The artwork’s core idea is to capture the volatility of Bitcoin in a way that blends financial symbolism with generative aesthetics.
- The orange ball represents Bitcoin itself.
- The green glow signifies bullish momentum (optimism and growth).
- The red glow represents bearish trends (fear and decline).
- The wave patterns in the background illustrate market fluctuations—never static, always in motion.
Just as Bitcoin’s price follows unpredictable waves of speculation, the ball moves along the wave, mirroring the turbulence of the crypto space.
This interactive generative piece is built using p5js, leveraging mathematical functions to create both structured and organic movements:
Dynamic Wave Generation
The waves are drawn using sinusoidal functions, where each point along the line moves with a time-based phase shift:
let wave = sin(offsets[i].phase + t * offsets[i].x + j * 0.1) * offsets[i].y;
let y = verticalCenter + yOffset + wave * amplitude;
ellipse(x, y, SIZE * 0.002, SIZE * 0.01);
The use of sine waves gives the movement an organic, natural flow—mimicking financial market cycles.
Bitcoin’s Motion & Market Symbolism
The Bitcoin ball moves along the wave, responding to the underlying data of the animated scene:
ballX = map(frameCount % totalFrames, 0, totalFrames, -SIZE * 0.4, SIZE * 0.4);
The ball's motion is continuous and cyclical, emphasizing that market trends repeat over time, while its color shifts dynamically to reflect upward or downward movements.
Interactivity & Engagement
The animation allows for user interaction:
- Clicking the canvas pauses/resumes movement.
- Pressing the spacebar saves a snapshot of the current state.
“Volatile” is more than just an animation—it is a reality-inspired visualization of financial emotions. By blending generative art with market dynamics, it symbolically represents the ever-changing nature of Bitcoin, transforming complex economic behavior into a visually engaging experience