Assignment 5

Concept

On brainstorming for my midterm project, thought of mimicking nature with my sketches, as I’ve done for a few of my sketches so far. I was intrigued by particle systems, which I felt like I had actually unknowingly used in my ocean sketch. I wanted to do something with particle systems again, pairing it up with another concept we’ve covered in class. I debated between two ideas: a mycelium system, or a cosmic dust cloud. I settled on the cosmic dust idea because I felt like the prints or images coming out if it could be very painterly.

So the idea is a generative system that simulates the birth, motion, and destruction of cosmic dust. The goal is to create a painterly vacuum: a space that feels filled with fluid-like gas clouds. By combining Particle Systems with Newtonian Forces (Gravity/Drag) and Periodic Oscillation, I want to produce high-resolution prints that capture the shimmer of deep-space photography.

Sketch

Implementation

• The Particle Engine: I’ve developed a Dust class that handles movement and lifespan. Each particle is aware of its age, allowing the system to constantly recycle itself and stay generative.

• The Different States: I’ve established three distinct states: NURSERY (Noise-driven movement), SINGULARITY (Point-based gravity), and SUPERNOVA (Radial repulsion).

• Oscillation: I integrated Sine waves into the strokeWeight of the particles to create a subtle “twinkling” or shimmering effect that mimics starlight.

The Frightening Part & Risk Reduction 

One of the core requirements for the midterm is having multiple distinct operating modes. I handled this by implementing a State Machine – a logic structure that allows the entire physics engine of the sketch to change based on a single variable (state).

In my draw() loop, the particles check the current state of the “universe” every frame, instead of moving randomly. Using an if/else if structure tied to the keyPressed() function, I can switch between NURSERY, SINGULARITY, and SUPERNOVA instantaneously. This was a challenge at first because I had to ensure that the particles didn’t just break when the forces changed; by using p5.Vector and applyForce(), the transition between modes feels fluid, as the particles’ existing momentum carries over into the new force field.

Additionally, one of the most uncertain parts of this project is ensuring that the complex, high-particle-count visuals can be exported at A3 resolution without crashing the browser. If I simply used saveCanvas(), the print would be blurry and pixelated.

I settled on implementing a p5.Graphics buffer (canvasBuffer). This allows me to develop the logic on a small, fast 800 * 600 canvas while maintaining a hidden, high-resolution print-ready canvas in the background. My current save logic triggers on the ‘S’ key:

function saveHighRes() {
  canvasBuffer.background(240, 80, 5);
  // Future implementation:
  // for (let p of particles) { p.drawToBuffer(canvasBuffer); }
  canvasBuffer.save("nebula_output.png");
}

Instead of saving the current frame, I plan to loop over the particles one final time and re-render them onto this larger 1600 * 1131 canvas. This upscaling is a critical risk-reduction step that gives me peace of mind for the final physical print.

Another frightening part is thinking about how I’m going to make this sketch interesting enough to be a final midterm piece. Right now, it’s a skeleton. However, the basic physics – the drag (friction) that makes particles feel like they are moving through thick gas, and the Oscillation (shimmer) that makes them feel like stars – are already providing a strong foundation. I’m trusting the process: once the math is solid, the beauty usually follows in the polishing phase where I’ll play with color gradients and force magnitudes.