Adam Heisserer

Computational design, data, and architecture.

Mobile Meshes - Drawing with Photogrammetry

This is a series of drawings that were made with photogrammetry software and a grasshopper script.

  • First, I take a video of a space as I walk through it. The video is usually 1 or 2 minutes long.
  • I take the video into Photoshop, and convert it into several still images using the Export > Render Video > Photoshop Image sequence tool.
  • I use COLMAP, a Structure from Motion pipeline to build a point cloud of the space from the image sequence.
  • I use a grasshopper script to export the point cloud from COLMAP file formats into Rhino.
  • Another script is used to connect the points in the point cloud depending on their proximity to each other. I export images of these meshes with varying density back into Photoshop and blend them.
  • Sometimes I use the real color of the scene, or exaggerate certain color families.

The results are usually unpredictable, and vary depending on what happened to be picked up by the camera on that day. The light falling on objects and the direction of the camera influence the point cloud that gets constructed. The whole process usually takes less than an hour for each image, making for an interesting snapshot of what a space was like at a particular time.

The resulting meshes can be thought of as what the camera and computer “see” when they try to make sense of the space. Computer vision picks up on the most visually dense and recognizable pixels in the image, rather than uniform planes and fields of color. That’s why the images tend to be made of edges and other high-contrast or detailed objects like street lights, foliage, and ornamental facades.

Abstract line drawing of the Scottish Rite Cathedral, San Antonio, rendered through photogrammetry meshing.
The Scottish Rite Cathedral, San Antonio
Photogrammetry mesh of Confluence Park Pavilion, San Antonio, rendered through COLMAP with grasshopper script.
Confluence Park Pavilion, San Antonio
Photogrammetry mesh of a church in Anchorage, Alaska, rendered through COLMAP with grasshopper script.
A church in Anchorage, Alaska
Abstract line drawing of Houston and Alamo Street, San Antonio, rendered through photogrammetry meshing.
Houston and Alamo Street, San Antonio
Photogrammetry mesh of Confluence Park, San Antonio, showing fragmented topography and canopy structure.
Confluence Park, San Antonio
Photogrammetry mesh collage of San Antonio streetscapes and Confluence Park, showing architectural details and fragmented topography.
Images of some of the actual places. Confluence Park by Lake Flato and Matsys Design. Photo by Casey Dunn
Photogrammetry mesh of a church, rendered as a glowing, fragmented digital sculpture with visible structural lines.
Photogrammetry mesh of a cityscape at dusk, rendered with glowing, fragmented edges and warm light streaks.
Photogrammetry mesh of a tree and bridge, rendered with glowing, fragmented edges and autumnal color.
Photogrammetry mesh of a fragmented, glowing architectural form with layered textures and warm color gradients.
Photogrammetry mesh of a snowy mountain ridge, rendered as a glowing, fragmented digital sculpture.
Photogrammetry mesh of a fragmented, glowing architectural form with layered textures and warm color gradients.
Photogrammetry mesh of a car rendered as a fragmented, glowing digital sculpture with layered textures.
Photogrammetry mesh of a tree with fragmented, glowing foliage and textured bark against a muted background.
Photogrammetry mesh of a weathered stone tower fragment, rendered with fragmented textures and muted tones.
Photogrammetry mesh of a city skyline with fragmented, glowing buildings and textured surfaces against a dark background.
Photogrammetry mesh of a fragmented urban landscape with angular forms and intersecting lines rendered in monochrome.
Photogrammetry mesh of a city skyline with fragmented, glowing buildings and textured surfaces against a dark background.
Sketch of a two-story house interior showing a bed, shelves, and furniture rendered with photogrammetry textures.
Photogrammetry mesh of a fragmented architectural interior with glowing edges and textured surfaces against a dark background.
Photogrammetry mesh of a fragmented architectural facade with glowing edges and textured surfaces against a dark background.
Photogrammetry mesh of a fragmented architectural structure with glowing edges and textured surfaces against a dark background.
Photogrammetry mesh of a fragmented architectural form with glowing edges and textured surfaces against a dark background.