digicult2020-aubrey-pohl

[digicult2020-aubrey-pohl]

VEXILLOLOGLITCH!

Vexillologlitch is a study in abstract data visualization with the aim to represent the effects of COVID-19 on the United States by manipulating (glitching) images of U.S. Flags with COVID-19 data made public by The New York Times. The project will exist as a digital tool showing a timeline of glitch-by-data flags from the beginning of the pandemic until, as well as a series of physical (glitched) flags once the data is completed to give permanence to the project. Instead of working with a traditional image format, I mimicked the structure of a BMP (bitmap) by creating a custom p5.image in p5js and filling the image with pixel data from png images of the flags. This allowed to me play with the RGBA values and arrangement of each pixel in a processing environment, and experiment with different methods of loading, integrating, and using the COVID-19 data to manipulate the image. The project is quite fluid, and I intend to expand its reach and accessibility overtime.

[digicult2020-aubrey-pohl]

VEXILLOLOGLITCH!

Screen recording of tool

https://vexillologlitch.glitch.me/

[digicult2020-aubrey-pohl]

VEXILLOLOGLITCH!

Selected exports

https://vexillologlitch.glitch.me/

[digicult2020-aubrey-pohl]

VEXILLOLOGLITCH!

Waving flag mockups.

https://vexillologlitch.glitch.me/

[digicult2020-aubrey-pohl]

Took a bit of a side road to my glitch project to play with new images.

Using p5.image to load and update pixels from multiple images, I am playing with the orientation, arrangement, color, and sorting of pixels by way of manipulating size, pixel direction, pixel sorting, etc.

[digicult2020-aubrey-pohl]

Space Farce

[digicult2020-aubrey-pohl]

[digicult2020-aubrey-pohl]

Going full size for glitching in the P5 environment.

experimenting with replacing RGBA values with x and y variables within a loop.

[digicult2020-aubrey-pohl]

[digicult2020-aubrey-pohl]

Meshing Pixels into one another

[digicult2020-aubrey-pohl]

Continuing the study with dropping in images into the create image template.

I am able to pick how the pixels are sorted within the RGBA formula by changing how the RGBA value for each pixel are read.

[digicult2020-aubrey-pohl]

Placing new images into a preexisting create (p5.image) image template. 

This method allows me to chose how the pixels are counted and mapped, and which color values are sorted.

Strong LED vibes

[digicult2020-aubrey-pohl]

Working on mapping images (bitmap style, but not bitmaps) in processing (p5js).

Looking for ways to streamline updating pixel data with NY times COVID-19 data.

At the moment using simple variables.

This method is creating and editing a p5.image, by loading pixels from an image(png) and transfering that RGBA pixel data into a new image array.

Currently, there is a strange, old style pixel aesthetic going on, but I’m digging it, so it stays for now :)

[digicult2020-aubrey-pohl]

GLITCH 08

VEXILLOLOGLITCH

Data glitching US State Flags to show the effects and mishandling of a pandemic in the US.

Glitching BMP images with NY Times COVID 19 data.

For the time being editing by find and replace text edit.

The method of Glitching, for the time being manually, is to take the latest data for each state (cases and deaths), find the less common values throughout the BMP (ascii %, /, +, =, !, ?, $, #, etc.) and find and replace with the latest data. As data changes, the find and replace process will continue with the by replacing the previous data.

BMP strict image structure allows the visible structure of the flag to remain somewhat understandable.

My goal is to use programing and/or processing to streamline the glitching process, build a tool to view the flags, and eventually produce an installation of glitched flags.

[digicult2020-aubrey-pohl]

STATE FLAGS

Converted from an .svg image database to .bmp via Gimp

Experimenting with the (partially arbitrary) implementation of data throughout the file.

Each bmp seems to act slightly different in structure. Some build bottom up, some top down.

Goal: to build a tool that can automatically apply data, and update as data changes.

Eventually, when data is complete, a series of fabric printed glitched flags will be produced (gallery setting?)

Pro of bmps > because the image structure is so rigid, it makes it easy to understand how much was changed, effected, or moved.

[digicult2020-aubrey-pohl]

BMP

THRESHOLD (Flag)

The first 8 bytes (##) after the 00 header control color (HEX)

First four change the white color space

Second four change the black color space

You cannot delete in BMP, however, when replacing values, you can add new data.

Ex. 00 > AAA

This causes greater change.

Text editor seems to be more versatile

Color change happens even earlier

Larger shifts in pixel structure

Starting to add small bits of COVID-19 data in increments to gain a better understanding or idea of how this data can be used.

Final goal: To manipulate images (state flags?) with U.S. COVID-19 data via a self made tool, and to later produce a book and or glitched flags that show the “scars” of change (deaths?)

[digicult2020-aubrey-pohl]

BMP

THRESHOLD (Flag)

Using Hex editor

The first 8 bytes (##) after the 00 header control color (HEX)

First four change the white color space

Second four change the black color space