Created 2014:

For this project, I created a standalone generative visual to run in fullscreen on a computer screen of any resolution. This was done using Processing. The visual is open­‐ ended so that it can run indefinitely. In the initial stages of my project, I researched what kind of animation could be most engaging to a viewer. I wanted to create something that looped over and over but changed its variables such as colour, scale, and direction of movement repeatedly. I wanted to create some form of kaleidoscope in its simplest form. The image changing but previous elements of movement remain. I drew influence from the kaleidoscope works of Jordi Bofill of Cosmo Arts.

The graphic design is made up of five stars that each have an ellipse with in the center of them. These stars and ellipses all have outer stroke colours also. The colours of each star and ellipse are the same(bar the center), yet it’s the outer strokes and how they behave with movement are what makes this visual interesting. It is the center ellipse that is considered the center focus. With this ‘screensaver’ there are numerous dynamics. The piece is always zooming in and out. It is continuously rotating (based on the key selected for desired direction). It can be clicked and dragged to change the center points of the image. What is most interesting is the random colour changes to the outer strokes and the diameter of the center ellipse. Pressing space also resets angle and zoom to begin again. Its behaviour is somewhat similar to Spiro graph.

Using ‘if’ statements I was able to implement limits to the dynamics. It can only scale so far until the if statement sets a boolean true and changes the value of the rate I have designed causing the scale to either increase or decrease. The direction keys could also serve as a threshold as they dictate with direction/angle the image should move.

Final Product: