AllerBucherUndSchrifften_i17632730_VideoCaptureRTI_UpperCover
From Jessica Ebert
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This is video capture that explores highlight Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) using the RTI Viewer (provided by Cultural Heritage Imaging - free downloadable software for view RTI captures). This is a 16th century German Reformation text written by Martin Luther and is volume 8 of an 8 volume set entitled Aller Bücher und Schrifften des thewren, seligen Mans Gottes Doct. Mart. Lutheri ..., which is part of UCL's Archives and Rare Books Library's collection. The binding is most likely age-hardened alum-tawed leather (though possibly vellum) on wooden boards with embossed paneled decoration. However, most of this paneled decoration, which includes figures, Latin inscriptions and other decorative elements, is not easily visible under normal illumination. Therefore the Preservation Lab decided to do a highlight RTI capture sessions for both the upper and lower covers. To learn more about RTI and this particular capture session visit the Lab's blog post on the subject: http://blog.thepreservationlab.org/2017/04/fun-with-photodoc-rti-edition-5/
In this video capture of the upper cover of this Martin Luther text we explore the surface shape and color of the binding by actively relighting the object and using various modes built within the RTI Viewer. The video begins with the default lighting of the object and as the light position moves around the cover you are given a variety of raking illumination views of the surface. Then we switch to the Specular Enhancement mode, which offers the option to remove the color from the image and to add specularity to a surface which has very little specularity, thus accentuating aspects of the panel detail. When we zoom in we can better see the detail in the cover and the "1571" inscription. This volume was printed in 1568, and we believe that 1571 was when the publication was bound.
Next we will pan out and examine the Normals Visualization mode with allows the human eye to better see what is convex and concave on the surface of the cover. For example, look at the clasps in relation to the 1571 inscription; by viewing the surface normals within the HSH module you can clearly recognize the clasps as convex and the inscription as concave. While this might be obvious for this particular binding, this mode might more helpful when viewing abnormal surfaces such as art work/sculptures, or objects with less dimension, such as handwritten letters.
Then we switch to the PTM module where we explore the Diffuse Gain mode. This mode is ideal for visualizing surface abrasions and losses. We zoom in to highlight some scratches in the skin and to examine another inscription, "ID". When we switch back to the default mode and the normal illumination you can see that this "ID" inscription is virtually invisible to the naked eye. This was a particularly fun find for the team!
This RTI capture session was performed by Catarina Figueirinhas, Ashleigh Schieszer, and Jessica Ebert .
In this video capture of the upper cover of this Martin Luther text we explore the surface shape and color of the binding by actively relighting the object and using various modes built within the RTI Viewer. The video begins with the default lighting of the object and as the light position moves around the cover you are given a variety of raking illumination views of the surface. Then we switch to the Specular Enhancement mode, which offers the option to remove the color from the image and to add specularity to a surface which has very little specularity, thus accentuating aspects of the panel detail. When we zoom in we can better see the detail in the cover and the "1571" inscription. This volume was printed in 1568, and we believe that 1571 was when the publication was bound.
Next we will pan out and examine the Normals Visualization mode with allows the human eye to better see what is convex and concave on the surface of the cover. For example, look at the clasps in relation to the 1571 inscription; by viewing the surface normals within the HSH module you can clearly recognize the clasps as convex and the inscription as concave. While this might be obvious for this particular binding, this mode might more helpful when viewing abnormal surfaces such as art work/sculptures, or objects with less dimension, such as handwritten letters.
Then we switch to the PTM module where we explore the Diffuse Gain mode. This mode is ideal for visualizing surface abrasions and losses. We zoom in to highlight some scratches in the skin and to examine another inscription, "ID". When we switch back to the default mode and the normal illumination you can see that this "ID" inscription is virtually invisible to the naked eye. This was a particularly fun find for the team!
This RTI capture session was performed by Catarina Figueirinhas, Ashleigh Schieszer, and Jessica Ebert .
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