p5.Polar

p5.Polar is a JavaScript library that extend p5.js standard drawing functions with versions using polar coordinates. The library converts polar coordinate to cartesian coordinate, and abstracts the mathematics required for making many types of geometric patterns.

Project Advisor

• @charlieroberts

Release Note (09/05/2023)

What's new in version 2.3 ?

• Bug fix for shiftRotate function.

CDN

p5.Polar.js

p5.Polar.min.js

Older Version

2.2 release note (08/28/2023):

• p5.Polar.js v2.2
• p5.Polar.min.js v2.2
• Contributed by @iuli4n: fixed bugs the first call to setCenter() doesn't actually translate.
• Contributed by @iuli4n: added generic function to shift things around the circle.
• Contributed by @iuli4n: added generic callback draw function for drawing anything.

2.1 release note (08/13/2020):

• p5.Polar.js v2.1
• p5.Polar.min.js v2.1
• Fix drawing ellipse doesn't radiate outward from center point.
• Fix bug to support drawing animation (scroll down to see the examples about how to draw animation).
• Special thanks to the project's advisor @charlieroberts for all the tips and resources!

How to add library to your p5.js sketch

• Official guide about how to use a library

• Download p5.Polar.js or the minified version p5.Polar.min.js to your local environment. Link the file to your HTML.

• Link p5.Polar.js or the minified version, p5.Polar.min.js to your HTML.

• If you are using p5.js web editor, upload p5.Polar.js or p5.Polar.min.js to your sketch files, and then Link the file to index.html.

Playground

Try out the library and create shapes and patterns at the p5.Polar Playground (Note: callback function is not available and will be supported soon).

Examples & Documentation

Basic Usage

Let each sketches have their center point

• setCenter( x, y )

Single drawing function

• polarLine( angle, radius, [distance] )
• polarTriangle( angle, radius, [distance] )
• polarSquare( angle, radius, [distance] )
• polarPentagon( angle, radius, [distance] )
• polarHexagon( angle, radius, [distance] )
• polarHeptagon( angle, radius, [distance] )
• polarOctagon( angle, radius, [distance] )
• polarEllipse( angle, widthRadius, heightRadius, [distance] )
• polarPolygon( number, angle, radius, [distance] )

Multiple drawing function

• polarLines( number, radius, distance, [callback] )
• polarTriangles( number, radius, distance, [callback] )
• polarSquares( number, radius, distance, [callback] )
• polarPentagons( number, radius, distance, [callback] )
• polarHexagons( number, radius, distance, [callback] )
• polarHeptagons( number, radius, distance, [callback] )
• polarOctogons( number, radius, distance, [callback] )
• polarEllipses( number, widthRadius, heightRadius, distance, [callback] )
• polarPolygons( number, number of edges, radius, distance, [callback] )

Callback function

The value of each member of args:

• args[0] = number of shapes (from 1 to N)
• args[1] = angle
• args[2] = radius
• args[3] = distance

The value of each member of args when drawing with polarEllipses() function:

• args[0] = number of ellipses (from 1 to N)
• args[1] = angle
• args[2] = width of radius
• args[3] = height of radius
• args[4] = distance

Animation examples

Pattern examples

Examples of Single Drawing Function

polarTriangle()

Draw a single triangle with radius of 100 at the center of polar system

function draw() { 
    setCenter(width/2, height/2);
    background(220);
    polarTriangle(0, 100, 0); // works the same as polarTriangle(0, 100);
}

Move 50 from the center point

function draw() { 
    setCenter(width/2, height/2);
    background(220);
    polarTriangle(0, 100, 50);
}

Rotate the triangle for 30 degree

function draw() { 
    setCenter(width/2, height/2);
    background(220);
    polarTriangle(30, 100, 50);
}

polarEllipse()

Draw a single ellipse with width of 50, and height of 100 from center of polar system

function draw() { 
    setCenter(width/2, height/2);
    background(220);
    polarEllipse(0, 50, 100, 0); // works the same as polarEllipse(0, 50, 100)
}

polarPolygon()

Draw a twelve-sided shape from center of polar system

function draw() { 
    setCenter(width/2, height/2);
    background(220);
    polarPolygon(12, 0, 100);
}

Examples of Multiple Drawing Function

polarTriangles()

Draw 6 triangles with radius 50, and move 100 from the center point

function draw() { 
    setCenter(width/2, height/2);
    background(220);
    polarTriangles(6, 50, 100);
}

polarPentagons()

Draw 7 pentagons with radius 50, and move 100 from the center point

function draw() { 
    setCenter(width/2, height/2);
    background(220);
    polarPentagons(7, 50, 100);
}

polarEllipses()

Draw 6 ellipses with both width and height of 50, and move 100 from the center point

function draw() { 
    setCenter(width/2, height/2);
    background(220);
    polarEllipses(6, 50, 50, 100);
}

callback function

Giving a gradient color and different sizes of ellipse by manipulating the first argument

function draw() { 
    setCenter(width/2, height/2);
    background(220);
    polarEllipses(10, 0, 0, 100, function(...args) {
        fill(args[0]*40, args[0]*40, args[0]*40, 160);
        args[2] = args[0]*6;
        args[3] = args[0]*6;
        return args;     
    });
}

Animation examples

Animation 1

Use sin() and frameCount() to make oscillation

function draw() { 
  setCenter(width/2, height/2);
  background(220);
  stroke('#666');
  noFill();
  polarEllipses(30, 40+sin(frameCount/10)*20, 80, 80);
}

Animation 2

Drawing multiple animations with different center point. Remember to use resetMatrix() to replace the current matrix before setting new center

function draw() { 
  noFill();
  background(220);
  stroke('#666');
  
  setCenter(width/4, height/4);
  polarEllipses(20, 20+sin(frameCount/10)*10, 40, 40);
  
  // replace the current matrix before setting new center
  resetMatrix();
  setCenter(width/4+200, height/4);
  rotate(frameCount * 0.01); 
  polarEllipses(20, 20, 40, 40);
  
  resetMatrix();
  setCenter(width/4, height/4+200);
  rotate(frameCount * 0.01); 
  polarEllipses(20, 20, 40, 40);
  
  resetMatrix();
  setCenter(width/4+200, height/4+200);
  polarEllipses(20, 20+sin(frameCount/10)*10, 40, 40);
}

Pattern examples

Pattern 1

function draw() {
  background(220);
  setCenter(width/2, height/2);
  
  // polarLines( number, radius, distance, [callback] )
  stroke('#000')
  strokeWeight(0.3);
  polarLines(3, 200, 0);
  
  noStroke();
  
  // polarHexagon( angle, radius, [distance] )
  fill(175, 170, 238);
  polarHexagon(30, 50, 0);
  
  // polarEllipse( angle, widthRadius, heightRadius, [distance] )
  fill(252, 248, 200);
  polarEllipses(8, 10, 10, 100);
  fill(238, 175, 170);
  polarEllipses(12, 40, 40, 200);
  fill(252, 248, 200, 120);
  polarEllipses(5, 80, 80, 160);
}

Pattern 2

function draw() {
  background(220);
  setCenter(width/2, height/2);
  noFill();
  
  // polarEllipses( number, widthRadius, heightRadius, distance, [callback] )
  polarEllipses(50, 0, 0, 0, function(...args) {
    stroke(args[0]*10);
    fill(args[0]*5, args[0]*4, args[0]*3, 30);
      args[2] = args[0]*6;
      args[3] = args[0]*6;
      args[4] = args[0]*5;
      return args;
  });
}

Pattern 3

function draw() {
  background(220);
  setCenter(width/2, height/2);
  noStroke();
  
  // polarTriangle( angle, radius, [distance] )
  fill(175, 170, 238);
  polarTriangle(0, 100, 0);
  fill(238, 175, 170);
  polarTriangle(180, 100, 0);
  
   // polarPentagons( number, radius, distance, [callback] )
  fill(238, 175, 170, 80);
  polarPentagons(6, 150, 150);
  fill(175, 170, 238, 40);
  polarPentagons(8, 200, 200);
  
  // polarEllipses( number, widthRadius, heightRadius, distance, [callback] )
  fill(238, 175, 170);
  polarEllipses(3, 10, 5, 120);
  fill(175, 170, 238);
  polarEllipses(3, 5, 10, -120);
}

Pattern 4

function draw() {
  background(0);
  setCenter(width/2, height/2);
  
  // polarLines( number, radius, distance, [callback] )
  noFill();
  stroke('#ccc');
  strokeWeight(0.5);
  polarLines(8, 140, 0);
  polarLines(8, 60, 20);
  
  // polarEllipses( number, widthRadius, heightRadius, distance, [callback] )
  noStroke();
  fill(13, 146, 185, 110);
  polarEllipses(10, 50, 50, 70);
  fill(252, 248, 200, 120);
  polarEllipses(5, 36, 36, 32);
  fill(178, 216, 178, 120);
  polarEllipses(10, 30, 30, 70);
  polarEllipses(10, 30, 30, 120);
  fill(238, 175, 170);
  polarEllipses(12, 8, 8, 40);
  fill(252, 248, 200, 120);
  polarEllipses(5, 16, 16, 32);
  fill(13, 146, 185, 110);
  polarEllipses(14, 50, 50, 155);
  
  // polarHexagon( angle, radius, [distance] ) 
  noStroke();
  fill(175, 170, 238);
  polarHexagon(3, 10, 0);
  
  fill(238, 175, 170);
  // polarTriangles( number, radius, distance, [callback] )
  polarTriangles(4, 6, 60);
  polarTriangles(4, 8, 140);
  // polarSquares( number, radius, distance, [callback] )
  polarSquares(8, 2, 80);
  polarSquares(4, 4, 120);
}

Pattern 5

function draw() {
  background(0);
  setCenter(width/2, height/2);
  noFill()
  
  strokeWeight(1);
  
  stroke('#ff7300');
  // polarPolygon( number, angle, radius, [distance] )
  polarPolygon(10, 0, 50);
  // polarPentagons( number, radius, distance, [callback] )
  polarPentagons(6, 60, 60);
  
  // polarTriangles( number, radius, distance, [callback] )
  stroke('#64ff00');
  polarTriangles(8, 125, 150);
  
  strokeWeight(1);
  stroke('#fc49ab');
  polarTriangles(10, 150, 150);
}

Pattern 6

function draw() {
  background(220);
  setCenter(width/2, height/2);
  stroke('#000');
  
  // polarPolygons( number, number of edges, radius, distance, [callback] )
  fill(229,188,231,120);
  polarPolygons(16, 4, 40, 180);
  fill(32,178,170,120);
  polarPolygons(6, 4, 40, 150);
  fill(252, 248, 200, 120);
  polarPolygons(6, 4, 80, 100);
  fill(255, 255, 255, 120);
  polarPolygons(6, 4, 40, 100);
}