Created in Processing. Fully procedural illustrations using a map system to detect shapes. A line wanders around the canvas and detects collisions. When collisions are found, a map graph is used to detect the polygon that was formed and generative algorithms are used to create fill patterns.

Beautiful Programming is a collection of generative design experiments made with Processing. I’ve always been fascinated by generative design. At an early age I discovered my grandfather’s old spirograph set in the back corners of a dusty attic. I was amazed at how the combinations of mathematical relationships created different patterns. I’ve since learned how to create these effects using only computer code. What started as a fascination has turned into a life long passion.  These sketches are the descendants of the tiny spirograph doodles I made as a boy.

View Site

While working at IDEO, I had the great opportunity to help with the NYC launch party for the book “Creative Confidence” by Tom and David Kelly.  I built some software using processing that simulated painting with a brush. To generate the colors, images were loaded from Instagram that were tagged with #creativeconfidence. Attendees of the party could sit down and paint pictures from the party. A second computer projected images on the wall that were painted dynamically by a brush simulation particle engine. 10 different effects animated and painted while loading various images of the party.