Project link: https://editor.p5js.org/Susan_Xu/present/arqz4HEMQ
If sound not working, try: https://editor.p5js.org/Susan_Xu/sketches/arqz4HEMQ
I am inspired by the artwork from my classmate, who used calligraphy techniques and created a dynamic scene of dandelion under wind. Dandelions are one of kids’ (and my) favorite plants in nature. With its wind-aided disposal, one can easily blow off its seeds into air. My goal for the midterm is to model this process in p5.js.
I started by constructing classes Seed and Dandelion, and new Seed object only generated in Dandelion object to limit its scope. Seed has its direction: pointing outward when on dandelion, and pointing upward when they fly off, following the wind direction whenever applicable. In either case, the direction is oscillating within small range.
The wind is controlled by mic input–when you blow to the computer, wind will be simulated on the sketch depending on your volume. The voice volume level is visualized by a jumping circle in the debug mood. When the magnitude of the wind reaches certain level, the seed will leave the dandelion and fly on. When in air, they are still under the influence of wind, for both direction and acceleration.
One interesting parameter to tune is the threshold of seeds’ flying off. When the threshold is high, the seed will follow the wind direction but stay on dandelion, and return to its original position when the wind stop. This is also true for some dandelions in nature.
Some feedback I got from class:
- let the stem of dandelion also swing with wind
- add more randomness when users blow (eg. random wind direction, random mass of the seed)
- add natural wind to the scene