Berkshire filmographers create Susan B Anthony childhood image
Contact:
Carol Crossed (585) 442-8497
Diana Walczak: (413) 346-7435
Adams, MA
An image of the great women’s rights leader Susan B Anthony as a child will be revealed at the home of her birth in Adams, MA, this month. It portrays Susan at age 6 years wearing the simple clothing of a Quaker child in 1826. She is standing in front of the hearth in the kitchen of her home on East Road.
The high quality digitally produced illustration was created by Diana Walczak of Synthespian Studios (picture of Diana attached). The filmographers specialize in 3D design and character animation and have produced a stereoscopic film for Radio City Music Hall’s Christmas Spectacular, as well as ride films for Busch gardens and Universal Studios (The Amazing Adventures of Spider Man). Their offices are in Hollywood and Williamstown, MA.
The Susan B Anthony Birthplace Museum provided Walczak with the necessary historical research for reference photos, Quaker clothing and styling to create the image. “Photography was not developed at the time Susan was a child and lived here in this home,” said Carol Crossed, President of the Museum. “The image of Susan standing in front of the kitchen hearth is so endearing. It brings to life this Anthony heritage.”
The image, according to experts in the field, is also stunning in its could-be accuracy. In lay terms, the process is the reverse of how a composite sketch artist uses the picture of a kidnapped child and creates an image of how they may appear 15 years later.
“We were fortunate to find 2 frontal images of Susan’s face, one at age 28 and one at age 32,” explains Walczak. “Both images show that her eye and eyebrow were higher on her right side than on her left and that her right mouth corner was higher than her left as well. We incorporated these features into our interpretation of a younger version of Susan B. Anthony’s facial structure.”
Diana worked with 3D digital artist, Travis Pinnsonault, who built a 3D digital database of the little girl based on Walczak’s sketches. Travis went on to texture and light the entire scene and render the one image using the same computer graphics processes Synthespian Studios uses in film and TV production. He then passed on the image with separate layers for Diana to complete in Photoshop. Diana balanced the layers, and painted new elements, such as hair, facial details, and a cozy fire which casts a warm glow on the little girl.
“I tried to give the young Susan B. Anthony an innocent, yet curious and determined look,” Diana says, “I felt highly responsible to be as accurate as possible, deeply moved as our image gradually came to life, and truly honored to have had the opportunity to create a visualization of one of the world’s most important historical figures.”
The image will be revealed at the Birthplace, 67 East Road, Adams, MA, in conjunction with the Anniversary Celebration of the Susan B Anthony Amendment to the US Constitution. It will be available to the viewing public beginning August 21. Regular Museum hours of operation are Friday through Monday, 10 to 4 PM. |
|
|
