Circles
Match
Draw a shape
How to play
- Draw one shape on the stage, in one go.
- Let go. The circles start spinning and redraw it.
- Slide Circles down to 1, then back up. Watch the shape appear.
| Do this | Phone | Keyboard |
|---|---|---|
| Draw | Drag a finger | Drag the mouse, or pick a preset |
| Fewer / more circles | Circles slider | ← → on the stage |
| Slower / faster | Speed slider | ↓ ↑ on the stage |
| Play / Pause | Pause button | P |
| Heart / Star / Note | Preset buttons | 1 2 3 |
What's happening?
- Your drawing is turned into 256 dots, spaced evenly along the line.
- A Fourier transform finds circles that, added up, hit every dot.
- Each circle spins at its own steady speed. Some spin backwards.
- Each circle rides on the tip of the one before. The last tip draws the line.
- The big, slow circles give the rough shape. The small, fast ones add the sharp details.
- This same idea squeezes music into MP3s and photos into JPEGs.
Try this: load the Star. What is the fewest circles that still gives five clear points?