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Super Spiro is a program that draws
broad range spirographs that go far beyond the drawings made by the
popular toy. The typical spirograph generates patterns called
Guilloché patterns. Guilloché
patterns are regular, symmetrical, circular patterns and a bit boring. Super
Spiro can generate these patterns but it can also generate complicated,
non-circular and asymmetrical patterns that are far more interesting.
Background. Super Spiro is based on
the concept of two rotating disks connected by arms. I first came across the
concept when I saw a
YouTube video of a drawing machine based on two record players.
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Not having two turntables, I decided to build the machine in software It
produced some complicated patterns, but seemed to be limited to certain general
shapes. Then I came across
another video showing a similar device that used four rotating disks that
produced more complex patterns. When I implemented it in software, I was able to
manipulate all kinds of aspects of its operation that wasn't possible with
mechanical device. This produced unimaginably complex patterns and it became
what I call Super Spiro.
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