Issue 41 Spring web - Flipbook - Page 12
3D model offers chance
to come face-to-face with
Mary Queen of Scots
Historic Environment Scotland (HES) publishes digital 3D model of Mary Queen of Scots’
death mask
To mark the anniversary of Mary Queen of Scots’ death,
Historic Environment Scotland (HES) has released a
digital 3D model of her death mask.
Yueqian Wang, Digital Innovation trainee, said, “Creating
this model was hugely interesting but also challenging because I had to find ways to work round the metallic reflections and shadows captured in the photography, and
make sure I was happy at each stage with what the software generated. I’ve always been interested in sharing stories from history with a wider audience as well as the
practical side of heritage conservation. Digital Innovation
is a perfect approach to work in both areas – I can share
stories of the heritage object with more people by creating
digital models, as well as supporting conservation experts
by collecting detailed 3D data sets. The traineeship has
given me the chance to work on fascinating projects,
going on site visits across Scotland, seeing historic objects
up close and learning how cutting-edge technology can
be used in the heritage sector.”
Death masks are a mould taken of an individual’s face
after death and have been made by different cultures
across the world for thousands of years. Usually, masks
would be created by taking a cast or impression of the deceased’s face which could then be used as a mould to create the final mask, often in wax or plaster. The mask of
Mary Queen of Scots in the HES Collection is a plaster
cast taken from her tomb effigy in Westminster Abbey.
Today marks 437 years since Mary Queen of Scots was
executed yet she remains a prominent figure in history.
Yueqian Wang, Digital Innovation trainee, has created the
digital model of the death mask as part of her training at
HES, offering the public a new way to view and interact
with their collection.
The digital model of the mask was created through a
process called photogrammetry, where hundreds of overlapping high-resolution photographs are taken around the
object and then analysed by software to work out their
relative position. These aligned photographs are then used
to create an accurate photorealistic 3D model of the object with detailed editing work needed to ensure colours
are true to the object, remove the noise on the mesh
model, and apply an accurate texture to the digital rendering.
The Digital Documentation and Innovation team at HES
works to digitally document in 3D the properties and objects in its collection and uses new technologies to widen
access and help increase our understanding of the past.
The digital documentation of historic sites and objects
gives new opportunities for those in the sector, as well as
the public, to access detailed models, even if they are
physically far away, and is fundamentally changing the way
we interact with history.
The digital 3D model is available to view on Sketchfab
and a video of Yueqian talking about the process to create
the model and her wider role is on YouTube.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4rsGDPsWaY&feature=youtu.be)
Above and opposite, Mary Queen o fScots death mask with
Yueqian Wang
Conservation & Heritage Journal
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