First things first, did I name the project 'Here When You Need Me' just so that I could use 'Here When You Read Me' as the companion article title?

It sounds like something I might do.

The truth is that I did 'need' something, and at the time I began this algorithm, that was mainly just something distinct from what I've worked on in the past. I've been a little frustrated with myself and the way that I've been thinking about generative art. This sounds extreme, but it has felt disrespectful of the opportunities I've had.

To be completely honest, I had a hard time working on any project without starting from a monetization mindset. If I didn't think a project had a higher value than what I had made in the past, I didn't start on it. And if I was working on something, as evidenced by my twitter 'sketch graveyard', I was likely to abandon it if it didn't get early traction.

It was kind of an endless, destructive way of thinking that ultimately kept me from enjoying the generative art practice as much as I knew I could.

So, I put all of that aside for this project, and I'm really happy to say that it worked. I spent a decent amount of time with this code, and the only thing I can say is that I enjoyed it. I made something that I love, that I'm excited to share, and I am proud of myself.

There are a few things I want to discuss, starting with some examples of the URL parameters for distortion, resolution, and border attributes. Towards the end, I'll share some of my thoughts around pricing, in case anyone is interested. I certainly enjoy reading things like that.

If you have any trouble at all generating an image at a resolution/format you need for printing/display, please email me at noxiarb@gmail.com with details about your edition and preferences, and I would love to help solve any issues.

Now, let's dive into some of the exciting options!

Distortion

Which of the images below is your favorite?

Append '&distortion=#' to the live URL to provide a value between 0.0 and 3.0

I'm a huge fan of using the generative art medium to unlock options that are not available in traditional artwork, and I wanted to explore a simple version of that in this project.

With the right balance, the final output can become a collaboration between the artist, the collector, and the randomness of the algorithm.

Honestly, I wasn't sure how people would feel about being able to adjust the distortion, but I have included it purely because of the fun I've had changing those values myself, and different outputs certainly shine brightest at different distortion levels.

Resolution / Borders

Append '&resolution=#' to the live URL with a value between 0.1 and 6.0 as a resolution multiplier. There is some trickiness to this that I still don't fully understand, but it does seem like the generation is limited on certain devices and browsers. Again, please reach out to noxiarb@gmail.com if I can help!

Append '&borderSize=#' with a value between 0.0 and 2.0, in which 0.0 will be no border at all.

Append '&borderColor=ffffff' to the live URL to specify the border hex color. The example here would make the border white, just don't add a '#' to the beginning of the hex code or it won't work!

I personally love making prints of artwork and it is something that I am actively learning more about. I wish I could offer a printing service for this project, but unfortunately it is not the right time.

Just to be clear, the base resolution generates at 1800 by 2400 pixels, which is ideal for a 6" by 8" print. I would highly recommend at least bumping the resolution up to 2.0 even if you're not printing just to enjoy some of the finer details in the piece.

I'm new to the concept of URL parameters, but I tried my best to provide as much support as possible for people to order/create prints on their own. If you end up with a print of your edition somehow, I would really love to see it if you could share a picture of it. That's the dream!

If you're still here, I appreciate you reading, and I figured I would include some thoughts around pricing.

Pricing / Charity

If you are an artist, you understand the struggle of finding an appropriate price for your work.

There are days that an output will come across and I'll think to myself, "This is it. Dutch Auction starting at 400 tez. 1000 editions", but thankfully the next output usually brings me back to realistic expectations.

I love that initial period of excitement though, and it can be difficult to hang on to as an artist when you're spending weeks looking at literally thousands, if not tens of thousands, of outputs.

So I don't know what the answer is. I debated constantly (it is ongoing) about the pricing for 'Here When You Need Me' based on the amount of work I put into it, coupled with the desire to make decent contributions to two important charities.

How much work actually goes into a generative art piece? I wish I knew, I always forget to log down my time in detail, but I do know that I have spent between 20 - 25 hours just tweaking the project details on fxhash and writing this article. It is 12:15 AM where I am right now, and I have a meeting for my full-time job at 8 AM. I need to wrap this up soon....please.

On a more serious note, here are the quick details on donation structure:

30% of primary sales will be donated and split evenly between 'Girls Who Code' and 'Cure Parkinson's'

20% of secondary sales will be donated and split evenly between 'Girls Who Code' and 'Cure Parkinson's'

Additionally, the original minter will receive 10% of the secondary sales for their edition.

As I write this and think about pricing, I wanted to say that at least for me, I'm still constantly blown away by what I've already received from this community. Any interaction with my work truly means the world, and although I constantly feel like an imposter, I cannot thank you enough.

To anyone that collects or interacts with the project, thank you for your contributions.

Conclusion

I'm laughing at how there might be just as much information in the project description as there is here in the article. I probably shoved too many details in there, but hopefully all the information together is enough to show the potential for 'Here When You Need Me'.

Ultimately it was fun to work on, it gave me a much needed boost as a generative artist, and I truly hope that people enjoy the project. Thank you for reading, and thank you for any support.