Conditional design is about creating complex visuals aided by algorythms.

The Task

The tasl was to create a set of rules that cooperatively create a nice image or piece of art. The challenge was also to not make to obvious what the rules are, if some watches the outcome. This "algorythm" had to be created on a sheet of paper with an analog medium (for example: drawing, cutting, etc.).

the process

The process was full of trial and error in which we experimented a lot. The outcome to this were many algorythms, which weren't yet not yet fully developed and up to standart. Most of theme lacked complexity but some just didn't look that good. These we called our experiments that guided us to the final products.

experiments

LINES

Rules:

For 3 Players

  • Each Player has different colour
  • Each Player draws a Line at a different position
  • Randomly decide the angle at which to add the next line:
      The angles are: 0°, 45°, 90°, 135°, -45, -90°, -135°
  • Player 1 and 2 can’t draw over the other Players lines
  • Draw a dotted line at 90° and -135°
  • Draw a dotted Line if you cross a dotted Line
  • If a line gets to the end of the paper, start again at the opposite side

lines

THE MOUNTAIN

Rules:

For 3 Players

  • Crumple up a large piece of paper
  • Carefully spread out the paper, making sure it doesn’t look to nice
  • Each Player gets one colour (preferably 3 shades of grey or brown)
  • Start coloring the folds that are now in the paper
  • Player 1 colours the „mountaintops“
  • Player 2 colours the „valleys“
  • Player 3 colours the „hills“
  • Stop when you can see an alpine landscape

the mountain

Facts

3 months long Project during the 1st Semester at HfG Schwäbisch Gmünd in the course "Programmiertes Entwerfen I" with Corinna Hirt and Max Walter, supervised by Prof. Benedikt Groß.