Week 9: Improve the visual output in TouchDesigner

Enhancing Visual output Through Feedback

At this stage, I began reviewing the visual output of my system and realised that the results were not fully aligned with my original vision. While the particle responses and data-driven behaviours were functioning correctly, the overall visual mood lacked the softness and atmosphere I had initially imagined.

To refine the output, I focused on enhancing the aesthetic quality of the particle visuals. I introduced a new Feedback component to the final rendering pipeline, which allowed for temporal layering of previous frames. By adjusting the Opacity and the Dry/Wet mix parameters within the feedback loop, I was able to create a subtle glow or halo around the virtual plant particles (Fig 1).

This visual decision was inspired by my earlier research into the behaviour of evening primrose. I learned that this plant is known for its nocturnal blooming, typically becoming active after dusk. During the night, the evening primrose increases nectar production and releases a sweeter scent to attract pollinators under low-light conditions.

To reflect this characteristic in the visual language of the work, I shaped the output to feel as though it glows gently in the dark, radiating softly as if illuminated from within. The addition of the feedback effect and the carefully tuned opacity and mix values were intended to evoke this sense of internal activity and vitality. The glow serves not only as an aesthetic gesture but also as a metaphor for the subtle yet powerful processes unfolding inside the plant.

Through this, I wanted the audience to not only observe the plant but also feel its presence and sense its energy and life through a gentle shimmer that pulses quietly in space.

The result is a particle-based visualisation that responds to data while also capturing the quiet luminosity of a plant awakening at night (Fig 2). By blending technical modulation with poetic symbolism, the system now communicates the living rhythm of the virtual plant and its connection to natural cycles with greater clarity and emotion (Fig 3).

Adding a Rectangular Frame to Enhance Spatial Perception

In addition to refining the glow effect, I introduced a new visual feature to enhance spatial depth and conceptual clarity. Initially, the background of the virtual plant was presented on a plain black canvas. However, I soon realized that this approach did not sufficiently communicate the energetic nature of the particle system or the plant’s expressive agency.

To address this, I added a soft rectangular frame using a white Rectangle TOP with feathered edges (Fig 4). This served not only as a spatial anchor but also as a conceptual boundary. The particles of the plant now extend and drift beyond the limits of the frame, visually suggesting that the plant is exceeding the constraints imposed upon it (Fig 5).

This design choice was informed by my interest in challenging the traditional perception of plants as passive or decorative elements. The rectangular frame becomes a metaphor for those expectations- a clearly defined space of order and function. In contrast, the particle cloud, which responds dynamically to the plant’s bioelectrical signals, moves beyond those limits (Fig 6). It resists containment.

By allowing the plant’s virtual form to visually exceed its boundaries, I invite viewers to reconsider the ways in which natural systems communicate and exert agency. The result is a more spatially immersive and conceptually layered experience that reflects the core intent of the work—to visualise the vitality and autonomy of plants through real-time data and digital matter.