This iteration of the project is based on images of dew laden spider webs. As a source material, these phenomena emulate the filamentary structures that exist in the cosmic realm. As such they are an ideal material on which to commence our project. As we scroll to the right the different processes that have been exchanged between us are displayed and the results collated. The aleatory elements are present in the range of filters and assumptions that we have applied to this given source. Many thanks also to the spiders who gave us such beautiful patterns to explore.

Please click on the images to expand

Phase 01

Original file 3195

Paul created a 'noisy' version of the above image and then extracted signal from the noise by vectorizing the result. This gave an image composed of sharp edged shapes that was itself be re-processed by a recycling of the technique. The image tone inversion and the enhancement of colour are standard astronomical conventions in order to extract information from the surrounding noise.

The resulting image was turned into a spiral that adopted the shape of a 'grand design' spiral galaxy. A movie is included showing the whole 4 cycle sequence.

Movie of the sequence

An alternative spider's web was introduced (3185) and recycled several times through the vectorizing / rasterizing process but this was not pursued.

Phase 02

Paul then tried to re-introduce the Z (depth) element back into Ulrike's XY interpretation by 'rabbit holing' the images in a short movie then extracting stills, matched 1 for 1 with the originals.

Stills from the movie 3195-XY-01. Movie of sequence below thumbnails

Phase 03

In this phase Paul has taken Ulrike's plotting onto the phase 02 of the project and tried to regenerate a spherical universe again. The outlines and text have been alienized as vector graphics. (click to enlarge)

Phase 01

3195

Ulrike extracted the sources as if they were galaxies on an astronomical image of a patch of sky. These “sources” (galaxies = raindrops) are detected with existing astronomical software that works on a pixel-to-pixel basis and creates catalogs. Filtering, deblending and configuring are adopted from astronomical practices.

Once you add images where the filaments are visible: The detected sources (raindrops) are input to a filament finding algorithm that connects maxima in the density field (DisPerSE). In the Universe, these filaments are denser regions along which galaxies are accreted into dense galaxy clusters. In the image of the spiderweb, I wanted to see whether the software could successfully trace the underlying spiderweb.

Phase 02

Using the Dark Matter modeling program Ulrike generated these X-Y co-ordinate plots with their filamentary projections

Phase 03

In the third phase of the exchange Ulrike used her filament program in a 3 colour analysis of Paul's interpretations. (click to enlarge)