Riley Current: black wavy lines bulging through a lens
Riley Current is inspired by the black-and-white wave paintings of 1960s op art: about fifty vertical lines, black and chalk in equal widths, each bent into a gentle sine. A Lens distortion field at Spatial depth 92 magnifies the middle of the frame, so the lines swell into a bulging column and the waves seem to ride over a curved surface. Press Play and the crests travel slowly down every line, closing a seamless loop every 7.5 seconds.
Make it yours
Straighten or deepen the waves
Wave distortion sets how far each line swings. At 34 the waves stay gentle; drop it to 0 for straight lines that only bend where the lens magnifies them, or push it toward 85 for deep, crowded zigzags.
Print it slightly out of register
Color separation starts at 0. Raise it to about 30 and a cobalt copy of every line slips out from behind the black, printing a thin blue fringe along one edge like an offset proof that has drifted.
FAQ
Does Riley Current reproduce an existing op art painting?
No. It is an original pattern drawn live from code, named as a homage to the wavy-line op art of the 1960s. No artwork is copied into it, and it is not affiliated with or endorsed by any artist or estate.
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.