Algorithimic Animation Homework // Fall 2010

George Bixby // Professor: Zachary Lieberman

Final Project

For my final project I concentrated on typography. I combined particle-to-particle interaction and type, and hope to use this as the basis for some interactive type pieces. Below are three version of this code.
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Homework #9

a) Using one of the three techniques for fast particle particle interaction, please try to make an interesting interaction (not composition) out of them.
I am still working on adding some more interaction to them, possibly lines that connect them so it looks like they are getting tangled.

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b) try using the spring system (springs and springs with internal forces, etc) and combine them with something else we've covered, like vector fields, attraction and repulsion, etc.

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c) Useing Soda Constructor, create a creature. Save a good model and include a screenshot on your homework page.





d) now, with that inspiration (hopefully) use the spring example with muscles (ie, springs that have their rest length changing) to make a creature that does something interesting.

Homework #6

Create 3 compositions using the vector field. These can be interactive or static (meaning, the VF can change or not based on user input) based on input from the mouse, keyboard, or video / camera (as shows in the last example). Think about drawing and using the particles in an interesting way (not just circles, but how do draw images, use atan2, etc). Play with the damping forces inside of the particles. Make an interesting and unique field for the particles to move on. Be sure to experiment with turning off the drawing of the field.

I've been thinking about animating type since they begining of the semester so I thought it was time to give it a chance. I was having a little difficulty figuruing out how to work with the getCharacterAsPoints function, but finally got it working (sort of). Next step will be to manipulate the type with the vector feild.

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a) Cloud animation using combination of vector feild and particle to particle animation


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Particle animation using combination of vector feild and particle to particle animation and live video


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Homework #5

(a) create a looping fireworks animation (non interactive). You will need to reset or restart particles every so often.

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(b) since you know how to position things in a circle using the formula: x = x_orig + radius * cos (angle); y = y_orig + radius * sin (angle); think about how you could use sinusoidal information to start all the particles with some interesting positions / velocities. Instead of using random, use sinusoidal information (in any way you want) to make the sarting positions/velocities of these objects interesting. can you use sin/cos to make the movement or drawing of the particle more interesting?

(c) Besides evidence to the contrary, particles don't have to be just circles! you can draw them however you want. Can you create an interesting effect with transparency or by using images? Can you use parameters, like velocity to control the way these objects are drawn (like, they get smaller as they slow down, or more transparent, using angle of the velocity to rotate, etc). Think about trying to create a natural phenomenon or make something really nice looking.

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(d) Hook up the drawing code (from the lissajous example) to a particle so that the particle draws a trail of where it has been. see if you can make this trail fade out (like a comet) Use alpha or some other method.

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(e) Make a funky, expressive drawing tool with particles.

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Homework #3

a) make a composition using the animation techniques that is a tribute to john whitney:


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c) try to use sin and cos to emulate a natural phenomenon
For this assignement I took the video of the branch I took in week one, and tried to animate one of its key movement. I attempted to capture the way the branch moved in a circlur motion around its base in response to the wind, and how the smaller branches at the tips also did so but at a different rates.



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d) extend the xeno / atan2 code, making a creature which follows the mouse.
This is the begining of a creature that breaths when stationary, breaths faster when moving, and has a tail.


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Homework #2

Animation Experiment:

a) fastest non-moving speed

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b) fastest still perceptible speed


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c) click to change pta and ptb

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d) shaper controlls something else besides position

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e) multiple xenos

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Homework #1

Part 1: Create a Flip Book Animation





Part 2: Mapping Movement

For the second part of the assignment, we were asked to video tape a few instances of movement, and create a drawing which of some aspect of the movement.

In this first video, I watched a tree branch being blown around by the wind. I followed the point of the main branch, which moved both in spirals and back in forth around its base.



Here is the drawing I made of the movement:



In the second video, I watched steam escaping from a tea kettle. It was hard to read exactly what it was doing, but it seemed to generally spiral out of the spout.



Here is the drawing I made of the movement:



In the third video, I watched some pigeons as they walked by. I tried to map the point of each of their beaks. When they walk they move their necks back and forth drastically, which accounts for the overall zigzag pattern. They also frequently peck at food on the ground, which is visualized by the sporadic vertical marks.





Part 3: Drawing My Name In openFrameworks
This was the first time I've touched openFrameworks, so it took me some time to get it up and running. Once I finally did, I decided to keep it simple and map out my name using line segments.
Here is a screen shot of the code being run:



Here is a screenshot of the code (I will upload actual code tomorrow):