Spiral Waves
Four rotating arms winding outward until they read as standing waves.
About this piece
Four spiral arms unwind from the centre. Each arm is a smooth polyline sampled along an angle that sweeps through several turns while its radius grows steadily outward — the parametric recipe behind every spiral galaxy and nautilus shell.
The four arms are spaced a quarter-turn apart and the whole set rotates over time. Because they share the same growth curve, the eye stops reading four separate lines and starts seeing the interference between them as rippling, wave-like bands.
What to look for
Watch the points where arms cross: they line up into shifting standing waves that appear to move outward even though every arm is just rotating in place.
Alternating arms are drawn in cobalt and coral, so the crossings flicker between the two inks.
Curious how the loop and canvas fit together? Read how it works →