cs4388

Biography

Bogdan soban was born in Vrtojba in Slovenia on 10th December 1949. He studied the mechanical engineering in Ljubljana and graduated in 1974. His first job was developing and programming the commercial and business applications.

However, he thinks that a computer can do more than simply data processing. So

Bogdan soban try to use his more than 15 years free time to produces computer art.

He developed a lot of programs using generative approach to generate always new and unpredictable pieces of visual art. Each artwork created using my genetic designed software is an absolute unique item and could be lost forever if not saved or printed.

Bogdan soban often present his artwork in the exhibitions and live presentation, articles and paper to broadcast the basic idea of generative art method.

Artist Statement

The main purpose of my project is to create pictures – artworks on the screen of the computer, to choose interesting and aesthetic examples and save or print them. Pictures are created using my own genetic designed software without applying any existing program of graphic design available in the world. At the beginning Bogdan soban used GWBASIC programming language but later Bogdan soban began to apply VISUAL BASIC. The method Bogdan soban use is known as “Generative Art”. Each picture created in this way is an absolute unique item, it was never be seen before and will never be repeated in future. Practically it exist the real infinite number of possibilities. Using the very simple example composed of three colored squares (16 colors of background, 16 colors of square, 100 different dimension of squares and 135.000 possible position of each square on the screen) it needs more than 80 billions years to see all possible combination creating one per second. It is nonsense to calculate the number of possibilities for a little more complex picture. For the human understanding it means infinite and so the unexpected result of the generative process could be a creation.

To realize unpredictable pictures Bogdan soban use random number generator calculating seed out of starting time value of the generative process. Theoretical could be possible to anticipate the image but not knowing the precise starting moment is quite impossible.

The other very important method of my approach is not to interfere with running program. During the creation of the image any communication with the program is impossible. It is absolutely free to create the picture. Bogdan soban also never change or elaborate generated image and if Bogdan soban don’t like it he leave it to be lost. And finally Bogdan soban never print the artwork more than once so Bogdan soban guarantee unique item with no copies.

Developing my programs Bogdan soban use pragmatic or mathematic instructions to define the rules by which such artworks are executed with different influences on the level of unpredictability of results. In the area of artificial design the pragmatic code type are used because we have to know the object we want to create, unpredictable is only its variant. Mathematic instructions are much more appropriated for creating art where we don’t need to have the least idea of the final result. Examining closely mathematic type of programs Bogdan soban discovered that until the program is alive the image exist in an immense 2D space because all mathematic expressions have definite values for all values of x and y in Cartesian coordinate system. Bogdan soban arranged one program that make me possible to “walk” up and down, left and right and discover how the image looks on different distances from the starting-point of the coordinate system. No canvas or screen limits any more, such an image exist in universe. Important is to apply right mathematic expressions that can create interesting shapes far from the point (0,0).

Artwork Highlight:

SYMMETRIC IMAGE

Computing Process:

Image properties: Picture box Picture1, Cartesian plain: x from –3 to +3; y from –3 to +3; dimension: width 500 pixels, height 500 pixels, command button for nex image

Result description: symmetrical image, curve-irregular shapes, iridescent colors

Basic concept: polar coordinates (radius r and angle fi) of the current pixel and some cycle-related random values used as the only variables to define the pixel color. Image forms and shapes are the consequence of color distribution (algorithmic programming approach).

Algorithm description: At the beginning a defined number of random values are generated which are later used as auxiliary constants. Then the program calculates polar coordinates for each pixel and uses them together with previous generated constants to calculate the RGB color components. There are two types of GRB components used: random defined in the beginning of each cycle (k1, k2, k3) and mathematically calculated (re, gr, bl). Image area is processing by columns from left to right.

Private Sub Command1_Click()

Call draw

End Sub

Private Sub Form_Load()

Form1.Show: Randomize Timer

Call draw

End Sub

Private Sub draw()

Randomize Timer

On Error Resume Next: Cls

n1 = 5 + Rnd * 5: n2 = 5 + Rnd * 5: n3 = 5 + Rnd * 5

f1 = Int(2 + Rnd * 10): f2 = Int(2 + Rnd * 10): f3 = Int(2 + Rnd * 10)

k1 = Rnd * 256: k2 = Rnd * 256: k3 = Rnd * 256

typ = Int(1 + Rnd * 7)

For i = 0 To 500: For j = 0 To 500

x = (i - 500 / 2) / (500 / 6): y = (500 / 2 - j) / (500 / 6)

r = Sqr(x * x + y * y): fi = Atn(y / x)

re = k1 * ((n1 + Sin(n1 * r)) + (n2 + Cos(2 * f1 * fi))) Mod 256

gr = k2 * ((n2 + Cos(n2 * r)) + (n3 + Sin(2 * f2 * fi))) Mod 256

bl = k3 * ((n3 + Sin(n3 * r)) + (n1 + Cos(2 * f3 * fi))) Mod 256

If typ = 1 Then Picture1.PSet (i, j), RGB(re, gr, bl)

If typ = 2 Then Picture1.PSet (i, j), RGB(k1, gr, bl)

If typ = 3 Then Picture1.PSet (i, j), RGB(re, k2, bl)

If typ = 4 Then Picture1.PSet (i, j), RGB(re, gr, k3)

If typ = 5 Then Picture1.PSet (i, j), RGB(k1, k2, bl)

If typ = 6 Then Picture1.PSet (i, j), RGB(re, k2, k3)

If typ = 7 Then Picture1.PSet (i, j), RGB(k1, gr, k3)

Next j: Next i

End Sub

Analysis:

Art may be a mathematical model. Mathematical Model also is art. Bogdan soban use his mechanical engineering a science background to produce the art. He use the mathematical algorithm to generate the computer artwork non repeatable mean uniqueness. In this artwork, you can find what are the science people think more logical, organized feel comparing the artist find from Ken blogger.

Link:

Bogdan soban Home page: http://www.soban-art.com/index.asp

Symmetry artwork program: http://www.soban-art.com/short-symmetry05.asp

Words:

Other:

After graduating from grammar school in Nova Gorica, BOGDAN SOBAN registered at the Faculty of mechanical engineering in Ljubljana and gained degree in 1974. It was in the faculty preparing my diploma that Bogdan soban came into contact with a computer and data processing for the first time. It was the time of punched cards and remote batch terminals. That was a turning point in my life and Bogdan soban entered in the world of computers leaving forever a field of mechanical engineering. My firs job was in the domain of information science. In my informational technologies career in several companies in Slovenia Bogdan soban was engaged in developing and programming commercial and business applications. Actually Bogdan soban work on the field of e-commerce in the Research and Development department of the Slovenian biggest casino company.

All those years being in contact with computer programming never disappear from my mind the crazy idea that a computer can do more than simply data processing. Bogdan soban had in mention the possibility to simulate the human creativity especially in the area of visual art. This challenge caused the development of a very interesting project that was my favourite occupation more than 15 years on my free time.