M. Javad Khajavi

Within the dynamic landscape of animation, the convergence of Artificial Intelligence, Spatial Computing, and the Metaverse stands at a potentially pivotal juncture. Recent developments in these domains hold the promise of reshaping established paradigms in animation creation. In this presentation, Associate Professor Javad Khajavi embarks on a scholarly exploration of this transformative era. His forthcoming book delves deep into the synergistic relationship between AI, Spatial Computing, and the emerging Metaverse, analyzing their far-reaching impact on the art of animation-making. This presentation offers a glimpse into the implications and possibilities that unfold within this rapidly evolving landscape.

Today, Virtual Reality applications such as Quill by Smoothstep and AnimVR provide users with immersive spaces of creation, generating unprecedented workflows, styles, and aesthetics.  Allowing users to animate inside immersive three-dimensional spaces using intuitive techniques that are unique to the medium of VR, these applications stimulate novelty and new forms of collaborative animation-making. Based on a book in progress, this talk looks at some of the unique features of these techniques of animating in VR. Thereby, current and future trends and possibilities of this new medium of animation-making are explored.

Arabic Script in Motion is a pioneering study of animated typography and time-based calligraphic art written in the Arabic system of writing. Arabic script is the system of writing used to write many languages including Arabic, Persian (Farsi), Urdu, Ottoman Turkish, etc. Inspired by the innate qualities of Arabic script as well as certain practices in Islamic calligraphy and contemporary calligraphic art, the book devises five broad categories of temporal behaviors for Arabic characters in time-based media. It goes onto expand the vocabulary used to describe Arabic script’s appearance in time-based media and proposes a theory to help artists, practitioners, and theoreticians push the boundaries of temporal text-based art. Furthermore, it tackles questions of legibility and readability, and seeks to understand how temporality of Arabic text influences the creation of meaning. This book will therefore appeal not only to animators, designers, and artists, but also to commentators and scholars who deal with temporal text-based art written in Arabic script.

For more information, visit: www.animatedcalligraphy.com

This paper traces how the design of a new media cultural heritage project was inspired by the transformative qualities found in many specimens of Islamic calligraphy. As certain scholars have pointed out, Islamic art is filled with examples of letters and words that appear to transform into things other than text. Indeed, such transformative qualities can be seen across the Islamic world and on a diverse range of artefacts, including the epigraphs on the walls of the Alhambra palace and the religious texts on Ottoman Turkish scrolls written in ghubār (which literary means "dust" in Arabic) script. In this paper, the author outlines two broad types of transformative qualities that can be distinguished in many specimens of Islamic calligraphic art, namely, the metamorphosis of the form and the transformation of the function of the letters and words. The paper then demonstrates how, inspired by such transformative qualities, the designers of a cultural heritage project created a calligraphic installation for museums and galleries in which letters are transformed from text to image and vice versa. Using a projection mapping system, words are transformed into images devoid of any semantic meaning, and then revert back into readable text again. Finally, the paper investigates how the transformation of the function of calligraphy renders readability a transitory process in this artwork, and how the technique used in the creation of this artwork can be applied to cultural heritage sites as an educational and entertainment tool.

In this article, the author traces the genealogy of calligraphic animations (here defined as animations in which Islamic calligraphic elements are the only or one of the main visual components of the film) that establish a correlation between Islamic calligraphy and music.  Within the past few decades a number of time-based artworks that establish such a correlation have been created. These artworks — in the form of films, animations, interactive art pieces and performances — can be considered visual music, following a broad definition of the term. While Visual music calligraphic animations may be considered a direct continuation of earlier European visual music films (such as the works of Oskar Fischinger, Viking Eggeling, Hans Richter, and others), a detailed study of their historic-cultural context reveals a different genealogy line that goes back to the earlier centuries of Islamic civilization. It is argued in this paper that these visual music calligraphic animations and time-based artworks seem to be inspired by the putative comparisons between various aspects of Islamic calligraphy and those of music (or aural arts). The author begins the article by exploring different modes of musical analogies that were used to describe Islamic calligraphy throughout the history of Islamic civilization. He continues to review the influences of such analogies on calligraphic art, especially in the contemporary context. Then, he studies the influence of musical analogies on calligraphic time-based artworks, and contextualizes visual music calligraphic animations within such a historic-cultural background.

Using a vast spectrum of highly hybridized forms of contemporary filmmaking, animated documentary – an increasingly ubiquitous mode of representation – examines different aspects of representing reality. Likewise in academia, it keeps receiving scholarly attention from the side of different disciplines and fields of study. In spite of all these interests and attentions, this mode of filmmaking inquires more in-depth scrutiny not only because studies on animated documentary may result in more conscious utilization of the mode, but also as Ward suggests it may “potentially provide answers to some of the more troubling questions asked of documentary as a field.” (2005, p. 99). One of the obstacles which slows down in-depth studies of animated documentary is the complexity of reality representation processes in such films. Therefore, it would be a helpful practice to set up (a) framework(s) that make(s) it possible to discuss the intricate processes in animated documentary. The present study is the first stage to propose such a model. To this end, drawing on the principles of Kress and van Leeuwen’s visual grammar (Kress & van Leeuwen, 2006), the study embarks on an initial framework for analyzing animated documentary. As a work-in-progress, the proposed framework will then be adopted for studying animated documentaries based on Paul Wells’ typology (Wells, 1997).

The "Animated Horror: Unveiling the Potential of Animation as a Medium for Horror" symposium is an event organized by the Animated Arts and Media research group at Volda University College. We are seeking support from the SAS Event Funds to bring together a diverse community of scholars, artists, and aficionados in Norway. Our goal is to explore the captivating intersection of animation and horror, delving into the artistic, cultural, and psychological dimensions of this enthralling genre combination. This symposium will serve as a platform for rigorous academic discourse, artistic exploration, and audience engagement, shedding light on the unique and transformative qualities of animated horror.

This project seeks to harness the transformative potential of cutting-edge technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Extended Reality (XR) to enrich animation education and bridge the gap between academia and real-world applications. This endeavor is inspired by my ongoing research into immersive animation within Virtual Reality (VR), which I am documenting in the upcoming book "Animating in the Age of the Metaverse," slated for publication by CRC Press.

While Animation Studies as a field of research is a relatively young discipline, it is a rapidly growing area of investigation as the practice of animation is expanding into other fields such as video games, scientific and medical visualizations, web and interaction design, extended and mixed realities (e.g. VR and AR), etc. Historically speaking, academics and practitioners in some countries and regions of the world (such as the United States and the United Kingdom) have traditionally been more active in researching on the field of animation in comparison to other parts of the world such as the Nordic region. This is despite the fact that within the Nordic countries there were and there are individual scholars who proved to be influential in the field of Animation Studies. Unlike the US and the UK, these scholars and researchers have been working mostly in isolation and usually have not been much informed about the scholarly work that their colleagues have been producing in the same region. Now, given the expansion of the field of Animation Studies and the growing popularity of this area of research within the Nordic region, it seemed essential to bring all these isolated research activities together and establish a network of scholars who are interested in researching the field of Animation Studies.

The main goal of this initiative is to improve students’ learning experience and increase their motivation and engagement by making a small change in the teaching approach and including Virtual Reality (VR) technology in teaching and in particular for prototyping in the Human-Computer Interaction module (and potentially other modules in the Interactive thread of the Media Studies program).
The Human-computer interaction (HCI) module focuses on information design technology, particularly the interaction between the user and computers in any form. In other words, students in this module, learn how to understand users’ needs and how to design user experiences (UX) and user interfaces (UI) for computer applications. So, the main goal of this module is to teach students the foundations and the processes of UX and UI design.
UX/UI design is a rapidly changing field, and so the pedagogies in this field require to adapt to these fast shifts in the industry. One of the recent developments in the field is the increasing popularity of Virtual Reality technology and tools. Aside from designing the user experience and interface of applications on computers and smartphones, now UX/UI designers are sometimes required to design for virtual environments. Since 2015 when consumer VR started to become widely available to the general public, VR has increasingly become an important aspect of the Human-Computer Interaction discipline. An increasing number of companies around the world, in Europe and Ireland are now investing in Virtual Reality technologies and thus looking to hire experts with the knowledge and skills of developing for VR. Having recognized such a need in the industry, the department of Media Studies have included designing for VR in the syllabus for the HCI module. Currently, Students develop simple VR applications and experiences using Unity (which is one of the standard programs used for developing VR experiences).
The UX/UI Design process includes various steps such as User Research, Visual Research, Ideate, Design, Prototype, Test and Evaluate. In the HCI module, students learn about all these various steps with activities and hands-on exercises. One of the most important steps in the UX/UI Design process is the Prototyping phase. In this phase, the designer creates a non-functional visual representation of the User Interface so s/he can test and evaluate how users may interact with the final product. Currently, students use conventional applications such as Adobe XD and Figma for prototyping. The problem with these applications is that they are designed for prototyping in 2-dimensional space and do not have appropriate tools for prototyping 3D spatial environments (as is the case in VR). The result is that students with low spatial abilities face many difficulties in understanding and adjusting to the 3-dimensional field, which they are working with.
In the past few years, new VR tools and technologies have been developed that can be helpful for such a shortcoming in current tools. There are now a handful of VR applications that can be used for 3D design and prototyping. These include applications such as Gravity Sketch, Oculus Medium, MasterpieceVR, Google Tilt Brush, etc. While wearing a 6DoF  VR headset the students can use these tools and by means of hand controllers they can prototype directly in the 3D virtual space. The benefit of such a prototyping method is that students with lower spatial abilities will better understand and adjust to the requirements of the 3-dimensional space (Ho et al., 2019)
While such tools and technologies are relatively new, companies and industries have already started to use them in their UX/UI design pipelines. Educational programs around the world are also gradually including these and similar approaches in their curriculum and teaching. For example, the MA program in Virtual Reality at the University of the Arts London which initiated in 2018 includes some of these VR prototyping tools in its curriculum (MA Virtual Reality, n.d.). Similarly, the University College London organizes short courses on Virtual Reality that uses prototyping tools such as Tvori (Milligan, 2019).

Figure 1. A user prototyping in VR using Gravity Sketch
Supported by the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, Researchers at The Institute of Technology Carlow have also started an initiative for developing Virtual Reality-based Learning Experiences (Virtual Reality-Based Learning Experience, n.d.). IT Carlow’s VR Learning initiative is focused on designing a VR platform for the creation, delivery, and assessment of university courses in virtual reality. While IT Carlow’s VR Learning initiative has a different approach from the proposed initiative, it shows the growing interest in the application of immersive technologies such as VR in higher education teaching. The proposed initiative can be a starting point for further including Mixed Reality technologies in Maynooth University’s teaching culture.

Ho, L., Sun, H., & Tsai, T. (2019). Research on 3D Painting in Virtual Reality to Improve Students ’ Motivation of 3D Animation Learning. Sustainability, 11(1605), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11061605
MA Virtual Reality. (n.d.). Retrieved June 18, 2020, from https://www.arts.ac.uk/subjects/animation-interactive-film-and-sound/postgraduate/ma-virtual-reality-lcc#
Milligan, M. (2019). UCL, Open City Docs Introduce VR Animation Short Course to UK. AnimationMagazine. https://www.animationmagazine.net/schools/ucl-open-city-docs-introduce-vr-animation-short-course-to-uk/
Sattar, M. U., Palaniappan, S., Lokman, A., Hassan, A., Shah, N., & Riaz, Z. (2019). Effects of Virtual Reality training on medical students’ learning motivation and competency. Pak J Med Sci, 35(3), 852–857. https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.35.3.44
Virtual Reality-based Learning Experience. (n.d.). National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. Retrieved June 20, 2018, from https://www.teachingandlearning.ie/project/virtual-reality-based-learning-experience/

Inaugurated in 1995, this award, administered by the Society for Animation Studies, seeks to celebrate exceptional scholarship, published in book form, in the field of animation studies. In recognition of the growing critical mass of animation scholarship, the judging process was expanded to include Runners-Up in 2009. The award was bestowed on an ad-hoc basis between 1995 and 2009. At present, the Society is eager to mark the upcoming 30th anniversary of the Book Award’s inauguration (in 2025) by retrospectively bestowing the award for those years, in the awarding sequence, where no judging was administered. The retrospective awards will be decided by SAS member ballot conducted via the SAS mailing list.

The implementation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology in the field of animation-making has resulted in the development of innovative tools such as Deforum and Mixamo that potentially offer new possibilities and improve the efficiency of animators' workflows. EbSynth (EbS) is another one of these tools that allows users to animate existing footage in the rotoscoped animation technique using just a few styled keyframes. While EbS is not generally classified as an AI application, it utilizes Example-based Synthesis algorithms that can be considered AI-informed according to the broadest definition of the term. Our research goal centers on the use of enhanced trackable patterns and shapes in EBS and their impact on the efficiency and quality of rotoscoped animation. We seek to identify the most effective patterns and shapes for this process while establishing workflow guidelines for EbS users. Adopting a practice-led research approach, we employ our creative practice to generate insights into the
effectiveness of trackable patterns and shapes applied to rotoscoped animation using EbS. Our study encompasses male and female models performing various actions, including facial muscle movements and emotions, with a focus on patterns, trackable markers, contours, and character design shapes. Through a series of experiments and iterative analyses, we evaluate the impact of enhanced trackable patterns and shapes on the quality and efficiency of rotoscoped animation. Our findings support the hypothesis that this approach improves the rotoscoping process, offering valuable insights for artists and animators.

This article presents a discussion on the intersection of virtual reality (VR) and animation in the emerging fields of immersive storytelling, real-time animation and animation-making in VR. Drawing on research and practical examples, the article explores how these technologies are converging to create entirely new forms of animation-making, storytelling, and audience engagement. The paper seeks to provide insights into how those who are "meta-versed" in these areas can take advantage of emerging technologies to push the boundaries of immersive storytelling. Moreover, it provides a detailed analysis of how VR and animation are converging to create new opportunities for immersive storytelling. The article also discusses the challenges that arise from this convergence, such as the need for specialized skills and technologies to create immersive experiences that are both technically sound and artistically engaging. Examining a wealth of practical examples from various industries, such as gaming, film, and education, it demonstrates the potential of VR and animation in immersive storytelling. The article also offers insights into the future of animation-making in VR, discussing the potential of emerging technologies such as augmented reality and artificial intelligence.

Virtual Reality (VR) animating tools such as Quill by Smoothstep, AnimVR, Tvori, etc. allow users to create (immersive) animation inside of the VR environment. Using these tools, the artists and animators can be immersed inside the world that they animate. This feeling of being immersed in the animation environment is in stark contrast with other forms of computer animation where the animator experiences the animation world through a square screen (a window). In other words, with VR, not only animation-watching but also animation-making become an immersive experience. The goal of this paper is to investigate and theorize this feeling of immersion in the process of animation-making inside VR. I argue that the feeling of immersion has a few components, including spatiality and the sense of presence or what is referred to in VR literature as Place Illusion (PI). I will then look at each one of these components (spatiality and PI) in detail through two case studies. The findings of this research provide theoretical support for practitioners and instructors who work on and teach animation-making inside VR.

Although the literature on practice-oriented research in the fields of art and design existed at least since the late 1980s, the last two decades have seen a rise in the number of publications on this (some would argue academically controversial) topic. Many of the books and articles that were published on practice-oriented research in the creative and media arts are focused on justifying artistic exploration as a valid form of academic research, and try to define the nature of such practice-oriented artistic research. Some other publications proposed models for practice-related research in arts and design, most of which looked at fields within the Humanities and Social sciences for inspiration. Consequently, they adopt and adapt methodologies used in those fields to the research questions in creative and media arts. Emphasizing that the nature of research questions in Creative and Media Arts are sometimes different from those raised in Humanities and Social Sciences, the author argues that the inspiration for practice-oriented research for fields within the Applied Arts and Design discipline (which includes fields such as animation) can also come from existing research models in Computer Science. Furthermore, through several case studies, the paper establishes that such forms of research are already being practiced in the creative industries (e.g. animation and game industries). Therefore, the author proposes that the research models used in the industry may also be a source of inspiration as we rethink practice-oriented research within the academy.

VR has brought with it new possibilities in storytelling, alternative approaches to building narrative structures, and unique ways of creating immersive experiences. Meanwhile, a relatively new possibility which has become available thanks to Virtual Reality technology is the application of VR in digital painting, illustration, 3D modeling, and animation. Recently introduced VR-modeling applications such as Oculus Medium and MasterpieceVR provide 3D artists with the possibility to create 3D models directly inside the virtual space through an intuitive spatial interface. In addition, with Virtual Reality, digital Painting on 2D canvases is now extended to 3D spaces. VR applications such as Google Tilt Brush allow artists and digital painters to unleash their spatial imagination and draw in 3D space. In a similar fashion, Quill and AnimVR are virtual reality applications that allow artists to create 3D animations without the need to deal with the usual technical processes of 3D computer graphics. This article argues and demonstrates that these recent developments are giving rise to new visual aesthetics, creating unprecedented aesthetic possibilities for artists and animators. Focusing particularly on Quill and AnimVR, the article discusses that these two relatively new VR applications are re-defining the aesthetics of 3D animation by bringing 2D aesthetics to 3D computer graphics. With reference to three recently produced animated short films ― Dear Angelica (Saschka Unseld, 2017), Beyond the Fence (Goro Fujita, 2018), and Wired (Zeyu Ren, 2019) ― this article explores different ways VR technology and applications such as Quill and AnimVR are influencing animation workflows and production pipelines. It further explores how these new workflows and pipelines are giving birth to new and unprecedented aesthetics. The article concludes by identifying some aesthetic commonalities that can be observed across the animations created by using these emerging VR technologies.

This article investigates the relationship between animation, movement, and scientific inquiry. Using animation in order to popularize scientific knowledge has long been practiced. Meanwhile, as a few scholars have pointed out, the use of animation-based media in scientific research goes beyond communication of scientific knowledge to the public. In fact, recent examples show an increasing interest in using animation as a method, embedded within the process of scientific research. Close observation of the ways animation techniques and technologies are used in some scientific labs around the world reveals that scholars are increasingly using animated image as a mode of inquiry in their research projects. This approach is particularly observable in those areas of academic inquiry in which the formation of theories and hypotheses are bound to the understanding of a temporal phenomenon. Animated image in its very nature deals with change and movement. In the broadest sense of the word, animation may be defined as a method of visualizing change in duration. This paper investigates how animated image, as a method of visualizing movement or change over time, may become a new mode of representation or language by which scientists test their theories and hypotheses, understand behaviors, discover spatial and temporal relationships, and try to explain time-based abstract concepts. The author pays particular attention to the epistemological role of animated visualization beyond its role as a tool for communicating research to the masses, but as an integral part of the formation and evaluation of evidence for scientific claims. The paper argues that because of its innate specificities, animated visualization may become an integral part of research processes in many different disciplines. In particular, the author argues that more attention should be paid to animated media, Virtual Reality technologies, and their potential to facilitate interdisciplinary communications between scholars of different fields.

The amount of literature written about animations that incorporate calligraphy, more specifically Islamic calligraphy (which is defined here as any sort of calligraphy written in Arabic script) in their visual structure has noticeably expanded in recent years, thanks to the increasing production of such animated films. In particular, a few articles appeared in edited books, animation magazines, and academic journals in the last few years that focus on examples of animated films that contain calligraphic elements or address the art of calligraphy in a wider sense. A majority of these publications were focused on the innovative use of calligraphy in such animations or were concerned with interpreting the semantic meaning of calligraphy in these films. With almost no exception the term “calligraphic animation” have been used across these different articles to refer to animated films that dealt with calligraphy in one way or another. However, most of these articles fail to define what they mean by the term calligraphic animation, and what constitutes such a film. A detailed examination of the literature on this topic reveals that terms such as “calligraphic animation,” “calligraphy animation,” and “animated calligraphy” are used loosely, not only by novice writers but also by established scholars. Most of the literature on this topic have taken the definition of these terms for granted, and considered any sort of animation in which calligraphic elements are used as an example of “calligraphic animation.” It is argued, in this paper, that such a proposition has created great misconceptions about one of the least understood genres of animation, namely calligraphic animation, and led to superficial analytical descriptions of the animated films that portray calligraphic elements. Stating that a question of definition is by essence a philosophical question, the author begins by an ontological investigation of the current definitions of the abovementioned terms. Borrowing the concept of intensional definition (and more specifically genus-differentia definition) from philosophy of language, the author proposes a taxonomy of animated films that incorporate calligraphic elements in their visual structure to redefine calligraphic animation.

Screen media in its various forms (e.g. TV screen, computer monitors, tablets, smartphones, Virtual Reality spaces, etc.) have become unprecedentedly ubiquitous within the past few decades. As a matter of fact, screen media and dynamic content have dominated the 21st century’s visual culture. One of the manifestations of this dynamic visual culture is the abundance of animated typography in many different contexts. Today animated and kinetic letterforms can be seen on the web, in many mobile applications, on the television and the cinema screen and in different artworks. Artists, designers and computer programmers routinely create text that displays temporal behavior using various computer programs (like PowerPoint, After Effects, Flash, etc.), plugins (such as Font Manager), and programming languages and web technologies (like CSS3, JavaScript, and the like). While these computer programs offer useful tools that enhance the process of creating animated typography, they usually treat different scripts such as Roman, Arabic, Chinese, Korean, etc. in the same way, and apply the same temporal events to text written in these different scripts. Clearly, a script like Arabic is different from Roman with regard to its morphology and visual attributes. Therefore, it is crucial to understand and consider the specificities of Arabic writing when designing temporal events for animated text written in Arabic script. This paper proposes four broad categories of temporal events that suit the specificities of Arabic script by analyzing examples of artworks and calligraphic animations that use temporal calligraphy. The results of this paper are useful for artists, designers and programmers who create animated and kinetic text or develop computer tools and plugins that facilitate the process of creating animated typography.

Synesthetic analogies are commonly used in describing Islamic calligraphy. writers and calligraphers usually emphasize that the appreciation of Islamic calligraphy is not only through the eyes, but through hearing, smell, touch and even by heart or soul. Among these, musical analogies are the most common. Comparisons between different aspects of Islamic calligraphy and that of music can be found in the writings and sayings of Muslim philosophers, calligraphers and poets from different centuries. Similarly, the musical analogy is frequently used by contemporary writers and scholars, referring to various qualities of the art form including its abstract nature, inner rhythm, or its mystical and suprasensory dimensions. Meanwhile, the musical analogy proved to be influential on calligraphers and artists. Phrases such as “Music for the eyes”, “Harmony of letters”, “Singing words”, etc. recurrently decorate the title of calligraphic exhibitions or individual works of calligraphy and neo-calligraphy. Inspired by such an analogy, some artists (experimenting in different media, such as neo-calligraphy, music, interactive art, etc.) explored associations between Islamic calligraphy and music and created what might be described as “visual music”. This paper demonstrates that the musical analogy in Islamic calligraphy is not only an inspiration for artists, but also provides useful hints for creative audio-visual treatments of Islamic calligraphy in diverse range of media.

This paper illustrates a practical exploration of the transformative functions of Islamic Calligraphy and their implementation in calligraphic animation. Throughout its history, Islamic calligraphy has served different functions in Islamic culture, such as representation of the sacred word in religious texts, decoration of the façades of mosques and palaces, talismanic appearance on different objects, etc. It is argued in this paper that temporal arts, specifically animation, provide the possibility to transform the functions of calligraphy over time. Yet, exploration of the trans-formative qualities of Islamic calligraphy in time-based media (especially animation) is rare. Drawing upon the aesthetics of Islamic calligraphy and neo-calligraphy, this practice-based research theorizes the trans-formative functions of Islamic calligraphy and its application in calligraphic animation.

The “musical qualities” of Islamic calligraphy have been recognized by calligraphers and scholars long ago. Many scholars, calligraphers and artists − such as Ferrier (1989), Schimmel (1990), Barakat (2004), etc. − emphasize the musical qualities of certain scripts or calligraphy practices, and refer to Arabic, Persian or Ottoman alphabet or Islamic calligraphy with metaphors and analogies, such as “music for the eyes” (Teymouri, 2012, p. 227) and “harmony of letters” (Safwat, Fehervari, & Zakariya, 1997). However, few scholars like Khatibi and Sijelmassi (1995), as well as Ünlüer and Özcan (2010) go further than this, and mention how calligraphy and music might relate. While, academic studies on such relationship are rare, some contemporary artists, such as Abdollah Kiaie, Rasoul Jalili, Bahram Hanafi, amongst others, addressed these qualities in different artistic areas − from interactive media design to calligraphy-paintings (a contemporary Iranian art form that extends calligraphy beyond its traditional canons) − as an attempt to explore the silent music of Islamic calligraphy. Being part of a practice-based research project, this paper attempts to investigate, understand and explore the music of Islamic calligraphy and Calligraphy-painting with an overall goal of creating a visual music animation.

In June 1878, Eadeward Muybridge used the technique of sequential photography to answer a scientific question about animal locomotion. He recorded images of a trotting horse frame-by-frame, slowing down a movement to a speed perceptible for human cognition. Through his automatic electro-photography method, he visualized a phenomenon that were otherwise invisible to the naked eye, essentially answering to a scientific question by means of visual experimentation. Today more than a century after Muybridge’s experiment, moving and animated image are increasingly becoming one of the methods that help scientists makes sense of the word. From mathematics to social sciences and from molecular biology to big data analysis, researchers are benefiting from what animated visualizations can reveal in the four-dimensional space. Simultaneously, animation as a field of knowledge and as a vast industry in its diverse forms is heavily reliant on science and technology.
This presentation looks into the productive relationship between animation and science, and in particular examines the role of animated image in the process of scientific inquiry.

Although animated documentary as a mode of representation has been around for about a century, academic studies began to consider various aspects of this increasingly popular medium almost a decade ago. Indeed, during the last few years, we can see an increase of scholarly interest on this subject. In spite of all these interests and attentions, however, ‚there is still a relative