I'm wondering if anyone wants to do some free-form collaborating?  I'm new - haven't done any 3D yet, and haven't pulled in large data sets yet (other than camera pixels)

Very informal - trade off days/weeks with the code, pass it back and forth and just see what happens?  Obviously we could not be possessive about the code whatsoever... all for fun and learning.

let me know -

cheers
Kerry

I'd like too. do you have an idea of what would be this about?

here is my stuff http://terreno.wordpress.com

regards.

and hey samuel, no i don't have any idea of what it would be about.  i'm thinking we would start over a lot.

i took a look at your site, you've got a lot more experience than me, so i don't know how entertaining it will be for you, but you're more than welcome.

have you heard of the game 'exquisite corpse'?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exquisite_corpse

like that.

changes, a few lines here and there, hopefully not degenerating into spaghetti code.  let me know if you're confused about anything.

import processing.opengl.*;

Leaf[] leaves = {
 new Leaf(350, 400, 0, 0.5, -20, 200, 200),
 new Leaf(350, 400, 0, 0.5, 110, 200, 200),
 new Leaf(350, 400, 0, 0.5, 50, 180, 170),  
 new Leaf(350, 400, 0, 0.5, -30, 180, 170),    
 new Leaf(350, 400, 0, 0.5, -150, 190, 170),  
 new Leaf(350, 400, 0, 0.5, 200, 190, 170),  
 new Leaf(350, 400, 0, 0.5, 120, 200, 200),    
 new Leaf(350, 400, 0, 0.5, -80, 200, 200),      
};
color c = color(250, 250, 250);
int i;

void setup() {
 size(700, 700, OPENGL);
 background(0);
 rectMode(CENTER);
 noCursor();
}

void draw() {
 fill(0);
 noStroke();
 rect(width/2, height/2, width, height);

 stroke(c);
 for (i = 0; i < leaves.length; i++)
   leaves[i].display();  


 /*pushMatrix();                            
  translate(0, 0, -200);
  rect(350, 400, 250, 400);  
  popMatrix();
  pushMatrix();
  translate(350, 600, -200);
  rotateX(radians(90));
  rect(0, 0, 250, 500);    
  popMatrix();*/


}

class Leaf {
 float t;
 float x, y, cx, cy, cz, prevX, prevY, z, prevZ;
 float cosFactor;
 int sz = 200;
 float dir;
 int w, h;
 color colo;

 Leaf(float x, float y , float z, float fact, float direction, int w, int h) {
   cx = x;
   cy = y;
   cz = z;
   cosFactor = fact;    
   dir = direction;
   this.w = w;
   this.h = h;
   int imgW = w;
   int imgH = h*2;

 }
 void display() {

   pushMatrix();                                    
   translate(mouseX - (width/2), mouseY - (height/2));

   beginShape();

   fill(map(mouseX, 0, width, 0, 255),   map(mouseY, 0, height, 0, 255),   dir);  

   for (t = -1; t <= 1; ) {  
     x = w*sin(t)*cos(t)*log(abs(t))*0.75+abs(t)*dir;
     y = -h*pow(abs(t),0.3)*pow(cos(t),cosFactor)*exp(abs(t))+210;
     //      z = cz - abs(t)*dir; // tried to have petals twist in the z direction
     vertex(x + cx,y + cy);  
     float incFactor = max(abs(t), 0.01);
     t+=0.1*incFactor;

   }
   endShape(CLOSE);    

   popMatrix();                            

 }
}

Nice, good idea about the color change. The tones kinda reminded me of the old Alice in w. cartoon
Hopefully the glowies go for that mood..was gonna give them some motion but I'm out of time..
Sorry but I have no clue about the export. I tried it here and it worked...It throws out more files because it needs a copy of the libraries used in the sketch, that's all I know

import processing.opengl.*;
import javax.media.opengl.*;

PGraphicsOpenGL pgl;
GL gl;


Leaf[] leaves = {
 new Leaf(350, 400, 0, 0.5, -20, 200, 200),
 new Leaf(350, 400, 0, 0.5, 110, 200, 200),
 new Leaf(350, 400, 0, 0.5, 50, 180, 170),  
 new Leaf(350, 400, 0, 0.5, -30, 180, 170),    
 new Leaf(350, 400, 0, 0.5, -150, 190, 170),  
 new Leaf(350, 400, 0, 0.5, 200, 190, 170),  
 new Leaf(350, 400, 0, 0.5, 120, 200, 200),    
 new Leaf(350, 400, 0, 0.5, -80, 200, 200),  
};
color c = color(250, 250, 250);
int i;

void setup() {
 size(700, 700, OPENGL);
 colorMode(RGB, 255, 255, 255, 100);  
 rectMode(CENTER);
 imageMode(CENTER);  
 noCursor();
 pgl = (PGraphicsOpenGL)g;
 gl = pgl.beginGL();
 
 glowies = new Glowy[0];
 int numberOfGlowies = 42;
 for (int i = 0; i < numberOfGlowies; i++)
   glowies = (Glowy[])append(glowies, new Glowy());
}

Glowy[] glowies;

void draw() {
 fill(0, 50);
 noStroke();
 rect(width/2, height/2, width, height);
 stroke(c);

 pgl.beginGL();
 gl.glDisable(GL.GL_DEPTH_TEST);
 gl.glEnable(GL.GL_BLEND);
 gl.glBlendFunc(GL.GL_SRC_ALPHA, GL.GL_ONE);
 pgl.endGL();
 
 for (i = 0; i < glowies.length; i++)
   glowies[i].display();

 pgl.beginGL();
 gl.glEnable(GL.GL_DEPTH_TEST);
 gl.glDisable(GL.GL_BLEND);
 pgl.endGL();

 for (i = 0; i < leaves.length; i++)
   leaves[i].display();

}

class Glowy {
 PGraphics orb;
 int orbR; // orb radius
 int posX, posY;
 Glowy() {
   orbR = 80;
   orb = createGraphics(orbR, orbR, JAVA2D);
   orb.beginDraw();
   orb.smooth();
   orb.background(255, 0);
   orb.colorMode(RGB, 255, 255, 255, 100);
   orb.noStroke();
   orb.fill(169, 169, 169, 4);
   orb.ellipse(orbR/2, orbR/2, orbR, orbR);
   orb.fill(15, 100, 200, 70);
   orb.ellipse(orbR/2, orbR/2, orbR/6, orbR/6);  
   orb.endDraw();
   posX = (int)random(0, width);
   posY = (int)random(0, height-300);
 }  
 void display() {
   image(orb, posX, posY, 20, 20);  
 }
}

class Leaf {
 float t;
 float x, y, cx, cy, cz, prevX, prevY, z, prevZ;
 float cosFactor;
 int sz = 200;
 float dir;
 int w, h;
 color colo;

 Leaf(float x, float y , float z, float fact, float direction, int w, int h) {
   cx = x;
   cy = y;
   cz = z;
   cosFactor = fact;    
   dir = direction;
   this.w = w;
   this.h = h;
   int imgW = w;
   int imgH = h*2;

 }  
 void display() {

   pushMatrix();      
   translate(mouseX - (width/2), mouseY - (height/2));

   beginShape();

   fill(map(mouseX, 0, width, 0, 255),   map(mouseY, 0, height, 0, 255),   abs(dir));    

   for (t = -1; t <= 1; ) {  
     x = w*sin(t)*cos(t)*log(abs(t))*0.75+abs(t)*dir;
     y = -h*pow(abs(t),0.3)*pow(cos(t),cosFactor)*exp(abs(t))+210;
     // z = cz - abs(t)*dir; // tried to have petals twist in the z direction
     vertex(x + cx,y + cy);  
     float incFactor = max(abs(t), 0.01);
     t+=0.1*incFactor;

   }
   endShape(CLOSE);    

   popMatrix();          

 }
}

Hey, the problem was creating a new one on each draw, plus a little problem with the step size, x and y. 5 is a little too small and the number of glowies required gets a bit big, at least over here I get an error due to low memory.
Good idea.. Keep it going. Now to add some colors to the glowies..Like this we only get shape but no shading..

Cheers

import processing.opengl.*;
import javax.media.opengl.*;

PGraphicsOpenGL pgl;
GL gl;

PImage buffalo;
Glowy[] glowies = new Glowy[0];
color c;

void setup(){
 size(500, 400, OPENGL);
 colorMode(RGB, 255, 255, 255, 100);  
 pgl = (PGraphicsOpenGL)g;
 gl = pgl.beginGL();
 buffalo = loadImage("one.jpg");
 imageMode(CENTER);  
 for(int x = 0; x < buffalo.width-1; x+=15){
   for(int y= 0; y < buffalo.height-1; y+=15){
     if( (abs(brightness(buffalo.pixels[(y)*buffalo.width+x])))  < 80){
       Glowy glowy = new Glowy(x, y);
       glowies = (Glowy[])append(glowies, glowy);
     }
   }
 }
}

void draw(){      
 background(0);
 if (buffalo.width == 0) {
 }  
 else if (buffalo.width == -1) {
 }  
 else {
   pgl.beginGL();
   gl.glDisable(GL.GL_DEPTH_TEST);
   gl.glEnable(GL.GL_BLEND);
   gl.glBlendFunc(GL.GL_SRC_ALPHA, GL.GL_ONE);
   pgl.endGL();  
   for (int i = 0; i < glowies.length; i++)
     glowies[i].display();
 }

}

class Glowy {
 PGraphics orb;
 int orbR; // orb radius
 int posX, posY;
 Glowy(int x, int y) {
   orbR = 80;
   orb = createGraphics(orbR, orbR, JAVA2D);
   orb.beginDraw();
   orb.smooth();
   orb.background(255, 0);
   orb.colorMode(RGB, 255, 255, 255, 100);  
   orb.noStroke();
   orb.fill(169, 169, 169, 4);
   orb.ellipse(orbR/2, orbR/2, orbR, orbR);
   orb.fill(15, 100, 200, 70);
   orb.ellipse(orbR/2, orbR/2, orbR/6, orbR/6);  
   orb.endDraw();
   posX = x;
   posY = y;
 }  
 void display() {
   image(orb, posX, posY, 20, 20);  
 }
}