A simple perpendicular growth rule creates intricate city-like structures. Processing is a free application that everybody is encouraged to try — not just programmers.
Generative art is simply that created through a degree of autonomy, such as defined by a computer software algorithm. Processing is one such programming language that can do this. The examples here are from a project entitled Substrate
by Jared Tarbell.
Classic computational substrate, color palette stolen from Jackson Pollock.
Each iteration creates an entirely new image; a new pattern and form every time. As such, variations in density are common, with larger structures revealing themselves and coming to the fore. But, as density increases with time, eventually all open space seems to disappear. But, akin to Mandelbrot patterns, you simply need to zoom in to see new patterns emerging in what seems to be an infinite world.
Generative art, yes, but because of its map-like
qualities, it is also generative cartography
. Mapping created by plotting GPS trails is also a form of generative cartography. Generative approaches have also been investigated in the realms of more conventional (topographic) map creation. There are also self-organising maps (SOM), which are like slices through multi-dimensional data.
The term map
is used here in its widest sense, and one that has gained ascendency these days. Maps are more than that dog-eared road atlas in the back of the car. I’ll come back to this in a later post.
