Introduction to the Portrait
Last summer, I watched Dexter (the TV series), which has multiple seasons and sequels. I really enjoyed it, and it inspired me to create a portrait of the main character. I opened a picture of Dexter on my computer and worked on the portrait in p5.js on my MacBook while I was in the library. Since I already have some background in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, I didn’t struggle much while making it.
A quick introduction to the character: he is a serial killer who targets other serial killers, following his own moral code. His ritual involves keeping trophies from his victims, specifically by collecting blood slides after cutting their faces. In my portrait, the rotating element around him represents those blood slides, one of his signature trophies.
Code that I liked
fill(255, 255, 255, 90)
translate(300,300)
let angle = frameCount * 0.01;
rotate(angle);
noStroke()
rect(225,10,150,80)
fill('#AC153A')
circle(300,50,50)
I really like how I managed to create certain details. For example, when I wanted arcs for the eyebrows or around the ears, I achieved them by covering parts of ellipses with skin coloured shapes. I used the same method for the mouth, ears, and eyebrows. That I think involves a lot of logic. More importantly, I applied some techniques I learned from a tutorial to make the blood slides rotate around Dexter, which I thought was a great touch. So, the code above showcases rotation of the blood sample based on the frameCount. By increasing the constant, the blood sample would rotate even faster.
Reflection
For improvements: I’d like to add more interactivity and animation in the future. For example, animating blood actually dripping down his face would be a really cool effect. I could also add knife animations circling around him. Since I’m so invested in the show, I like to think of this piece almost as a self-portrait of my interests and feelings at the moment of doing this assignment. It feels very personal and entertaining to me, even if that sounds a bit delusional. For future projects, I definitely want to experiment with WEBGL to explore a 3D space. That way, I could even create a full 3D knife kit for Dexter, or add other extra details.