David Coons
Encyclopedia
David B. Coons is an Academy Award-winning computer graphics
professional who is perhaps best known as the inspiration for the title of Po Bronson
's The Nudist on the Late Shift
, but is also a longtime CGI expert of near-"Pioneer" status.
while living in a highly unconventional family arrangement: he alternated between his uncle's apartment (where he actually had a bedroom) and his father's apartment (which was his sister's official residence), several blocks away. During his high school years he was a member of the "Olive Starlight Orchestra" (not an orchestra at all, but rather a social circle akin to Virginia Woolf's Bloomsbury Group), that included other legal, creative, mathematical and scientific luminaries such as Kate Sanford, Wendy Sue Lamm, David Eadington, Eric Enderton, Greg Turk
, Sandra Tsing Loh
, Susan P. Crawford
, and entrepreneur Christophe Pettus (founder of the company Blowfish
). His did some work on films including a vampire movie entitled Murder in Vein and a short called The Juggler, which starred Keith Goldfarb.
At the main Siggraph Convention every year, Coons can be identified by the job description on his badge, which invariably reads "Mad Scientist."
, Coons works behind the scenes in the film and computer graphics industries. He is also the president and owner of ArtScans Studio in Culver City, California
, where he uses a scanner
of his own invention to serve a clientele of celebrity artists and fine artists. The ArtScans page describes the scanner this way: "ArtScans has been doing accurate color capture for reproduction since 1992. We own and operate a large (44" x 50") flatbed scanner that is the only one of its kind in the world. Both the scanner and its software were designed by us."
Keith Goldfarb (co-founder of Rhythm and Hues Studios
, a computer-graphics studio that works on major motion pictures—Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian and The Chronicles of Riddick (2004),—as well as high-end commercials, has called him "the most knowledgeable person about scanning on this planet."
reproduction of scanned and computer generated artwork, specifically adapting the large format IRIS printer
, a machine designed to work solely with proprietary prepress
computer systems, to this task. In the late 1980s Coons developed software to use an IRIS 3024 at The Walt Disney Company
to print images from Disney’s new computer 3D animation system. He also wrote software to print works created on desktop computer
s such as Sally Larsen
1989 Transformer series and a 1990 photography exhibition for Graham Nash
of Crosby, Stills, and Nash. The work he did for Nash had to do with re-creating images for prints and negatives had been lost by scanning the remaining contact print
s at high resolution, and printing them in extremely large format.
Coons's went on to became a business partner with Nash, helping found the Manhattan Beach, California
company Nash Editions, a fine art digital reproduction company based on a $126,000 IRIS printer Nash had purchased. There Coons worked on the many technical problems with scanning and adapting the IRIS printer to fine art printing, including modifying the machines to take heavy paper stock and dealing with the poor fade resistant (fugitive
) nature of the inks.
In the mid-1990s, Coons split off from Nash Editions to concentrate on scanning, while Nash's team continued to work on fine art printing. The two companies still share a close relationship, and refer clients to one another.
production system for film animation
; as a technical Oscar, it is shared with the rest of the team that worked on CAPS. This award served to get him into the Academy, where he's regarded as a deeply involved and committed member.
Coons has been involved with motion-picture technology since he was in junior high school, where he was one of the "Audio-Visual Team" that handled the equipment for educational films and shows (it would be quite shocking if he had not been). Coons has made a number of "amateur" films, in addition to several student-style efforts. He was also the cameraman, cinematographer, craft services and technical consultant on John P. McCann
's The Glendale Ogre. He is widely regarded as a "connector" in the sense Malcolm Gladwell
wrote about in The Tipping Point, though some see him as a Gladwellian "maven." He is also, thanks to Bronson, a very famous nudist.
Computer graphics
Computer graphics are graphics created using computers and, more generally, the representation and manipulation of image data by a computer with help from specialized software and hardware....
professional who is perhaps best known as the inspiration for the title of Po Bronson
Po Bronson
Po Bronson is an American journalist and author who lives in San Francisco, California.-Personal history:Bronson was born in Seattle, Washington. After attending Lakeside School in Seattle, he graduated from Stanford University in 1986 and briefly worked as an assistant bond salesman in San...
's The Nudist on the Late Shift
The Nudist on the Late Shift
The Nudist on the Late Shift and Other True Tales of Silicon Valley is a book by Po Bronson.- External links :* at pobronson.com...
, but is also a longtime CGI expert of near-"Pioneer" status.
Biogrphy
David B. Coons was born in 1960, and grew up in Santa Monica, California. He attended Santa Monica High SchoolSanta Monica High School
Santa Monica High School, informally known as SAMOHI, is located in Santa Monica, California. Founded in 1884, it is one of the oldest high schools in the state....
while living in a highly unconventional family arrangement: he alternated between his uncle's apartment (where he actually had a bedroom) and his father's apartment (which was his sister's official residence), several blocks away. During his high school years he was a member of the "Olive Starlight Orchestra" (not an orchestra at all, but rather a social circle akin to Virginia Woolf's Bloomsbury Group), that included other legal, creative, mathematical and scientific luminaries such as Kate Sanford, Wendy Sue Lamm, David Eadington, Eric Enderton, Greg Turk
Greg Turk
Greg Turk is an American-born researcher in the field of computer graphics and a Professor at the School of Interactive Computing in the College of Computing at the Georgia Institute of Technology...
, Sandra Tsing Loh
Sandra Tsing Loh
Sandra Tsing Loh is a Los Angeles, California-based writer, actress, performance-artist, pop-culture analyst, and radio commentator.-Biography:Loh is the daughter of a Chinese father and a German mother...
, Susan P. Crawford
Susan P. Crawford
Susan P. Crawford was until December 2009 President Barack Obama's Special Assistant for Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy...
, and entrepreneur Christophe Pettus (founder of the company Blowfish
Blowfish (company)
Blowfish is an online sex toy catalog offering erotic toys, books, supplies and videos.-History:Founded May 1, 1994 Blowfish was one of the first online sex toy catalogs. With the motto "Good Products for Great Sex", Blowfish is known for their honest, thorough and often humorous reviews of their...
). His did some work on films including a vampire movie entitled Murder in Vein and a short called The Juggler, which starred Keith Goldfarb.
At the main Siggraph Convention every year, Coons can be identified by the job description on his badge, which invariably reads "Mad Scientist."
Scanning and computer graphics
Active in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and SciencesAcademy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a professional honorary organization dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of motion pictures...
, Coons works behind the scenes in the film and computer graphics industries. He is also the president and owner of ArtScans Studio in Culver City, California
Culver City, California
Culver City is a city in western Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 38,883, up from 38,816 at the 2000 census. It is mostly surrounded by the city of Los Angeles, but also shares a border with unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. Culver...
, where he uses a scanner
Image scanner
In computing, an image scanner—often abbreviated to just scanner—is a device that optically scans images, printed text, handwriting, or an object, and converts it to a digital image. Common examples found in offices are variations of the desktop scanner where the document is placed on a glass...
of his own invention to serve a clientele of celebrity artists and fine artists. The ArtScans page describes the scanner this way: "ArtScans has been doing accurate color capture for reproduction since 1992. We own and operate a large (44" x 50") flatbed scanner that is the only one of its kind in the world. Both the scanner and its software were designed by us."
Keith Goldfarb (co-founder of Rhythm and Hues Studios
Rhythm and Hues Studios
Rhythm & Hues Studios is a visual effects studio serving the major film studios. It is known for its computer-generated 3D character animation. Recognized as one of the top facilities of its kind in the world, Rhythm & Hues has contributed to more than 150 feature films...
, a computer-graphics studio that works on major motion pictures—Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian and The Chronicles of Riddick (2004),—as well as high-end commercials, has called him "the most knowledgeable person about scanning on this planet."
Digital printing
David Coons was also a pioneer in the art of digital printingDigital printing
Digital printing refers to methods of printing from a digital based image directly to a variety of media. It usually refers to professional printing where small run jobs from desktop publishing and other digital sources are printed using large format and/or high volume laser or inkjet printers...
reproduction of scanned and computer generated artwork, specifically adapting the large format IRIS printer
Iris printer
An IRIS printer is a large-format color inkjet printer introduced in 1987 by IRIS Graphics of Bedford, Massachusetts and currently manufactured by the Graphic Communications Group of Eastman Kodak, designed for prepress proofing...
, a machine designed to work solely with proprietary prepress
Prepress
Prepress is the term used in the printing and publishing industries for the processes and procedures that occur between the creation of a print layout and the final printing...
computer systems, to this task. In the late 1980s Coons developed software to use an IRIS 3024 at The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
to print images from Disney’s new computer 3D animation system. He also wrote software to print works created on desktop computer
Desktop computer
A desktop computer is a personal computer in a form intended for regular use at a single location, as opposed to a mobile laptop or portable computer. Early desktop computers are designed to lay flat on the desk, while modern towers stand upright...
s such as Sally Larsen
Sally Larsen
Sally Larsen is a artist, photographer, composer, and email advocate.She was born in 1954 in of mixed Apache / Aleut descent. She exhibits photographs, videos and paintings in San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Honolulu, and Chicago...
1989 Transformer series and a 1990 photography exhibition for Graham Nash
Graham Nash
Graham William Nash, OBE is an English singer-songwriter known for his light tenor vocals and for his songwriting contributions with the British pop group The Hollies, and with the folk-rock band Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Nash is a photography collector and a published photographer...
of Crosby, Stills, and Nash. The work he did for Nash had to do with re-creating images for prints and negatives had been lost by scanning the remaining contact print
Contact print
A contact print is a photographic image produced from film; sometimes from a film negative, and sometimes from a film positive. The defining characteristic of a contact print is that the photographic result is made by exposing through the film negative or positive, onto a light sensitive material...
s at high resolution, and printing them in extremely large format.
Coons's went on to became a business partner with Nash, helping found the Manhattan Beach, California
Manhattan Beach, California
Manhattan Beach is the wealthiest beachfront city located in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, USA. The city is on the Pacific coast, south of El Segundo, and north of Hermosa Beach. Manhattan Beach is the home of both beach and indoor volleyball, and surfing. During the winter, the...
company Nash Editions, a fine art digital reproduction company based on a $126,000 IRIS printer Nash had purchased. There Coons worked on the many technical problems with scanning and adapting the IRIS printer to fine art printing, including modifying the machines to take heavy paper stock and dealing with the poor fade resistant (fugitive
Fugitive pigments
Fugitive pigments are non-permanent pigments that lighten in a relatively short time when exposed to light. Fugitive pigments are present in types of paint, markers, inks etc., which are used for temporary applications...
) nature of the inks.
In the mid-1990s, Coons split off from Nash Editions to concentrate on scanning, while Nash's team continued to work on fine art printing. The two companies still share a close relationship, and refer clients to one another.
Film Production
Coons's Academy Award is for design and development of the Computer Animation Production SystemComputer Animation Production System
The Computer Animation Production System is a proprietary collection of software programs, scanning camera systems, servers, networked computer workstations, and custom desks developed by The Walt Disney Company together with Pixar in the late-1980s...
production system for film animation
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
; as a technical Oscar, it is shared with the rest of the team that worked on CAPS. This award served to get him into the Academy, where he's regarded as a deeply involved and committed member.
Coons has been involved with motion-picture technology since he was in junior high school, where he was one of the "Audio-Visual Team" that handled the equipment for educational films and shows (it would be quite shocking if he had not been). Coons has made a number of "amateur" films, in addition to several student-style efforts. He was also the cameraman, cinematographer, craft services and technical consultant on John P. McCann
John P. McCann
John P. McCann is an American-born writer, actor and producer who has mostly focused on writing/producing animation and family-friendly scripts in the past. He is best-known for his work on television cartoons, for which he has received numerous awards, but he has also produced live-action...
's The Glendale Ogre. He is widely regarded as a "connector" in the sense Malcolm Gladwell
Malcolm Gladwell
Malcolm Gladwell, CM is a Canadian journalist, bestselling author, and speaker. He is currently based in New York City and has been a staff writer for The New Yorker since 1996...
wrote about in The Tipping Point, though some see him as a Gladwellian "maven." He is also, thanks to Bronson, a very famous nudist.