Asemic Illustration I

Uninterpretable technical diagrams in the asemic writing tradition.

This is a place and test algorithm using four geometric objects. The point source object, a randomly placed position from which everything manifests. The arc, a curved line with a centroid around some point source object. The radiant, a straight line that originates on an arc and emanates away from its point source. The end point, a graphic ornamentation detail placed on the end points of radiants and arcs.

Simple representation of geometric building rules

Coloring is achieved with sand painter objects. Sand painters are sweeping lines that expose the image with thousands of highly translucent colored pixels over variable density similar to traditional sand painting.

The algorithm allows for keyboard control over the growth of the composition. Point sources can be added at will. Arc or radiant growth can be accelerated. Sand painting can be stopped and started. Glowing nodes can be added and later connected across multiple scales. All this control is exposed during the drawing process to allow emphasis on whatever aspect of the process seems interesting at the time.

Capture of an interesting error state overexposing the sand painter objects

Glowing nodes are overlaid into the resulting geometric construction, then connected together to form imaginary constellations.

Multiple captures are made of the same composition as it grows. What is interesting often becomes more interesting during computation.

Dialing in the sand painting application
Detail of typical point source growth behavior
Distributed and sparse
Alternate coloring
Early development capture showing completeness capacity of the algorithm. This is about as good as it gets before new element locations move towards zero
Early development capture showing more distributed initial point source objects
Early development capture showing first use of sand painter objects
Early development capture showing radial placement of initial point source objects
Early development capture showing obvious points of collision between geometric elements
Early development capture showing the place and test algorithm at work, where east test location places a translucent green pixel

Download Source Code

Programmed in Processing

By Jared S Tarbell

On Orcas Island, Washington, USA

Around 2:20pm September 13, 2020

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