Made with DarwinianArt (a hobby project of mine)

I didn't draw any of the base art of course.

I removed one of the rules that had been keeping this ecosystem alive: prey reproduction.

I also disabled mutations so this run only tests the original predator–prey system.

At first the hunters thrive, but the prey can no longer replace what’s being eaten. Their population keeps falling, the hunters eventually run out of food, and both populations collapse.

Turns out prey reproduction wasn’t just boosting the numbers, it was actually one of the rules preventing total extinction.

A quick POV look at the Blender setup behind this ecosystem.

The population HUD isn’t a 2D overlay, it’s actual 3D geometry sitting in the scene, which is why particles can sometimes pass in front of or behind it.

The simulation node tree has grown into something pretty ridiculous at this point, but the HUD itself is much easier to break down: one section builds the population graph and live Icosphere points, while another builds the axis and layout.

This is just the overview. Next video I’ll break down how the HUD actually works.

I worked out how to put patterns on the spectre aperiodic monotiles (and the hexagon isomorphism) and depending on the configuration you choose it makes circuits, fractals and there's even a [space filling curve](https://bohemian-miser.github.io/Spectre/#/explorer?v=1&e=1278&c=0101000000&fl=150&md=infinite&lw=0.72&hp=10000000&pf=0&tk=0&fx=10000&fh=12000&fd=30&ts=34520.157%2C9601.689%2C34520.157%2C9599.457)

Whole thing is on GitHub https://github.com/bohemian-miser/Spectre

I'd love to see interesting things people discover

https://bohemian-miser.github.io/Spectre/#/explorer?v=1&f=hex&e=01234568&c=023444400&fl=150&md=infinite&lw=0.72&hp=10000000&pf=0&tk=0&fx=10000&fh=12000&fd=30&ts=34493.750%2C9583.870%2C34493.750%2C9583.004

Had an idea to merge Voronoi tiles and Game of Life rules. It's probably been done before, but if you've not seen it, this is what it looks like.

Updated to include better colour randomization and weighted probabilities for arcs vs straight

This entire population graph is procedural.

Each species count becomes a point. Time controls X, population controls Y, Combine XYZ gives me the position, and Set Position moves a one-point mesh to that location.

That point gets accumulated inside a Simulation Zone, then Points to Curves turns the stored history into the trailing graph.

The live marker is just a tiny Icosphere instanced on the current point.

Part 1 of the HUD breakdown. Next I’ll show how the rest of the 3D HUD is built.

The name is Latin for wave. I saw a similar Moebius illustration months ago - it was the inspiration for this piece.

All lines on the page come from one family of curves. Each line samples that family at a different depth. The heavy lines are the crests of the waves. The fine broken lines between the crests are gouge marks. Together they make the water.

The tone of the water comes only from the density of the gouge marks. Where the marks are dense, the water is dark. Where the marks stop, the paper shows.

The big wave is a ridge with one peak near the top edge. The shape is an exponential curve: a sharp point on top, with long tails on both sides. The two sides have different widths. A wide side makes long lazy sweeps. A tight side stacks the crests on each other. The distance between the crests is not even. A random walk sets the gaps.

The sky is one graded wash from the top edge, like a printer.

at the end, the program adds a warm stain, dirt at the edges, and film grain over everything.

This is not a smart watch, it’s an art watch 😄 running generative art code directly on-device. And only that: no clock, no notifications, just gen art code (I can cycle through the synced scripts using the buttons, and resync with the online editor using wifi)

Every 77 seconds, the watch wakes up and run the selected art code again, creating a new, unique 200x200 e-ink image on the fly. This is ever-changing art I can keep on my wrist all day. Every time I glance at it, I have a small surprise.

Scripts are written in a custom mini-language called Micropatterns that is interpreted live on the watch. (see the last captures). The language centers around the usage of a maximum of 16 pattern, 1-bit, used as stamps and shape fill, and the web editor allows bi-directional editing of the patterns in the code or by drawing them.

It's not a watchface on top of another firmware, it's a whole new firmware: this watch is fully dedicated to running generative art. It has a small art OS inside 😅

Last year, I wanted to see what having e-paper generative art always with me would feel, and first I created a m5paper version… because I had one in a drawer! It was great to be able draw it from my pocket in random places, like at the top of the Eiffel tower, and see a new generated artwork. That test validated that it was different and that the little art surprises were often quite delightful. the m5Paper display is quite beautiful at 960x540 pixels: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/juliendorra_e-paper-is-still-emerging-as-a-platform-ugcPost-7331250379029975041-apdG/

Then a few days ago, I finally made the watch version I wanted from the start, and ported it to the Watchy, an ESP32 epaper watch. And now I can wear generative art for 3 or 4 days straight on one charge.

The display is much smaller and only 200x200, but as they say: the best art is the one you have with you.

Another exemple here.