BarnacleDAO - Generative algorithm for barnacle growth

Ideas
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#1

At the beginning of August, I went out to the Richmond Art Gallery for a show called Imperfect Offerings.

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I was inspired by the work of Naoko Fukumaru, who does kintsugi – the Japanese art of repairing broken things with artful structures.

She did a lot more than just kintsugi on pottery, and also didn’t just use metal or resin. She had several features that were barnacle encrusted.

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I also previously saw the work of Susannah Montague (she lives and works on my hometown of Bowen Island), who immerses her ceramic sculptures in the ocean. She did a video interview with CBC.

Introducing BarnacleDAO

The idea I have is to create one or more generative algorithms that grow barnacles / encrust other images submitted.

The “simple” version would be a 2D, flat algorithm that both grows barnacles, as well as has a mode where submitted images have barnacles grow on them.

A 3D algorithm that would grow 3D barnacles would be a future version.

We would find a group of people interested in the project and pool funds. The first task would be to find an artist willing to talk this on. Although @depatchedmode or @nerdburn might both have the skills / interest to work on this as well.

Access to the algorithm could be restricted through the use of a license NFT.

We’d also want to reach out to some artists who might want to do an “encrusted” version of existing NFTs. Where they release previous work, and/or work with BarnacleDAO so that their existing collectors can “encrust” their originals, and also collect an encrusted version.

These could be static images, or we might also generate frame by frame growth images that could be displayed as GIFs or movies.

Aside from a base algorithm that makes generative barnacle growth, there could be parameters to tweak: size and colour / shading, amount of growth, and so on.

At the art layer, a “style” component. One might be “natural”, another might be cartoon/sketch, or even a vapourwave inspired style pallete, with barnacles with neon edges.

We want to support and collaborate art and artists and find partnerships here, while providing a structure where people can play and grow together.

Interested? Leave a comment if you want to be involved.

#2

Hmm, I wonder about writing some initial barnacle encrusting code in Processing/D3 or something like that, and then letting artists use it to make their own creations? Some artists might just draw barnacles too right?

#3

Yep Processing is pretty common for generative work.

I see step one of gathering interested people to join an initial project squad. If you’re interested — I’ll create a private members only group and we can share tasks.

One stage would be calling for people to “buy in” with Eth to fund the project.

Artists might contribute some works to be part of the first release — getting a “share” of the return from contributing artwork rather than Eth or effort.

I didn’t consider hand drawn barnacles. Have to think about how that fits. Obviously with the name we’d be interested in seeing lots of barnacle themed art in general.

#4

Now I want to do something like Mutant Garden Seeds but with Barnacles:

There’s probably something in here about locking up / staking the original artwork as it grows barnacles???

#5

I’d like to be part of the Team please. LOVE this idea!

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#6

Any thoughts on the nature of the barnacle growing model? Should it attempt to model the growth of natural barnacles in the wild? According to Wikipedia “Larvae assess surfaces based upon their surface texture, chemistry, relative wettability, color, and the presence or absence and composition of a surface biofilm; swarming species are also more likely to attach near other barnacles”. Presumably presence/absence of predators would have an impact too. One could sample the submitted image and generate a 2D (to start) gradient of attractiveness. A static model could then create a distribution of barnacles according to the gradient. In an iterative model, one could start with the gradient, add a generation of barnacles based on the gradient, grow/prune them, re-compute the gradient, and iterate. Realistic looking growth in a dynamic setting would be interesting/challenging.

#7

I am unburdened by knowledge of how hard or easy this. My goal was to riff on an interesting to me theme and generative art / algorithms.

So yes, I assume the sampled 2D image would be the input to the “seed”. I think the step previous to this would be an algo to grow barnacles, then scaled /modified by this attractiveness model.

e.g. more or less likely to grow on other barnacles? edge detection of the image so barnacles mostly form on edges?

At this point, the first thing that has to happen is to find a coder-designer who could take this on.

#8

A great image