SixLayers - Computational graphic design tool

2012 art

Links

Video

Description

SixLayers is a design tool (built with Processing) created to help generate the graphical image for the School of Art’s new Digital Design course.

SixLayers transforms 2d images into 3d objects composed of six layers. A layer is defined by the brightness of the pixels, and the tools allows you to control several parameters of the final rendering:

• The graphical symbol associated with each layer (dots, lines, triangles, rectangles, filled or empty)
• The total depth of the resulting 3d object
• The background color
• The colors applied to the gradient (the original colors of the source image are not used, instead they are converted to a gradient applied according to the brightness)
• Which part (rectangle) of the image to render
• The resolution (how many pixels of the original image are processed)

It also allows you to animate these parameters using keyframe based animation. You can export the animation as a series of frames, or as a video. You can also export individual screenshots in high-resolution.

Here’s an example of the usage of the tool:

For the website of the course, we have created various animations. Here’s one:

Technical info

Built with Processing, using ControlP5 GUI library.

Credits

Concept: Jorge Cardoso, Luis Sarmento, Carla Almeida Programming: Jorge Cardoso