Art by Evolution on the Web


Lets start by explaining the logo. You've bumped onto a page where you get to create art. Not by pencil, not by getting your hands dirty, but by evolution inside the computer. With the characteristics of a picture coded as genetic material inside the computer, an electronic pair of scissors and a pair of dice we get things going.

At the bottom of this page you can choose among a number of types of art you can create. You will be presented with a screen that is filled with randomly created images. Each image has a button assigned to it. By selecting the button you say that you like that particular image. When you are finished selecting which images you like press the large button labelled generate new images. The page will reload with new images created using the ones you like. They are, so to say, bred from the selected images.

Continue this as long as you like and remember that behind the scenes we record (anonymously) which images you select. These are stored and when enough people like one of your selected images it will appear in the top of the genebank.

You can change the scale of the pictures with the left pulldown menu at the bottom. Set it to a lower scale if your bandwidth is low or your screen is too small. If you want to see an image better click on it too see a large version. If your bandwidth can take it try using more pictures with the right pulldown menu. You can change the number of images in your breeding pool whenever you want. Remember though, making the pool smaller will kill off the last images. To increase the pool the program will randomly generate new images. This is a handy way to get some new material in.

If you wish to learn more about the technical details behind this project please read this technical report.

Choose what kind of art you wish to create
Piet Mondriaan	Theo van Doesburg

Mandala art	Fractal art