Author: aalbrigh@andrew.cmu.edu

Alec Albright – Project 02 – Variable Face

sketch

// ALec Albright
// Section B
// aalbrigh@andrew.cmu.edu
// Project 02

var hairHeight = 130;
var hairWidth = 365;
var hairRed = 230;
var foreheadH = 320;
var foreheadW = 160;
var foreheadBlue = 255;
var lowerRed = 240;
var noseBlue = 255;
var leftEyeY = 175;
var rightEyeY = 200;
var leftPupilX = 230;
var rightPupilX = 340;
var jawWeight = 30;

function setup(){
    height = 480
    width = 640
    createCanvas(width, height);
    angleMode(DEGREES);
}

function draw(){
    background("blue");
    // forehead
    fill(0, 255, foreheadBlue);
    noStroke();
    rect(140, 120, foreheadH, foreheadW);

    // lower half of face
    noStroke();
    fill(lowerRed, 0, 200);
    quad(125, 270, 475, 270, 370, 470, 250, 470);

    // mouth
    fill("black");
    arc(300, 370, 100, 40, -10, 170, PIE);

    // nose
    fill(153, 51, noseBlue);
    triangle(300, 230, 325, 320, 300, 330);

    // eyes
    fill("white");
    ellipse(240, leftEyeY, 45, 80);
    ellipse(350, rightEyeY, 60, 95);
    fill('black');
    ellipse(leftPupilX, leftEyeY + 15, 15, 30);
    ellipse(rightPupilX, rightEyeY + 20, 23, 40);

    // hair
    fill(hairRed, 130, 0);
    rect(120, 0, hairWidth, hairHeight, 160, 40, 60, 0);

    // jaw
    stroke('yellow');
    strokeWeight(jawWeight);
    line(150, 320, 250, 470);
    stroke("red");
    line(200, 445, 435, 445);
    stroke('limegreen');
    line(450, 295, 350, 505);
}

function mousePressed(){
    hairHeight = random(110, 150);
    hairWidth = random(335, 395);
    hairRed = random(0, 255);
    foreheadBlue = random(0, 255);
    foreheadH = random(300, 340);
    foreheadW = random(140, 180);
    lowerRed = random(0, 255);
    noseBlue = random(0, 255);
    leftEyeY = random(145, 205);
    rightEyeY = random(160, 240);
    leftPupilX = random(220, 260);
    rightPupilX = random(320, 360);
    jawWeight = random(10, 50);
    clear();
}

At the beginning of the process, I struggled to find what variables I would like to create, and what facial features I wanted to generate. I eventually wound up deciding that I wanted to change most structural aspects within constraints, a few color aspects, and absolutely let the pupils of the eyes cross if randomly selected to do so. Thus, I began toying with various features, dimensions, and colors until the result was a satisfying range of diversity in faces, based on my previous project.

Alec Albright – Looking Outwards – 02

Linienbild series of generative curves by Zdeněk Sýkora

The Linienbild series of generative curves by Zdeněk Sýkora is a group of works by a pioneer in the field of generative art. Zdeněk Sýkora, creator, began this work in 1975 and continued it for over two decades. The inspirational aspects of this series for me are the connection and evolution of its general aesthetic as time progresses. It is as if for each several years of time passing, the thicker the lines and the more simple yet bold the next installment of the series becomes. I suppose that the algorithm used to create these works may have included some time variable to implement this idea of physical bulk and growth as time progresses. It also appears that the algorithm may have randomized the color of the lines.

Alec Albright – Project 01

sketch

// ALec Albright
// Section A
// Project 01


function setup(){
    height = 600
    width = 600
    createCanvas(width, height);
    angleMode(DEGREES);
}

function draw(){
    // background color change
    if(mouseIsPressed) {
        background("black");
    } else {
        background("blue");
    }

    // forehead
    fill(0, 255, 255);
    noStroke();
    rect(140, 160, 320, 160);

    // lower half of face
    noStroke();
    fill("magenta");
    quad(125, 310, 475, 310, 370, 510, 250, 510);

    // mouth
    fill("black");
    arc(300, 400, 100, 40, -10, 170, PIE);

    // nose
    fill(153, 51, 255);
    triangle(300, 270, 325, 360, 300, 370);

    // eyes
    fill("white");
    ellipse(240, 215, 45, 80);
    ellipse(350, 240, 60, 95);
    if (mouseX < width/2) {
        fill('black');
        ellipse(230, 230, 15, 30);
        ellipse(340, 261, 23, 40);
    } else {
        fill('black');
        ellipse(250, 230, 15, 30);
        ellipse(360, 261, 23, 40);
    }

    // hair
    fill("orange");
    rect(120, 40, 365, 130, 200, 40, 60, 0);

    // jaw
    stroke('yellow');
    strokeWeight(30);
    line(150, 360, 250, 510);
    stroke("red");
    line(200, 485, 435, 485);
    stroke('limegreen');
    line(450, 335, 350, 545);
}

In creating this project, I wanted to experiment with both understanding the coordinate system and using imperfection and variety in shapes and color to provide character in the work. I certainly encountered some struggles in accurately placing objects initially, but I got better at it as I progressed through the assignment.

Alec Albright – Looking Outwards – 01

Demo and tutorial of SICKTRICKS by creator Bo Tembunkiart

SICKTRICKS is an interactive video game for the sport of tricking, which is an aesthetic blend of martial arts, gymnastics, and break-dancing. It was a project created nearly three years ago by CMU student Bo Tembunkiart. Though this project was created from scratch, it did utilize the Autodesk Maya application for 3-D interactivity in order to allow for more realistic movements and responses by the avatar.

The project was not as inspired by one particular work as it was inspired by the lack thereof. As tricking is a somewhat new, relatively small sport, the creator wished to create a video game for the tricking community, entering a space that has not been widely explored before. In this way, it offers a new area of potential study for the video game world, expanding the awareness of tricking at the same time.

I admire this project because not only does it explore a new realm of video games, but it also is wildly impressive to me that such a game was able to be created from scratch in just one semester. It is exciting for me to see that you can create new content even if there is no template, so long as you’re willing to work hard enough for it. This project was certainly outside the box, and that to me is definitely inspiring.