Each week we chat about the tools of the trade with one outstanding creative to find out exactly how they do what they do. The questions are always the same, the answers, not so much. This week: Teddy Lo.The Creators Project: Who are you and what do you do?
Teddy Lo: My name is Teddy Lo and I have been using LED as my medium for art since 2003. I am based in both Hong Kong and New York City. My light artwork spans from creative video panel installations, organic sculptures, and interactive arts to persistence of vision pieces. My goal is to create different aesthetics and physical forms of light art that pushes limits. Also, to explore different ways for the viewer to perceive this digital information. In addition to the arts, my company LEDARTIST creates architectural lighting designs and interactive systems. I am the chief vision officer for the company.
What kind of hardware do you use?
I have 2 Apple G5s for my design, video, and animation rendering, 2 MacBooks for my business, and one specifically for visual and sound performances only. A clean system is very important for live gigs. Also, I use Lighthouse LIP Video Processors and e:cue DMX systems for most of my video projections on LED products. These two brands of controllers provide a very flexible platform for my system designs, and unlimited resolution capabilities. Oh yeah, and I sleep with my iPad.What kind of software do you use?
I use Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator to compose most of my visual concepts, and I animate them with After Effects and Final Cut Pro. For live projections, I also use the D3 system from United Visual Artists, since it’s the most versatile program I have ever encountered. For LED pixel programming, I switch between VVVV, e:cue, Max/Msp, and Quark Composer to get the effects that I imagine. I use AutoCAD for all of my installation projects.What piece of equipment can you simply not live without?
Definitely a laptop. There’s no way to use paper and pencil to achieve my work these days. Also, I cannot imagine how much I would need to catch up if I didn’t check my e-mail for a week’s time.If money were no object, how would you change your current setup
I would acquire a large warehouse so I could test bigger installations. Space is very essential in both Hong Kong and NYC. Also, I would install an artificial intelligence system so the studio is fully intelligent. Numerous LCD and LED displays would project the most updated information from the internet and generative graphics. And of course a full sound system that is nicely sound engineered would be essential, too.Is there any piece of technology that inspired you to take the path you did?
Light-emitting diodes (LEDs), thanks to my dad. It was such an eye opener when he took me to his factory in my teens. It’s a technology that is environmental, and has unlimited possibilities. Its potential is at the tip of the iceberg. I can’t wait to explore its full potential in the future.What is your favorite piece of technology from your childhood?
MS-DOS PC. I was fascinated with my first computer and its coding. It was that PC that brought me into the fantasy world of gaming and the intricate realm of programming.What fantasy piece of technology would you like to see invented?
A painter’s program controlled by telepathy. It’s kind of like the Eyewriter by the Graffiti Research Lab, but instead of eye movement, this technology would create your vision directly from your imagination. Imagine—we could hook this up with a 3D printer, and basically create objects instantly from our own creative thoughts. That would be amazing!Images courtesy of Teddy Lo.
Teddy Lo: My name is Teddy Lo and I have been using LED as my medium for art since 2003. I am based in both Hong Kong and New York City. My light artwork spans from creative video panel installations, organic sculptures, and interactive arts to persistence of vision pieces. My goal is to create different aesthetics and physical forms of light art that pushes limits. Also, to explore different ways for the viewer to perceive this digital information. In addition to the arts, my company LEDARTIST creates architectural lighting designs and interactive systems. I am the chief vision officer for the company.
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I have 2 Apple G5s for my design, video, and animation rendering, 2 MacBooks for my business, and one specifically for visual and sound performances only. A clean system is very important for live gigs. Also, I use Lighthouse LIP Video Processors and e:cue DMX systems for most of my video projections on LED products. These two brands of controllers provide a very flexible platform for my system designs, and unlimited resolution capabilities. Oh yeah, and I sleep with my iPad.What kind of software do you use?
I use Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator to compose most of my visual concepts, and I animate them with After Effects and Final Cut Pro. For live projections, I also use the D3 system from United Visual Artists, since it’s the most versatile program I have ever encountered. For LED pixel programming, I switch between VVVV, e:cue, Max/Msp, and Quark Composer to get the effects that I imagine. I use AutoCAD for all of my installation projects.What piece of equipment can you simply not live without?
Definitely a laptop. There’s no way to use paper and pencil to achieve my work these days. Also, I cannot imagine how much I would need to catch up if I didn’t check my e-mail for a week’s time.If money were no object, how would you change your current setup
I would acquire a large warehouse so I could test bigger installations. Space is very essential in both Hong Kong and NYC. Also, I would install an artificial intelligence system so the studio is fully intelligent. Numerous LCD and LED displays would project the most updated information from the internet and generative graphics. And of course a full sound system that is nicely sound engineered would be essential, too.Is there any piece of technology that inspired you to take the path you did?
Light-emitting diodes (LEDs), thanks to my dad. It was such an eye opener when he took me to his factory in my teens. It’s a technology that is environmental, and has unlimited possibilities. Its potential is at the tip of the iceberg. I can’t wait to explore its full potential in the future.What is your favorite piece of technology from your childhood?
MS-DOS PC. I was fascinated with my first computer and its coding. It was that PC that brought me into the fantasy world of gaming and the intricate realm of programming.What fantasy piece of technology would you like to see invented?
A painter’s program controlled by telepathy. It’s kind of like the Eyewriter by the Graffiti Research Lab, but instead of eye movement, this technology would create your vision directly from your imagination. Imagine—we could hook this up with a 3D printer, and basically create objects instantly from our own creative thoughts. That would be amazing!Images courtesy of Teddy Lo.