Making it Visible

A collection of p5 canvases that create generative representations of trichomes, the tiny hairs on plants.

Making it Visible image

A series of explorations using p5.js

This series of sketches are inspired by observations of the various trichome phenotypes of the Arabidopsis thaliana plant.

Trichomes are the tiny, almost invisible hairs that some plants use to sense the world, protect themselves, taste delicious, or get you high.

The sketches are linked below, each paired with a microscope image that inspired it.

Number 1

Number 2

Number 3

Number 4

Number 5

Number 6

Number 7

an image from a microscope of a trichome, which looks like a tiny hair on a green leaf. an image from a microscope of trichomes, which looks like a leaf covered in tiny hairs. . an image from a microscope of mutated trichomes, which look like tiny hairs which split into three branches. an image from a microscope of many mutated trichomes, which look like a dense collection of splitting hairs on a green leaf. an image from a microscope of many trichomes dyed blue for easier visibility. an image from a microscope of a trichome dyed blue. an image from a microscope of many trichomes dyed blue for easier visibility. an image from a microscope of many trichomes dyed blue for easier visibility. an image from a microscope of many trichomes dyed blue for easier visibility.