Outline
In this lab you will:
- Confirm your project plan with your instructor (you must show your plan)
- Start working on some preliminary sketching for your project
- you can sketch using code
- you can sketch using pencil and paper
- you may need to engage with further brainstorming to clarify/solidify your ideas
- Write about what you have done (update your project documentation and project progress)
- investigate (briefly) the concept of reaction-diffusion
Introduction
We will continue working on your Final Project!
You can find all the details about the final project assessment task by visiting the final project deliverables page.
NOTE: You must Must MUST fork and clone the project template repository. A number of students are still to fork and clone, and it is now Week 4 of 9 weeks for working on your project!!! You can find the template repository for your final project submission here.. If there are blockers for working on your project we will work on identifying and getting around these.
The theme for the final project this year is “… endings … beginnings …“.
Part 1: Confirming your project implementation plan [15-30 minutes]
Your instructor will visit you to discuss your plans. his includes both your interpretation of the theme, and your schedule of tasks.
You have 15 minutes to write out a basic plan if you have not yet done so.
Your planning documentation must be added to your forked and cloned GitLab repository.
Part 2: Sketching [50-60 minutes]
When you have confirmed your project plan, you can move onto working on sketching out your ideas.
Your sketching can be completed using p5.js (writing code) or using pencil and paper.
If necessary, you can engage in more brainstorming to clarify/solidify your ideas.
We will run a brainstorming session for those who would like to develop their ideas and creativity further.
When you have finished your sketching for today, make sure you stage, commit and push your work to GitLab. If you sketched using pencil and paper, take photographs of your pages and add these to your repository (in a folder called “documentation”).
Part 3: Documenting [10 minutes]
Write a short piece reflecting on the progress you have made.
- What did you achieve today?
- How are you tracking against your plan?
- What is working?
- What is not working/needs to be changed, scrapped, or tweaked?
Adapt your plan if necessary.
When you have finished your documentation, make sure you stage, commit and push your work to GitLab.
This will be completed offline following your instructors prompts.
Part 4: Reaction Diffusion Systems [30 minutes]
Reaction Diffusion Systems are a mathematical model of a dynamic system where 2 or more components interact through a process of “reaction” (a substance transformative process) and “diffusion” (a spatially transformative process with the effect of “spreading”).
Originally developed as a mathematical model for analysing the spread of biological phenomena, Reaction-Diffusion models have been found applications in Chemistry, Geology, Physics and Ecology.
The mathematics is complex (literally involving complex numbers), and so this is beyond the scope of this lesson.
However, the algorithm for a reaction-diffusion system involving 2 substances using the Gray-Scott model is relatively straightforward and has been covered a a coding challenge in The Coding Train by Dan Schiffman based on a description of the process by Karl Sims.
The lab template repository contains an example of the code with a few changes.
DO: Fork and clone the lab template repo.
Follow the live demonstration and Q&A session with your instructor.
One thing to note is the speed of this implementation - it is incredibly slow. This could be an example of “slow art”. :-)
However, you can find much faster implementations, including those using shaders for faster processing speeds.
High-speed reaction-diffusion systems can be used to
- create beautiful, organic-like shapes
- transformative animations seeded from any digital image
- 3D surface deformations, generative geometry, and amazing textures
You may wish to consider how reaction-diffusion systems might be used in an artwork.
Summary
Congratulations! In this lab you:
- confirmed your interpretation of the theme and the representation of this interpretation
- confirmed your project plans
- worked on sketching out your ideas
- documented your progress
- committed all changes
- learned a little about reaction-diffusion systems
Before you leave class today, make sure you commit and push your work to GitLab.