• FLAAR has four rollout cameras to do rollouts of Maya vases and bowls:
- A 70mm film rollout camera, high-quality
- A medium-format rollout camera by Seitz, Made in Switzerland (1980�s)
- The first digital rollout camera, Better Light (circa 1997-1998).
- Updated model of the BetterLight, probably circa 2001-2003.
For any rollout done with medium format or 70mm film, we have CreoScitex scanners, the highest resolution flatbed scanners available. Unfortunately Kodak bought Creo and dumped the entire line, so these scanners have not been manufactured for over a decade. This means they operate only on very old Mac OS, so you have to have a very old Mac to operate the scanner.
Since we do not need four different rollout cameras, we would like to sell most of them, since nowadays we study primarily flora and fauna out in the swamps, fields, forests, and mountains of Mesoamerica. The income from selling these cameras would provide needed funds for our field work, since we need a 4WD double-cabin pickup truck to get our team to areas where we can study the plants.
Plus it would help to have high-resolution lenses and high-megapixel-count cameras. There are now cameras with 80 megapixel sensors, though 60 megapixels would be easier to use (files would be of a size a normal computer can handle). Until a considerate person provides a donation, or introduces us to friends who can provide a grant, we use a 36 megapixel Nikon D812. The 50 megapixel Canon is too new; it needs to be in second generation or third generation before I would trust it (sorry, I have years of experience with first generation Canon cameras�).
If you can help our research, please contact FrontDesk �at� FLAAR.org.
The difference between this Maya vase rollout and other rollouts of Maya vases
The advantage of the four rollout cameras at FLAAR is that their systems were easier to control distortion. The rollouts of Maya vases with the FLAAR cameras can be enlarged to 15 feet or 15 meters if you wish! No appreciable distortion since I use special measurement technology to eliminate distortion before I take the final photograph.
While on this subject, many vases have sides which are at an angle. So when you do a rollout you need to try to reach an acceptable angle for your rollout. So slight distortion resulting from the geometric shape of the camera is to some degree unavoidable. But what is not acceptable, is the common distortion because the rollout is too �fast� or too �slow� so that the figures and hieroglyphs are pulled wider than they were actually painted, or are scrunched too narrow. This kind of distortion messes up the artist�s original style. And, this kind of distortion is a result of the camera design (a polite way of saying that the camera system itself is faulty).
But probably a distorted rollout is better than no rollout at all. However as an archaeologist, I prefer a rollout that is as true to the original perspective of the original artist as possible.
Links to FLAAR Rollouts of Classic Maya vases
In order to make it easier to find the dozens of Maya vase rollouts that are on the Internet we have created this helpful directory to rollouts of polychrome and carved Maya vases by Nicholas Hellmuth in the FLAAR. Photo Archive. Most of these Maya vase rollouts are direct digital rollouts, with the Better Light pano-turntable rollout camera system (which is pictured and described on www.digital-photography.org).
Plus it would help to have high-resolution lenses and high-megapixel-count cameras. There are now cameras with 80 megapixel sensors, though 60 megapixels would be easier to use (files would be of a size a normal computer can handle). Until a considerate person provides a donation, or introduces us to friends who can provide a grant, we use a 36 megapixel Nikon D812. The 50 megapixel Canon is too new; it needs to be in second generation or third generation before I would trust it (sorry, I have years of experience with first generation Canon cameras�).
Some of these rollouts are on the present site, www.maya-art-books.org; others are on a variety of other sites. You can always click the BACK button to return to this directory, or click on the GO (back to) button if you use Netscape Communicator.
Maya polychrome vases are among the most informative artifacts produced by the ancient Maya of Guatemala, Mexico, Belize, and Honduras. The artistic quality, style, and iconography generate considerable interest in this Classic Maya art form.
Includes links to Maya art rollouts on www.maya-archaeology.org, www.maya-art-books.org, www.laser-printer-reviews, www.wide-format-printers.org, and www.dye-sub-printer-review.org
• Maya ceramic art; pedestal (ring base) bowl from Campeche-Peten border area
- lid of basal flange bowl, Museo Popol Vuh
- unusual Highland Guatemalan ceramic effigy
- dye sub sample,Codex Style vase
- dye sub sample print, two views of Maya vase, stylized feline spots
• for many other Maya vases and artifacts see listings under "Museo Popol Vuh"
• Maya vase rollouts; instruction course on how to do rollout photography
- Belgian rollout camera, 70 mm film, closeup of incised bowl
- Castillo Bowl, 14 foot long rollout; detail of one of the figures, bat-man
- Curly Face pot, on the turntable, with the rollout equipment in position
- two panels from a Tiquisate cylindrical tripod showing Curly Face (closeup detail)
- black-and-white rollouts from Lexmark laser printer (same image but larger)
- detail of rollout of Red Band Tepeu 1 bowl
- close-up detail of anthropomorphic flower (unpublished elsewhere)
- Hun Hunahpu's head on gourd tree (here generally considered a cacao tree)
- rollout of a Codex Style pot (unpublished elsewhere)
- rollout of the Paddler Gods, Museo Popol Vuh (lowest of three images in picture)
- rollouts of two different Maya vases each with a different form of the Mat motif
- rollouts of two different vases which picture females, women in Maya art
- various rollouts of Maya vases including one from Museo Popol Vuh
- several Maya vase rollouts with the FLAAR. 70 mm film system made in Belgium
- Holmul Dancer vase, rollout of one panel, Museo Popol Vuh
- history of the development of rollout cameras
- rollouts illustrating symposium schedule
- Tepeu 1, dancing wayob (naguals, alter ego animal spirit companions)
- Tepeu 1 vase with nice PSS, segment showing executioner with small enema jug in front.
- more schedule, with rollout photographs of polychrome Maya vases
- Maya vase rollouts printed on large format printer
- Maya throne scene, closeup of enthroned king, closeup of Maya attendant
• Mayan hieroglyphs
- PSS, (including two vases never before published, including miniature "sombrero lidded bowl")
- another bowl with flawlessly preserved PSS, not previously published
• flawlessly preserved PSS, original, no repainting, reversed (backwards PSS)