Seven Experiments in
Procedural Animation

Karl Sims, 2018


These animated textures and patterns were created from custom computer code employing various fractal algorithms, procedural noise, and reaction-diffusion techniques. The moving images are purely defined by mathematics, but are meant to evoke a biological aesthetic by resembling sea creatures, neurons, or other microscopic structures that transform from one emergent pattern to another.

A 5-minute version of this piece was exhibited at ARS Electronica in the Deep Space 8K Theater and the 2019 Animation Festival in Linz Austria. The original one-hour version was commissioned by Boston Cyberarts for the 35-foot video wall in the courtyard of The Exchange at 100 Federal Street in Boston.

Dark Thought

Dark Thought: Julia set fractals with transforming parameters

5-minute version with music by Arlo Sims. For best results play at Full screen with HD settings at 1080p60
Dual Bodies

Dual Bodies: evolved solid noise functions
Echinoderm

Echinoderm: Julia set fractals with N-way symmetries
Citrus Curls

Citrus Curls
Software and Animation: Karl Sims
Hardware: Linux workstation with Nvidia Titan Xp GPU


For additional technical information, visit these tutorial pages about Julia set fractals and reaction-diffusion simulations.

See these similar still images of fractals, reaction-diffusion and evolved noise textures, some of which these animations were based on.

Here is also an old technical paper from 1993 about interactive evolution of equations for procedural models, and a Genetic Images interactive art exhibit that allowed visitors to perform this process.


Fractal Sprouts

Fractal Sprouts
Reaction-Diffusion bubbles

Reaction-diffusion bubble pattern
Reaction-Diffusion Blobs

Reaction-diffusion emergent shapes


Back to other work by Karl Sims

©2018, Karl Sims, All rights reserved.