The Enfantines are three sets of beginner piano pieces by Erik Satie, written with the aim of preparing children for the sound patterns of modern music. Composed in 1913, these are genuine children’s pieces, crafted for small hands, easy to learn.

“Enfantines II. Enfantillages Pittoresques” is the second of a set of algorithms that explore the basics of Generative Art, written with the aim of preparing artists for the script patterns of digital life. “Enfantillages Pittoresques” experiments with predefined plots, colour blending, webgl shaders, and generative music; all with a fresh, childish style. This algorithm has been trained to draw basic shapes in accordance to Satie’s lyrics. However, it uses them in unusual ways and creates what looks like fantastic creatures, microscopic beings, or, to follow Corneille, Constant, and Appel: "human animals".

“It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child” Attributed to Picasso (falsely, probably)

With two modes that won’t produce the same outputs, “Enfantines” are best experienced twice. In music mode, the code uses Satie’s piano composition as a way of taming randomness, the sounds affecting the parameters of the strokes.

Hey, these have won me congratulations from the Shah of Persia and the King of Yvetot!

INTERACTIVITY

Press M or Double Tap (mobile) for AUDIO mode
Wait for SILENT mode
Press I for Trait Info (desktop)
Press 1 for Canvas Save (desktop)

Introduce “?pixelDensity=171” after URL for FULL SCREEN MODE (pseudo-deterministic).
Introduce “?pixelDensity=X” for HQ renders (standard is 2, and 8 produces 400ppi 40x44cm prints).

EASY-TO-READ CODE

The “Enfantines” are educational algorithms. The code has been compressed and minified for a performance boost, but can be read fully in GitHub: https://github.com/ratchitect/

PERFORMANCE

Better experienced with Chrome.