International Journal of Arts and Sciences 3(9): 1 - 10 (2010) CD-ROM. ISSN: 1944-6934 © InternationalJournal.org Digital Preservation of Traditional Crafts and Three-Dimensional Modeling Technologies Turlif Vilbrandt, Uformia As, Norway Galina Pasko, European University of Lefke, TRNC Carl Vilbrandt, Mythworks, USA/Chile Alexander Pasko, Bournemouth University, UK Abstract: The cultural heritage preservation requires that objects persist throughout time to continue to communicate an intended meaning. Digital technology and specifically 3D digital technology is naturally a critical component in preservation. Yet once in the digital world the object's persistence is inextricably linked to data persistence and current 3D technologies do little more than capture a silhouette of the original object. HyperFun is a simple geometric modeling language which realizes two valuable qualities key to historical preservation: absolute data persistence, as HyperFun describes objects with mathematical functions; and secondly, by using a new approach called Function Representation (FRep), HyperFun provides a uniform method to model both surface geometry and internal composition simultaneously, making it is possible to preserve a very complete structural understanding of any object. We illustrate the properties of this new modeling system using several case studies involving the digital capture of traditional objects and craft patterns, which we also reuse in modern designs. 1. Introduction The preservation and interpretation of cultural heritage has attracted considerable attention in computer graphics, geometric modeling, and virtual reality communities. One of the important characteristics of the object in digital preservation is its shape, especially for three-dimensional physical artifacts such as table ware, pottery, sculpture, and architecture. Traditional crafts preserve the shapes by passing them through the generations of masters in the process of permanent reproduction of the craft items. In general, the historical heritage of traditional crafts such as pottery, carving, embroidery, or lacquer ware has specific features from the digital preservation point of view. First of all, any craft is a living tradition, not a fixed set of inherited items. It includes masters with their knowledge of the essential craft technology, which is often not presented in written form. This gives opportunity to preserve the technology or even enhance it using computers. On the other hand, it brings up psychological and economical problems, when computer-based technology is considered as not support, but a rival to traditional crafts. The necessity of computer-based preservation and interpretation is validated by decreasing the number of masters, fading technologies, and crafts losing economical grounds.