Eternal Tidesgenerative art series

Eternal Tides~

Eternal Tides is a generative art project that explores the intricate connections between digital processes and the natural world, merging generative code, nature, and real-time data. The artwork captures the ocean’s shifting moods— calm, turbulent, and everything in between—mirroring nature’s unpredictability.

This dynamic flow is visualized through live Bitcoin blockchain data, where each newly mined block generates a fresh “Data Painting.” Structured around a calendar, “Eternal Tides” reveals a new artwork each day. The algorithm, influenced by block size, dictates the number of waves and primary colors used in each iteration, while network activity affects the sea’s roughness and the wind smear shader effects. Each Bitcoin block contributes a unique shape and form based on real-time data. This cyclical creation bridges natural oscillations and fluctuations, encouraging reflection on the ocean’s tides and the ebb and flow of financial markets. The piece meditates on time, technology, and nature, evolving continuously with each block’s input, emphasizing life’s inherent fluidity and interconnectedness.

At its core, Eternal Tides explores the spectrum of emotions and subtle shifts that mirror the ocean’s changes, serving as a metaphor for human and digital networks. It reflects on the experience of living beside the ocean, where each day brings subtle yet profound transformations. Like the ocean, human activities whether in personal lives, communal networks, or markets follow cycles of ebb and flow. The blockchain, much like the ocean, represents a vast, interconnected system driven by constant activity and change. These fluctuations, shaped by human interaction and market forces, mirror the ocean’s tides both predictable and unpredictable. “Eternal Tides” underscores the deep connection between the natural world and the digital social era, highlighting the symbiosis of human activity and nature in an ongoing cycle of data paintings. Through this, the artwork captures and contemplates how the tides of change, both in nature and the Bitcoin Blockchain network, manifest as diverse emotions and subtle, ever-shifting experiences.

COLOR STUDY

In crafting the color palettes for "Eternal Tides," the artists engaged in an exploration of chromatic harmony, drawing upon the emotive power of color as pioneered by Mark Rothko. Each hue is selected with meticulous sensitivity, not only for its individual resonance but for the symphony it creates in concert with others.
The palettes are not arbitrary; they are the result of deep introspection and technical precision, a fusion of art and science that evokes a spectrum of feelings in the viewer.

A custom technique was developed to fine tune and test each palette, ensuring that the colors are not just complementary, but coherent across the entire collection. The weight of each color is considered, with a keen understanding that every shade contributes to the emotional gravity of the piece. It is a deliberate interplay of light and pigment, where the vibrant intermingling of colors captures the essence of a multi-hued ocean.

The meaning of each color in each palette and their subtleness speaks to the soul, colors that breathe and pulse with life. In this collection, colors are not merely seen; they are felt. They reach out to the viewer, inviting an intimate dialogue, each palette a carefully curated narrative that resonates with the ebbs and flows of human emotion. The hues are not only vibrant but vital, reflecting the profound interconnectedness of color, emotion, and experience.

Palette types:

~OCEANIC //~MOONLIGHT //~EARLY //~DAWN //~SUNSETS //~CORALS

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Responsive!~ Enter live or full screen mode to draw the art in any format ratio.

Interactive Keyboard Controls

Time Navigation
Left Arrow / 'b': Move back one day in the artwork’s timeline. Cycles through months and years.
Right Arrow / 'f': Move forward one day, advancing through the artwork’s temporal sequence.

Data Visualization
'c' Key: updates the current blockchain data and starts a new waves cycle based on the highest block, integrating real-time data.
'd' Key: Show or hide the data overlay, switching between the base artwork and the data visualization view.

Animation Speed
'1', '2', '3', '4', '5' Keys: Change the speed of the animation, ranging from slow to fast , for different visual effect.
Extra Windy Effect 'x' Key: Toggle an additional smear effect that enhances the fluidity and complexity of the visuals.

Resolution Adjustment
Using “Ctrl/Cmd” + “+/-”, viewers can alter the artwork's resolution.
Higher resolutions introduce new layers of definition and detail to "Eternal Tides."

Saving
's' Key: Save the current state of the artwork as a PNG file, capturing its unique visual moment.
Wave Reset 't' Key: Reset the wave patterns and restart the animation cycle, clearing the canvas for a fresh start.

GPU required
The work is using GLSL Shaders and requires a graphics card for optimal performance.
Due to the complexity of the code, some devices may take over a minute to render the artwork fully.

Resolution Agnostic~‘Eternal Tides’ offers a responsive viewing experience.
In live or full-screen mode, the art extends seamlessly to any format ratio, introducing new detail in wide formats.

PROCESS

A generative art project by Phenomena
Developed by Ronen Tanchum and Ori Ben Shabat

Courtesy of Phenomena Labs Ltd, All rights reserved ©2024
CC BY-NC-ND 4.0