Flight 404 – Voronoi, Flowline & Biometric Butterflies
Tuesday, 10 July 2007
Voronoi and Biometric Butterflies – Flight 404
Flight 404 has just posted a good summary of the workings and production behind his wonderful Voronoi and Biometric Butterflies. Using a set of algorithms used to facilitate generative wing design in Processing he produced 7 families of butterfly, each with its own decorative wing design.
‘ The outline of the butterfly wings was made procedurally with Processing (based on the wing form of the African Monarch). I placed magnetic particles all along the contour of the wing, dropped in a few gravity particles and a few hundred magnetic particles and let them settle into place. These particles are then used as the center sites for a Voronoi algorithm to create the vein-like structure that spreads through the form.’ Robert Hodgin says.
Looking at the patterns its easy to see why Voronoi diagrams were used as a basis for the designs, Varonoi tessellations bare a distinct resemblance to the fine cellular-like structures of the wings of most insects. Aside from the prints there also some Biometric Butterflies, with laser-cut wings, that come to life according to the proximity of a viewer.
For more Flight 404 goodness, check out The Magnetosphere.