https://editor.p5js.org/jinyuanxu.jx/sketches/DjkqyLdEb
Bardrian is a Jinyuan-generated creature that sometimes follows your mouse cursor and at other times explores the world with the carefree, playful spirit of a pet.
Bardrian is a procedurally animated creature that balances structured and chaotic movement, sometimes following the user’s cursor and at other times exploring autonomously. Inspired by my previous work, Mondrian met Balatro?, this project extends my exploration of controlled chaos, blending Mondrian’s neoplasticist aesthetic with fluid, dynamic motion. By merging abstract composition with generative animation, Bardrian becomes both an interactive entity and a study of movement as an evolving visual language.
The core mechanic revolves around two adjustable sliders, allowing users to fine-tune Bardrian’s behavior between cohesion (structured movement) and chaos (erratic autonomy). The head segment interpolates between mouse tracking and independent oscillatory motion, while the body segments follow in a fluid, organic manner. Additional effects, such as size oscillation, color dynamics, and visual layering, contribute to its expressiveness, making Bardrian feel more like a living entity.
As an ongoing experiment, Bardrian is still evolving. While the current iteration focuses on user interaction, future developments will explore environmental interactions—such as Bardrian reacting to external stimuli, seeking virtual food, or responding to a predator. These additions will deepen its behavioral complexity, shifting it from a reactive creature to an autonomously adaptive system.
My inspiration was based on my previous project, “Mondrian met Balatro?” Mondrian met Balatro? — Assignment 3
I was inspired by Piet Mondrian’s neoplasticism and the card-shaking effect in Balatro, I explored how abstract composition and dynamic motion could intersect. Using Mondrian’s signature red, blue, and yellow, I developed an animation structured in four phases: spread, gather, shake, and reorganize. Through multiple iterations, I refined the shaking effect to feel both natural and visually engaging, ultimately achieving a balance where elements vibrate before settling into place. By implementing a frequency variable that gradually decreases over time, I was able to create an organic transition between movement and stillness. This project became an exploration of “controlled chaos”—where structured design meets fluid motion.