Assignment 2: Fuzzy Brain

Concept:

In this project, I draw inspiration from the geometric artworks discussed in: COMPUTER_GRAPHICS_AND_ART_Aug1977.  My goal with this project was to explore the potential of ‘for’ loops to generate grids of symmetrical, curved lines, creating a structured, rhythmic design. However, I hoped to disrupt this symmetry by introducing heavy distortion, with the intention of simulating the visual effect of mind fog. The resulting artwork presents a uniform arrangement of curves that distort and displace when the cursor hovers over it, evoking a sense of disorientation and randomness—mirroring the feeling of brain fog.

Highlight:

I’m particularly proud of the distortion animation I added to this sketch. By utilizing the dist() function, I created interactive conditions that are activated when the mouse hovers over the Bézier curves. Using an if statement, I introduced random increments within a range of negative to positive values to the variables used as arguments for the original Bézier curves. This approach helped change the positions of the curve lines at random, adding distortion and creating the brain fog effect that I intended. Additionally, reducing the frame rate helped give the animation a 90’s cartoon effect aesthetic.

// mouse hover animation
    if (dist(mouseX, mouseY, x, y) < 300) {
      // displace lines randomly
      x1 += random(-20, 10);
      y1 += random(-30, 10);
      x2 += random(-40, 10);
      y2 += random(-50, 10);
      x3 += random(-60, 10);
      y3 += random(-70, 10);
      x4 += random(-80, 10);
      y4 += random(-90, 10);
    }
    
    bezier(x1, y1, x2, y2, x3, y3, x4, y4);

Reflections:

While working on this project, I experimented with creating symmetrical grids and distorting the curves to simulate mind fog. Initially, I focused on generating the grids using for loops, but as I introduced interaction through mouse hover effects, I realized how much potential this had to enhance the dynamic nature of the piece. The use of dist() and if() functions to trigger random distortions worked well in creating a more immersive experience.

Looking back, I think there’s room for improvement in making the distortions more fluid and gradual. Currently, the randomness of the distortions can feel abrupt, so in future iterations, I would explore using easing functions to smooth the transitions.