Skullmapping

Skullmapping is an artistic collective run by Filip Sterckx and Antoon Verbeeck.

Filip, who is the creative director of Skullmapping, has gained global recognition with his music videos for (among others) Selah Sue and Willow. He started his first experiments with projection mapping over fifteen years ago, resulting in poetic art installations in which he projects video and animation on sculptures, such as “Peepshow” and “My Orca”. His work can be recognized by his inventive visual style, love for combining live-action and animation, and a tendency to break through the traditional 2D screen.

Antoon is a visual artist. Over the last 25 years he has been working as a succesfull figurative art painter and runs his own gallery in Leuven, Belgium. His paintings can be recognized by a strong 3D illusion. His so called “Lonely subjects”, in the middle of a big white space, provoke a meaning that is poetic, evocative, and often with a funny witticism. His urge to experiment has led him into the skullmapping adventure, where he uses his artistic know-how into new media art.

By using a profound artistic knowledge, and combining it with the latest technology, Skullmapping tells stories with stunning bespoke visuals. We conceptualize, produce and direct projects from start to finish. We deal with art in an experimental, technology-related way.
Please refer to our site skullmapping.com for all info.


A compilation of our projects.
Music: Amiina 'Ugla'

 

'How to become the World's Greatest Chef'
In this five course fun dining show, Le Petit Chef shares all his secrets on how to become the World's Greatest Chef! Travel around the world and back in time, have your table unfold into a mesmerizing work of art, all while staying seated at your table... https://lepetitchef.com

Written and directed by Filip Sterckx
Concept by Filip Sterckx and Antoon Verbeeck
3D Modeling and animation: Filip Sterckx, Antoon Verbeeck, Birgit Sterckx and Kwinten Debien
Sounddesign by Birgit Sterckx
Original music 'Become a Chef' by Ann Moonen (Animo music) https://animomusic.com

 

'Rubens Cupid'
We made one of Rubens angels escape his painting and fly around Brussels airport.

Written and directed by Filip Sterckx
3D Modeling and animation: Filip Sterckx, Antoon Verbeeck, Birgit Sterckx
Client: Toerisme Vlaanderen

 

'Le Petit Chef in the footsteps of Marco Polo' is a two hour dining show that tells the story of how the world's smallest chef followed the route of Marco Polo. The show’s 6 course menu takes the guest along a culinary journey across the regions visited by the legendry traveler. The unparalleled 3D show is complimented by a unique gastronomic experience full of fun and surprises. Diners engage in a 5 senses spectacle as they savor the tastes of the story along its sights, sounds and aromas. The 3D mapping concept that has been live since 2015 uses animated optical illusion techniques to project a little chef cooking on your plate. The concept had been created by two Belgian artists: Filip Sterckx and Antoon Verbeeck (skullmapping.com).

Credits:
Written and Directed by Filip Sterckx
Concept: Filip Sterckx + Antoon Verbeeck
Creative Director: Filip Sterckx
3D artists: Filip Sterckx + Antoon Verbeeck + Birgit Sterckx + Paulina Zybinska
Chef: Tomas Reger
Sounddesign: Roundhouse
Producer: Nadine Beshir
Partner: Shehab Nawawi + Hoda Abdelhameed
Lights: Hoda Abdelhameed
Production assistant: Injy Beshir
Food Styling: Alia El Sawy

 

Gallery Invasion
Directed and animated by Filip Sterckx
Concept by Filip Sterckx + Antoon Verbeeck
Paintings by Antoon Verbeeck
3D modeling by Birgit Sterckx
Sounddesign by Roundhouse
Mocap actor: Nicolas Vanhole
Created with the Mirror Head and MDC-X by Dynamic Projection Institute (dynamicprojection.com)

 

'Le Petit Chef and Friends' is a four course dining show, in which tiny chefs battle it out in a cooking competition. The appetizer is created by Pequeña Maria out of Spain, and features a miniature bull fight and Gaudi and Flamenco inspired projected patterns. The next contestant is Piccolo Luciano out of Italy, who prepares truffle and mushroom ravioli straight from the Tuscany wheat fields. The main course is created by Le Petit Chef from France, who uses his machine to help him prepare a Steak frites. Last but not least we have Chïsano Takahiro from Japan, who prepares Green Tea Matcha Cake, with a touch of Wasabi, from which Luciano can't resist to take a bite...
The chef that gets the loudest applause from the audience at the end of the dinner, wins the 24 karat golden chef's hat!

Written and directed Filip Sterckx
3D modeling and animation: Filip Sterckx, Antoon Verbeeck, Birgit Sterckx and Paulina Zybinska
Producer: Michael Bickel (Tablemation)
Technical installation: Illumination Magic
'Le Petit Chef and Friends' can be experienced on Celebrity Cruises (celebritycruises.com/)

 

We created this project for Museum Hof van Busleyden, and drew inspiration from their collection which centrals around the Renaissance. The world opened up in the 15th and 16th centuries. New continents were explored. Fauna and flora were catalogued and the world was mapped. A time when sciences flourished, and scientists and artists worked together and inspired eachother.
Inspired by the work of Da Vinci, Vesalius, Dodoens, Copernicus, Dürer and many others.
Written and directed by Filip Sterckx
3D Modeling + Animation: Filip Sterckx, Antoon Verbeeck, Birgit Sterckx, Paulina Zybinska Client: Hof van Busleyden
Technical Installation: EXPOd + Tempora
This project is on permanent display at Museum Hof van Busleyden
hofvanbusleyden.be

 

The world's smallest chef cooks a lobster. Bon appétit!
Written and Directed by Filip Sterckx
Concept by Filip Sterckx + Antoon Verbeeck
3D Modeling and animation by Birgit Sterckx + Paulina Zybinska

 

We made the creatures out of Bruegel's painting come to life at Brussels airport, and used projection mapping to bring colour to his engravings. At the end, the location of the original painting 'The Fall of the Rebel Angels' is revealed (you can admire it at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Brussels).
Written and directed by Filip Sterckx
3D Modeling and animation: Filip Sterckx, Antoon Verbeeck, Birgit Sterckx, Paulina Zybinska, Cedric Hermans
Client: Toerisme Vlaanderen

 

We created a new version of our project 'King Sprong' in which you see the gorilla breaking into M-Museum (in Leuven) and stealing one of the paintings...
Written and Directed by Filip Sterckx
Concept by Filip Sterckx + Antoon Verbeeck
3D modeling + animation: Paulina Zybinska
Mocap actrice + sounddesign: Birgit Sterckx

 

Le Petit Chef went on a holiday and prepared Pina Coladas, santé!
Written and Directed by Filip Sterckx
Concept by Filip Sterckx + Antoon Verbeeck
3D Modeling + Animation:
Birgit Sterckx, Paulina Zybinska, Filip Sterckx, Antoon Verbeeck
Sounddesign: Jannes Jaspers
Actors: Birgit Sterckx, Margot Vyverman, Anissa Zahiz

 

Extinct animals come back to life in 'Urban Safari'
Presented at the lightfestival Ghent (lichtfestival.stad.gent) in february 2018
Written and directed by Filip Sterckx
Concept by Filip Sterckx and Antoon Verbeeck
3D animation and modeling by Paulina Zybinska
Additional animation by Filip Sterckx, Antoon Verbeeck and Birgit Sterckx
Voice actor: Bart van der Heijden
Created with the Mirror Head and MDC-X by Dynamic Projection Institute (dynamicprojection.com)
Projectors by Nexxt (nexxt.technology)

 

The lightfestival of Ghent asked us to create a projection to announce the festival, which ran from 31.01 until 04.02.2018 (lichtfestivalgent.be)
Directed by Filip Sterckx
Concept by Filip Sterckx + Antoon Verbeeck
3D modeling + animation: Paulina Zybinska
Created with the Mirror Head and MDC-X by Dynamic Projection Institute (dynamicprojection.com)

 

The world's smallest chef prepares a delicious dessert. Bon appétit! Get in touch if you would like to purchase a license for this animation or would like us to develop a customized version of this project for your event, restaurant or hotel.

 

The world smallest chef cooks a typical fish dish, 'Bouillabaisse'... Bon appétit! Get in touch if you would like to purchase a license for this animation or would like us to develop a customized version of this project for your event, restaurant or hotel.

 

The world's smallest chef turns your plate into a projected grill. Bon appétit! Get in touch if you would like to purchase a license for this animation or would like us to develop a customized version of this project for your event, restaurant or hotel.

 

Spectators arrive one by one at a predetermined time at the venue. At the entrance, the spectator receives a golden coin. A guide comes to pick them up and guides them into the room. The spectator takes place on a wooden bench and puts on an Oculus Rift (Virtual Reality Headset) and headphones, holding the coin in one hand. The viewer is able to look around 360 degrees in a virtual environment. Because of stereoscopy the spectator has the feeling that they are actually in that virtual world. Not only through 3D vision and 3D sound, but also through other sensoric experiences such as smell and touch.
The story we bring is based on the myth of the Styx, the river in Greek mythology that formed the boundary between Earth and the Underworld. The spectator sinks down into the underground and 'awakens' next to a pier seated in a small boat. A mysterious figure (Charon) walks down the pier and jumps into the boat. He takes the coin the spectator is holding (the action of the virtual character is mimicked by the guide). Charon starts to row down the Styx, into the Underworld. He steers through a labyrinth of caves, overcoming unexpected obstacles, such as rapids and even a mythical creature. After these dark endeavours, we finally arrive in a peaceful, heavenly world. The little boat strands on a beach, and we’ve reached the end of our journey.

Concept / Design / Animation: Filip Sterckx + Antoon Verbeeck
Sounddesign: Valentijn Steenhoudt
Camera: Pierre Schreuder
Commissioned by Leuven in Scène

 

Mapping project by Filip Sterckx and Antoon Verbeeck, presented at Brussels Light Festival 2013. Dancer: Verónica Arís Zlatar / Sounddesign: Valentijn Steenhoudt

 

Mapping project by Antoon Verbeeck and Filip Sterckx in Hasselt. Actor: Roel Lauwens / Sounddesign by Valentijn Steenhoudt / 3D-scan: Mark Florquin

 

Mapping project by Filip Sterckx, Antoon Verbeeck and Bart de Melker presented at 'Muur en Mythe' in Geraardsbergen. We placed a real actor on a bike and projected the different scenes on the renewed historical hill 'De muur van Geraardsbergen'. Concept: Antoon Verbeeck + Filip Sterckx / Animation: Filip Sterckx, Antoon Verbeeck, Bart de Melker / Sounddesign by Jeroen De Meyer / Actor: Thai Noels / 3D-scanning: Mark Florquin / Video Technician: Micha Stroobants for EML / Sound assistance: Pim Rose, Annelien van Heymbeeck / Voice actors: Andreas Verbeeck, Freek de Smedt / Event Director: Dirk van de Catsyne / Event production: Tuvalu media. Edited by Filip Sterckx.

 

Mapping project by Filip Sterckx, Antoon Verbeeck and Aitor Biedma, presented at 'Festival van de creativiteit' in Turnhout. Four beamers projection on three walls and the floor. Sounddesign by Valentijn Steenhoudt / Actor Andreas Verbeeck / 3D-scanning by Mark Florquin / Beamers by Cools bvba. Shot and edited by Filip Sterckx.

 

Making of for our mapping project 'Thinking out of the box'. Shot by Filip Sterckx and Pierre Schreuder / Edited by Filip Sterckx.

 

We projected the story of 'Fiere Margriet' on a small but charming street (Eikstraat), during Leuven in Scène 2012. 'Fiere Margriet' (Proud Margriet) is an old legend from Leuven. In short it tells the story of a young lady who gets mugged and killed by a gang of thieves. They dump her into the main river in Leuven, De Dijle. Her body doesn't sink however, but floats miraculously upstream, surrounded by a magical light. 3D-scanning by Mark Florquin / Sounddesign by Valentijn Steenhoudt / Model Margot Vyverman / Beamers by Cools bvba. Shot and edited by Filip Sterckx.

 

Making of for our street-mapping project 'Fiere Margriet'. Shot by Pierre Schreuder and Filip Sterckx / Edited by Filip Sterckx.

 

Mapping project by Aitor Biedma, Filip Sterckx and Antoon Verbeeck, in the city of Antwerp. We presented a story about a fire bird that fights furiously against a mighty ice evil. Located in de Grote Markt, the 'Stadswinkel' building was the canvas for this latest adventure. Shot and edited by Filip Sterckx.

 

Mapping project by Filip Sterckx, Antoon Verbeeck and Aitor Biedma.
We projected on the facade of 'Theater de Maan' in the centre of Mechelen for the closing night of the Contour festival 2011. Shot and edited by Filip Sterckx.

 

Mapping project by Antoon Verbeeck, Filip Sterckx and Aitor Biedma at the Mekitburn festival 2011.
We constructed a futuristic DJ-booth matching the 'space' theme of the festival.
Music by The Field - Over the ice. Shot and edited by Filip Sterckx.