![art coding design generative geometry math poster Procedural algorithm](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/1400/6339a3138725201.6226e5e4b4795.jpg)
TANGENT is a personal project that combines some of my favorite subjects: art, math & algorithms. Together, they create procedurally generated organic & geometric forms. The source of inspiration has been Armin Hoffman's 'Graphic Design Manual'. There are so many interesting ideas in this book but I started with one, figure 51. According to the author:
"Study in variations: growing fluid structures meet one another. Starting position: 16 dots. Certain dots are singled out and linked together. The 9 variations thus created are recombined into a new unit."
![art coding design generative geometry math poster Procedural algorithm](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/cdc218138725201.6226e8334b437.jpg)
Armin Hoffman and his book 'Graphic Design Manual', 1965, page 42, figure 51
I wanted to take on the challenge of recreating this as a procedural setup in Houdini. I worked on & off for a couple of days to understand the rules and math necessary and then a few more days trying to code it using VEX. It was a bit of a struggle initially, but the final successful implementation made it worthwhile.
![art coding design generative geometry math poster Procedural algorithm](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/a367c8138725201.6225c1d94b823.jpg)
![art coding design generative geometry math poster Procedural algorithm](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/eb3695138725201.6225c1d94b1a9.jpg)
Sketchbook. Network view and output from Houdini.
The setup is quite simple:
01. start with a 4x4 grid of pegs
02. select a random set of pegs (anything between 7-14 out of 16)
03. figure out the winding (order of pegs)
04. connect selected pegs with their common tangents
05. done!
Once I built the initial setup, I started experimenting with additional features like, various grids, procedural motion, different peg size, color etc and before realizing I had created more than 80 different style variations, as well as, a number of different (procedural) shapes.
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/disp/c38644138725201.6225b6c190a5e.gif)
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/disp/f8c237138725201.62259ed857252.gif)
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/disp/5aa346138725201.62259ed858d56.gif)
Since the results I wanted to share were numerous, I've decided to group them in four parts. This is the first part. It includes a bit of background on the idea and the process, as well as, a number of series that stay close to the original aesthetic. In parts 2,3 & 4, while keeping the same idea, the results take a different direction. I hope you enjoy the results! D
O O O O
O O O O
O O O O
O O O O
series 001 (reconstruction of original shapes)
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/38ec3a138725201.62259ed804973.jpg)
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/418447138725201.622d9b46c5702.jpg)
series 044
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/disp/a6ca0e138725201.62271949c5801.jpg)
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/disp/287709138725201.62271949c6484.jpg)
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/disp/628b69138725201.62271949c602d.jpg)
series 006
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/246864138725201.622d9e705cae8.jpg)
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/d2d159138725201.62285a9669158.jpg)
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/d4980a138725201.62285a9668bab.jpg)
series 010
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/disp/977a8a138725201.622722785319b.jpg)
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/disp/296901138725201.622722785395d.jpg)
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/disp/f8354d138725201.62272278535a2.jpg)
series 012
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/e6080b138725201.622e5fc24fa03.jpg)
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/disp/8a4184138725201.622e5fc282ad1.jpg)
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/disp/df80a6138725201.622e5fc28311c.jpg)
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/disp/a21921138725201.622e656278759.jpg)
series 053
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/8a1bed138725201.622d9b471cd42.jpg)
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/disp/2670e4138725201.62248a7ec0358.png)
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/disp/b3117f138725201.62248a7ec0fd3.png)
series 007
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/fc3fdf138725201.6225b6c234264.jpg)
series 006
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/154454138725201.62297b0c3b23f.jpg)
series 054
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/76a597138725201.62265fe3e8e70.jpg)
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/aaab6f138725201.62265fe430b67.jpg)
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/0190e2138725201.62265fe431391.jpg)
series 051
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/f21f10138725201.622d34fbb28e9.jpg)
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/disp/89480b138725201.622c51124bae7.png)
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/disp/151b9d138725201.622d9e7189b21.png)
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/34cd30138725201.622d34fc07e23.jpg)
series 040
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/073496138725201.622d34f9e03d7.jpg)
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/disp/712777138725201.622c5111a8cba.png)
![](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/disp/79db7f138725201.622d34fac54ec.png)
![art coding design generative geometry math poster Procedural algorithm](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/1400/c15222138725201.62271c7fc4491.jpg)
![art coding design generative geometry math poster Procedural algorithm](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/1400/11802b138725201.636f48bc5fc89.png)