Week 2 – Shape Spiral

Concept

For this piece, I was inspired by Casey Reas’ Eyeo talk on chance operations. I wanted to explore randomness by creating a dynamic, ever-evolving spiral pattern of shapes, where both the number of sides and the colors are randomized. The randomness adds an element of surprise, making the artwork feel more organic and unpredictable. I also referenced this guide for parts of the code, particularly for drawing the shapes using vertex points.

Code Highlight

One part of my code that I’m particularly proud of is how I used the random() function to generate shapes with random sides and colors. This randomness brings variety and excitement to the piece:

// Randomize the number of sides for the shape (between 3 and 7)
let numsides = floor(random(3, 8));

// Randomize the color of the shape 
let shapeColor = color(random(255), random(255), random(255));
fill(shapeColor);  

This part ensures that each shape in the spiral is unique, giving the piece a playful and dynamic feel.

Embedded Sketch

Reflection and Future Improvements

While I’m happy with how the randomization and spiral pattern turned out, there are several ways I could improve this piece. For example, I could make the sketch more interactive by allowing users to control certain parameters, such as the speed of the spiral or the size of the shapes. Another potential improvement would be to add sound elements that react to the shapes or colors, making the piece more immersive.