This application is very simple (but it does not yet work on mobile devices). When you participate, the platform will load a photograph of an archaeological artefact. Once the image has been loaded, you will be asked to click or tap around the edge of the artefact in order to define a polygon outline. Click once every time you wish to add a point along the edge of the polygon and your final point will snap back onto the one you started with. You can draw one polygon around the entire object or instead draw a series of overlapping polygons if you prefer. In general, we would like you to draw your polygon(s) very slightly inside the actual edge of the artefact. This is because we don't want background pixels near this edge to create a fuzzy border, and we don't need to worry so much about losing a bit of the artefact edge, as the missing few pixels are very likely to appear in one of the other photographs (at least 40 overlapping photographs are likely to exist for each object to support the construction of the 3D model). An example of a successful outline is shown below:

How to use the photo-masking toolbar:

Outline: This option is selected by default and indicates that the actions that follow will relate to the creation of a polygon along the contour of the object.

Holes: This option is usually not available, but will appear every time the object you want to mark the outline has 'holes', as in a bracelet. In these cases the background must also be excluded within the 'hole' itself. Click on 'Holes' before starting to draw or edit a hole inside the object.

Draw: This option is selected by default at the beginning of each task. Click 'Draw' each time you want to begin drawing the contour of an object. Once the contour polygon has been completed, the blue line outlines it becomes yellow.

Edit: This option becomes available when at least one polygon has been completed. After clicking 'Edit', choose the polygon you want to edit by clicking once at any point in the polygon. The polygon line will turn blue and be modified.

Remove all polygons: Use this option if you want to start over again. By clicking on this option, you will remove all the polygons that were previously drawn.

Save the drawings: Click on this option when you finish the photo-masking of the object - save your work as completed.

During the task, you can always return to this tutorial via the "Tutorial" button.

An example of a completed 3D model.

To find out more about the project, ask questions, suggest changes or provide new ideas and ideas, please sign up for our community forum.