False Starts & Fragments #2

I fell down another random rabbit hole this week after playing with a website called Artifactor that generates image collages using a whole lot of randomisation, masking and what seems like pure magic. It’s a brilliant concept and execution, full credit to Sascha Bregenhorn at n2.studio for combining creative coding and design into something new and experimental.

This got me thinking about two things – the first was the obvious “could I build something like this myself?” and the second “could it reflect my own design style/aesthetic”. Something a little darker, typographic and glitchy.

Here are some examples after a fair bit of refinement. There is still a way to go but I’ve managed to get all the elements working fairly well together. It generally creates something interesting.

The page will display the artwork for 20 seconds, then it fades to black and a newly generated collage fades in. The idea of impermanence seems to be a reoccurring theme across my art, I’ve never really stopped to consider why, perhaps it’s a way of reconciling my own fears about the temporary nature of all things.

At the moment I am refining the project but it is very close to being released publicly so I will share a link in the coming weeks. It is called RNDM and this current version RNDM:DARK due to the dark glitchy nature of the art it produces. The project description is as follows:

RNDM is an artist-curated generative system that continually outputs non-repeatable, ephemeral digital compositions. Created by the machine, directed by human aesthetic constraints.

If anyone is interested I’d be happy to do a more technical breakdown once it is complete.

Found Sounds

This weeks tape includes some radio recordings of classical music and also some field recordings from an airport, possibly recorded in Wellington. Please feel free to download and use these samples in your own work. I would love to hear them in use so send me a link!