Midterm Draft #1 – Stefania Petre

Concept:
The Dynamic Spirals project creates an engaging visual experience through the generation of spiraling lines that react to user input. The spirals dynamically change in size, color, and motion based on the mouse position, creating a captivating display of colors and forms.

First Draft:

 

Design:

• Spirals: The sketch generates multiple spirals whose radii are modulated by a sine function, resulting in smooth wave-like motions. Each spiral is drawn around the center of the canvas, enhancing the visual symmetry.
• Color Palette: Colors are assigned based on the index of each spiral, producing a gradient effect across the spirals. This choice aims to evoke a sense of depth and movement.
• Interactivity: The maximum radius of the spirals varies according to the mouse’s X position. This feature adds a layer of interactivity, allowing users to influence the visual output directly.

States and Variations:
The sketch can exhibit different states based on user interaction:

• The number of spirals can be adjusted to create a more dense or sparse visual.
• Modifying the angleOffset value can lead to variations in the spirals’ animations, resulting in different visual patterns.
• Introducing additional mouse interactions (e.g., controlling color or speed) can further diversify the visual experience.

Identified Risks:
One of the more complex aspects of this project is managing the performance and responsiveness of the visual output, especially with a larger number of spirals. Ensuring the sketch runs smoothly without lag is essential for a good user experience.

Risk Reduction Strategies:
To minimize potential risks:

• The number of spirals is set to a manageable level (10) to maintain performance.
• The use of noFill() and strokeWeight() is applied to enhance rendering efficiency while preserving visual quality.
• Performance will be tested across different devices to ensure responsiveness, and adjustments will be made based on testing results.

Next Steps

• Explore the introduction of additional interactive elements, such as changing spiral behavior with keyboard inputs or varying the colors dynamically based on user actions.
• Experiment with adding background patterns or effects to enhance visual depth.
• Document findings and user feedback to improve the generative art experience continuously.