Conservation and Documentation of the Wall Paintings at the Red Monastery, Sohag

The project was conducted by the American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE) in collaboration with the Egyptian Ministry of State for Antiquities and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The project's primary objective was to create a virtual model of the monastery using high dynamic range (HDR) photography and 3D modeling techniques. The project team, led by Jassim Happa, visited the Red Monastery between December 2009 and May 2010 to acquire SLR and HDR photography for texture mapping and documentation purposes. The team collected approximately 7,500 unique photographs of the site, primarily in ordinary low dynamic range, for documentation of light propagation, the site, and texture mapping. The photographs were taken with steady tripods to ensure high-quality images, and images of larger surfaces were assembled to form super-resolution photographs. HDR photography was also used to acquire 52 HDR spherical panoramas, 18 of which contained information about how the sun changes over the course of the day. These panoramas were useful in digital documentation as they allowed for the acquisition of distant scenes to be represented as a sphere. The team used a SpheroCAM HDR camera to capture the panoramas, which were taken in pairs to allow for measurements of real-world distances. The project team also provided 3D Maya modeling advice for Carlin Yuen during his stay and modeled the monastery due to Happa's extensive experience in creating cultural heritage virtual models. Happa supervised Agnes Szymanska and Carlin Yuen in their respective tasks, aiding them in their photography and modeling work. The acquired photographic material is currently being processed with the virtual model by Carlin, and the project aims to deliver a highly detailed 3D model of the triconch area in autumn 2010. The model will be delivered with necessary files to view the model and a video of the virtual model with high-fidelity lighting as it stands today. The project's primary focus was on the triconch area, which will be highly detailed and delivered as a 3D model. The team aimed to add a virtual roof in the nave and various roof models to the triconch to determine likely rooftops based on propagation of light, interior visual perception, and in consultation with the project architects and historians. The project's ultimate goal was to create a virtual model of the Red Monastery that would aid in its conservation and documentation.