Movement & Response: Cloud Gazing

The boy in blue is in awe at your ability to create clouds into the sky.
Left mouse click to draw; right mouse click to erase. Press "+" for large brush or "-" for small. (If the key does not respond immediately, try holding it down for a second or two.)

My first interactive sketch is complete! My favorite part about this piece is that it has a mini story attached to it; I think that, even though the story is only one sentence long, it gives more purpose to the sketch, rather than just "press the mouse button to do a thing."

I did end up using a gradient behind the Boy in Blue so I could have the background remain static.  I actually quite like the effect it gives; it's not perfect, sure, but it looks like perhaps a lake or ocean fading into the horizon.

I wanted to have more brush sizes than just "large" and "small" but I found that even the most brief key press would advance the brush 5 sizes rather than just one, due to the quick framerate.  I'd like to learn how to get around that in the future; I'm sure there's a way, but I don't know of it yet!

The framerate "lag" is unfortunately still an issue also - ironic that the framerate can be too fast and too slow simultaneously! I feel the sketch runs much smoother offline in the Processing program, but I know the lag is error on my end, too; I need to learn how to better optimize the sketches I create to run smoothly offline and online.

Most other troubles I ran into are discussed in my WIP post; if you'd like, check them out there. Otherwise, enjoy creating clouds and entertaining the Boy in Blue!

♪ Paige