The Impact of the Negatives

Concept:

My project, originally named ‘The Raining Texts’, has grown beyond its initial idea. In this artwork, you’ll see blue words, which represent positivity, falling quickly down the screen. They come and go swiftly. On the other hand, red words, representing negativity, descend slowly and stay on the screen. Think of the screen as our minds. The words mirror what people say about us. Positive words are like passing clouds, they come and go. Negative words, however, linger. They stick with us, becoming a burden. Even though this project isn’t grand, it carries a strong message. It shows how negative words can stay with us, while positive ones quickly fade. This idea came from a YouTube video where people talked about their best and worst memories. Surprisingly, they remembered the worst ones very clearly, while good memories seemed to fade away. This shows how much negativity can affect us. That’s what I’ve tried to capture in this simple artwork.

Link:https://editor.p5js.org/Nasar/sketches/Nv_4YVOUy

 Code Highlight:

 //Split the strings in CSV Filles and store into words/words2 array
  words = split(PositiveWords[int (random(PositiveWords.length))], ',');
  words2 = split(NegativeWords[int (random(NegativeWords.length))], ',');
  
  //initialize for loops that keep storing and creating letter objects and store words1/words2 arrays into their constructor
  for (let i = 0; i < words.length; i++) {
    let randomWord = random(words);
    letters.push(new Letter(randomWord));
  }
  for (let i = 0; i < words2.length; i++) {
    let randomWord2 = random(words2);
    letters2.push(new Letter(randomWord2));
  }
}

I found this section of the code particularly challenging. At first, it wasn’t accepting a string input. Then, even when it did, the letters class wasn’t cooperating. It took me a while, but I eventually managed to work it out. It was a bit frustrating, but I got there in the end.

Reflections/comments:

Though the code may appear simple, it actually took me quite a while to set up. It involves several different concepts we’ve learned, from arrays and classes to functions, as well as working with CSV files and incorporating their data into the letter class. The process was lengthy, even though the final outcome may not seem that way. I’ve gained a solid grasp of both new and previously learned concepts, clearing up any lingering doubts I had. Initially, I had envisioned the negative words stacking up at the bottom of the canvas, forming a tower. I spent hours scouring social media and experimenting, but eventually, I had to concede and opted for the letters flowing down, repositioning slightly upward, and then repeating in a loop. All in all, I’m quite proud of the effort I’ve invested in this project.