Pixel Vortex: a grid of blue pixels twisted into a whirlpool
Pixel Vortex starts from a plain screen of blue square pixels on off-white and wrings it like a cloth. A Twist distortion field at Spatial depth 85 turns the center by more than a third of a circle while the edges stay put, and each pixel takes its size from the light on a soft dome, so one flank of the swirl darkens and the other opens up. On Breathe the twist loosens to about half and winds tight again in a 6-second loop.
Make it yours
Unscrew the vortex
Spatial depth is the strength of the twist. Drop it to 30 for a gentle swirl in an almost regular grid, or set Distortion field to Lens to trade the vortex for a magnified dome of pixels.
Grow the pixels
Mark weight sets the largest pixel size. At 36 the squares keep clear gaps; raise it to 70 and the shaded flank merges into nearly solid blue while the lit side still shows separate squares.
FAQ
Why does Pixel Vortex seem to spin when it only breathes?
As the twist strength rises and falls, pixels near the center rotate farther than those at the edge, so the grid winds and unwinds. The eye reads that changing curvature as rotation, even though the vortex never completes a turn.
How it works
Choose a starting point
Start from one of 16 looks such as Riley Current, Cobalt Tunnel or Moiré Twins, or pick one of 8 pattern geometries, from Halftone and Checkerboard to Moiré and Weave.
Bend the pattern
Pick a Mark shape and a Distortion field such as Lens, Pinch, Fold or Twist, set Pattern density, Mark weight, Spatial depth, Wave distortion and Color separation, then drag the artwork to position it.
Loop it and use it
Press Play to run a seamless Flow, Breathe or Counterflow loop, set the two inks, Light color and Backlight, then sign in with a free UX Pilot account to use it on the canvas or export it.