Face Generator (click on it)

Link: https://editor.p5js.org/koj097/sketches/kM39QmUTk

Design process

I was having time constraints and difficulty at the time, so I decided to go for something that, while simplistic, still had interesting aspects going for it. That was the concept, the process itself recquired a lot of trial and error. I ran into some trouble when I drew the sketches themselves. I drew them in photoshop, and used a pencil called the "Milton Hendrix pencil", which was basically a multicolored pencil. I drew a total of 10 faces, with varying sizes, shapes, features, and round curves. I realized the flaws of my sketches on Friday. The pencil sketches do not translate well to the p5.js sketch, because of the color gradient, curves, and pencil texture. I decided that it would just be a problem I could deal with later, and that I would just use basic shapes to trace the face sketches over.

I then decided to experiment, however, after watching the video tutorials. I decided that I liked the sketches too much, and that I would use them in the project itself. My goal with this sketch was, by using the random and clicking functions, to have a drawn face generate randomly when you click on it. So I learned how to upload the files of the faces from a seperate tutorial, and the important functions and components needed to show an image in the sketch. I was able to do that, however ran into trouble with mouse pressing and random functions, because I didn't know how I could have images be translated in their functions properly. So what I got was just this static tenth face I made. However, I got help from Professor Aarati, who taught me that the face images must be all put in a global variable, that can easily encompas all the sketches into the functions. Because of that, I was able to get the sketch to randomly generate faces when it got clicked on, as I intended.

Reflection

This project drew home that, sometimes, the concept art can be better than the final project, and that risks should and can be fun to take. It wasn't just because I'm biased about my sketches. I really wanted to put that rainbow gradient and doodly pencil texture into the final product, because it gave it a lot of personality.

It did make me a bit nervous adding the files of the sketches into the p5.js because it wasn't part of the tutorials in the syllabus. So I kind of already knew I was taking a risk. I was happy that Professor Aarati liked my project, but I don't know if the other professors will hold that against me or not. I used the components mandated in the instructions, so I should be fine. Whether or not I succeeded or not, and despite the hardships, I ended up enjoying the final product of this project.

Credits

This project was created based on the Sound Interactive tutorial by Ari Melenciano (@AriCiano) and it remixes never by Everest Pipkin (@everestpipkin), licensed under MIT License 2018.