Dizzying Gifs by Etienne Jacob Infuse Mathematical Equations into Endless Loops

Share
  • Jan 12.

“Rotating dandelion.” All gifs © Etienne Jacob, shared with permission

Paris-based software engineer Etienne Jacob (previously) takes a creative approach to coding with his mesmerizing animations that fall at the intersection of art and math. Gravitating toward space-filling curves and spiral equations, Jacob designs engrossing geometries that twirl around a central axis, coil into parallel black holes, and disperse into individual dots.

Looping is an essential part of each animation, he tells Colossal, noting that the constraint influences the shapes and movements he’s able to create. Most designs are planned, although Jacob diverges when a new technique or method seems appealing. “When I start to code a loop, I give the project a name that sums up the main idea I’m planning to work on, and it seems that the end result always matches that initial project name (and idea), despite the experimentation and unplanned features,” he shares.

Jacob shares much of his work on Tumblr, along with tutorials on his website.

 

“Sphere wave”

“Torus curve”

“Cubes camouflage” made in collaboration with jn3008

“Circle to double spiral”

“Fractal sliding 2d”

“Path with 2 holes”

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article Dizzying Gifs by Etienne Jacob Infuse Mathematical Equations into Endless Loops appeared first on Colossal.