Kinetic Art Controls
About
This project is a creative exploration of kinetic art and parametric design, allowing users to visualize complex rotational patterns. It was inspired by classic spirograph toys and the beauty of interconnected mechanical movements.
Part of odd.place, more Oddities from the same workshop
Copyright 2025 Jason Buchheim
Instructions:
Welcome to BeCranky! This interactive tool allows you to create mesmerizing patterns by controlling the movement of multiple interconnected circles.
Circles & Layers:
- There are 5 circles: Red, Blue (top layer), Green, Yellow (middle layer), and Magenta (bottom layer).
- Each has adjustable Radius, Rotation Speed (0 is no rotation, negative is clockwise, positive is counter-clockwise, except Blue which is reversed), and individual Transparency.
Dragging & Attachment:
- You can drag any circle to reposition it on the canvas.
- Green and Yellow circles will attach to and rotate with the Magenta circle if their centers overlap the Magenta circle.
- Red circle will attach to and rotate with the Green circle if its center overlaps the Green circle, OR directly to Magenta if its center overlaps Magenta (and not Green).
- Blue circle will attach to and rotate with the Yellow circle if its center overlaps the Yellow circle, OR directly to Magenta if its center overlaps Magenta (and not Yellow).
- When attached, a child circle maintains its relative position and distance from its parent's center while rotating with the parent. Dragging a circle off its parent will detach it.
- A small semi-transparent dot marks the exact center of each circle.
- A thin line from each circle's center to its edge marker visually represents its individual rotation.
Line & Trace:
- A main line connects the Red and Blue circles, passing through a point on the Blue circle's circumference.
- The 'Line Length' slider controls the total length of this connecting line.
- The 'Trace' is a path drawn by the unattached end of this main line.
- 'Trace Length' controls how many points are stored and drawn for the trace (up to 100,000 points).
- 'Trace Color' sets the base color for the trace.
- 'Trace Color Mode' allows you to choose:
- 'Fixed Color': The trace uses the selected 'Trace Color'.
- 'Vary by Shade': The trace color's darkness adjusts based on the line's end point velocity (faster = darker).
- 'Vary by Tint (Gradient)': The trace color smoothly interpolates between 'Start Color' and 'End Color' based on velocity (slower = Start Color, faster = End Color).
Plotting Modes:
- 'Realtime Plotting' runs the animation at maximum frame rate.
- 'Accurate Plotting' dynamically slows down the animation if the trace end point moves too fast, ensuring that the distance between plotted points does not exceed 'Max Plot Point Distance'. This creates smoother, more detailed traces at the cost of real-time speed.
Saving & Sharing:
- 'Clear Trace' erases the current trace.
- 'Save Trace as Image' downloads a high-resolution PNG of the entire drawing area (cropped to content + padding) with a transparent background. 'Saved Trace Line Width' controls the thickness of the trace in the saved image.
- 'Save Trace As Image - No Background' downloads a high-resolution PNG of only the trace, with a transparent background.
- 'Share' copies the current URL (with all settings encoded in the hash) to your clipboard, so you can share your exact setup with others.
- 'Pause Rotations' stops and starts all rotational movement, allowing you to examine a specific pattern or freeze the animation.
The Clockwork Symphony
In realms where steel and motion intertwine,
A silent promise, elegantly fine,
The connected cranks begin their slow design,
A rhythmic ballet, perfectly divine.
From hidden cogs, a subtle hum ascends,
As each precisely measured movement lends
Its silent power, where the tension bends,
A grand creation, on which all depends.
The first crank turns, a slow and steady beat,
A single pulse, both humble and complete,
Then links engage, with purpose, strong and sweet,
A chain reaction, from its tiny feet.
A second arm, in counter-clockwise grace,
Reflects the first, across the empty space,
Their synchronized dance, a captivating chase,
Leaving fleeting patterns, without a trace.
The gears now mesh, with teeth that interlock,
A whispered whir, like hands upon a clock,
Each revolution, built upon a block,
Against the silent, unyielding rock.
The levers rise, then fall with measured swing,
Like graceful dancers, on a silken string,
What hidden beauty will their motion bring?
What silent anthems will their movements sing?
A third crank joins, a complex, winding way,
Its path determined, by the light of day,
Or by the shadows, where the forces play,
Guiding the others, lest they go astray.
The points of light, on polished metal gleam,
Reflecting visions, from a waking dream,
A swirling vortex, or a gentle stream,
A vibrant painting, of a vibrant theme.
The air vibrates, with energy unseen,
A silent chorus, vibrant and serene,
The mechanical heart, a living, breathing sheen,
Where art is born, on a silver screen.
With every turn, new geometries unfold,
A tapestry of motion, brave and bold,
Stories whispered, centuries old,
In lines of power, worth more than gold.
The circles widen, then contract with speed,
Like blooming flowers, scattering their seed,
A visual music, planting a new creed,
Fulfilling beauty, in every need.
The ellipses stretch, then gather in a round,
No harsh angles, on this hallowed ground,
Just fluid movements, utterly profound,
A silent masterpiece, without a sound.
The shadows lengthen, then they shrink and fade,
As light defines the progress they have made,
A fleeting moment, beautifully arrayed,
A cosmic dance, meticulously played.
The sound they make, a low and constant drone,
A gentle murmur, from a world unknown,
A steady rhythm, on a silent throne,
Where art and science, are truly sown.
No painter's brush, no sculptor's careful hand,
Can replicate the wonders of this land,
Where pure mechanics, take a firm command,
And beauty blossoms, across the sand.
The forces push, the forces gently pull,
A give and take, both purposeful and full,
No wasted effort, no chaotic lull,
Just perfect balance, within the skull.
A thousand lines, in intricate design,
Each one a testament, to what's divine,
A living drawing, perfectly aligned,
A masterpiece, for all of humankind.
The patterns shift, with every subtle change,
A new perspective, within their range,
From simple circles, to a complex maze,
A captivating wonder, through endless days.
The smallest tremor, in a single part,
Can alter visions, from the very start,
A delicate balance, a work of art,
That speaks directly, to the human heart.
The metal gleams, with a soft, inviting sheen,
Reflecting colors, vibrant and serene,
A living canvas, where the light has been,
A moving image, truly pristine.
The air grows still, in reverence and awe,
As nature's principles, define the law,
Of motion's beauty, without a flaw,
A perfect sequence, from the very raw.
The rhythm quickens, then it starts to slow,
A controlled tempo, where the currents flow,
A visual heartbeat, that starts to grow,
A silent story, that all should know.
The art they create, is more than what we see,
It's the precision, and the harmony,
The endless motion, wild and free,
A testament to pure ingenuity.
For in these cranks, a lesson we can find,
That simple movements, thoughtfully combined,
Can build a world, for heart and soul and mind,
A beauty boundless, of the purest kind.
So watch them turn, these silent, metal friends,
As each rotation, gracefully extends,
The boundaries of art, where wonder transcends,
A clockwork symphony, that never ends.
The intricate dance, a mesmerizing sight,
Each pivot perfect, in the fading light,
A testament to power, and to might,
Creating beauty, endless and bright.
The whirring sound, a meditative hum,
As each new pattern, starts to overcome,
The static stillness, where the senses numb,
A vibrant future, has truly come.
The art they forge, is truly grand and deep,
Secrets of motion, that the heavens keep,
While human spirits, silently will leap,
Into the wonders, where new dreams will sleep.
A thousand words, can barely start to tell,
The magic woven, by this potent spell,
Of turning cranks, where art and science dwell,
A timeless beauty, ringing like a bell.
Each revolution, a new stroke of grace,
Painting moments, in time and space,
A living sculpture, leaving not a trace,
But pure enchantment, on every face.
So let them spin, in their eternal round,
On hallowed ground, where beauty can be found,
The clockwork symphony, profoundly sound,
A masterpiece, forever unbound.