Abstract
3D modelling of man-made objects is widely used in the cultural heritage sector, among others. It is relevant for its documentation, dissemination and preservation. Related to historical fabrics, weaves and weaving techniques are still mostly represented in forms of 2D graphics and textual descriptions. However, complex geometries are difficult to represent in such forms, hindering the way this legacy is transmitted to new generations. In this paper, we present the design and implementation of SILKNOW’s Virtual Loom, an interactive tool aimed to document, preserve and represent in interactive 3D forms historical weaves and weaving techniques of silk fabrics, dating from the 15th to the 19th centuries. To that end, our tool only requires an image of a historical fabric. Departing from this image, the tool automatically subtracts the design, and allows the user to apply different weaves and weaving techniques. In its current version, the tool embeds five traditional weaving techniques, 39 weaves and six types of yarns, which have been defined thanks to close collaboration of experts in computer graphics, art history and historical fabrics. Additionally, users can change the color of yarns and produce different 3D representations for a given fabric, which are interactive in real time. In this paper, we bring the details of the design and implementation of this tool, focusing on the input data, the strategy to process images, the 3D modelling of yarns, the definition of weaves and weaving techniques and the graphical user interface. In the results section, we show some examples of image analysis in order to subtract the design of historical fabrics, and then we provide 3D representations for all the considered weaving techniques, combining different types of yarns.
Highlights
Historical fabrics are fragile heritage, and some historical weaving techniques that require artisanal work are in danger of disappearing, because of a lack of generational replacement
Taking into consideration the number of weaves implemented in Virtual Loom and the number of yarns with different geometries, for an image with five clusters, like the one shown in Fig. 19c, a total of 39 × 5 × 6 = 1140 different 3D models can be achieved in the “free style”
We have described the details of the design and implementation of Virtual Loom (VL), an interactive tool aimed to document, preserve and represent historical weaves and weaving techniques in 3D forms
Summary
Historical fabrics are fragile heritage, and some historical weaving techniques that require artisanal work are in danger of disappearing, because of a lack of generational replacement These objects form part of our tangible and intangible heritage, but few actions are taking place in order to properly document them. In order to understand how a fabric is formed, an interpretation is needed, requiring a minimum understanding of technical drawings and the weaving process In this sense, we believe that the representation by means of 3D interactive graphics can bring added value to the documentation and understanding of such tangible and intangible heritage: a 3D model holds an extra dimension, so the fabric ( a 3D object) can be fully represented, avoiding the need to interpret representations in 2D and textual information
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