Spectra Visual Reference

237 generative art styles — from fractals and noise to physics simulations and optical illusions

About Spectra's Style Library

Spectra generates art using procedural algorithms that draw directly to the HTML canvas. All 237 styles share a unified rendering system — from fast geometric patterns and noise fields to complex simulations like reaction-diffusion, fluid dynamics, and swarm intelligence. Each style is deterministic: the same seed always produces the same image, making every result perfectly reproducible.

Every style uses the same seed system, color palettes, and export options. Click any style in this reference to try it instantly in the generator.

This guide covers all 237 styles organized into 18 categories by concept. Click any category to explore its styles.

1. Gradients & Flow (7)

Smooth color transitions, organic blending, and fluid visual effects

Gradient Mesh

Smooth color transitions creating soft, organic backgrounds through overlapping radial gradients.

Learn more

How It Works

Places radial gradients at random positions with alpha blending to create seamless color transitions. Each gradient fades from a solid color at its center to transparent at its edges.

Did you know? Adobe Illustrator's Gradient Mesh tool, introduced in 1998, revolutionized digital illustration by enabling photorealistic artwork through similar techniques.

Metaballs

Organic, blob-like shapes that merge smoothly together, creating fluid, lava-lamp-like visuals.

Learn more

How It Works

Uses distance field functions where each blob has a field that decreases with distance. Where multiple fields overlap and their combined value exceeds a threshold, surfaces blend smoothly together.

Did you know? Metaballs were invented by Jim Blinn in 1982 for visualizing molecular structures at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Plasma

Colorful, flowing patterns reminiscent of lava lamps or psychedelic visuals from the demoscene era.

Learn more

How It Works

Combines multiple sine waves at different scales and phases to create interference patterns. Each pixel's color is determined by the sum of several sinusoidal functions.

Did you know? The plasma effect was a staple of 1990s demoscene competitions, where programmers competed to create the most impressive real-time visuals within strict size limits.

Domain Warping

Turbulent, smoke-like distortions creating organic, flowing patterns that resemble clouds or marble.

Learn more

How It Works

Layers Perlin noise functions where the output of one noise function feeds into the coordinates of another, creating recursive distortion that produces complex, turbulent patterns.

Did you know? This technique was popularized by graphics programmer Inigo Quilez and is widely used in film VFX for realistic clouds, smoke, and fire effects.

Suminagashi

Japanese ink marbling technique creating flowing organic patterns on water.

Fluid Marble

Swirling marble-like patterns simulating fluid dynamics in stone.

Lava Lamp

Blobby, rising and falling shapes inspired by the iconic 1960s lava lamp.

2. Geometric (10)

Clean shapes, grids, and structured visual compositions

Geometric Shapes

Abstract compositions of circles, rectangles, and polygons arranged in visually pleasing configurations.

Learn more

How It Works

Randomly generates shapes with varying positions, sizes, rotations, and colors using the seeded random number generator, creating unique compositions each time.

Did you know? Geometric abstraction emerged in the early 20th century with artists like Wassily Kandinsky and Kazimir Malevich, who believed geometric forms could express spiritual truths.

Grid

Regular grid patterns with color variation, creating structured yet visually interesting compositions.

Learn more

How It Works

Creates a matrix of cells, each filled with colors from the palette, with optional variation in size, rotation, or spacing to add visual interest.

Did you know? Grid systems have been fundamental to design since the Bauhaus movement of the 1920s, influencing everything from architecture to web design.

Stripes

Horizontal or vertical stripe patterns with alternating colors, creating bold graphic compositions.

Learn more

How It Works

Draws parallel lines or rectangles at regular intervals with colors cycling through the palette, creating clean, graphic patterns.

Did you know? Stripes have been used in textiles for thousands of years, with the earliest examples from ancient Egypt, and remain one of the most enduring patterns in design.

Isometric Cubes

3D cube illusions without perspective, creating visually striking patterns that appear to have depth.

Learn more

How It Works

Draws parallelograms at 30° angles to simulate 3D cubes in isometric projection. Each cube face is drawn as a rhombus with different shading.

Did you know? Isometric projection was first formally described by Professor William Farish in 1822 at Cambridge University, though it was used intuitively by artists centuries earlier.

Stained Glass

Colored regions separated by dark borders, mimicking the appearance of traditional stained glass windows.

Learn more

How It Works

Uses Voronoi-like partitioning to create irregular cells, then fills each cell with color and adds dark borders between adjacent regions to simulate lead came.

Did you know? The oldest surviving complete stained glass windows are from the 11th century at Augsburg Cathedral in Germany, depicting prophets.

Low Poly

Faceted, triangulated surfaces with a modern geometric aesthetic popular in design and games.

Learn more

How It Works

Generates random points across the canvas, then uses Delaunay triangulation to connect them into non-overlapping triangles, each colored from the palette.

Did you know? Delaunay triangulation maximizes the minimum angle of all triangles, avoiding 'sliver' triangles that cause visual artifacts in 3D rendering.

Voronoi

Regions partitioned based on nearest-neighbor distance to seed points, creating cell-like patterns.

Learn more

How It Works

Places random seed points, then for each pixel, determines which seed is closest; all pixels closest to the same seed form a cell.

Did you know? Voronoi diagrams appear naturally in giraffe spots, dried mud cracks, leaf cells, and even the large-scale structure of the universe.

Circle Packing

Circles of varying sizes filling space without overlap, creating organic tessellation patterns.

Learn more

How It Works

Iteratively places circles and grows them until they touch neighbors; larger circles placed first, smaller ones fill remaining gaps.

Did you know? Circle packing theorems connect to complex analysis through the Koebe–Andreev–Thurston theorem, linking geometry to conformal mappings.

Bismuth Crystals

Geometric, stair-step crystal formations with iridescent appearance, inspired by real bismuth metal crystals.

Learn more

How It Works

Generates hopper crystal structures with nested rectangular shapes that decrease in size toward the center, creating the characteristic stair-step pattern.

Did you know? Bismuth crystals form their unique iridescent stair-step pattern because the edges grow faster than the faces, and the rainbow colors come from a thin oxide layer.

Sacred Geometry

Harmonious geometric constructions based on Platonic solids, the golden ratio, and the Flower of Life.

3. Tiling & Tessellation (13)

Geometric tilings, constraint-based patterns, and space-filling arrangements

Truchet Tiles

Tile-based patterns with surprising complexity, where simple rotated tiles create intricate maze-like paths.

Learn more

How It Works

Places tiles that can be rotated; each tile contains arcs or diagonal lines that connect to neighbors, creating continuous flowing paths across the surface.

Did you know? Sebastien Truchet, a Dominican priest, described these tiles in 1704 while studying Chinese ceramic tiles, making them one of the earliest examples of mathematical art.

Truchet — Curves

Curved arc variant of truchet tiles creating endless flowing paths and mazes.

Penrose Tiling

Non-repeating geometric patterns that never exactly repeat, creating aperiodic tilings with five-fold symmetry.

Learn more

How It Works

Uses two rhombus shapes (kites and darts) arranged according to matching rules that prevent periodic repetition, discovered through mathematical analysis.

Did you know? Roger Penrose discovered these patterns in 1974; remarkably, similar patterns were later found in medieval Islamic architecture dating 500 years earlier.

Checkerboard

Alternating colored squares in a classic grid pattern, one of the most recognizable patterns in design.

Learn more

How It Works

Creates a grid where adjacent squares have different colors, calculating each cell's color based on its row and column position.

Did you know? The checkerboard pattern has been used for at least 3,000 years, appearing in ancient Egyptian art and remaining ubiquitous in floor tiles, racing flags, and chess.

Mosaic

Irregular tile fragments arranged into decorative patterns, echoing ancient Roman and Byzantine mosaics.

Honeycomb

Regular hexagonal tiling pattern found in beehives, one of the most efficient space-filling arrangements.

Hexagonal Grid

Hyperbolic Tiling

Parquet Deformation

Pinwheel Tiling

Wallpaper Groups

Kaleidoscopic patterns using symmetry transformations.

Wang Tiles

Square tiles with colored edges that create seamless infinite patterns.

Wave Function Collapse

Procedural pattern generation using Wave Function Collapse algorithm. Tiles propagate constraints to neighbors.

4. Curves & Waves (9)

Mathematical curves, parametric equations, and wave patterns

Waves

Flowing wave interference patterns that create mesmerizing, undulating visual effects.

Learn more

How It Works

Overlays multiple sine waves with different frequencies, amplitudes, and phases to create complex interference patterns.

Did you know? Wave interference explains phenomena from ocean swells to noise-canceling headphones, where waves can amplify or cancel each other.

Lissajous

Elegant parametric curves created from harmonic oscillation, producing beautiful looping patterns.

Learn more

How It Works

Traces a point whose x and y coordinates oscillate sinusoidally at different frequencies, creating curves that depend on the frequency ratio.

Did you know? Jules Antoine Lissajous first demonstrated these curves in 1857 using mirrors attached to vibrating tuning forks that reflected light beams.

Lissajous — Scattered

Guilloche

Intricate interlocking spiral patterns used in security printing and decorative arts.

Learn more

How It Works

Draws multiple overlapping spirograph-like curves with precise mathematical relationships, creating complex interlocking patterns.

Did you know? Guilloche patterns are used on banknotes, passports, and certificates because they are nearly impossible to counterfeit by hand or with simple copying.

Rose Curves

Mathematical flower-like patterns created by polar equations, producing elegant petal-shaped curves.

Learn more

How It Works

Plots points using the polar equation r = cos(k*theta), where k determines the number of petals. Different values of k create roses with varying petal counts.

Did you know? If k is a whole number, the rose has k petals (when k is odd) or 2k petals (when k is even). Non-integer k values create roses with overlapping petals.

Spirograph

Classic toy-inspired geometric curves created by rolling circles, producing intricate looping patterns.

Learn more

How It Works

Simulates a circle rolling inside or outside another circle, with a pen at a fixed point on the rolling circle, tracing hypocycloid or epitrochoid curves.

Did you know? The Spirograph toy, patented in 1965 by British engineer Denys Fisher, has sold over 50 million units worldwide and remains popular today.

String Art

Curved patterns created entirely from straight lines, producing elegant mathematical curves through simple geometry.

Learn more

How It Works

Connects points along the edges of shapes with straight lines; the envelope of these lines creates the illusion of smooth curves through a technique called parabolic line carving.

Did you know? String art became popular in the 1960s after Mary Everest Boole, a self-taught mathematician and wife of George Boole, used it to teach mathematical concepts to children.

Bezier Splines

Flowing networks of connected bezier curves with smooth organic motion.

Catenary Curves

5. Fractals & Recursion (14)

Self-similar structures, recursive algorithms, and infinite complexity from simple rules

Mandelbrot

The famous fractal shape with infinite boundary complexity, discovered through complex number iteration.

Learn more

How It Works

For each pixel (as complex number c), iterates z = z² + c; points that don't escape to infinity are in the set, colored by escape speed.

Did you know? The Mandelbrot set has infinite complexity—you can zoom in forever and always find new detail. It was first visualized by computers in 1978.

Julia Set

Related fractals to Mandelbrot with varied, often symmetric shapes based on a fixed complex parameter.

Learn more

How It Works

Similar to Mandelbrot, but uses a fixed c value while varying the starting z for each pixel; different c values create dramatically different shapes.

Did you know? Julia sets were discovered by Gaston Julia in 1918, decades before computers could visualize them. He worked out their properties using only mathematics.

Apollonian

Nested circles filling space according to ancient Greek geometry, with circles fitting into gaps between others.

Learn more

How It Works

Recursively fits circles into the gaps between three mutually tangent circles using Descartes' Circle Theorem to calculate exact radii.

Did you know? Named after Apollonius of Perga (c. 262–190 BC), who studied tangent circles in ancient Greece over 2,200 years ago.

Apollonian — Packed

L-Systems

Plant-like branching structures generated by string rewriting rules, mimicking natural growth patterns.

Learn more

How It Works

Uses string rewriting rules to generate instructions (F=forward, +=turn left, -=turn right, [=save position, ]=restore); rules applied recursively create complexity.

Did you know? Aristid Lindenmayer invented L-systems in 1968 to model algae growth; they're now used to generate realistic plants in films and video games.

Phyllotaxis

Spiral arrangements mimicking sunflower seeds and pinecone scales, based on the golden angle.

Learn more

How It Works

Places points using the golden angle (137.5°) between successive points, with radius increasing by square root, creating Fibonacci spirals.

Did you know? This pattern maximizes packing efficiency, which is why plants evolved to use it—each new seed gets maximum space and sunlight.

Dragon Curve — Gradient

Dragon Curve — Classic

Sierpinski — Chaos Game

Sierpinski — Recursive

Barnsley Fern

Realistic fern leaf generated by four probability-weighted transformations.

Pythagorean Tree

Recursive squares on the legs of right triangles creating tree shapes.

Hilbert Curve

Circle Inversion

Gothic mirror fractals from repeatedly inverting points through circles.

6. Chaos & Attractors (6)

Strange attractors, chaotic maps, and deterministic systems with unpredictable behavior

De Jong Attractor

Clifford Attractor

Henon Map

Ikeda Map

Gumowski-Mira

A nonlinear map that produces hauntingly organic shapes resembling biological forms. Named after physicists Gumowski and Mira who studied it at CERN.

Logistic Map

The iconic bifurcation diagram of the logistic equation x = rx(1-x). Shows the transition from stable fixed points through period-doubling cascades into chaos.

7. Algorithms & Graphs (11)

Graph theory, pathfinding, and computational geometry visualizations

Maze

Labyrinth passages with exactly one solution path between any two points.

Learn more

How It Works

Uses recursive backtracking: carve passages in random directions, backtrack when stuck, continue until all cells are visited, creating a perfect maze.

Did you know? The oldest known maze is the Egyptian Labyrinth, built around 1800 BC, which Herodotus described as surpassing even the pyramids.

Recaman Sequence

Integer sequence where each step goes back if possible, forward otherwise, forming nested arcs.

Ulam Spiral

Integers plotted in a spiral with primes highlighted, revealing unexpected diagonal patterns.

Genetic Pathfinding

Rockets evolve over generations to find the optimal path to a target.

A* Pathfinding

Force-Directed Graph

Marching Squares

Extracts contour lines from a scalar field like topographic maps.

Minimum Spanning Tree

Poisson Disc Sampling

Quadtree

Recursive spatial subdivision creating nested square patterns.

TSP Art

Finding the shortest path through all points creates continuous line art.

8. Noise & Terrain (14)

Procedural noise functions, erosion simulations, and landscape generation

Perlin Noise

Natural-looking random textures with smooth transitions, perfect for organic surfaces and terrain.

Learn more

How It Works

Uses gradient noise with smooth interpolation across multiple octaves (scales), creating fractal-like detail that mimics natural randomness.

Did you know? Ken Perlin invented this algorithm in 1983 for the movie 'Tron' and won an Academy Award for Technical Achievement for it.

Topographic

Elevation contour maps showing terrain height through concentric lines, like those used in hiking maps.

Learn more

How It Works

Generates terrain elevation using Perlin noise, then draws contour lines at regular elevation intervals using the marching squares algorithm.

Did you know? The first topographic map was created by French cartographer Marcellin du Carla-Boniface in 1782 for the Pyrenees mountains.

Topographic Map

Contour-line terrain maps showing elevation changes through concentric curves, inspired by cartographic relief representation.

Terrain

Colorful elevation maps with water, land, and snow coloring based on height, like satellite imagery.

Learn more

How It Works

Uses 5-octave Perlin noise to generate elevation data, then maps height values to colors: blue for water, green for lowlands, brown for hills, white for peaks.

Did you know? This technique, called 'fractal terrain generation,' was pioneered by Benoit Mandelbrot and is used in countless video games and films.

Worley Noise

Cellular, organic textures resembling stone, leather, or biological cells.

Learn more

How It Works

Calculates distance to the nearest of several random seed points; areas equidistant from multiple seeds form the cell boundaries.

Did you know? Steven Worley published this algorithm in 1996; it's also called 'cellular noise' or 'Voronoi noise' and is used extensively for organic materials in 3D graphics.

Diamond-Square

Generates fractal plasma terrain through recursive midpoint displacement.

Fractal Brownian Motion

Hydraulic Erosion

Water droplets flow downhill, dissolving and depositing sediment.

Midpoint Displacement

Recursively displaces midpoints to create jagged skylines and lightning.

Ridged Multifractal

FBM variation creating sharp mountain ridges using inverted absolute noise.

Simplex Noise

Animated Perlin/Simplex noise field with smooth organic patterns. The foundation of procedural generation.

Tectonic Plates

Thermal Erosion

Material slides down slopes exceeding the talus angle of repose.

Marching Cubes

Renders 3D terrain/caves by slicing through a voxel field.

9. Natural Textures (13)

Material surfaces, geological patterns, and organic texture simulations

Wood Grain

Realistic wood ring patterns showing the characteristic growth rings of tree cross-sections.

Learn more

How It Works

Creates concentric rings from a center point using sine waves, then distorts them with Perlin noise for natural irregularity and grain variation.

Did you know? Tree rings aren't just decorative—dendrochronology uses them to date wood samples, with some chronologies extending back over 13,000 years.

Wood Grain — Plank

Marble

Veined stone-like patterns with the characteristic swirling appearance of natural marble.

Learn more

How It Works

Combines Perlin noise with sine wave functions to create the characteristic swirling veins; noise distorts the sine pattern to create organic flows.

Did you know? Real marble veins are formed by mineral impurities that flow during metamorphic rock formation under extreme heat and pressure.

Marble — Veined

Zen Garden

Raked sand meditation garden patterns with concentric curves flowing around stones.

Learn more

How It Works

Places 'rocks' at random positions, then draws concentric curves that flow outward and deflect around obstacles, mimicking raked sand patterns.

Did you know? Zen gardens (karesansui) originated in 14th century Japan and represent miniature landscapes designed to aid meditation and contemplation.

Realistic Wood

Highly detailed wood textures with knots, grain deflection, and natural color variation.

Learn more

How It Works

Models wood as a 3D cylinder with growth rings, adds knots at random positions, and simulates how grain deflects around these defects naturally.

Did you know? The distinctive patterns in wood grain are caused by the tree's growth rate varying between seasons—wider rings indicate faster growth in good years.

Terrazzo

Composite material of marble, quartz, and glass chips set in polished cement.

Agate Slice

Concentric banding patterns formed by mineral deposits in volcanic rock cavities.

Tree Rings

Mud Cracks

Polygonal fracture patterns formed when clay-rich sediment dries and contracts.

Craquelure

Fine crack networks on aged paint, ceramics, or varnish, prized in art authentication.

Patina

Surface oxidation layers forming naturally on copper, bronze, and other metals over time.

Rust

Iron oxide corrosion forming textured reddish-brown surface patterns.

10. Nature & Growth (16)

Biological growth patterns, branching structures, and natural phenomena

DLA Growth

Snowflake-like branching growth patterns created by particles randomly wandering until they stick.

Learn more

How It Works

Simulates Diffusion-Limited Aggregation: particles perform random walks until they touch the existing structure, then stick permanently.

Did you know? DLA explains the shape of snowflakes, mineral deposits, electrical discharge patterns, and even some coral formations in nature.

DLA — Organic

Leaf Venation

Branching vein networks found in plant leaves, distributing water and nutrients.

Spider Web

Radial and spiral silk structure spun by orb-weaver spiders to capture prey.

River Delta

Branching sediment deposits where a river meets the sea, forming dendritic channel networks.

Coral Growth

Branching calcium carbonate structures built by coral polyps over time.

Lichen Growth

Slowly expanding symbiotic organisms that form crusty, leafy, or branching patterns on surfaces.

Crystal Growth

Faceted mineral structures forming through nucleation and accretion of atoms in ordered lattices.

Snowflake

Six-fold symmetric ice crystal with intricate branching dendrites, formed in clouds.

Frost Patterns

Feathery ice formations on cold surfaces, created by water vapor crystallizing into fern-like shapes.

Diatom

Microscopic algae with ornate silica shells featuring radial symmetry and geometric pore patterns.

Crack Formation

Simulates crack propagation creating dried mud or ceramic glaze patterns.

Differential Growth

Organic meandering loops that fold and expand through node injection and repulsion forces.

Hyphae

Fungal growth simulation creating fuzzy, branching network patterns.

Space Colonization

Tree branches grow toward scattered attractor points, creating organic vein-like structures.

Lichtenberg

Branching electrical discharge patterns captured in insulating materials by high voltage.

11. Physics & Simulation (19)

Physical systems, force simulations, and dynamics modeling

Flow Fields

Streams of particles following invisible currents, creating elegant flowing line patterns.

Learn more

How It Works

Uses Perlin noise to define a vector (direction) at each point; particles follow these vectors, leaving trails that reveal the underlying field.

Did you know? Flow fields are used in weather visualization to show wind patterns, and in fluid dynamics simulations for engineering applications.

Flow Field — Particles

Thousands of particles follow a Perlin noise vector field, creating organic flowing patterns.

Lightning

Branching electrical discharge patterns resembling lightning bolts or Lichtenberg figures.

Learn more

How It Works

Grows paths from top to bottom that branch probabilistically, favoring downward movement but allowing random sideways jumps.

Did you know? A lightning bolt can reach 30,000°C—five times hotter than the surface of the Sun—and travels at about 270,000 mph.

Magnetic Field Lines

Invisible force field lines surrounding magnets, visualized by iron filing patterns.

Ferrofluid

Magnetic nanoparticle suspension forming spiky hedgehog-like shapes under magnetic fields.

Rayleigh-Benard

Kelvin-Helmholtz

Chladni Plate

Nodal line patterns formed by sand on vibrating metal plates, visualizing acoustic modes.

Cymatics

Geometric patterns formed by sound frequencies in water, sand, or other media.

Double Pendulum

Classic chaotic physics system demonstrating extreme sensitivity to initial conditions.

Fluid Dynamics

Swirling smoke and ink simulation using simplified fluid dynamics.

Galaxy

Procedural spiral galaxy with rotating arms, dense core, and scattered stars.

Inverse Kinematics

FABRIK algorithm for smooth tentacle and robotic arm movement.

N-Body Gravity

Particle System

Classic particle system with gravity, wind, and mouse attraction. Particles spawn, live, and fade away.

Rigid Body Collision

Soft Body

Jiggly blob simulation using spring-mass physics for soft, bouncy shapes.

Verlet Cloth

Cloth simulation using Verlet integration for stable, draping fabric behavior.

Wave Equation

Water ripple simulation showing wave propagation and interference.

12. Light & Optics (15)

Optical phenomena, light effects, and visual perception illusions

Bokeh

Circular blur patterns simulating the aesthetic quality of out-of-focus light in photography.

Learn more

How It Works

Draws overlapping translucent circles at varying sizes and positions, mimicking the optical effect of unfocused light points passing through a camera lens.

Did you know? The word 'bokeh' comes from the Japanese word 'boke' (暈け), meaning 'blur' or 'haze'. It was popularized in English photography circles in the late 1990s.

Interference

Ripple patterns from multiple wave sources, showing constructive and destructive interference.

Learn more

How It Works

Calculates wave intensity at each pixel from multiple point sources, where waves add constructively at peaks and cancel destructively at troughs.

Did you know? This pattern demonstrates the same physics behind holography and the famous double-slit experiment that revealed the wave nature of light.

Caustics

Light patterns seen at the bottom of swimming pools, created by light refracting through water.

Learn more

How It Works

Simulates light refraction through a wavy water surface using multiple noise layers to create the characteristic dancing light patterns.

Did you know? Real caustics occur when light passes through any curved transparent surface - you can see them through a glass of water or a crystal.

Moiré

Shimmering interference patterns created by overlapping regular patterns at slight angles.

Learn more

How It Works

Overlays two slightly offset radial or linear grids; their mathematical interference creates visible beating patterns at larger scales.

Did you know? Moiré patterns are usually unwanted in printing and displays, but artists like Bridget Riley use them intentionally for mesmerizing optical effects.

Op Art

Optical illusion artworks using high-contrast geometric shapes that trick the eye into seeing motion.

Learn more

How It Works

Creates repeating geometric shapes with calculated spacing and high contrast that exploit the eye's edge detection and pattern recognition systems.

Did you know? The Op Art movement peaked in the 1960s with artists like Victor Vasarely and Bridget Riley, influencing fashion, design, and album covers.

Kaleidoscope

Symmetrical mandala patterns with multiple reflection axes, like looking through a kaleidoscope toy.

Learn more

How It Works

Generates a pattern in one segment, then reflects it multiple times around a center point at regular angular intervals.

Did you know? The kaleidoscope was invented by Scottish physicist Sir David Brewster in 1816; within three months, 200,000 were sold in London alone.

Chromatic Aberration

RGB color fringing effect where color channels are offset, simulating optical lens defects.

Learn more

How It Works

Generates a base pattern, then offsets the red, green, and blue color channels slightly in different directions from center.

Did you know? Real chromatic aberration occurs because glass bends different wavelengths of light at different angles—this is how prisms create rainbows.

Double Slit

Interference pattern formed when light passes through two narrow slits, demonstrating wave-particle duality.

Wave Interference

Aurora

Shimmering curtains of light produced by charged solar particles interacting with the atmosphere.

Diffraction

Light splitting into rainbow spectrum through periodic grating structures.

Refraction

Simulates light bending at media boundaries using Snell

Thin-Film Interference

Volumetric Light

Stereogram

Autostereogram (Magic Eye) generator. Relax your eyes and look

13. Cellular Automata & Swarms (16)

Emergent behavior from simple rules, self-organizing systems, and agent-based models

Reaction-Diffusion

Organic spots and stripes resembling animal patterns, generated by simulating chemical reactions.

Learn more

How It Works

Simulates the Gray-Scott model where two chemicals react and diffuse at different rates, creating stable patterns through feedback loops.

Did you know? Alan Turing proposed reaction-diffusion as the basis for animal patterns in 1952, one of the first mathematical models of biological pattern formation.

Reaction-Diffusion — Morpho

Cellular Automata

Evolving grid patterns where simple rules create complex emergent behavior, like Conway's Game of Life.

Learn more

How It Works

Implements Conway's rules: cells live, die, or are born based on neighbor count (2-3 neighbors to survive, exactly 3 to be born).

Did you know? The Game of Life is Turing complete—you can build a working computer inside it, including one that plays the Game of Life itself.

Sandpile

Abelian sandpile model showing self-organized criticality through cascading grain avalanches.

Game of Life

Classic cellular automaton where cells live or die based on neighbor count.

Multi-Scale Turing

Multiple scales of activator/inhibitor patterns creating complex labyrinths.

Reaction-Diffusion 3D

Three-dimensional Gray-Scott reaction-diffusion model. Two virtual chemicals react and diffuse through a 3D volume, creating organic coral-like structures. Based on Alan Turing\

2D Cellular Automata

Cyclic CA

Predator-prey cellular automaton creating swirling spiral patterns.

Langton's Ant

Rule 30 CA

Ant Colony

Ants finding paths using pheromone trails that reinforce successful routes.

Boids Flocking

Braitenberg Vehicles

Simple sensor-to-motor connections creating fear, aggression, and love behaviors.

Physarum Simulation

Stigmergy

Termites building piles through simple pick-up and drop rules.

14. Classical Ornament (12)

Greek, Roman, and ancient architectural decorative motifs and border patterns

Spiral Fret

Continuous interlocking spiral motif used in classical Greek and Roman architectural borders.

Staircase Fret

Stepped geometric border pattern found in Mesoamerican and Greek decorative arts.

Greek Key Meander

The classic continuous angular spiral, symbolizing infinity and the eternal flow of life in ancient Greece.

Greek Key Border

Repeating angular meander pattern used as a border ornament in classical architecture.

Greek Key Spiral

Spiral variation of the Greek key motif, combining angular meanders with curved elements.

Greek Key — Simple

Vitruvian Scroll

Running scroll ornament of connected S-curves, a staple of Roman and Renaissance friezes.

Vitruvian Wave

Continuous wave border pattern inspired by Vitruvian architectural ornamentation.

Egg and Dart

Classical moulding pattern alternating egg-shaped ovoli with arrow-like darts.

Rosette / Palmette

Radiating petal motif derived from lotus and palm leaves, common in ancient Greek and Egyptian art.

Wave Scroll

Undulating scroll ornament flowing as a continuous wave band.

Labyrinth

Unicursal maze pattern with a single winding path, inspired by the mythical Cretan labyrinth.

15. Cultural & Decorative (18)

Celtic, Islamic, Gothic, Asian, and other cultural decorative traditions

Celtic Knot

Interlocking knotwork bands with no beginning or end, from medieval Celtic manuscripts and stone carvings.

Celtic Knot — Simple

Interlace / Strapwork

Bands weaving over and under each other in complex plaited arrangements.

Chip Carving

Geometric relief patterns made by removing small chips from a flat surface, traditional in Scandinavian woodwork.

Kolam

South Indian threshold design drawn with rice flour, featuring looping lines around dot grids.

Islamic Rosette

Star-and-rosette pattern from Islamic geometric art, built from overlapping circles and polygons.

Guilloche Rosette

Circular guilloche pattern with intricate interlacing bands forming rosette shapes.

Guilloche — Simple

Gothic Tracery

Ornamental stonework patterns from Gothic cathedral windows, with pointed arches and flowing curves.

Gothic Tracery — Simple

Arabesque Scroll

Flowing vegetal scroll pattern from Islamic decorative arts, with interlacing tendrils and leaves.

Arabesque — Simple

Chinese Lattice / Ice Ray

Geometric lattice window patterns from traditional Chinese architecture, resembling cracked ice.

Chinese Lattice — Simple

Rose Window

Circular tracery design inspired by the great stained-glass rose windows of Gothic cathedrals.

Art Deco

Bold geometric patterns with stepped forms, sunbursts, and zigzags from the 1920s–30s decorative movement.

Girih Tiles

Medieval Islamic decorative tiling system using five specific polygon shapes to create complex non-repeating geometric patterns.

Sri Yantra

Sacred Hindu geometric diagram of nine interlocking triangles radiating from a central point.

16. Textile & Material (9)

Fabric weaving, embroidery, and craft-inspired material patterns

Fabric Weave

Interlocking thread patterns that simulate woven fabric, creating textile-like textures digitally.

Learn more

How It Works

Simulates warp and weft threads passing over and under each other in various weave patterns like plain, twill, or satin weave.

Did you know? The oldest known woven fabric dates back 27,000 years, found at a site in the Czech Republic, making weaving one of humanity's oldest technologies.

Blackwork

Monochrome embroidery patterns built from geometric fills, originating in Tudor-era England.

Hitomezashi

Japanese running-stitch embroidery creating geometric patterns from simple stitch offsets.

Lace

Delicate openwork textile pattern with intricate mesh and floral motifs.

Chainmail

Interlocking metal ring pattern used in medieval armor, forming a flexible mesh.

Shibori

Japanese resist-dyeing technique producing organic patterns through folding, binding, and twisting fabric.

Ikat

Textile pattern created by resist-dyeing threads before weaving, producing blurred, feathered edges.

Basketweave

Alternating over-under interlacing pattern mimicking woven basket construction.

Paisley

Curved teardrop-shaped motif of Persian origin, iconic in textile design since the 18th century.

17. Artistic Styles (15)

Art movements, illustration techniques, and creative visual effects

Mondrian

Rectangular compositions with primary colors and bold black lines, inspired by the Dutch abstract painter Piet Mondrian.

Learn more

How It Works

Recursively subdivides the canvas into rectangles using random horizontal and vertical lines, then fills some rectangles with colors while leaving others white.

Did you know? Piet Mondrian believed his grid paintings represented universal harmony and spiritual order, calling his style 'Neo-Plasticism' or 'De Stijl'.

Landscape

Layered mountain silhouettes with atmospheric perspective, creating depth through color gradients.

Learn more

How It Works

Generates multiple terrain layers using noise, stacks them with lighter colors for distant layers (atmospheric perspective).

Did you know? This parallax layering technique was used in early video games like Moon Patrol (1982) to create the illusion of 3D depth.

Constellation

Stars scattered on a dark background connected by lines, like astronomical constellation maps.

Learn more

How It Works

Places random 'star' points with varying brightness, then connects nearby stars with lines based on distance threshold.

Did you know? The 88 modern constellations were standardized by the International Astronomical Union in 1922, though many date back thousands of years.

Stippling

Images made entirely of dots where dot density varies to create tones and shading.

Learn more

How It Works

Generates a noise field for brightness values, then places dots with density proportional to darkness—more dots in darker areas.

Did you know? Stippling has been used in scientific illustration since the 1800s because it reproduces well in print and doesn't degrade when photocopied.

Zentangle

Structured abstract drawing method using repetitive patterns within defined sections.

Hatching

Parallel line shading technique used in drawing, engraving, and printmaking to create tone.

Risograph

Layered spot-color printing effect inspired by the Risograph duplicator, with halftone dots and registration offsets.

Tie-Dye

Pointillism

Watercolor

Soft, translucent washes with organic bleeding edges, mimicking watercolor painting.

Ink Wash

East Asian brush painting technique using diluted ink to create tonal gradations.

Linocut

Bold relief print aesthetic with strong contrast, sharp edges, and visible carving marks.

Kintsugi

Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold, celebrating imperfection and history.

Aboriginal Dot Painting

Indigenous Australian art form using dot patterns to represent Dreamtime stories and sacred landscapes.

Generative Handwriting

18. Digital & Signal (20)

Glitch art, signal processing effects, and digital image manipulation

Pixel Sorting

Glitch art streaking effect where rows or columns of pixels are sorted by brightness.

Learn more

How It Works

Generates a base noise pattern, identifies pixel ranges in each row meeting brightness criteria, sorts those ranges to create streaks.

Did you know? Pixel sorting emerged as a popular glitch art technique in 2012 when artist Kim Asendorf published a Processing sketch that went viral.

Pixel Sort — Glitch

Identicon

Hash-based unique avatars where each seed generates a distinct, recognizable symmetric pattern.

Learn more

How It Works

Generates a symmetric grid pattern from the seed value, with each cell filled or empty based on seed bits, creating unique but reproducible avatars.

Did you know? GitHub uses identicons as default avatars; the algorithm was created by Don Park in 2007 to give anonymous users visual identities.

Circuit Board

Electronic circuit trace patterns with orthogonal connections, vias, and component pads.

Learn more

How It Works

Generates a grid of connection points, then draws orthogonal (90°) traces between them, adding circular vias and square component pads.

Did you know? The first printed circuit board was patented by Austrian engineer Paul Eisler in 1943, originally for use in military radios.

Circuit Board — Custom

Halftone

Dots of varying sizes that simulate continuous tones, recreating the printing technique used in newspapers and magazines.

Learn more

How It Works

Varies dot size based on underlying color intensity - larger dots for darker areas, smaller dots for lighter areas, creating the illusion of gradients.

Did you know? Halftone printing was invented in the 1850s and revolutionized newspaper and magazine publishing by enabling affordable reproduction of photographs.

Dithering

Ordered patterns that create the illusion of more colors or shades than are actually present.

Learn more

How It Works

Uses a Bayer matrix threshold pattern combined with noise to determine pixel placement, creating ordered patterns that blend visually at a distance.

Did you know? Dithering was essential in early computers with limited color palettes, like the 16-color EGA standard, and gave early games their distinctive look.

Matrix Rain

Cascading green characters falling down the screen, inspired by the iconic Matrix film effect.

Databend

Glitch art technique of intentionally corrupting image data to create unexpected visual distortions.

ASCII Art — Waves

ASCII Art — Textured

Chladni

Geometric sand patterns from standing waves on vibrating surfaces.

CRT Simulation

FFT Visualization

Kuwahara Filter

Sobel Edge Detection

Video Feedback

Infinite trails from feeding output back as input with transformation.

Displacement Mapping

Slit-Scan

Maps time to space by stacking single pixel lines, creating stretched portraits.

Raymarching

Renders 3D scenes using signed distance functions and sphere tracing.

Ready to Create?

Start generating unique, royalty-free images with Spectra.

Open Spectra Generator