Project 3- Open Ended Generative Art

3/15/2022

We presented our ideas today and I had two very different ideas for the class. The first one was to create jewelry based on my code for L-systems. The other was to create an L-system within a moving sand art frame and see how the sand would interact with the L system.

The Sand Art was interesting to me because I thought it would be a combination of natural processes of gravity on sand which includes an element of randomness and the unnatural element of code with the incorporated L-system. That would be the conceptual aspect to it and that double nature is something that I explored in my previous project 2. I think the coding element would be a little less trying now that I have a good code, but would require additional tweaking. -- The feedback I received was that it was interesting, but most likely wouldn't be conceptually strong enough or easy to make. He wasn't too sure how the interaction of the two systems would make sense .

These are some trees that I was playing with and thinking of incorporating into the final sand project. I would have made them using acrylic and lined up the pieces with the drawing of the tree.

The Jewelry was also a combination of functional art with code. -- The feedback I received was that it would have to be very strong aesthetically in order for it to be successful. Since I am not a jewelry maker and the only materials that I have access to would be a 3D printer, I will not be pursing this project.

Thought this would make some great drop earrings.

3/15/2022

I have been researching a lot of different things that would have a stronger conceptual meaning.

I've been exploring different patterns and also just playing with my code to see if anything is inspiring.

These are kind of chaotic and I like that.

3/16/2022

Going through a lot of rabbit holes and looking for more project ideas. The open endedness of this project is making it a bit more difficult, there are lot of avenues to explore. I found a few artists that were particularly cool. I really want to incorporate 3D elements into my piece and this artist did just that.

"Trickle down Aesthetics" by Troika

I honestly love how she incorporated dice into the artwork. She was playing with the idea of fate using patterns of cellular automata. I thought of actually doing something similar; however, after doing some more research into cellular automata it takes a bunch of iterations to arrive at these particular patterns. And unless you just look up what these patterns are, which they are definitely out there, there's not much more effort to it than just putting them together.

I do like the idea of fate! I would like to incorporate that idea into my final piece.

I also found this really great image that sums up my interest in generative art beautifully.

This is a painting of Newton as he is doing calculations. The way he leans away from the natural stone and foliage and into his more structured calculations really spoke to me. He is thebridge that generative art can be; the middle man between two worlds. Which I feel like I'm also always straddling. Makes me think you can always be a part of both the natural/aesthetically beautiful and logical/patterned/calculated.

A new idea has sprouted, maybe I can incorporate this image into my final piece somehow. I think I would like to use it as my base for coded textures.

3/15/2022

Glad I didn't do the jewelry project because we have an actual jewelry maker in the classroom. I've been tearing apart the Newton painting so that I can use each section as a mask for my coded textures.

I started to separate my Newton Image into various layers. Its tedious work.

I also started to play around with some coding. A lot of coding.

3/17/2022

I do not have the capabilities to code what I want for this project. And I don't want to waste my time learning code for this class. I am having so much trouble making an if statement to see if the pixels were a value other than white in order to then proceed with the code-- that way it would act like a mask for what is already there. I then was trying to learn how to use the color scheme already in the painting to incorporate into the code. Anyways, I am not proficient enough to learn this in time and make a quality piece. Like Galanter has said previously, this is not class to learn coding. I would like to revisit this in the future though and see if I can use various textures that I create to make up the different elements. I would like to do this justice, but now isn't the right time.

3/19/2022

I found something that I know I have the ability to code and that has conceptual meaning to me and can also be aesthetically pleasing. Do I have a ringer!? haha I can only hope because this is the path that I will be taking for this project!

I was inspired by inkart :

So this process below is what I thought was interesting! The artists drops a spot of color and then it spreads. The spreading can be seen as random, but where the artist is placing the spots is a little bit too controlled and I really need to capture autonomy. This is where I want to bring code into the system!

So earlier in project 1, I learned how to create a randomly filled canvas with squares of various colors and sizes in Processing. I want to use code to create randomized circles.

The technical challenge of this is to create a circle that's not a perfect circle. I need to do some research into how to make a random organic blob of various sizes. I have not decided if I want them to overlap just yet.

This is also my chance to incorporate my idea of fate into my project (as discussed previously) and to make a 3D piece.

I am excited!

3/22/2022

Trying to lay out my steps to work towards my final goal and final piece.

Steps:

Step 1: Technical challenge one: Create a code that makes randomized blogs in shape and size. (may or may not overlap)

Step 2: Make a beautiful picture of random blobs-- not that interesting, but that is just step2.

Step3: Make more than one iteration! Why? Because this is where fate falls into place. Five iterations to be exact. Five layers of random blobs, each cut out in some way. This stack will be my rabbit holes-- see how I looped back around to me going down rabbit holes. What are the chances that it will be an easy view from one side of this piece all the way to the other side? My pathways will be occluded. They may be large to begin with or small or not even there; but, somewhere on that board, I am guessing (hoping) that there will be at least one path that leads me all the way through. Fate/Chance- call it what you will.

I am choosing 5 iterations because that is how many years it has taken me to make the decision to be here, away from my home and husband- and pursue this major. A major that is a combination of science and art, which embodies my fascination with generative art.

Life choices and chances all in one piece combined into an idea of fate. It's not important for me that the viewer knows why five, but it is important that they reflect on the chances given to us whether big/small and the pathways that can lead to an end. I will see if I can try my best to reflect that in the name of the piece.

Step 3: Technical challenge number two is learning how to print this out and either

a: use foam board to cut the shapes out to make it 3D

OR

b: use the laser cutter to cut this out of a wood material (do not know how to do this at all)

Yay for chaos in learning!

Step 4: Assemble this so that it is stacked with a consistent distance between the layers.

Step 5 : I've thought of putting a mirror behind the whole piece in order for the reflection of the viewer to really make an impact.

Step 6: Name the piece!

Things I am considering-- Down the Rabbit Hole, Fateful Path... help.

3/23/2022

I presented my ideas to the class and overall I got positive feedback. It was a definite no to the mirror.

3/28/2022

I have been looking for code that I can use for my base and was able to find one person who created an animated blob in the center of the screen using java script.

n_points, radius = 200, 300

angle = radians(360) / n_points

factor = .2

def setup():

size(800, 600, P2D)

noStroke()

smooth(8)

beginShape() #Avoid calling beginShape() at each iteration

def draw():

background(255)

translate(width>>1, height>>1)

for e in range(n_points+1):

x = cos(angle * e) * radius

y = sin(angle * e) * radius

p = PVector(x, y).normalize()

n = map(noise(p.x * factor + frameCount*.01, p.y * factor + frameCount*.01), 0, 1, 10, 200)

p.mult(n)

fill(100 - e / 10 - abs(p.y), (90 + e) - (p.y/4), 220)

vertex(p.x, p.y)

endShape(CLOSE)

Since I am using Processing to create my code I manually converted the script to the processing language since many of the functions did not work the same way or at all. It was definitely a challenge. This particular code created an animated blob, in the center of the screen. I was able to manipulate the code to create a randomly generated blob at random locations on the screen that was static. Pretty excited on getting it to work!

The next step is to create a class and then call the code multiple times to draw the blob many times on the same screen.

4/4/2022

I have been trying to complete my code in order to call my blob and print it on the screen and have it loop multiple times. I tried for a good 2 days and today a few more hours. I finally reached out for help and Varda took a look at my code. I had one line in the wrong place! Well now it works.

So above are my results. It looks like its printing the same blob over and over again instead of creating a new blob for each loop. I've decided I'm not a fan of code "blobby" any more. I would like to incorporate a strong stroke weight for the outline so that the document will be easier for me to work with in illustrator and because its an irregular shape, the outline is not smooth and is truly messing with the esthetics.

4/6/2022

Playing around with my current code to make my blobs different and better. I am unable to predict how these will turn out at the moment. These are some of my happy errors:

I have gone back to writing a much simpler code. With a stroke weight of 25, I really like how these turning out. I will start with my initial 5 layers starting with this one:

4/11/2022

I have been trying to understand how to get this image from an JPEG into a DWG file. I am learning the process of what it takes to get these images into the wood laser document. It looks like I need to learn Illustrator and Autocad in order to make this happen. It doesn't seem complicated, but when you no none of the software this is pretty intimidating.

I have opened the images into Illustrator and traced the image path to high fidelity and then outlined the portions of the image that will be a hole for the laser. The most complicated part of this process was definitely the AutoCad. Its not an intuitive program for me. I click and the cursor wants to immediately highlight anything; you have to type out a function any time you want to do anything in the program (which means you have to know what the capabilities are). I finally was able to get all my images into the proper format and saved into the wood template. I will drop this off tomorrow morning before classes begin.

4/12/2022

I was able to get the woodshop to cut out my pieces however they did not have any wood in the woodshop- go figure! I ended up paying for chip board, which was unique but not my initial intention. I am now trying to figure out ideas on how to decorate the boards as it is more paper like than wood. I am thinking of going back to my initial inspiration of ink and may use that to bring color to my generative piece.

4/13/2022

Presented in class. I brought my chip board to the class. My peers seemed to really like the way the design turned out. My main concern was the chip board. Since the wood shop head told me that wood was in scarce supply this was currently my only option. I pitched my idea of the ink paint and going back to that inspiration and adding another element of random to the art. Overall I had good response from the class and they thought it was a good idea. Some even liked the plain white chip board with the laser cutter burns in the board. Galanter encouraged me to keep pushing for my initial design of wood.

4/14/2022

I went to Michaels, Hobby Lobby and Home Depot and finally found wood that would fit the requirements of the laser cutter! I had them cut the pieces to size in the store. Prices of material have definitely gone up!

4/15/2022

Dropped off my wood pieces at the wood shop- they were very surprised I was able to find any 5mm and under wood in College Station.

I love the way it has turned out, much better than the chip board. The material is much sturdier and I can see the grains of the wood.

I am working on staining each piece. I tested the three types of stain and this is the one that I have settled on.

4/17/2022

Just working on staining each part of the project.

4/18/2022

The challenge I am running into now is how I want to create space between the five boards. I am using two types of materials to try and engineer equal spacing. I have insulation foam and foam board. The thickness is a bit of a challenge . I don't want them to be too far apart, but there needs to be enough room to give each panel space to breathe and stand on its own.

4/20/2022

An update. The foam board worked the best to create equal spacing and the guerilla glue seems to be holding well!

4/21/2022

I have a finished piece! But it doesn't look quite right or finished. I feel like its missing something . I asked the class for additional feedback and they thought that maybe incorporating the use of colored lights shining through would be an additional element that I could add. I started thinking about color and my original inspiration of the ink art. I decided to add a flair of color to the piece using colored filter paper. I made the choice to only add the paper to the back panel because that fits into my conceptual purpose of fate. Color sparks an emotional reaction and I want it to add to the symbolism of "making it through" and the idea of brightness/emotion in opportunity.

4/22/2022

My final product:

Fate & Opportunity: A Generative Art Piece

Allie Ehrenfeld

Wood Board 16 X24"

Galanter, Spring 2022

I hung the piece in my hallway and used different lighting sources to make the colors pop. Overall this project has a lot of conceptual meaning to me and my journey to get to where I am in the last 5 years. Although others may see it as a glass half empty situation, I want to see it more optimistically. The chances that the doors all opened, even with so many twists and turns is phenomenal to me. I really like how the colors add an additional element of emotion to the artwork. It reminds me of stained glass that you would see in a church , which is can be associated with fate through faith. The technical challenge of creating the code was difficult. I think the circles were a better fit for the final design which made me rethink my code at the middle of the project. All in all, I am pleased with how it turned out.

4/24/2022

I installed my piece on the fourth floor of Langford using wire hooks that I was able to borrow hooks and lighting to make it work. I had to beat the rain today to get it here. I present on Tuesday!