextualised using this medium, which is something I would like to keep focusing on in the future. I am currently working on expanding my skillset gained at SimVis, which presently includes 3D modelling, Unity development and a range of digital recording methods including photogrammetry.

(She/Her)

I hold an MA(Hons) degree from the University of Glasgow in Archaeology and Digital Media & Information Studies, with a strong interest in museum practice, creative approaches to heritage and decolonising and diversifying the heritage sector. I also take a keen interest in illustration and sequential art such as comic books and book illustration.

My thesis project for the MSc Heritage Visualisation with the School of Simulation and Visualisation ‘As Above, So Below’, is an enquiry into the production and use of miniatures in heritage practice. I designed a miniature paper craft model of Yester Castle, a multi-phased site dating back to the twelfth century with a rich history of folklore and gothic inspiration. The castle’s underground ‘Goblin Ha’, built by Sir Hugo Giffard in the early 13th century was allegedly constructed through magical means, even inspiring mention by Sir Walter Scott in Canto III of Marmion: A Tale of Flodden Field. The paper craft design was inspired by the work of Origamic Architecture pioneer Masahiro Chatani and artist Marc Hagan-Guirey, using Kirigami folding and cutting principles to produce paper craft models from printable A4 templates.

By integrating the paper craft with an Augmented Reality application for Android developed in Unity3D, this project sought to present an accessible creative exploration of the site, it’s history and poetic connections whilst reconstructed its ‘haunted’ aura.

I have a huge adoration for miniatures and models as a traditional mode of heritage visualisation in museum contexts, and hope that ‘As Above, So Below’ might serve as an example of how to enhance the experiences of miniatures using interactive mobile-based applications.

James Macivor is a History graduate from the University of Stirling who has just completed an MSc at the Glasgow School of Art in International Heritage Visualisation. He also has three years of experience working with Historic Environment Scotland at Stirling Castle and runs a Twitter page on Scotland’s History in his free time. In studying at the GSA he has developed an interest in data capture for the visualisation of heritage objects as well as digitally reconstructing historical artefacts from scratch. This has included learning and developing skills in photogrammetry, laser scanning and 3D modelling. His background in Scotttish history combined with interest in the future potential for the presentation of 3D heritage models led to the creation of a digitally modelled artefact which depicts how the now lost tomb of James II, King of Scots, may have looked. In creating this model for his masters thesis and displaying it on the model sharing platform Sketchfab he hopes to highlight the potential for better 3D heritage artefact presentation and audience engagement.

I am interested in the role of sound in creating engaging interactive experiences for heritage and archaeology.

In my thesis, I explored the role and experience of aura and authenticity in digital replicas of cultural heritage sites, and developed the idea of creating Audio and Visual patination in the digital. Authenticity is typically a term associated with “real” and “original” and can be established through both material and social means. Material qualities such as patina, wear and decay can give the impression of how old something is – for example a crumbling ruin or layers of green patina on a bronze statue. Networks of social interaction become embedded in these places, which in combination with these material qualities, can define something as “authentic”. Digital representations of heritage have traditionally been seen as devoid of such qualities, however in my project I sought to investigate ways of mitigating this through the creation of audio and visual patination.

Using models of Staffa and Fingal’s cave captured as part of the HARPS project, I created a prototype interactive experience for users to explore the interior of the cave. These interactions included writing “graffiti” on the digital cave wall and leaving recorded audio clips. Each of these clips was auralised using data captured at Fingal’s cave to sound as though they were echoing in the cave itself. As more users visit the cave and upload their graffiti and audio, layers of audio and visual interaction build up, creating a “Patina”. Users also had the ability to change weather conditions and time of day, thereby altering the mood and atmosphere of the experience, and re-contextualising user-input.

Although the term patina derives from the green layers of oxidation that build up on copper or bronze, it can be more widely applied to objects that have grown more beautiful with age. Audio and visual patination facilitates material qualities in the digital and represents the networks embedded within the digital replica.