p5.Polar

p5.Polar is a JavaScript library that extend p5.js standard drawing functions with versions using polar coordinates. The library converts polar coordinate to cartesian coordinate, and abstracts the mathematics required for making many types of geometric patterns.

alt text

Project Advisor

@charlieroberts

Release Note (09/05/2023)

What's new in version 2.3 ?

Bug fix for shiftRotate function.

CDN

p5.Polar.js

p5.Polar.min.js

Older Version

2.2 release note (08/28/2023):

p5.Polar.js v2.2
p5.Polar.min.js v2.2
Contributed by @iuli4n: fixed bugs the first call to setCenter() doesn't actually translate.
Contributed by @iuli4n: added generic function to shift things around the circle.
Contributed by @iuli4n: added generic callback draw function for drawing anything.

2.1 release note (08/13/2020):

p5.Polar.js v2.1
p5.Polar.min.js v2.1
Fix drawing ellipse doesn't radiate outward from center point.
Fix bug to support drawing animation (scroll down to see the examples about how to draw animation).
Special thanks to the project's advisor @charlieroberts for all the tips and resources!

How to add library to your p5.js sketch

Official guide about how to use a library
Download p5.Polar.js or the minified version p5.Polar.min.js to your local environment. Link the file to your HTML.
Link p5.Polar.js or the minified version, p5.Polar.min.js to your HTML.
If you are using p5.js web editor, upload p5.Polar.js or p5.Polar.min.js to your sketch files, and then Link the file to index.html.

Playground

Try out the library and create shapes and patterns at the p5.Polar Playground (Note: callback function is not available and will be supported soon).

Examples & Documentation

Basic Usage

Let each sketches have their center point

setCenter( x, y )

Single drawing function

polarLine( angle, radius, [distance] )
polarTriangle( angle, radius, [distance] )
polarSquare( angle, radius, [distance] )
polarPentagon( angle, radius, [distance] )
polarHexagon( angle, radius, [distance] )
polarHeptagon( angle, radius, [distance] )
polarOctagon( angle, radius, [distance] )
polarEllipse( angle, widthRadius, heightRadius, [distance] )
polarPolygon( number, angle, radius, [distance] )

Multiple drawing function

polarLines( number, radius, distance, [callback] )
polarTriangles( number, radius, distance, [callback] )
polarSquares( number, radius, distance, [callback] )
polarPentagons( number, radius, distance, [callback] )
polarHexagons( number, radius, distance, [callback] )
polarHeptagons( number, radius, distance, [callback] )
polarOctogons( number, radius, distance, [callback] )
polarEllipses( number, widthRadius, heightRadius, distance, [callback] )
polarPolygons( number, number of edges, radius, distance, [callback] )

Callback function

The value of each member of args:

args[0] = number of shapes (from 1 to N)
args[1] = angle
args[2] = radius
args[3] = distance

The value of each member of args when drawing with polarEllipses() function:

args[0] = number of ellipses (from 1 to N)
args[1] = angle
args[2] = width of radius
args[3] = height of radius
args[4] = distance

Animation examples

Pattern examples

Examples of Single Drawing Function <a name="singleFunction"></a>

polarTriangle() <a name="polarTriangle"></a>

Draw a single triangle with radius of 100 at the center of polar system

JavaScript
function draw() { 
    setCenter(width/2, height/2);
    background(220);
    polarTriangle(0, 100, 0); // works the same as polarTriangle(0, 100);
}

Move 50 from the center point

JavaScript
function draw() { 
    setCenter(width/2, height/2);
    background(220);
    polarTriangle(0, 100, 50);
}

Rotate the triangle for 30 degree

JavaScript
function draw() { 
    setCenter(width/2, height/2);
    background(220);
    polarTriangle(30, 100, 50);
}

polarEllipse() <a name="polarEllipse"></a>

Draw a single ellipse with width of 50, and height of 100 from center of polar system

JavaScript
function draw() { 
    setCenter(width/2, height/2);
    background(220);
    polarEllipse(0, 50, 100, 0); // works the same as polarEllipse(0, 50, 100)
}

polarPolygon() <a name="polarPolygon"></a>

Draw a twelve-sided shape from center of polar system

JavaScript
function draw() { 
    setCenter(width/2, height/2);
    background(220);
    polarPolygon(12, 0, 100);
}

Examples of Multiple Drawing Function <a name="multiFunction"></a>

polarTriangles() <a name="polarTriangles"></a>

Draw 6 triangles with radius 50, and move 100 from the center point

JavaScript
function draw() { 
    setCenter(width/2, height/2);
    background(220);
    polarTriangles(6, 50, 100);
}

polarPentagons() <a name="polarPentagons"></a>

Draw 7 pentagons with radius 50, and move 100 from the center point

JavaScript
function draw() { 
    setCenter(width/2, height/2);
    background(220);
    polarPentagons(7, 50, 100);
}

polarEllipses() <a name="polarEllipses"></a>

Draw 6 ellipses with both width and height of 50, and move 100 from the center point

JavaScript
function draw() { 
    setCenter(width/2, height/2);
    background(220);
    polarEllipses(6, 50, 50, 100);
}

callback function <a name="callback"></a>

Giving a gradient color and different sizes of ellipse by manipulating the first argument

JavaScript
function draw() { 
    setCenter(width/2, height/2);
    background(220);
    polarEllipses(10, 0, 0, 100, function(...args) {
        fill(args[0]*40, args[0]*40, args[0]*40, 160);
        args[2] = args[0]*6;
        args[3] = args[0]*6;
        return args;     
    });
}

Animation examples <a name="animation"></a>

Animation 1

Use sin() and frameCount() to make oscillation

JavaScript
function draw() { 
  setCenter(width/2, height/2);
  background(220);
  stroke('#666');
  noFill();
  polarEllipses(30, 40+sin(frameCount/10)*20, 80, 80);
}

Animation 2

Drawing multiple animations with different center point. Remember to use resetMatrix() to replace the current matrix before setting new center

JavaScript
function draw() { 
  noFill();
  background(220);
  stroke('#666');
  
  setCenter(width/4, height/4);
  polarEllipses(20, 20+sin(frameCount/10)*10, 40, 40);
  
  // replace the current matrix before setting new center
  resetMatrix();
  setCenter(width/4+200, height/4);
  rotate(frameCount * 0.01); 
  polarEllipses(20, 20, 40, 40);
  
  resetMatrix();
  setCenter(width/4, height/4+200);
  rotate(frameCount * 0.01); 
  polarEllipses(20, 20, 40, 40);
  
  resetMatrix();
  setCenter(width/4+200, height/4+200);
  polarEllipses(20, 20+sin(frameCount/10)*10, 40, 40);
}

Pattern examples <a name="pattern"></a>

Pattern 1

JavaScript
function draw() {
  background(220);
  setCenter(width/2, height/2);
  
  // polarLines( number, radius, distance, [callback] )
  stroke('#000')
  strokeWeight(0.3);
  polarLines(3, 200, 0);
  
  noStroke();
  
  // polarHexagon( angle, radius, [distance] )
  fill(175, 170, 238);
  polarHexagon(30, 50, 0);
  
  // polarEllipse( angle, widthRadius, heightRadius, [distance] )
  fill(252, 248, 200);
  polarEllipses(8, 10, 10, 100);
  fill(238, 175, 170);
  polarEllipses(12, 40, 40, 200);
  fill(252, 248, 200, 120);
  polarEllipses(5, 80, 80, 160);
}

Pattern 2

JavaScript
function draw() {
  background(220);
  setCenter(width/2, height/2);
  noFill();
  
  // polarEllipses( number, widthRadius, heightRadius, distance, [callback] )
  polarEllipses(50, 0, 0, 0, function(...args) {
    stroke(args[0]*10);
    fill(args[0]*5, args[0]*4, args[0]*3, 30);
      args[2] = args[0]*6;
      args[3] = args[0]*6;
      args[4] = args[0]*5;
      return args;
  });
}

Pattern 3

JavaScript
function draw() {
  background(220);
  setCenter(width/2, height/2);
  noStroke();
  
  // polarTriangle( angle, radius, [distance] )
  fill(175, 170, 238);
  polarTriangle(0, 100, 0);
  fill(238, 175, 170);
  polarTriangle(180, 100, 0);
  
   // polarPentagons( number, radius, distance, [callback] )
  fill(238, 175, 170, 80);
  polarPentagons(6, 150, 150);
  fill(175, 170, 238, 40);
  polarPentagons(8, 200, 200);
  
  // polarEllipses( number, widthRadius, heightRadius, distance, [callback] )
  fill(238, 175, 170);
  polarEllipses(3, 10, 5, 120);
  fill(175, 170, 238);
  polarEllipses(3, 5, 10, -120);
}

Pattern 4

JavaScript
function draw() {
  background(0);
  setCenter(width/2, height/2);
  
  // polarLines( number, radius, distance, [callback] )
  noFill();
  stroke('#ccc');
  strokeWeight(0.5);
  polarLines(8, 140, 0);
  polarLines(8, 60, 20);
  
  // polarEllipses( number, widthRadius, heightRadius, distance, [callback] )
  noStroke();
  fill(13, 146, 185, 110);
  polarEllipses(10, 50, 50, 70);
  fill(252, 248, 200, 120);
  polarEllipses(5, 36, 36, 32);
  fill(178, 216, 178, 120);
  polarEllipses(10, 30, 30, 70);
  polarEllipses(10, 30, 30, 120);
  fill(238, 175, 170);
  polarEllipses(12, 8, 8, 40);
  fill(252, 248, 200, 120);
  polarEllipses(5, 16, 16, 32);
  fill(13, 146, 185, 110);
  polarEllipses(14, 50, 50, 155);
  
  // polarHexagon( angle, radius, [distance] ) 
  noStroke();
  fill(175, 170, 238);
  polarHexagon(3, 10, 0);
  
  fill(238, 175, 170);
  // polarTriangles( number, radius, distance, [callback] )
  polarTriangles(4, 6, 60);
  polarTriangles(4, 8, 140);
  // polarSquares( number, radius, distance, [callback] )
  polarSquares(8, 2, 80);
  polarSquares(4, 4, 120);
}

Pattern 5

JavaScript
function draw() {
  background(0);
  setCenter(width/2, height/2);
  noFill()
  
  strokeWeight(1);
  
  stroke('#ff7300');
  // polarPolygon( number, angle, radius, [distance] )
  polarPolygon(10, 0, 50);
  // polarPentagons( number, radius, distance, [callback] )
  polarPentagons(6, 60, 60);
  
  // polarTriangles( number, radius, distance, [callback] )
  stroke('#64ff00');
  polarTriangles(8, 125, 150);
  
  strokeWeight(1);
  stroke('#fc49ab');
  polarTriangles(10, 150, 150);
}

Pattern 6 <a name="polarPolygons"></a>

JavaScript
function draw() {
  background(220);
  setCenter(width/2, height/2);
  stroke('#000');
  
  // polarPolygons( number, number of edges, radius, distance, [callback] )
  fill(229,188,231,120);
  polarPolygons(16, 4, 40, 180);
  fill(32,178,170,120);
  polarPolygons(6, 4, 40, 150);
  fill(252, 248, 200, 120);
  polarPolygons(6, 4, 80, 100);
  fill(255, 255, 255, 120);
  polarPolygons(6, 4, 40, 100);
}