Title
Embrace Community
Artist (Student Name)
Malachiyah Armstrong
Instructor
Benjamin Anderson
School
Stephen F. Austin State University
Nacogdoches TX, USA
Artist’s Statement
ASCII Art was one of the first ways anyone with computer access could share art, long before images could be sent digitally. Its use of repeated characters to build images directly influenced my approach to representing connection locally and globally. Individuals work together to create something greater, while individual expression still shows through.
The two embracing figures, each formed by thousands of smaller posed figures, represent communities coming together for collaboration and creative exchange. Their forms overlap, reflecting shared learning and interests across every field within SIGGRAPH. Each figure is lit from the direction of the other, highlights facing inward to emphasize their connection.
The background lines reference the mathematical nature of technology, activating the negative space. Varied poses, sizes, and rotations give each figure individuality. Every person, whether user or creator, represents the communities and connections that shape our shared world.
Technical Statement
The poster grew from thumbnail sketches exploring individual figures collectively forming a larger image or shape. I used Blender for prototyping, iteration, and 3D content creation. Metaballs, a Blender feature for procedural organic modeling, allowed me to quickly build a cast of posed figures. These became the building blocks for a Geometry Nodes system that scattered them across other objects without intersecting. Figures are smaller on the main forms and larger in the background, aiding shape recognition. Working procedurally allowed me to quickly make large and small changes in response to feedback. I built PBR materials for all 3D elements, used an HDRI for ambient lighting, and applied targeted lighting independently to each element. Final work was completed in Photoshop and Illustrator, bringing together separate rendered layers, typography, and graphic elements to balance the composition. Line weights harmonize with the type, creating consistent shape language throughout.