u/Result-Comprehensive

When making string art, the first question everyone asks is: "How close is the digital version to reality?" It's always a tough one to answer, because it varies based on things like lighting, thread size, and thread reflectivity. I've never felt like I could give a great answer. So I finally decided to try simulating the construction in 3D space, the same way I would in real life. Factor in some lighting, and this is the closest I've come to approximating what these pieces actually look like in person.

One thing I've noticed I can capture with this is the way light influences the thread color. When strong enough, light can make even black thread look white—something I've noticed with the physical pieces too.

I create fiber arts using thread and nails. I take nails and create a rectangle and then wrap threads around the nails until an image emerges. I loved DBZ as a kid, I thought the inherent imprecision of the art form would lend itself nicely to the intensity of saiyan auras. What do you think?

disclaimer: I used some fan-art from pinterest as references to create the patterns. I don't know who the artists were due to resharing so I can't give credit to them or vouch to whether it was AI generated or not. The thread patterns are what I produced.

I started working on multi-color algorithms about a year ago, and now that I have my methods in a place that I like, I wanted to take some time to reflect on the process that it's taken to get to the results that I'm seeing.

To say that it's been a winding and challenging journey is an understatement. I've pursued many different avenues, the majority of which were all dead ends. Shown above are the winners... In other words, the algorithms that added more to my thought process than they subtracted.

Algorithm One was my first win. I really wanted to build something with color, and this was my first successful attempt. I still rather like the results, but they often came out as a bit scratchy and somewhat cartoonish. The details, while captured, wouldn't really pop all that much.

After working with algorithm one for some time, I wanted something that could fill in the canvas a bit more. I wanted to try and eliminate some of that cartoonish behavior. That's when I created Algorithm 2, and while it created a lot more color filling it struggled with capturing the detail and staying true to the visual aesthetic of the original image. I found that it produced really detailed black-and-white images, as having a single gradient was actually quite nice with this aesthetic. Created almost a linear, scratchy gradient. I still may use this, but only in the black and white capacity to produce an effect. The methods in this algorithm paved the way for algorithm three.

So far, algorithm three has been the most promising. It captures detail in a very visually pleasing way and allows for a softer look with fewer scaffolding lines obstructing the detail of the image. But as any method excels at one thing, it detracts from another. I noticed that some of the colors end up being compromised in the process of gaining detail.

My next journey is finding ways of combining everything that I've learned into a process that allows me to gain the best of each. Perhaps combining the three different algorithmic methods into some process that allows for the best of all worlds. Hopefully I'll be successful. If not, I think I'm happy with where I've landed after a year of hundreds of failures leading to a few big wins.

I must say it's been a great pleasure being a part of this community and trying to build something that hopefully benefits everyone who enjoys and appreciates fiber art and turning images and portraits into a physical, tactile artwork in the physical world.

Cheers.

My multi-color string app thread-mill.com is getting closer and closer to release. I'm aiming to release around mid-july so that can anyone can experience the joys of multi-color string art for themselves. If you want updates on the progress or you want to keep seeing the work that I create, you can follow me on insta: ThreadMillDigital

(edit: not sure why the images got deleted from this post)

My multi-color string app thread-mill.com is getting closer and closer to release. I'm aiming to release around mid-july so that can experience the joys of multi-color string art for themselves. If you want updates on the progress or you want to keep seeing the work that I create, you can follow me on insta: ThreadMillDigital

tl;dr: I'm looking for feedback on the new design before I rethread the piece on my wall.
(physical piece left) | (new digital pattern right)

Hey all, a couple months ago, I made the piece on the left. I'm fairly happy with it, but a few things have changed that make me want to redo it.

1. I found better (thinner / less luminous) thread that I think will improve the appearance.
2. I've massively updated the algorithm's behavior in ways that (I believe) are less noisy.

On the left is the physical piece, on the right is a rendered mock-up of the new pattern.

I'd love a sanity check from a fresh set of eyes since I've been staring at various versions of the same image.

• Is the second image too bright? The pattern seems a little overindexed towards the white background.
• Does the new pattern reflect an actual improvement in details? I believe the details are a bit more accurate in the new algorithm, and a little less scratchy in the background, but I'd love another opinion. Tastes are rather subjective, so I welcome opinions / critiques.
• Any recommendations on what pre-processing might make the image more aesthetic? Different white point? Higher contrast? Gaussian blurring? etc.

Thought I'd hop on this bandwagon and post my Dalmatian results. Left is an apples-to-apples comparison to other black-only generators.

Since my app is optimized for multicolor rather than single, I thought I'd do a black/white thread result as well

Sorry to be blowing the channel up with renders, but I'm really loving how this one turned out. It's a bit on the nerdy side, but I loved anime growing up so...

I started this journey making string art algorithms after being inspired by Petros Vrellis, and his particular work from Botticelli. While I'm certainly no Vrellis, I'm pleased that I've been able to make something that roughly approximates his work. It's come a long way.