The final brief for this project was to find inspiration in nature and recreate it in code using Processing. I chose to take a closer look at the dandelion.

The satisfaction of blowing on a dandelion is something I have always found fascinating. They are almost irresistible to blow on when in their delicate state, and once we have done so it is hard to stop. Their florets float away calmly in the wind as we continue trying to blow every one off the stalk.

I chose to abstract the act of blowing on a dandelion and translate it into a computational interaction. The circular group of individual shapes represents the florets on the stalk, while the mouse represents the force of a human breath. The direction and speed of the mouse is stored and translated to the florets, giving the sensation of repulsion. One of the biggest challenges was imitating the behaviour of the seeds as they lose speed and start to float in the air.

The three day process creating this piece was my first attempt at coding. Although initially very challenging, having a clear goal helped to spur on my learning process.