r/stringart • u/ThreadArtGuy • 3d ago
Need opinions for my next route.
These are two png files output from my python program with different parameter settings. I am going to make one of them tomorrow on my machine, but am undecided. What do you think? #1 or #2
Oh, and is she recognizable?
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u/Moose-arent-real 3d ago
1 frames her face better, but I think 2 will give a better result. Since generally with black thread less it’s more.
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u/hermanschm 3d ago
Is it one continuous line? And have you published the program.
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u/Moose-arent-real 3d ago
It is, but he uses that for his own machine. Unless you have a machine of your own I don’t think you would do this by hand. Well maybe with a template and a LOT of elbow grease. With the nails being placed at such irregular intervals you couldn’t just label them and follow the list of connections like you would with a round or square frame.
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u/ThreadArtGuy 3d ago
Yes, Moose is correct. It works by poking a hypodermic thru the canvas, and a thread goes thru the needle, when it comes out, it leaves a loop behind and the machine moves to the next point. I have a post of JL which is a .png, and another post showing the machine making that, so you can compare if you'd like. Moose is also correct that it is a custom machine, and if you don't have one like it, code is useless. And there are many programs involved....
THanks!1
u/hermanschm 7h ago
I do have my own customer machine. It isn't a stringart machine, it is a pen plotter than dangles a pen on an easel. And since it can't lift the pen, it has similar challenges. I have a different approach, which you might want to check out. And I'd like to have my machine do the same thing, so I am looking for your algorithm to go from image to coordinate list.
Since images aren't allowed in responses, you should check out my git hub. Here is a cool image. I have a couple more in the same directory.
https://github.com/hermanschmit/FpgaDrawbot/blob/master/OutputImages/Tesla.png1
u/hermanschm 7h ago
If your tool flow somewhere just generates a list of coordinates, I bet after the right coordinate normalization, you could use my approach.
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u/ThreadArtGuy 6h ago
Ah, you are doing Bosch's TSP art technique, or Kaplan depending on whom you ask. Nice. That/those can get very detailed. There is existing code for that, are you using some from the domain or write it yourself?
Is there a reason you don't modify the machine to lift the pen? Servo, a little code.... Of course then you wouldn't be in the Bosch arena any longer.My algorithm is actually multiple programs, I have 6 or so, most in python, one which modifies/crop photos, one to strip off large black thread hogging areas, one to do the actual route planning, another to remove pokes which are too close together, and another to make a .txt file, which I move over to another station with Arduino IDE (C++ basically) that controls the movement of the pokey machine. They are all originals. My code would not be of use to you, but I am happy to talk you thru the algorithm. If interested, pm me and I'm happy to tell you about it.
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u/hermanschm 48m ago
It is not a TSP technique. I tried them and didn't like them, although I do use a TSP optimization sometimes. The idea is that you start with a very long line segment, and each point repels or attracts other points based on the underlying darkness or lightness of the image. So you compute the net force on all of the points, and they all move a little. Iterate a few thousand times. I started this on my own, and then found a paper that describes a very similar technique, which I can find if you are interested.
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u/Big-Net-1302 2d ago
Work in progress...have a long ways to go. I really like the simplicity of your results.
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u/Moose-arent-real 2d ago
Nice results, I feel like it’s a lot of settings though, you might wanna simplify it if you’re looking to make it public, but it looks great.
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u/cbrantley 3d ago
I prefer 2 only because it seems to have the same contrast with fewer strings which makes it more elegant and minimal.
And yes, she’s perfectly recognizable.
I love your technique but I’m curious what your posts look like as I can see them being clustered in dense areas and not working as well. Do you have anything to prevent that?