Design Concept
The Digital Bonsai project explores the intersection of traditional Japanese bonsai art and generative design. While physical bonsai takes years of careful cultivation, this digital interpretation allows instant exploration of organic growth patterns while maintaining the meditative qualities of bonsai shaping.
The artistic intention is to create a space where users can experience the joy of bonsai creation without the time investment, while still appreciating the core aesthetic principles of balance, asymmetry, and naturalness that define bonsai art.
Sketch
Mermaid State Diagram
stateDiagram-v2 [*] --> Initial: Load Canvas Initial --> TrunkPlacement: User Click TrunkPlacement --> BranchGrowth: Generate Trunk BranchGrowth --> LeafPlacement: Create Branches LeafPlacement --> Complete: Add Foliage Complete --> TrunkPlacement: New Click note right of TrunkPlacement Click position determines: - Trunk height - Growth direction - Initial thickness end note note right of BranchGrowth Organic branching using: - Bezier curves - Width inheritance - Natural tapering end note note right of LeafPlacement Leaf generation at: - Branch terminals - Random variations - Clustered groups end note
Current Implementation
The base sketch uses a three-class system:
- Node class: Handles growth points and branching decisions
- Branch class: Manages the organic curves and width inheritance
- Leaf class: Controls foliage generation and placement
Key features:
- Bezier curves for natural branch flow
- Dynamic width tapering
- Organic branching patterns
- Terminal leaf generation
- Wood texture simulation
- Smooth joint transitions
Future Improvements
- Enhanced Naturalism
- Bark texture variations
- Age-based characteristics
- Growth rings
- Branch scarring
- Environmental Factors
- Wind effects
- Gravity influence
- Light-seeking behavior
- Season changes
- Interactive Features
- Pruning tools
- Branch wiring
- Growth time-lapse
- Style presets (formal upright, cascade, etc.)