Kelp

Kelp represents the third "published" output of our renewed collaboration. We were inspired by an underwater photograph taken looking through a kelp field and upward toward the sun. An old art professor of mine told me that art comes from nature so this is a concerted effort to bring some of that into our imagery.

This is a layered image. The background layer has a 50% probability of being a radial gradient representing the sun. Of the remaining 50%, the background can be a solid random color 25%, or 25% of the time no color or white.

Forward from the background, based on some more random probability, from one to possibly four layers of kelp lines can be drawn. The kelp lines are a variation Chris' vector field/ linear interpolation algorithm where the lines never cross but with a refinement. The thickness of a "kelp" line is not constant, it varies in width sinusoidally. The amount of thickness is relative to the z-depth of the layer.

It was very tempting to sway the kelp in the ocean current but we'll save this idea for another time.

We give you the option to decide. The images produced by the algorithms in this composition have the voluptuous, organic quality of an underwater landscape with or without the sun in the background. We hope you enjoy our attempt at nature in this collaboration.

Our story: In 1973 I was an instructor of Engineering Graphics in the College of Engineering at Michigan State University as well as a graduate student in Graphic Design. In the College of Engineering I was fortunate enough to meet Christopher Scussel, a fellow graduate student who was majoring in a new program called Computer Science. I was struggling using the earliest forms of computer equipment and the cumbersome programming language called FORTRAN to make make computer art. I asked Chris for help and he graciously consented. That began our amazing friendship that has lasted to this day.

Chris and I collaborated on a number of early pieces. He showed me how to formulate algorithms into code. He showed me how to program the primitive equipment of the time: line printers, storage scopes and pen plotters to make graphic output. We even built our own graphic output device, an 8 x 8 array of light bulbs. We were indeed pioneers.
Chris graduated in 1976 and has since retired after working 37 years as a research scientist at Bell Labs. I went on to get a Ph.D in 1981 and moved on with my life (see my story on (www.drbillkolomyjec.com). I started making generative art again in 2020. In true "glory days" spirit I tracked Chris down to see if he was interested in collaborating. Once again he graciously consented citing an opportunity for "creative stimulation", so here we go again. It is pure joy to be working with Chris again.

Check out Dr. Bill Generative Art OG @ drbillkolomyjec.com